Tuesday 6 May 2008

Video Highlights

We shall have our work cut-out during our lunchtimes for the next few weeks, going up and down the Cathedral Tower to capture video clips. Our thanks to everyone who reported the times of key activity moments. This helped a lot.

Here are just three of many sequences captured on our DVD recorder. Click each image to play the embedded YouTube video.

First is a changeover revealing two chicks at 19:40 local time on May 4th.



Below is a clip of Mum leaving the nest platform for a few moments to give our first glimpse of three chicks at midday on 5th May, accompanied by the lunchtime bells of Derby Cathedral.


Finally, here's a tender feeding sequence, filmed at 20:15 on 5th May.



Note: Over the next few weeks if you think what you've witnessed on our webcams is a really extra-special moment that stands out above all the rest, and so worthy of capturing on video, do please tell us. Feel free to leave a comment, telling us what you've witnessed and why it seemed of great interest. If you tell us the UK local time it happened (this is visible on each webcam picture), it helps us find the right moment on our 24hour recording.

Because of the popularity of our webcams (6,500 visits today/25,000 pageloads), could we invite viewers to close their browsers when they've finsished viewing the web camera pages? This reduces the strain on the Streamdays servers - and I'm indebted to the guys there for sending out quick alerts to us whenever our own video server freezes.

22 comments:

tm said...

Thanks so much.

What a difference it makes to hear those "chup chup chups". :)

Anonymous said...

How many times a day do the bells ring?

tm said...

At about 6.15 this morning (7/5/8) I was very surprised to see the male sharing the ledge with another large bird (collared dove, I think). This went on for several minutes. Obviously the dove is unaware that at some point, he's likely to be served up as lunch !

Pics here:

http://tm-telsblog.blogspot.com/

Project Member (Derby Cathedral) said...

Karen Anne, the clock chimes every quarter hour (15 minutes) with a tune played at 9.00am, 12.00 noon and 6.00pm. A different tune every day. These are 'played' on the oldest peal of 10 bells in the country. The full bells are rung before services on a Sunday, on Tuesday and Friday nights for practice and on other occasions such as weddings, etc. It always surprises me that the chicks still call 'chup, chup, chup' instead of 'ding dong ding'!!!

Tony G

Anonymous said...

breakfast at 7.15 all well.

Anonymous said...

Great videos you guys. Notice in the first one how adult raptors curl their 'killer' talons underneath them to prevent harming the chicks. Love those bells, just magical and thanks for the info on chiming times.
Just watched a 7.15am feeding of three chicks. I think the unhatched egg is still there and supporting the chicks.
Will not be able to view again until match later in the day. Hope you get some more good videos.
I am still waiting for my DVD!!
Veronica in Cornwall

Anonymous said...

tm, that is a great capture of the two birds on the ledge. I think Froona would say 'that's a suicidal dove'!

Just a web technical note: The information above the main page web cam is out of date (birds fledged in late June). It could be confusing to new watchers. Thanks. Veronica

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the video clips, I have seen the contents live but as others have said, it is delightful to hear them too :o)

Froona said...

Thank you so much for the beautiful video's. It is so good to hear them and watch them live.

Special thanks for the close-ups at 11:00. Captured to many shots ;). All on my Blog, with slideshows.

The peregrines don't curl their talons Veronica, the tendons do curl them automaticaly. They have to open them when they want to. In this way prey is kept tightly without any effort. And they can sit sleeping on an antenna without falling off.

Froona

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

Thanks to Froona and everyone else for their comments and hard work. Clearly web-cam watchers at their computers are like peregrines holding prey: they have to make a conscious decision to let go!

I do agree that the webcam page text needs updating. We have some other changes happening soon, so our plan was to make all these alterations in one go, so as to lessen the load on our Council webteam who are busy keeping the rest of Derby City Council's website up and running. My apologies to any new visitors who find that confusing.

Anonymous said...

Just viewed the three videos - adorable!! Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

Yes i agree with above comment adorable, technology at its best...
Richard......derby.

Anonymous said...

Have just watched the DVD, which is truly excellent - a definite "must-have".

Watching the two Nicks abseiling down the cathedral and installing the nest platform in 2006, made me realise that without their effort we would not have had the thrill earlier this week of seeing the three eggs hatch - to say nothing of all the previous exciting events we have witnessed.
So, many thanks - and to all the other members of the project team
A grateful fan, Derby

Anonymous said...

You're doing a great job! Our eyes are glued to the screen. Keep up the good work. Hope the 4th egg hatches.

Anonymous said...

The collared dove is probably quite safe sitting alongside Mr P (or Mrs P). Up in the air with plenty of clearance all round things would be very different.

The RSPB's cliff nesting pair at Symonds Yat Rock in the Wye valley often have jackdaws as close neighbours.

Anonymous said...

BTW Down at Yat Rock we get periodic visits by a Lanner Falcon complete with jesses on. Anyone mislaid one?

Our resident peregrines seem to have adopted the approach of - ignore it and hopefully it will go away.

Anonymous said...

If anyone is interested, there are some photos and details about the Bells of Derby Cathedral at:-

http://derbyda.org.uk/southern/cathedral/index.html

Roger.

Anonymous said...

EGG number 4 Has just hatched. wow.
what a most beautiful sight
(20.11 onwards uk time)

Anonymous said...

hiya, at around 8pm bst i saw the fourth eggs beginning to break so decided to keep watching and lo and behold around 8.15pm dad ( i think) tossed it out from under him in 2 pieces, i didnt see the chick in full but i think i saw what looked like a little wet greyish blur under dads wing.
weyhey!!!
lyndsey, chesterfield

Unknown said...

Wow. I tuned in just in time to see the remains of egg no. 4 and what looked like a little damp pink chick's bottom sticking out from under the parent's tum. I really wasn't expecting the fourth egg to hatch so that's cheered me up after a rubbish day at work! Fingers crossed that it turns out as healthy as the others seem to be.

The parents are going to be busy with all those mouths to feed! Is it fairly normal for peregrines to raise 4 chicks?

Anonymous said...

Oh my word some one say 4 chicks? will the older 3 not push the younger weaker one out?Or will it be ok great news this is truly great....richard.

Anonymous said...

I saw the 4th chick hatch at about 8.20 pm on Wednesday