This is the second time I have read The Peregrine, the first time was back in 2011. He learnt the peregrines habits, sought out their roosts and before long his knowledge of them grew to become an innate ability to know where and when they would appear. What started as a fascination with all of the raptors in the region, rapidly became a passion before becoming a complete obsession. The book is written as a diary, with him following on foot and bicycle a tiercel and a falcon pair over the winter over the fields and fens of Essex, he would note on his OS maps when he saw them, the prey that they had caught, and general notes on the weather and sky. Baker first published this book on these magnificent birds. Two things saved them, the banning of pesticides and they moved from the rural to the urban environment, skyscrapers replacing the cliff top eyries. They are bold, confident birds, fearing nothing else and can also claim to be the world’s fastest animal as they have been recorded at speeds in excess of 200mph in their stoop to kill their prey. Peregrines are one of the most impressive apex predators in this country, but it is one that we almost lost because of pesticides and persecution.
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