Thursday 9 May 2019

Still awaiting hatching

With hatching expected around 8th May this year (quite a bit later than other local pairs) a climb up the spiral staircase at Derby Cathedral was expected to reveal to us that at least one new chick had hatched.

As the video below shows, as at this morning (9th May) our falcons are still incubating four eggs. No sign of pipping could be detected, though some background chirps did make us wonder if we were hearing a soon-to-hatch chick inside its egg, or some other source of noise entirely. Reviewing the automated recordings shows how one or other bird has sat tight on those eggs during some pretty horrible weather.



It has certainly been very wet and windy these last few days, but peregrine falcons are mountain birds and have adapted to coping in bad weather. Less can be said of our nest camera which now bears a round tidemark from a large raindrop that formed on the front of the lens cover!

2 comments:

Joyce S Derby said...

I drove past Jurys Inn last night at around 19:15. Two peregrines could be seen perched on the lettering. It was 7C and raining. Hope those eggs are OK

kate said...

Thanks so much again Nick M

also thanks Joyce S, tis always concerning at Hatch date, especially as you both state the weather foul and cold. Fingers crossed.