Captain Beaky

Following a lazy start to the day and a lunchtime walk over the common I popped down to Chichester with Mum and Dad this afternoon. Mum and I had arranged to have a cup of tea at the cathedral and check out the famous peregrines and Dad had a purchase to make from Robert Dyas. While Dad went off to do his bit of retail therapy Mum and I wandered through the Bishop's Palace gardens and then we all regrouped in the cathedral cafe courtyard.

We were lucky enough to see one of the adult peregrines performing a flypast and then it sat on a turret overlooking the nest, unfortunately with its back to us so I didn't get any decent pictures. Then this gull came along which I thought had something in its beak but, on closer inspection, it seems to be a bit of the beak itself that I guess won't be there for much longer. We looked at the peregrine chicks on the TV screen and had a chat with the very knowledgeable RSPB staff. Amazingly peregrines have been recorded flying at 240 mph in pursuit of prey!

On the way home we stopped off at the hospice charity shop where further successful purchases were made and finally Dad lured the rooks with bread and they put on a particularly good display along with jackdaws, a stock dove, and a magpie.

All in all, a lovely Saturday.