Sunday 8 July 2007

News of our Neighbours


Lest you think the only peregrines in the Midlands are in Derby, an impression we have perhaps fostered on this blog, we have to relate that there is a long established pair in Burton on Trent on the tall Coors Tower and that another pair has nested in Nottingham. Both places are some 12-14 miles from Derby. The Nottingham pair reared four young on a univeristy building - which in no way compares to a mediaeval bell tower of course, as the photo shows! We gather that one of the young died when it flew into a window, and certainly one came to ground at fledging because phone calls to the Derbyshire Trust office initially suggested that it was one of our Derby birds that was about to be taken off to a rescue centre, causing us a considerable amount of panic as you might imagine!

Maybe fifty miles away, a pair reared young on Lincoln cathedral (one of which landed on the bonnet of a Porsche somewhere in the city apparently.....but was returned safely to the skies later). Elsewhere, a pair was seen regularly on the cooling towers at Willington Power Station, some 6 miles south of Derby but was not thought to have attempted to breed.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well it shows that the peregrine chick in Lincoln has expensive taste, no ordinary car for it!!!
Heather, Derby

Anonymous said...

The Derby peregrines will always have a very special place in my heart but what wonderful news that they are not so rare as I thought. And of course the BRILLIANT and MAGICAL news for me is that we have one just up the road from me at Bucks County Hall. I'm told it's a first summer bird. I'd never have found out if I'd not been talking to people about the Derby project so thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I do agree that your birds are lucky to have your beautiful cathedral as "home". Bucks County Hall is probably great so far as peregrines are concerned but it's a brutal modernistic concrete slab - known locally as "Fred's Folly" and a hated piece of architecture!

Anonymous said...

No occupants in or around the nest as of now.

Anonymous said...

The Derby box is unoccupied as I write. I know the Aylesbury bird will be in residence - darn! I have to go to work!

Anonymous said...

I remember last year seeing one of the Burton pair of peregrines tucking into a tasty lunch in the middle of my lawn here in Stretton, Burton. I didn't realise they had established themselves on the tall Coors(formally Bass) tower. I shall keep my eyes open from now on, thanks for that. Sue

helenhoward said...

1450 and having a quick peek b4 tackling mount ironing and was excited to see one of the family on the ledge below the nest!! Must tackle that pile!! What to be a bird and have so much freedom!!

Anonymous said...

Birdie still on the ledge.

I didn't know anyone still ironed :-)

Anonymous said...

Helen Howard always seems to be ironing!!! If I wasn't at work, I should be getting washing in and ironing the stuff (it's actually stopped raining - hurrah!)
This is now an even worse crime than peregrine web camming - blog commenting about people's domestic arrangements. I certainly WILL end up in my own courts!!!!
Sue @ work (not Wendover)

helenhoward said...

1750 and there is a birdie on the nest!! conquered mount ironing so thought i would have a nosey. The webcams sure give some form of escapism!!

helenhoward said...

1844 and shes still sat there!!

helenhoward said...

1907 and yes shes still there!!

helenhoward said...

am i the only one watching tonight!! 2105 and there is one of our feathered friends on the lower ledge

Anonymous said...

No birdies there now.

To momentarily hijack the blog again, as a sloppy American living in dungerees and tshirts, sweatshirts, or no-iron tops, I'm not even sure where my iron, last seen about 1999, is.

Tell me you're not ironing sheets or something like that? Do we need a Free Helen campaign? :-)

Anonymous said...

I've not even STARTED on my ironing yet so I've had no time to look earlier. Of course, there's no-one home at the derby nestbox! I have been in to Aylesbury tonight and couldn't wait to take a look at County Hall. Needless to say, there was no-one home there either! Such is life.
Sue Hetherington, Wendover

Anonymous said...

On Sunday morning 08/07/07 about 08.30am I was walking into Derby along the River Derwent path and noticed a lot of Ferral Pigeons scattering this way and that.Sure enough a good way above them was a juv Peregrine. It appeared to be enjoying the thermals, circling around and occasionally doing the flap, flap glide flying action. It was a buff, cream colour on the underside which is why I think it was a Juv. I made myself comfortable and got the binoculars focused when the bird went into a stoop and dived for what must have been approximately 150 metres. I didn't see the hit or the target as the bird went from my view, behind trees but to see a live stoop was quite amazing and very fast. It must be great fun, exhilarating, to fly like that even if breakfast isn't the reward.

helenhoward said...

How fantastic mick for you!! Well impressed. We have been once to the watch at the cathedral and it was gob smacking to see the birds in the flesh so to say!!
Its a pity other counties with nest boxes could not put up webcams. Mind you that would give us even more excuses to do even less than what we already are doing!! but hey who cares thats life!!
Good night one and all from the founder member of the free helen campaign!!

Anonymous said...

A fluffy friend engaged in grooming in the nest box.

Anonymous said...

No birds currently at the nest...

helenhoward said...

morning all 623 and all is quiet on the nest

helenhoward said...

1703 and there is a beautiful visitor on the nest. Not to sure which it is but it looks in good shape whatever!!

helenhoward said...

2108 and there is still a feathered friend on the nest. wonder if she has been there all evening

helenhoward said...

2203 and our feathered friend is watching derby by lamp light. Gnite one and all

Anonymous said...

Still a birdie on the nest...

Anonymous said...

Still there...

Anonymous said...

7.01pm B.C. Canada, one of the falcons is still on the nest edge

helenhoward said...

0624gmt and there is a birdie on the ledge below the nest

Anonymous said...

now theres something you dont see very often!!!!!!
07.52 weds 11th july
a lone PIGEON is standing on the edge of the nestbox - yes i really did say pigeon, and it's not in the form of a carcass as normal, it's live - although i wonder how long for??
just popped in for breakfast i would imagine (haha)

Anonymous said...

the pigeon had gone during the time it took me to blog, i wonder if it left by its own accord or was inevitably 'carried away' did anyone else see it????

Anonymous said...

We have seen a number of birds get near the nest when watching from below ( although never on the nest!!!)The adults do not seem interested into trying to catch them. We were unsure if it is to do with some protective factor in ensuring the chicks stay safe or if they need to go through the process of stoop catch?However that one could just be a new form of fast food delivery!!!

Anonymous said...

Hurrah - I've just looked at the webcam and there's actually one there for me!!!! First "hit" for ages. (10 to twelve - I'm just thinking of going off and getting my own lunch ... yes, I'm playing truant at court again)

Anonymous said...

12.12 on wednesday afternoon 1 of the adults is on the tray

Anonymous said...

12.30 ...still there...lovely sight!!

Anonymous said...

Can the dairy page be brought up to date a bite more often, i would like to see more news and pictures about our birds. It seems to me like its being slowly finished'

Anonymous said...

Hi anonymous (the entry before mine) ... I think that the project was all really about the nest and they've completed that bit now so it's much harder to have anything to comment on. It's the lucky people who live in Derby who can go out there and watch the birds "in person". I expect that after another month or so, the adults will expect the juveniles to be able to look after themselves and there will be some dispersement .... even less to report on the diary. There's loads more out there to look at though - search out your nearest Wildlife Trust for inspiration. I know the one down my way (Bucks, Berks and Oxon) has got a fab day planned for Sunday. It's tough - I really miss them too ... roll on next year when I hope the magic will happen all over again. It'll be a big relief to me when the "blog" shuts down - then I won't be risking my job at the courts by looking at it instead of working!!!!

Peregrine Project Member (Nick M.) said...

Hold on to your horses - I'm working on an update right now!
Though all the helpful comments being left here are keeping us all pretty up-to-date, so keep up the good work, folks.

Anonymous said...

One extra pair to add to the almost-neighbours: this year saw Peregrines nest for the first time in Peterborough, where a single chick has fledged from a nest on the power station. Not nearly so scenic or visible as ours, but with the Nene Washes on their doorstep (and probably visible from the top of the towers there), they're likely to have rather expensive tastes in food: displaying Black-tailed Godwit, anyone? Yum...

http://toadsnatcher.blogspot.com/2007/07/peregrines-breed-in-peterborough.html