Decent reservoir weather this morning with a moderate N>3 turning WNW>3 with full cloud at a cold 10 degrees.
A quiet start before the action started with just 4 Wheatear on the shore and no waders whlst 2 LBB gull and 4 Black Headed were on the north shore. Several Swallows were heading >N into the wind.
A Peregrine suddenly appeared at speed over the north end of the water and started dive bombing a Black Headed gull on the water. Every time the gull started to fly, the Pere swooped in again making the gull dip below the surface of he water. This continued for around 10 minutes before the Pere finally gave up and headed >N over Nab Water Lane. The gull was a bit tatty looking and exhausted but luckily survived.
The people that are encouraging Peregrines to breed in several built up locations should have to go out birding and see the damage they do to birds.
Near knocking off time and a final scope on, what was a deserted SE corner, produced 2 Dunlin, which I have had previously at this site and were possibly flushed from the north end by the Peregrine.
Looking at the smaller of the two, which at first I suspected a juvenile, though MC suspected adult looking at the plumage, I believe, checking the wader bibles , that this is of the Arctica race which is the smallest of the 3 races which migrate through Britain. They stand out mainly through size, very light speckled breast with hardly any black patch, and a very short bill which a juvenile Schinzii would'nt show.
Cloudy sunshine for morning on a moderate NW at 12 degrees clouding midday.
BS