Ely Cathedral peregrine and pigeon in stand-off on tower

Predator versus prey? On this occasion it is thought the falcon was not feeling hungry

A peregrine falcon apparently eyeing up a pigeon as its potential dinner - and the pigeon glaring back defiantly - has been captured on camera.

Falcons have nested at Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire for four years but have not mated so far this year.

The stand-off between a pigeon and female falcon was captured by the Hawk and Owl Trust, which monitors them.

The wood pigeon, which often falls prey to falcons, escaped but the image led to dozens of comments on social media.

Adrian Blumfield, from the trust, went along to check on the peregrines at the cathedral last week.

There have been several females seen at the site and one male and the trust is keen to see if they will mate, as other pairs around the country have already laid eggs.

The pigeon appears defiant - and somewhat angry - in the face of the peregrine, thought to be the fastest animal on the planet

The female peregrine and wood pigeon were seen staring at each other from either side of the cathedral's west tower.

"They sat looking at each other for a good 15 minutes and then the pigeon flew off," Mr Blumfield said.

"I suspect the falcon had eaten earlier in the day and wasn't hungry. They will only kill when hungry or feeding young."

The cathedral posted the photograph on social media asking for captions, and many replied to the post with comments including references to cartoon characters Dastardly and Muttley's efforts to "stop the pigeon" - a carrier pigeon called Yankee Doodle Pigeon that eluded the Wacky Races villains.

Others suggested "deliver-coo" had dropped off dinner especially for the peregrine.

This photograph from last year shows a female peregrine perched on the Southwest Transept Tower of Ely Cathedral

The cathedral site is still being closely monitored in the hope that a pair will mate.

Public tours of the west tower were suspended earlier this month so as not to disturb the birds.

"Birds in the breeding process tend to occupy the sites mainly from March through to July, with courtship displayed from early March to late April," Mr Blumfield said.

"It would then be expected that eggs will be laid from mid-March to early May.

"We know from 2022 that the resident female at Ely was displaced and four other females visited but no single female was dominant enough to remain.

"While they did not produce eggs last year, in 2021 the eggs did not appear until late April."

Peregrine chicks were filmed at the cathedral nesting box in June 2021

He said this year "the same male and female peregrine has been on the west tower for several weeks but there are few signs of courtship", although he said the female had been seen on the nesting box.

"This is not the only site we have observed this year with the birds showing no breeding signs," he added.

"But we will continue to watch - it's not too late yet."

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