Saturday 31 May 2014

Our community work continues.....

One of the tasks we set ourselves when we submitted for a lottery grant was to try to engage the project with the minority communities in Derby especially those for whom English was not their first language.
Ian Layton, our Engagement Officer, paid for by the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, has been working hard again this year to do just that.
Last year he organised visits to the cathedral by Ukranian, West Indian and other communities and made good contact with the Polish community in Derby but people from the Indian sub-continent proved harder to reach.
While we have had quite a few Pakistani and Indian families come to the Watch Points over the years, we really needed to make more efforts to engage with Punjabi and Urdu speakers in greater numbers.
So Ian organised a session at a library in Derby at which some falconer's birds would hopefully be a lure to get local people to come in and engage with us.
It worked a treat!
For over three hours yesterday, assisted by several of our excellent volunteers, we had a constant stream of people from many parts of the globe come in to see the birds and watch the web cams from the cathedral which were showing on a computer screen nearby.
A patient eagle owl allows a close encounter
We had people originating from Pakistan, India, Slovenia, Eritrea, Sudan, Poland and Slovakia to name but a few - and they all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The children were delighted to have their mums and dads take photos of them either with a bird on their gloved hand or, as above, gentry stroking the very obliging male eagle owl!
The falconers from Nottinghamshire brought a harris hawk, a buzzard, an escaped but very tame kestrel which was found stunned by a window, an eagle owl and a couple of barn owls.
We told everyone how to access the peregrine web cams and the blog and we invited them to come to one of our Saturday Watch Points.
IF YOU WERE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, DO PLEASE COME ALONG TODAY OR TO ONE ON ANY OF THE NEXT FOUR SATURDAYS - ANYTIME BETWEEN 10.30 AND 1.30  - AND SEE OUR NESTING WILD PEREGRINES! IT IS FREE AND YOU'LL BE WARMLY WELCOMED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS.
One young man from Eritrea, who had to flee from his country six months ago, was entranced by the birds and stayed for a long time. He was a charming guy and we hope to see him at a Watch Point soon.
Etritrean lad with a harris hawk
Thanks especially to the falconers Philip and Jacob, to Ian and Steve who gently hauled people into the library from the street outside, to the librarians (fortunately the floor was easily cleaned - the birds were not house trained!), to our volunteers, to the three Rolls Royce graduates who came and helped. Finally, thanks to everyone who came to meet us and the birds.
If anyone wishes to contact us them please email us at peregrines@derbyshirewt.co.uk

The Project Team
Ps. The Watch Points are held on Cathedral Green on Full Street behind the cathedral itself.
You can't miss us! There's a map on this blog's homepage if you scroll down a bit and look on the right hand side.
Pps. To read about the recent ringing of the chicks, please scroll down this blog!

22 comments:

Joyce S said...

We had a lovely time on Peregrine Watch today, with some exciting action on occasions, with some quiet periods in between.
The male was out hunting when we arrived, followed a little while later by the female. After quite some time the male came in with a pigeon, which he took high up into a niche above the nest.
He rested for some time before he started to eat. He must have been really tired from flying round for some time.
In the meantime, the female arrived back, and we saw her rise up amongst a flock of pigeons and give chase a couple of times.
Later the male brought the remains of his pigeon down to the scrape, and we caught a few glimpses of the chicks as she fed them all in a row!
The adults then flew around quite a lot, moving from their favourite spots at the top of the Cathedral, to the nest, on to the hotel lettering and back.
It was good to see over 100 people this morning, including several who had been in the library on Friday afternoon.

Lorraine said...

Don't know what the falcon was doing when you saw her Julia, perhaps she was having an in-depth preen or just cooling herself down - who knows !

Nice view of the chicks under the live cams just now, whilst they've moved over to the gravel side. The feathers are now changing on the youngest, but yet to catch up with the other two.

Sounds like there was a good turn out for the watch point today. It seems word is spreading and interest is growing stronger.

Great!

Joyce S said...

Oops - the Watch Point was on Saturday, sorry. Wrote that at the weekend, and didn't post it until today. Sorry for confusing you!!

Lorraine said...

no prob - :)

Lorraine said...

Hope someone is watching this -
There is a strange bird in the scrape and cant see any movement from the chicks lay in a row before it.
Time 18.50 onwards.........

Lorraine said...

The chicks have just moved. The strange bird looks like a VERY young juvie and the chicks don't seem to be alarmed. Hate to think what will happen when one of the Derby birds return. It's just hanging about in the scrape, bold as brass, preening and making itself at home.

Lorraine said...

Here is a screen shot of the bird. Definately not one of the chicks ???
It seems to have gone now but I'm presently having trouble counting three chicks...........

Lorraine said...

No panic, I can see all three chicks.

Lorraine said...

I cant believe it - one of the chicks has just shown itself to be the strange young juvie I'd obviously mistaken it for. The feathers have developed so rapidly, almost over night, and have become brown and mottled on the eldest.

Sorry for my alarm folks.

Julia said...

Lol lorraine. I have chuckled at your last few posts. I knew it was one of the chicks. He seems to have turned brown overnight. I can't believe that happened overnight. The difference between all three is striking. This has been my first year watching the chicks and its been an amazing journey so far. Ive loved every minute

Nick B (DWT) said...

Hi Lorraine/Julia - the transformation of the chicks can be quite rapid - as you are witnessing!
Before too long all that white fluff will be a thing of the past.
It's been a decent day in Derby today - but this evening, rain has fallen and things are a lot wetter.
The wind is from the SW so the platform should remain fairly dry.
Nick B (DWT)

Julia said...

Its amazing Nick. So glad I found this project. I have followed since the eggs hatched and have loved every minute. Managed to watch the ringing too. Im excited and nervous at the prospect of watching the chicks learn to fly and leave the scrape and feel privalidged to be able to watch it all thanks to this brilliant project. Thankyou

AnnieF. said...

There's been a heck of a lot of wing-flapping in the last few minutes, by all 3 in turn. The youngest has been giving it a real go - heart-in-mouth stuff for the poor viewer! One of the others, while facing the back wall, flapped with such vigour that he toppled forward and bashed his bonce. If he'd been facing outwards ...

Lorraine said...

Dad feeding chicks just now and all three look bigger than he is!


Julia said...

Yes I saw that Lorraine. It was nice that mum let him do it for so long. A lot of wing flapping after that and my stomach in my mouth

Nick B (DWT) said...

Despite the difference in development of the three chicks, I'm quite sure all three are fine - some people have been worrying about them....
Fledging is some time off yet - and we've never had one fall off the platform prematurely - ie well before it should fledge.
So relax everyone!
Nick B (DWT)

Jane (Belper) said...

Hi Nick. Do you think that the chick which perished was chick No 2? One of the chicks looks so much more advanced than the other two, I am guessing that if we hadn't lost a chick, it would be between the large one and the other pair.
Hoping to make a Watchpoint sometime soon. Jane

Lorraine said...

Your reckoning rings true Jane, perhaps it's a possibility. I'm looking forward to the next update, which may give us an indication of which chick is which in terms of male/female. My guess is that the largest ( and 1st ) chick is the female, as it's so bossy!!

Green Class said...

The chicks are getting bigger and bigger.They are starting to get there guvanile feathers.Erlere we saw the chicks weeing over the ege and they are geting a bit tiddier. we hav seen the feemall in the shade.one off the chicks has still got some wite fethers.

Kev said...

Breakfast time for the chicks, I just love how they all wait their turn to be fed

Bernard Webb said...

I have so enjoyed watching these chick from hatching to now. It is great to see the life cycle unfold, just a shame I can't get on here every day.
Bernard.

AnnieF. said...

One of the juveniles is perched on the scrape ledge, lhs, & is gazing out over Derby. Another is quite near him, & the third is in the front far corner of the slate side. They look so grown up now, fit & healthy. Lovely weather for them to enjoy.