I didn’t expect a trip to see the Inner Hebrides Big Five would have quite so many similarities to an African safari. For example, none of us were expecting to see a hunt.
But during a two-minute tender trip onto land, that’s exactly what happened.
“Look! A peregrine!” Indy Kiemel-Greene, our wildlife guide at Hebrides Cruises shouts excitedly as a bird of prey swoops overhead. It’s the fastest bird in the world, he tells us, and although he knew a pair nested in the nearby quarry, this is the first time he’s seen them here.
None of us expected what happened next.
- Eagle snatches owl and carries it into forest – then something wild happens
- Astounding footage shows peregrine falcon attacking foxes in Los Angeles
- Forest eagle finds goose eggs in nest. What happens next is staggering
- Tiger heron seen dunking and eating a bird for the first time ever
The peregrine suddenly dives, attacking something in the water. It grabs another bird then, after a short tussle, seems to drop it.
“Watch this. Everybody see this?” shouts Indy as the terrified victim shoots towards our tender, perhaps hoping the small boat might provide some safety. A flash of blue feathers as it zooms overhead help Indy ID it – a jay.
In a blink, the peregrine is after it and a flock of gulls also join the melee.
Despite the jay’s speed, it’s no match for the peregrine. “It caught it,” Indy gasps. “It’s just dropped it in the sea.”
The predator repeatedly grasps onto the poor bird then, after a struggle, drops it into the water, circling back to chase it again. “Look at that!” says Indy as it swoops back to try again. “It’s gonna catch it from the water. No way!”
Hearts racing, we watch the battle unfold. Time after time, the peregrine grabs the jay before losing its grip and dropping it. The wet jay seems too heavy, slippery or cumbersome for the bird of prey to grip onto, especially when it’s fighting for its life.
The jay puts up a good fight but eventually succumbs to its fate. When the hunt is over, the peregrine carries its hefty meal back to its nest.
Melissa travelled courtesy of Hebrides Cruises.
More wildlife stories from around the world
- Remote cameras capture woodcocks aggressively charging deer in West Virginia
- Oregon’s biggest city was drowning in crow poop. Then a new predator came to town
- “I was photographing seabirds on a remote island off Norway. Then a huge predator appeared from nowhere”
- Great crested grebe seen drowning and eating chiffchaffs in Spain
Top image credit: Indy Kiemel-Greene, Hebrides Cruises
