Friday 13 June 2008

Britain's Got Talons!

Juvenile 005 shows us his talons after being captured from an unsuccessful fledge from the tower of Derby Cathedral, England
There was more excitement in Derby City this morning.
Juvenile male 005 decided to land on the pavement in Irongate, next to one of the many pubs in Derby's Cathedral Quarter. Called out of staff meetings, or days off, or church services, the project team all rushed to the scene, armed with sturdy gloves and cardboard boxes. Nick B swiftly got hold and, after a few minutes posing for the cameras, we took him back up to the roof of the tower (the bird, that is).


We carefully carried peregrine 005 up the spiral staircase in a cardboard box and decided it was best to release him on the edge of the tower stonework, facing inwards to recover.


He remained perched there for an hour or so, watched from just a metre or two below by another recently fledged bird.

Mum circled around the tower, calling loudly, whilst Dad kept watch from the air some distance away. The shot below shows Mum zooming past.

Not long afterwards we were emailed this webcam screen shot by Carol Crowe, showing all six birds in view at once. We still have further fledgings over the weekend to look forward to, and hope to meet some of you down on the Green at our Watchpoints.


Our thanks to Helen Bousie who (we've only just learnt) spotted the downed bird at half past eight this morning and set in chain the events reported above.

If you want to see more of Derby's peregrines, may we once again recommend our new DVD with much unseen footage and insights into how this project was set up. Your purchase helps to fund this project, and here's what one anonymous viewer said earlier this morning:
Wow! I've just received my DVD today, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou truly wonderful the imagery insight and also the music. Well done [everyone]
Follow this link for more information on The Peregrines of Derby Cathedral DVD.

47 comments:

Froona said...

Wow, just got home from work and a lot has happened. Great pics from the rescue. Tradional breakfast indeed!! He looks sensational!
This is all probably a prelude to many more adventures yet to come with our 4 juvies! Thanks for the rescue of 005. Wonder what's next...
Froona

Anonymous said...

Is it time now to update the heading for the web-cam - a year old! "our birds fledged in late June, but remain around the Cathedral and still use or roost by this nest platform from time to time"

anon

Froona said...

I've looked into the pics of this morning ( autocapture).
At 08:09:57 one of the 3 juvies takes off with great wingdisplay!
Froona

Anonymous said...

Just love the pics of the male who only wanted to sample a good old traditional breakfast, you probably spoilt his fun!!!! And what a handsome boy he is. Glad that he and the rest are all OK!! Are you going to give him some pocket money just in case he tries again after all he will need to pay!!

Anonymous said...

And there was you trying to convince people that it was just "dad" who tended to nip off down the pub.

#005 is clearly a chip off of the ol' block...

Anonymous said...

Did anyone get a photo of the Hobby that was reported spotted overhead on 8th June

Anonymous said...

Do you think 005 should now be 007? after all he is quite daring, and handsome too!!!!

Anonymous said...

Pax Canada 8.45am
What a story 005 will have to tell his own kids!! :-)
I would love to have seen the crew rushing to the rescue, do you wear pagers in case this happens?

Anonymous said...

Is that food in store on the top ledge (above the nest-box)? Wonder if anyone is enterprising enough to take a bite???

Karen Anne said...

I'm having a bit of trouble finding all six birds in the screen capture. Are four at the pudding cam?

yojimbot said...

Great post...good thing there isnt a busy roadway below the scrape such as there is here in the US. I also rescued a wayward fledgling this past Saturday,
http://yojimbot.blogspot.com

Cheers!

Karen Anne said...

I hope this isn't true, but there was just a posting on another blog that Kodak, which sponsors the webcam of Mariah, the very long lived female peregrine and mother of many, and Kaver at Rochester, and which froona features on her blog, is going to destroy their nest box for some building work.

Anonymous said...

Probably not the end of the world Karen. If a resident pair like the location they'll probably make another scrape next year nearby. My "adopted" pair in the Wye Valley tend to use a different spot around the Yat Rock cliffs each year.

Karen Anne said...

Hi, John b,

I'm not sure Rochester, which is a big city, has much in the way of alternate sites.

Anonymous said...

Saturday morning update 0740 UK time:
One youngster on N side gargoyle (ie round the corner). One on gargoyles above nest and this one was fed by the female. Two in the tray still and these also taken some food by the female. Male present but 'idle'....
Lovely sunny morning but due to cloud over soon, ie by the time the watch point starts.
Photo of yesterday's 'pub-visiting' eyass is on the front page of the local paper (Derby Evening Telegraph)...search for 'thisisderbyshire' to find their story.
Nick B (DWT)

Anonymous said...

iv just been on the site this is derbyshire to find the story and can only find the front page pic and not the story ?

Anonymous said...

Been watching the two that are left, wonder if the little one is going to survive, such a pity if (s)he doesn't and so sad. Thanks for the last few months of enjoyment watching their progress.

Terry, Herts UK said...

Great pictures of the rescue. What a photo opportunity that was.

The link to the 'thisisderbyshire' story is here:

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/Falcon-flap-flying-time/article-189514-detail/article.html

Anonymous said...

Really hope Colin continues to post his excellent photo,s during the coming months,when the "furore" has subsided!.Just in case not,many thanks for quality unlimited.

Dennis,local lad.

Anonymous said...

Let's add a clickable link to the local paper story shall we...?

[This is Derbyshire Peregrine story]

Anonymous said...

Quote from the Paper "They have given birth each year"
I always thought all birds laided and hatched eggs :)

Anonymous said...

Really surprised to see Dad? feeding the remaining two youngsters, thought they would be feeding themselves by now. Lovely to see 'Titch' waiting patiently whilst her older sibling has her dinner, then 'hops' casually over to Dad for her share - such good manners!

Anna, Ripley

Anonymous said...

Just seen the third chiock leave the nest. Tiddler is all alone now.

Anonymous said...

In the time I left my comment, the third chick is back again.

Jon Salloway said...

Its great to hear the third has done it. Lets all keep our fingers crossed for the last one.

See here for action shots I've taken:

http://derby-peregrines.blogspot.com/

Karen Anne said...

Thanks for those excellent pictures, Jon. Know I know where the ledge is that one of the young returned to.

Anonymous said...

thanks jon for those fantastic photos these birds really are fantastic arnt they

Anonymous said...

Can see third oldest and Tiddler sleeping right next to each other on the scrape. They look really companionable. We'll hopefully be whizzing past on the Transpeak tomorrow and hoping to catch site of one or two in the sky. What a lot has happened since last Saturday! Some excellent photos from everyone. xxx Penny

Anonymous said...

Both chicks look very happy together. It's incredible to think the first hatch was only on 28th March and to see them now, how they've grown.

Anonymous said...

The last two chicks seem to be getting ready for flight - an awful lot of flapping going on.

Rose

Anonymous said...

Third chick has flown again, leaving Tiddler on his own.

Rose

Anonymous said...

He's back again!

Rose

Froona said...

Nr 3 just left the box once more.
Froona

Froona said...

And is back again, just a little sunday excursion so it seems. Building up the tension quite a bit this one!
Froona

Anonymous said...

Looks like No. 3 is back again - that's loyalty for you, or am I being over sentimental, doesn't want to leave the youngster on her own?

Anna, Ripley

Karen Anne said...

The two young in the nest box do look very companionable, don't they, snuggled up together a lot of the time. Some hours ago two were in the nest box and two by the pudding cam. I can't tell the parents from the older young ones, so I am not sure who was up by the pudding cam.

Anonymous said...

Quite a gathering down at the Cathedral this morning.There was not a great deal of movement the falcons where having a sunday morning sleep over. There was a brief moment when a youngster took flight. And just before I left the falcon flew off into the distance and gave a Buzzard a telling off.
The Buzzard certainly had a harsh sunday morning wake up.
Regards
Colin

Jon Salloway said...

Uploaded todays pics. See Buzz off:
http://derby-peregrines.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

It's great to see a couple of the fledglings back in the nest box with the youngster. Is it unusual to return after leaving the nest - I don't remember the youngsters doing it last year. It's also brilliant to have the pud. cam view again - saw five all at once this morning.

Anna, Ripley

Anonymous said...

Just had some real close-ups on the tower camera: one youngster very curious about camera and seemed to be having a very good look at what might be inside that lens (maybe see his own reflection?), and also using it as a perch. Other three back in nest. We did catch glimpse in real life today too on way back from Monsal Dale. xxx Penny

Anonymous said...

Over the previous years we have seen them go back typically in the evening. 003 has not flown yet so they will stay close most of the time. By the way 003 is the female and looking at her today she is no "Tiddler". Cant wait to see her fly.

Terry, Herts UK said...

anon, the youngest is ringed 007 and is the only eyas yet to fledge. He's a male, affectionately known to some of us as tiddler because he hatched several days` later than his siblings, and is being kept company by one of the other males.

003 is the eldest and only female eyas.

They are numbered 003, 004, 005, 007 because the 006 ring broke.

I hope I've got that right! Been spending much of my life over the last few weeks watching them :)

Anonymous said...

tiddler left the ledge tonight crashed and burned several times but pratice makes perfect.And he was safe as we left the falcon also had a good fly round it all seem to happen around 8pm again.

Anonymous said...

Hi Terry, You are right. According to Nick Brown on 27th May, "Tiddler" is male and 003 the eldest is the only female.

Rose

Karen Anne said...

Tiddler is off the nest box? Are you sure that was him and not one of his sibs? There are still two in the nest box now, cuddled up.

I have been assuming people posting their worries about him lately were misled by his size due to his later birth, but Froona posted on her site that she has seen him missing out on some of the feedings because he is not aggressive. Now I am a bit worried about him.

Froona said...

Amazing pictures by Colin Pass on my Blog!!

Karen Anne, the youngest always has a problem competing for food. That's why the female puts extra testosteron in the last egg, to be sure that one can compete.
To be able to survive as the last hatchling, and even with so many days in between is remarkable. And proofs he is a strong and very intelligent little guy. This missing out on some feedings has been teaching him a lesson. Today we could see how he took the food ( pigeon) first. He's a winner this one!
There is no need at all to worrie. He will get there no doubt about it. He is healthy and energetic. He will know best when it is time to fledge.

Anonymous said...

Pretty sure as there was him.He was with and the eyass falcon on the ledge. The falcon had a couple of short flights and then he had ago got a few pics of both he had several atempts of landing on the tower before making it back to the ledge.