Four Peregrine Falcons in backyard

Photo by Greg Hume/Wikipedia

The younger of my two daughters lives in a pleasant little village about 20 minutes south of Ottawa.   She and her family have a large backyard bordering on nearby wooded areas.   This summer had been fairly quiet around their home, bird-wise.   That's all changed however with the arrival of four Peregrine Falcons (a mother and three fledged offspring) into a dead pine tree in the backyard.   They came from the nearby wooded area and use the new perch of bare pine limbs, as the perfect spot for the mother to feed her large youngsters.   When she does show up with some dispatched feathered creature, all hell breaks loose.   There are huge noisy

greetings and then demands from the youngsters to be fed.   There is great commotion as hungry birds frantically jostle for position.   The feeding frenzy goes on noisily for quite some time.   Underneath all the feathered fury, my daughter and her one-year-son are going about their backyard business, while keeping an eye to the sky.   The falcons are become intimidating with their hovering and screeching behaviour at mealtimes, which are apparently quite frequent.

My daughter quickly lost her fascination with these interesting creatures and looks forward to when they take their rude behaviour elsewhere.   Now, if I can just get her to take some pictures, which of course I will publish in this space.

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB