Young Peregrine drops in with peer and grin

What does a peer and grin (of sorts) add up to? Peregrine Falcon, naturally. This juvenile made an  infrequent species appearance in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park today.

First image bit messy. Quick clone job bit tidier but far from full fix.

Peregrines breed less than three kilometres away on Castle Hill, a sandstone outlier looming over the inner city, harbour, inner suburbia and the airport. It also looms over many of the city's Rock Pigeons. And Peregrines love fat feral pigeons.

So why waste much time in the Common, harassed by solitary cheeky White-breasted Woodswallow, and looking down on Peaceful Doves or Rainbow Bee-eaters when flocks of chubby pigeons are closer to home? Lesson juvenile yet to learn.