Surprising

Standard fare for the time of year, round about TQ81W: warblers…flurries of Sand Martins…some late brood of Moorhens…young Sparrowhawks squealing in the treetops of one small wood…a couple of Tree Pipits calling over as I hang out the washing.

Something new and rather extraordinary yesterday though, as I crossed onto the beach near Cliff End. A bird was hurtling towards me along the water’s edge, towered up into the air – it was a Peregrine – stooped down but, obstructed by the wooden sea defences, swirled round a couple of times before heading off back to the sandstone ledges.

I hadn’t seen what it was after till I spotted a long-billed little silhouette cowering in a protective right-angle at the end of the groyne. It was a Kingfisher.

That’s the first time I’ve seen one in this tetrad and in fact the first I’ve seen at Pett for some time, though several people have reported them from the canal recently.

But I thought those vivid colours, which we find so fabulous, were advance warning to would-be predators of a nasty taste. Either I’m wrong or the Peregrine – adult though it was – didn’t care.