Devon fisherman nets injured peregrine falcon from sea after the bird plunged from Berry Head cliffs

Brixham fisherman Tristan Northway came across the waterlogged young peregrine falcon while it clung to rocks at Berry Head, Devon, unable to scale the cliff face, and scooped it up in a net from his boat before the sea could claim it. He brought the bird to the Cove Discovery Project in Brixham, where licenced ringer Duncan Kenny examined the year-old falcon and concluded it had probably been attacked by a dominant female peregrine before fulmars coated it in their defensive oil. It was subsequently passed to raptor rehabilitators Devon Peregrines, who identified superficial injuries, damaged feathers and waterlogging but found it otherwise in good health.

Peregrines lack oily feathers, so once in water they become rapidly waterlogged and cannot self-rescue from the sea.

Northway said he believes the bird is one of the first two chicks ever born at Berry Head, making the rescue especially significant.

Devon Peregrines say the falcon is expected to return to the wild if no complications arise during recovery.