YOU have, over the last few years, published many accounts and photographs of the peregrines found locally. You have also commented that the main food source for these birds are pigeons. As the RSPB have spent huge resources looking after these birds could you answer a few questions for me-
When the RSPB find these nests and examine them, what do they do with the pigeon rings found at these sites?
Do they collect these rings and report them to the Royal Pigeon Racing Association?
If someone found a cat or dog that had been killed and was wearing a collar with a telephone number I'm sure the finder would report the loss to the owner. Thousands of pigeons are lost during racing throughout a year but very few are reported even though they are either wing stamped with a contact number or wearing an address ring.
How many pigeons are taken by peregrines and other birds of prey in a year? – Robert Parker, Milkwall, Coleford.