The Hunt - La Chasse


Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 21 April 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous)

We do not see peregrine falcons in Darrick wood but some of the falconers nearby fly them. The environment in our woods is not suitable for the hunting tactics of the falcon and they would have to compete with sparrow hawks. Much of the coastline of the UK can support this iconic bird.

The French coastline is also colonised by peregrine falcons and it was in Yport were we saw a dramatic chase. Yport is on the north coast of Normandy and it has steep white cliffs made of chalk. On a recent trip we were walking on the coastal path. Above us was a flock of rock doves who were flying fast and performing aerobatics. Suddenly, a peregrine falcon appeared, and it was hunting the doves using horizontal flight rather than diving at the flock. The falcon could fly faster and was soon penetrating the flock. The doves were flying faster and faster and were swerving to avoid being caught. I could not decide who I should support the falcon which was after a meal or the doves who were trying to survive.

I thought that I had seen the falcon finally catch one of the doves but in the last millisecond the dove stalled its flight and fell out of the air. The falcon had missed; the doves had evaded capture and the falcon flew away, probably to rest.

We had witnessed a dramatic and magnificent example of the struggle for survival.






Pensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 21 avril 2020

Nous ne voyons pas de faucons pèlerins dans le bois de Darrick, mais certains des fauconniers à proximité les volent. L’environnement dans nos bois n’est pas adapté aux tactiques de chasse du faucon et ils devraient rivaliser avec les éperviers. Une grande partie du littoral du Royaume-Uni peut soutenir cet oiseau emblématique.

Le littoral français est également colonisé par les faucons pèlerins et c’était à Yport où nous avons vu une chasse dramatique. Yport est sur la côte nord de la Normandie et il a escarpées falaises blanches en craie. Lors d’un récent voyage, nous marchions sur le chemin côtier. Au-dessus de nous, il y avait un troupeau de colombes qui volaient vite et faisaient de la voltige. Soudain, un faucon pèlerin est apparu, et il chassait les colombes en vol horizontal plutôt que de plonger dans le troupeau. Le faucon pouvait voler plus vite et pénétrait rapidement le troupeau. Les colombes volaient de plus en plus vite et faisaient des embardées pour éviter d’être attrapées. Je ne pouvais pas décider qui je devais soutenir le faucon qui était en quête d’un repas ou les colombes qui essayaient de survivre.
Je pensais que j’avais vu le faucon attraper enfin une des colombes mais dans la dernière milliseconde la colombe a décroché son vol et est tombée hors de l’air. Le faucon avait manqué; les colombes avaient échappé à la capture et le faucon s’est envolé, probablement pour se reposer.


Nous avions été témoins d’un exemple dramatique et magnifique de la lutte pour la survie.

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