Thursday 16 June 2016

Fledging gets underway and a request for donations

Update Saturday 3pm: all four have now fledged. The last one is now on a roof top near the cathedral and she has flown quite well to get there. She should be OK now. The Watch Point folk actually saw the last bird leave the platform and eventually located it quite low down on a building.
From there it flew to the roof top on which it seemed quite relaxed, despite the loud band playing at the back of the green where the watch point is held (down by the river). There was some gathering there this afternoon. We will upload some photos when we get them later this evening.
Thanks to everyone who helped today - a team effort! Cliff, who lives nearby, will make a further check this evening.
NB

Update Friday:
the second one has fledged this morning, captured on Wendy Bartter's video here (about 2 mins. in). Thanks Wendy!
Please see our comment to this post (by clicking on 'comments' at the bottom) to read why we can't be down there checking 24/7 and why it isn't really necessary since 85% of our fledgings happen with no problems at all. Usually it is a member of the public who finds and reports a grounded bird. As you can imagine in a busy city centre, there are so many places a bird can land and even when it's up high, much of the time the bird is invisible from the ground however many streets you walk down to look upwards. Over the years we've spend many many hours searching, usually in vain, so we've developed a system that seems to work and to ensure that no bird comes to harm.
We'll do our best to report back on what we discover asap but inevitably there will be delays.
Thanks for your patience.
Cliff Pearson, who has helped us many times over the years to find fledged birds, has reported mid evening Friday that he can see both fledged juveniles on the tower as well as the two in the platform...so all's well, for now anyway. Thanks Cliff!
The Watch Point tomorrow should ahve better weather....we hope!
o     o     o     o     o     o     o
Early morning today (Thursday 16th) the first one of our juveniles fledged from the platform.
Whether it was pushed or just fell off backwards we don't quite know but it was discovered later on the nave roof, immediately below the nest, none the worse for its fall.

Sliding down the slippery nave roof.....

Thanks to all the commentators who have been watching today plus those on the ground.
The photo below shows it on the balustrade:
Where on earth am I? Photo: Helen Naylor
With the weather set to improve as we head towards the weekend we can expect more fledging shortly. Let's hope the remaining three show a bit more finesse!

The next Watch Point on Saturday (10am - 2pm) could be quite exciting so do come and see if you can experience fledging happening as you stand watching.There's sure to be some fun and games.....

Donate to our Project
Unprompted, several of you have sent us donations this week - many thanks to everyone who did!
We are now appealing for more s
o if you can spare us some cash, please click on the 'donate' tab above. It is really simple to make a donation and now, with no lottery money to underpin our work, we need every penny we can get.
Thank you.

Nick B (DWT)

52 comments:

Nick B (DWT) said...

HI Wendy: the platform (scrape)is on the east side of the cathedral tower and therefore immediately above the nave roof. So the juvenile simply fell vertically downwards to reach it. Much better than falling down onto the streets from one of the other aspects of the tower.
Nick B

Karen B said...

All quiet on the Derby Cathedral front.. the remaining three perched on ledge.
Thanks Nick for pics.. hope I don't miss all the action again tomorrow it is difficult for me to keep going on line whilst at work.

Wondered how our lone juvenile will cope without her siblings?? May be glad of the peace!!

Paul said...

Approx 7:45 tonight (16th). Female flew out from platform went up to top of tower. Male sitting on green ledge just below platform, presumably watching his offspring on the roof below.

Karen B said...

Morning all.. I can only see two on scrape but cannot get a view of right hand side of box. No juvenile on left hand side on cam 2 ?? Could today be fledge day ??

Anonymous said...

Morning hall yes I can only see two still there thanks for your browns Kate Garry

Kate said...

Morning all
Wonder if our dear Wendy has any captures for us today.?

These TWO Videos may offer some insight as to the layout of the Nest Platform(Scrape)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfAiY5TLMvw
http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/post-fledging-post.html

Enjoy!!
Kate



Wendy Bartter said...

Hi all, looks like second unplanned fledge .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnlvXpawNME
have sent this to Nick B, hope they have found chick by now!

Kate said...

Well done Wendy, Bless you.

Karen if only you logged on a few minutes earlier, doh!!! but timimg of your post will have helped Wendy locate.

Kate

Karen B said...

Hi Kate, I know just my luck.. am sure I saw all three at 5am just before I headed to work , then as per post I checked again and could only see two.
Has number two been located?

The Project Team said...

Thanks for your helpful comments regarding fledging.
We will try to check whether the fledged birds are safely perching someone other than on the ground but please be aware that they can be very difficult and sometime impossible to see from the ground. There are lots of hidden roof tops and we have spend many many hours searching in past years, often without finding the bird we've lost sight of! If one does come down it is usually a member of the public who finds it and reports it to the cathedral. If this happens then they have contact details for people willing to go down and rescue the bird and take it back to the top of the tower.
We simply don't have the people-power to be down there watching 24/7.
Of 33 fledgings to date, only six birds have hit the ground so the majority fend for themselves very well.
The project Team

Vicky said...

A parent flew in with prey, quickly stripped some feathers off and is now feeding them right on the ledge.

Heather said...

Hi Vicky, was just about to comment on the two remaing juveniles being fed. Hope our other two are getting something to eat and that our first fledgling didn't find its first night alone too daunting. Also thanks to Wendy and Kate for the videos, you're our second pair of eyes.
As expected I missed both fledgings but hopefully the weather will improve over the weekend, the parents will have their hands (or talons) full keeping an eye on them all. Hope our second fledlgling is safe and sound.

Haven't seen any update on the whereabouts of Sheffield's missing third juvenile.

bird-watcher said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wendy Bartter said...

Many thanks Nick B & Kate for details regarding layout of Cathedral, saved to favourites now for future reference!

Puffin Class said...

We can see the birds flapping along. they flp along the side off the platfoem. we saw the birds flapping there wings so they could get stronger. we hope the birds can flay in the sky now they have fleged.

Unknown said...

"You go first". "No, you first". "Daren't". "I know, let's go together!".

Kate said...

Hello Puffin class

You will have to look at the cams over the weekend,as the Two remaining on the platform(scrape) could soon" Fly in the sky" as you, wish them to do, or even better you could go along to the Cathedral,and maybe see them flying live.

Granny Kate in Devon.( too far for me to see them live)

Karen B said...

A massive thank you to Wendy for pushed or fell vid?? Cannot believe I just missed that. Checked in a couple of times during the day.
Saw a feed earlier very vocal!!
Hope tomorrow brings some more action.
Thanks again for comments so I don't miss anything.

Wendy Bartter said...

04.12 & awake briefly watching Derby pair & amazingly witnessed another 'assisted fledging' when the bird on the left ledge suddenly pounced on it's sibling to the right & knocked it off!!!! Hopefully some footage later!

Wendy Bartter said...

04.36 & still watching (yawn) ... this last bird so wants to go, keeps running around flapping like mad & trying to throw itself over the ledge & can't quite do it ... needs someone to give him a push but no-one left!!!!!

Wendy Bartter said...

05.01 big leap up to cam at right! Still see bit of wing & tail, rocky!!

Kate said...

Well done Wendy on seeing the third fledge.Remaining chick now quiet for the moment.

Will look forward to your later.
Kate

Heather said...

Morning Wendy, You must be wanting a lie in this morning after your nighttime viewing - well done on spotting the third "push". Such different behaviour at fledging this year. Seems it's every man/woman for himself, I thought one was going to get pushed off at feeding time yesterday and also saw one on cam on rhs yesterday as well.

Perhaps this last one will go today but weather does'nt look too good. Wonder if iit's the male that's left behind? Perhaps if there's a Watchpoint today someone will spot our three fledglings.

Anonymous said...

The last one ha s just been fed so he won't go yet Garry

Heather said...

Prey just brought to remaing juvenile so guess parents aren't trying to entice it away by starvation method yet!

Nick B (DWT) said...

Quick visit down to cathedral early this morning. One youngster on top of the tower and one on the platform. One adult on Jurys Inn looked like the male. All calm and quiet so suspect all four young are somewhere on roofs though a wander round all the streets didn't find any.
The Watch Point folk will be down there at 10 am and will no doubt have a good look around.
Nick B

Karen B said...

Morning.. Wendy you deserve a medal for services to Peregrines! How dedicated you are.
Is the last one the male?? Would make sense as youngest of the brood..
Watchpoint will be amazing today so jealous I can't be there.
Thanks Nick for update on too! Will be watching have a good WP.

Ann Raynor said...

Last one just fledged what a lovely take of so glad i didn't miss it

Heather said...

10.30 last juvenile has fledged hope the watch pointers saw it!

Kate said...

Just fledged at 10.30 just before the bells. Perfect lift off and flew straight away.Well done now be safe little ones.

Incidentally here is video of Woking 10th june on the window ledge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSWCxiPhrbs

short_rach said...

Perfect take off from the final fledgling and how lovely for all those at the watch point. Fly high little ones and stay safe :-)

Karen B said...

Omg, after watching continually from 9am, I saw the last fledge.. bittersweet moment, I have a tear in my eye. I wish them well. Hope they are all safe, any updates??

bird-watcher said...

17/07/16 at about 10 o'clock Nest tray empty unless they are hiding where the cameras cannot see the last two to fledge

Regards

Malcolm

short_rach said...

Perfect take off from the final fledgling and how lovely for all those at the watch point. Fly high little ones and stay safe :-)

Helen said...

Last juvenile to fledge is safe in a nearby tree what a watch point!

Heather said...

You and me too Ann, have always missed one actually take flight - at least it didn't do a back roll or get pushed like the others, a really great take off.

One human just returns to earth from the International Space Station and a bird takes its first flight, very poignant (if it was the male perhaps we should call it Tim!). So another season draws to a close, lets have a few more donations so we can experience it all over again next year, Mr and MrsP permitting of course.

Karen B said...

Heather, Tim the Tiercel is a great name lol.. we will not forget that, shame he could not be ringed, as we may have been able to trace him again.
I thought at one point he was going to damage himself flying up at camera, flapping and running around on scrape.
If we are wrong and it was a female prehaps Timmina would be a good name!!!

Wendy Bartter said...

Ha ha, he's certainly not 'Timid' as the expressions & actions in this vid will show ... hope it's worth the wait ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpjdnsFYZPc

Sandee said...

Well said! Donation made!

Thank you from the US!

Karen B said...

Thanks Wendy, just watched your vid, yes he was making sure he was the last to go that's for sure.

Sheffield's crew did some barging about but not on this scale!!

Hope watchpoint going well, anymore updates on our juveniles, especially our Tiny Tim??

Wendy Bartter said...

Here is Tim making the final move ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmF-RV2EwGk

Anonymous said...

My family have been watching the Peregrines via the webcam since the eggs were first laid but visited our first watchpoint today (we came in the half term holidays but the watchpoint was not on and the weather was so bad the chicks spent the whole time huddled in the back corner). We had watched the juveniles fledge one by one this week and were hoping that we could see the last one still on the platform when we set off for Derby this morning. Boy, did we get more than that! We arrived early and spotted the juvenile yet to fledge ,three birds dotted about on the cathedral tower and one on Jury's Inn. Then we witnessed the last juvenile leave the platform (to spontaneous applause) and make her dramatic flight around the rooftops before, after several unsuccessful landing attempts,she dropped down out of sight. My daughter and husband helped to locate her and there was relief all round. We then had the privilege of a real close up view of her until we unfortunately had to leave. What a dramatic few hours. It was an experience my children will never forget! We are now keeping our fingers crossed for a positive outcome for all four chicks, especially the last to fledge that the children have christened Perina jr. Thank you to all involved in the Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project for taking my family on the amazing journey.

Wendy Bartter said...

Great report Anonymous & seriously envious of your being able to have such a close-up view ... did you manage to take any pics?
ITM, I had a peek at scrape just now & came across this music playing & wondered if there was live music at the Watchpoint, but now I read that there wasn't one so have no idea where it was coming from?? ...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkDVsP3VC54

Karen B said...

It must have been music from the Peregrine family graduation party ! Held on the tower lol...

I heard it too! I wonder if there is some event taking place, near Cathedral?

Nick Brown (DWT) said...

thanks for all your comments today. A Saturday 3pm Update has been put on the blog in red about 3pm explaining the latest situation.
We now think that all four juveniles should be OK....but checks will be made every day just to be sure.
If you feel like making a donation we'd be very grateful! There's a donations tab on the blog.
Nick B

Helen said...

There is an even taking place down on Cathedral Green, (organised by the Silk Mill I think). There was some very loud music earlier as there was a live band on a stage.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your comment Wendy. My daughter was really excited as she has followed the blog comments and sees you as blog royalty :) The watch point was on today but not on our previous visit. As Helen said there was also a big event being held on the cathedral green behind the watch point and a procession through the streets. All in all it was a very exciting morning for us.

Wendy Bartter said...

Ha ha Karen ... seems appropriate that there was musical celebration & a parade in addition to those wonderful bells to mark this most auspicious day!
Thanks folk for all updates & to all involved in watching out for these inexperienced fledglings that they come to no harm ... a great job which I would gladly join in with if I lived nearby!
Kind comments Anon, so good to hear from my loyal subjects!! Hahahahahaha

Anonymous said...

Just a quick comment, slightly off topic with the Derby Peregrine pair.....just had a flick over to the Nottingham Peregrine pair....both adults were present with the male in the nest....couldn't help but noticing that the Nottingham adult male had an red-ish orange colour ring on its left leg, is there a chance that this might be on of the young from Derby from years gone by....Regards Andy

Ann Raynor said...

Just checked in 2 on the nesting platform

Anonymous said...

I little miss just being fed she really is daddy's girl luv her so much chris

Ann Raynor said...

One on the nesting platform