Tuesday 5 May 2015

Amazing Peregrine Falcon Hatching Sequence

Screenshot showing two chicks and two eggs, Wed 6th May 2015 (and a bit of egg shell!)
UPDATE Thursday evening: seems that a third egg has hatched, judging by the sighting of new egg shell pieces about 10 pm. No chick has been seen yet though.


The many helpful comments from webcam watchers allow us to go back and retrieve footage, or to report news and updates on this blog. Last night, there was a suggestion that by 11pm (Tuesday evening) all four of our chicks had hatched. In the end we now appreciate that only two have so far actually hatched. It can be very difficult to see what's going on when most of the time the adult peregrine is sitting on her eggs or chicks - but all comments are incredibly welcome, though sometimes may be delayed by moderation rules being employed.  These all help us to share and understand what's going on and especially to retrieve key moments from our cameras, like the amazing video clips below of this afternoon's first chick to hatch seemed worth sharing with the world! (Notice how the cracked egg moves.)

Not all pictures are posted here. Some are shown on Twitter page (see right hand side of this blog's homepage for a summary of our recent tweets)
Others pictures and observations may be posted on Facebook, whilst many of you keen webcam watchers are also posting your own screen grabs to our Flickr page - for which many thanks to all of you.

All these links and more - including our Donations page - are on the right hand bar of this blog's homepage.
And a big welcome to any BBC Radio Derby listeners who are new to this project but may have heard about it on the radio last night or this morning. 'Enjoy' as they say!




Nick Moyes/The Project Team

Ps.  If you want to see bird of prey webcams across the globe then Stephen Greenberg's website is very helpful: http://shgreenberg.com/Falcons/falcon_nesting.php .

61 comments:

Abby-Lynn said...

absolutely wonderful Nick!

Abby-Lynn said...

I can't believe it, They just did a switch and I only saw 1 chick. 3 ggs visible. Yet I saw a pice of egg shell earlier today.

Abby-Lynn said...

Now she is back already

Abby-Lynn said...

right now she has got a large piece of egg shell in front of her.Abby

Unknown said...

Just saw the handover at 6:25 am UK time. Only two hatched eggs. Hope the other two make it!

Kate said...

Morning Jean
Yes I saw that quick handover and grabbed shot it is on FLKR certainly looks like TWO, will today see the others.?kate

Heather said...

Also saw switchover, definitely only 2 chicks. Thought it was rather quick for all eggs to have hatched in such short space of time. Perhaps Nick(s) can provide hatching sequence from last few years, if they have a spare moment!

Helen said...

Looks like another chick might have recently hatched? Falcon eating egg shell.

Abby-Lynn said...

At 4:04 I knew I only saw 1 chick & 3 eggs. The egg shell I saw around 11 pm UK time must have been from the first chick. Nick will be able to verify the 4:04 sighting of only 1 chick. Then the second one just before 4:40 when I saw her with part of an egg shell. I really was surprised at 4:04 only seeing 1 chick. Good thing they can check on camera film as to what happened when.

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

It's soo confusing - isn't it? I've just updated the latest blog post.
NickM

Abby-Lynn said...

Just saw a change over only 2 chicks at 7:47.

Kate said...

Yep!! still TWO Thanks for updating Nick( you are always appreciated)

Grabs on FLKR of latest change over
Kate

kate said...

Think Egg on the right has crack , so maybe!!!!!(CHOL:):)a third chick imminent.

Abby-Lynn said...

8:58 still just 2 chicks.

abby-Lynn said...

It is so sweet, he came over to do a change over but she just kept chupping to him and he went over to the edge of the scrape then flew away. She certainly takes control of the eggs.

Green class said...

We was ecsitid to see tow tiny chics this morning. The maie peregrine folkan helpt the chic to get up because it was upsidd down!

Kate said...

Hello Green Class.
So pleased you saw the Two chicks,if you keep checking, today , you may see the third chick Hatch, as there was a crack, in one of the remaining Eggs this morning, that is one of the first signs, that little baby chick is trying to come out of the Egg.

Do you enjoy watching the Male( Tiercel) helping Mum( Falcon) to look after the little family./He is very gentle with the little ones ,isn't he.Kat

kate said...

Feeding and change over, still just two. pics on Flkr
Kate

Kate said...

Oh dear cam 4 has resorted to intermittent and freezing episodes, but Cam 2 is ok.
Both on the scrape at the moment( one on the Eggs one at the opposite end)
Kate

Abby-Lynn said...

Mr P just came with food, she got up & went and got the food. Just 2 babies and she is feeding them. Their little heads are bobbing around. 2 eggs still intact. She is so gentle feeding them.

Unknown said...

Feeding time for one at least.

Abby-Lynn said...

You must have missed the first one getting fed but she fed both. The first one laid down after a few bites. The cam 4 is intermittent on my computer too but I tried on my iPad and it is fine. Don't know why it would make a difference.

Anonymous said...

any body else having probs with camera 4

Abby-Lynn said...

Feathers coming down from above. I guess he is up there with fresh prey.

Abby-Lynn said...

Mr P taking over for a bit. Still just 2 babies.

Kate said...

change over and I can only see one EGG, but too quick to enlarge but looks as though we may have THREE.
Pic on FLKR
Kate

Heather said...

6.30 a.m two eggs still visible, they're keeping us on tenterhooks!

Kate said...

Oh! Oh!! sorry folks maybe still TWO just caught a glimpse. so maybe still two Eggs

Linda said...

Definitely only 2. being fed at 0915 this am. Other 2 eggs don't look to have pipped yet.

Abby-Lynn said...

I too am watching them. Now off to bed I go. I am in Canada so it is just aft 1 am. Night all.

Linda said...

Night Abby. Sleep well.

Linda said...

Mum flew off with what was left of prey so Dad wandered over and settled down on eggs and chicks. Mum flew back and squawked at him and off he shot! You can see who's the Boss there. LOL.

kate said...

Thanks linda
She certainly is the boss, he almost looks scared to attempt to try and sit.

She is certainly making us wait, for third Hatch.

I have lost cam 4 completely at mo.
Kate

Kate said...

Chicks alone for a few minutes, hiding the second egg from view.Can just see it. so still just TWO

Kate

Unknown said...

11.57 am Still 2 chicks, 2 eggs. Changeover took place. I think it's the tiercel sitting now.

Unknown said...

17.58 hrs. Lots of fidgeting, pebble-moving and peering down has been going on - possibly a third hatching imminent.

Unknown said...

19.23 hrs. Feeding time for both chicks. No sign of a third hatching. Both adults present, one on the far ledge (tiercel I think).

Abby-Lynn said...

Still only 2 chicks. Dad brought some food and mom is feeding the wee ones.

Phoebe said...

Feeding time, still two chicks.

Helen said...

Looks like another has just hatched?! A big piece of egg shell in the scrape.

Phoebe said...

There is a piece of egg shell appeared in front of the falcon, possibly the third egg hatched!

Lindsay said...

I would say the 3rd chick has hatched! Both halves of the shell clearly visible.

Posted a pic on Flickr.

Come on number 4!!! :-)))

Phoebe said...

Yes I think definitely a third hatch, could be four by morning. Great news!

Abby-Lynn said...

She finally got up and yes there are 3 babies. She was resting and he flew in and walked over to her and she got up, he looked at the babies and then she covered them again.

Abby-Lynn said...

Mr P came with food, ate a bit and left. He just came back and brought different prey and now she is feeding the 3 chicks. One egg still intact.

Heather said...

Early morning breakfast for the three chicks, Mrs P then flew off with prey and Mr P arrived to take over only to be unceremoniously ejected moments later. She certainly wants to be the one in charge of the.'nursery'!

I don't know which is worse, waiting for the election results or the fourth egg to hatch:)0

Kate said...

Morning all
Wonderful news to log in and read THREE, bless you for keeping us posted,
can see the egg shell but missed the feed.
Kate

Abby-Lynn said...

Still 3 chicks and one egg. Mom just took off and dad is there with the chicks. He is checking them over. He just covered them but is looking over the edge to see if the Mrs is coming back already.

Abby-Lynn said...

Still 3 chicks and one egg. Mom just took off and dad is there with the chicks. He is checking them over. He just covered them but is looking over the edge to see if the Mrs is coming back already.

Abby-Lynn said...

She is back with food and feeding the chicks. He left quickly. I don't know why my last comment came thru twice. The chicks are always hungry it seems.

kate said...

Thanks Abby
I caught that and will post on Flkr.
Soon be time for your well earned sleep,dont they look so cute
Kate

Abby-Lynn said...

They are so sweet. I enjoy watching their progress. I hope to wake up to number 4 having arrived. Yes, I am off to bed. I will be checking for pictures tomorrow.

Oak class said...

The third chick hatched at 10pm last night. We are excited about the fourth chick hatching, we hope it will be soon!
We are surprised that the chicks are white when the adults are brown and grey.
We love to watch the peregrines, we just saw the chicks being fed! But we don't know if the female or male was feeding the chicks!

Unknown said...

Tiercel just brought food then flew off with it.

Unknown said...

I just read the post from Oak Class & realised I missed a feed. The tierce was obviously taking the remains away, not bringing food in, contrary to my previous post. Apologies, and well done Oak Class for your observations!

Heather said...

12.36 Mr P trying desperately, but to no avail, to try and move Mrs P off eggs but she's having none of it - perhaps she'll be more obliging once the fourth egg hatches!

Noticing camera 4 having problems again (on my iPad) wonder if the aerial/ethernet cable need some attention fom Nick M as before. Perhaps a good quick might solve the situation!

Heather said...

Sorry last post should have read "a good kick" - sleepless night curtesy of the election.. Lovely to see comments from Oak Class, I hope you will enjoy watching the chicks grow over the next few weeks and how tenderly the tiercel & falcon look after them.

Abby-Lynn said...

Good day to all! Chicks being fed again. One egg still sitting there just biding its time. If I remember right the fourth egg hatched 2 days after the 3rd one last year. I could be wrong tho. You can see them growing day by day.

Kate said...

Just an observation and for info.

This is Tuesdays Diary, there is a today Diary entry Friday 8th.

Abby-Lynn said...

They did a change over a short time ago and one egg still intact.

Lindsay said...

Just had feeding time, still 1 egg in tact with the 3 adorable little chicks.

They are doing such a good job, hoping number 4 makes an appearance today.