A strange tale from the Streets of Taunton last week.

A Tuesday 4th June, a dead Bird of Prey was left by a member of the Public at Taunton Minster. He was convinced that the bird was a Peregrine Falcon. The bird had been seen on the high street in Taunton eating something but unfortunately when disturbed it flew up and into a path of the passing vehicle and was killed. Having been dropped of at the Minster, it was identified as a Buzzard. Then on 7th there were reports of a ‘Peregrine’ grounded behind the Offices of Harris Fowler on Hammet Street. Reports had come from a builder working in the old Nat West offices and indicated that the Gulls and a Peregrine were dive-bombing this grounded ‘Peregrine’. A sweep of area on Saturday confirmed that there was was a bird of prey at the back of the offices and it was identified as a Buzzard. This buzzard disappeared on Saturday afternoon and I don’t believe that it as been seen since.

The adult Female Peregrine in Exeter was well known for bringing down Buzzards that flew over her territory, so I’m wondering if the Taunton Peregrines are now starting to do similar as it seems odd to have two Buzzards on the ground in the same week.

The dead Buzzard was buried in the grounds of the Minster.