Monday 4 April 2011

Egg-tastic (Second Egg)

Egg number two arrived around 11.18am this morning, and the screenshot below was immediately posted to our Flickr Pool. In fact Marski101 and Craig both captured and posted this identical image, showing the newly laid, moist egg, which is darker and shinier than its counterpart.

On average, Peregrines lay clutches of four eggs, so it's likely that we'll see at least one more in the next couple of days. We can't expect all the eggs to survive to maturity, of course. In fact they may not even all hatch. But for now lets just wait and see how many we get.

Egg No. 2

44 comments:

Erica said...

Thanks for the picture. What a lovely sight. Isn't Spring wonderful!

Craig said...

Following on from Mo Cole's post and this new topic:

I'll put my money on a draw, 3 all. But I would remind you that Nottingham scored first and that's likely all they'll get now.

:)

Phoebe said...

The egg was within the period RJ suspected. Glad I was watching the webcam at the right time!


@ Green Class

Congratulations for being able to see the second egg laid, I can imagine you all jumping with joy!

Craig said...

12.32 Falcon sitting comfortably at last, as comfortably as she can get on two eggs. Immediately sticks her head up. Must have been a passing bird getting too close to the scrape.

12.45 After a good productive hard day he's getting some well earned shuteye. Before sticking her head up again.

12.46 Noticed a feather floating on the tower cam, either a gush of wind picked it up or the Tiercel is somewhere higher with food.

Julie said...

Craig - what job is it you do???? (or don't as the case might be!) Just hope your boss never looks at this website!

Anyway - have just got in and it is Eggcellent to see No 2 has been laid - Mrs P is Eggcelling herself...

Phoebe said...

Tiercel was on the scrape ledge ight hand side, then falcon flies off and tiercel takes over sitting on the eggs.

Craig said...

12.55 I step away from the computer for a couple of minutes and the Tiercel has landed on the right hand side of the scrape probably to see what's happening.

Falcon looks to be very protective of her eggs, head bowed down very low, although eggs clearly visable. Tiercel seems to be taken back at first and seems to be looking around a bit, mostly upwards.

13.00 Come on one of you, make a move, it's lunch time. I may have an egg mayo cob from Birds.

Falcon looks up, then off to the side, carefully walk round the eggs, standing on the ledge, looks like she called out.

13.01 Takes a bow at the Tiercel, probably not what's doing ofcourse. Tiercel doesn't seem to move.

13.02 And she's off. Tiercel immediately (and I mean immediately, you can see his foot move the second she'd gone) moves over to the eggs and tucks them in.

Hope the Falcon catches a a nice lunch.

RJ said...

Think I just posted this on the previous thread (twice!), so try again..

A second egg! Great, I wish I had as much luck predicting the lottery. The gap between the 2nd and 3rd eggs in 2010 and 2009 was the same – 45 hours (which compares to a much longer gap between 1 & 2 and 3 & 4). If it kept the same gap that would give #3 at around 8.00 Wednesday morning. I’ve no idea whether the shorter gap is normal, but I have a suspicion it isn’t. So I’m going to go with the third egg arriving Wednesday afternoon, say around 4.00 p.m.

Jane (Belper) said...

I may be wrong, but last time I saw the Nottingham peregrines changing shift, I thought I saw 4 eggs!!! I don't mind any more, now our Derby pair are catching up. I agree Erica, Spring and mother nature are wonderful!

Craig said...

14.22 Falcon is back on the right hand side ledge. Head bowed to the Tiercel on the scrape. Hope she had lunch.

Tiercel acknowledged her presence but isn't moving.

Any moment now she'll be using that size to her advantage.

14.24 She moves along the ledge, wings raised upto the scrape right in front of the Tiercel. Tiercel backs up quickly off the eggs and scarpers.

14.25 Tick in the eggs and easily down.

Craig said...

Error in my last post, it should be tuck, not tick.

15.12 The Falcon has found something very interesting in the corner of the scrape, closest to the camera that she got off the eggs to investigate and pick at.

15.14 Back on the eggs.

Craig said...

15.20 Tiercel is back and immediately the Falcon moves up and onto the ledge.

15.21 Tiercel has flown off. Turns out he was being nosey, not wanting to sit on the eggs.

15.38 Still off the eggs and sitting on the ledge, having a small preen. Tiercel isn't anywhere to be seen.

Craig said...

15.39 Posted too soon, after she small preen she goes right back to the eggs.

Unknown said...

I watch the seconed egg being hatched. I think it is amazing so well done to Mrs P. you did souch as good job i hope your next eggs come out as butifull as the last two. So good look Mrs P!!

Craig said...

18.41 Changeover Falcon off, Tiercel On.

Joy said...

Agree with Julie does Craig work? I wouldn't like to pay him.

Great Mrs. P. perhaps we'll still have more!

Anonymous said...

Great news, disappointed I missed it while at work. The last thread had me in tears twice - once of the reminder of Froona and being sad at her passing and the other of happiness at the pure joy of Green Class's reaction. Hey, I want to be able to jump for joy too when egg no 3 comes - can you lay it before 10:30 or after 4:30 please Mrs P?

Craig said...

Excuse me, I do work. Just because the two I work under were away today and I had more time isn't my fault. I completed a 116 page document today.

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

@craig

I'm sure you did complete the 116 page document today. After all, someone has to be there to put the last fullstop in.

Oh, I feel so much better after all those snipes at lazy council workers he's been making of late ;-)

Julie said...

And I was just about to apologise and congratulate Craig on his time management :-)

Craig said...

I've not made any snipes at council workers.. yet

AndrewL said...

eggcellent news indeed with egg number two, but hope our falcons dont get to hear the comment about egg mayo sandwiches.........

Anonymous said...

Just off to work (start at 10:30 now, not 9) had a quick "fix" and Mrs P's off on a mission and the two egglets are looking after themselves. It's a miserable, wet and grey day down here in Bucks today, how is it in Derby?

Craig said...

11.22 The Falcon has been standing on the right hand side ledge for some time with the Tiercel on the eggs.

Nothing much happened, until the Falcon flew off. The Tiercel then decided to get up and also take flight.

* And YES I am doing my work.

Craig said...

This morning, while walking into work, I passed within a metre of two Mallard ducks, male and female.

This isn't the first time we've had Mallards in the centre of Nottingham, the water feature has attracted a few in the past.

They don't stay long, as you can expect there isn't much food for them around. But it's wonderful to see their (or more to the point, his) bright colours.

Craig said...

Kestrels at Aston Uni have an egg, many more on the way. For anyone interested in them.

As to the Peregrines, looking forward to tomorrow to see if RJ's predictions are good ones and we see another egg in the scrape.

AnnieF. said...

A quick note: Aston University kestrels have got egg #1!!!

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

Just to let everyone know that I managed today to retrieve video clips of both eggs being laid In one you can actually hear the egg hitting the gravel! Will upload ASAP,,but am away from my computer for most of the evening. (This message sent from the projects new smartphone. Isn't technology amazing?)

Craig said...

Brilliant news about the vids, can't wait like everyone else to see them.

As for technology, I use a computer a lot, home and work but don't use or like, for that matter, mobiles, ATMs or other non-personal interaction devices.

Each to his own.

KerrySuffolk said...

@ Craig
Another "egg" word for your list!

Eggtertaining - entertaining

The P's and their antics are very eggtertaining!

PS A person after my own heart, I would much rather speak to some one than email or text, some times I go on phone strike and tell people they should phone not text, it doesn't always work!

Steph (Canada) said...

The peregrines in Hamilton, Ontario now have 3 eggs.....link below.
They have a new camera this year and it is much better!!

http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/

@Craig...don't stop posting your minute by minute accounts - they are a real bonus for some of us who can only check the cameras very occasionally at work (even when we're not supposed to!)..

Craig said...

11.05 Lovely day today isn't it. Tiercel on the scrape ledge, Falcon below on the wall in the shade. Eggies basking in the sun, don't leave them too long; don't want them overcooked.

Tiercel going through his grooming looks like he has a scratch of the head then the next shot is him with his leg out straight. Looks very cute. I wonder if he does the can can.



Never ever happening in Nottingham, every time I see them the Falcon is on the scrape, not yet seen the Tiercel on the eggs. I still only seen 3 eggs when the Falcon is moving, that's not to say there isn't a 4th hiding in there.

Come on Nottingham; Derby Tiercel is doing the can can, lets see you do a duet.

Craig said...

:( I hope my last message got through. After posting it I got a message telling me to log in, once I did that I got an error message saying I couldn't access the blogger because of some Java or Cookie problem... hmmm cookies.

So if I didn't I was saying something about it's coming up to 4.00 p.m. and I hoped RJ's prediction was correct but that she didn't look at all uncomfortable or like giving another and I doubt that we'll be seeing any egg this afternoon.

Craig said...

16.39 Falcon is up off the eggs, walks over to the ledge. She initially looked like she was going to take flight but instead turned around, had a scratch and is now having another preen.

16.43 Preening the tail, all fanned out, and gives it a shake, looks all blurry on the camera.


I've just looked through the past replies and see that out of 30, 14 of them are mine. Perhaps I should ease off the blogging :)
Afterall the Falcon preening isn't exactly news. Fun to watch ofc.

Phoebe said...

@ Craig - Great to read your posts.

The tiercel is on the eggs now, he looks so cute :D and I think he likes the egg sitting job, nice and steady lol

AnnieF. said...

Craig:
No, keep on blogging!
Steph, Canada:
Thanks for the Hamilton link!

At Sussex Heights, Brighton, the peregrines have now got 4 eggs!

Here, I'd guess we could get #3 either overnight or early tomorrow morning.

KerrySuffolk said...

@ Craig

We love you and your blogging, keep it up! If the boss gives you trouble we will come round and sort him for you.

The Peregrine Maffia ;) xxx

KerrySuffolk said...

Just posted a pic of falcon coming in to land on the tower on flickr, thought it was carrying prey! When I blew it up to full screen I realised what I could see was the chimney on Jurys Inn! Oops! Eggbarrassed!

@ Craig

Another word -

Eggbarrassed - embarressed

Jane (Belper) said...

Craig, Nottingham have definitely got 4 eggs. If you click on the link to Notts Wildlife Trust, there is a report on their website.

Come on Mrs P, you're doing us proud - but, get a move on, please!!!

Nick, glad you're enjoying your new hi-tec toy! Looking forward to seeing the videos.

Phoebe said...

I may be wrong but I think she is about to lay another egg!!

MEL said...

Thought I just saw a 3rd go underneath her.

julie said...

Yes! egg no.3 is here ... well done Mrs P :)

Kingsway Planets said...

I reckon the third egg is there - shes just moved around and I thought I caught sight of it. Kingsway Planets - hope you have seen this tonight!

Phoebe said...

I do hope egg #3 is here, I missed the following after my last post!!

Anyone got a capture?

And well done Mrs P :D