Afwijkende jachtmethode van Slechtvalk Falco peregrinus: bidden

On 12 January 2007 an unusual method of hunting was observed by an adult male Peregrine Falcon. This happened in the vast polder Nieuw Bonaventura in the Hoeksche Waard, province of Zuid-Holland. The three observers discovered a hovering raptor at about 10-12 m above bare arable land. The very first thought was a hovering Kestrel Falco tinnunculus, a rather common species in the polder. However, the wingbeats were slower and the jizz was quite different from a Kestrel. On second look it turned out to be a Peregrine. After for about 5-10 sec of hovering, the falcon slowly proceeded against the strong headwind, until the bird again started hovering. This procedure was repeated three times. At last, the falcon descended and perched on the ground. That same afternoon, presumably the same bird was observed resting on an electricity pylon. Later still, the falcon was again recorded hovering at the same spot.