You'll need to click the image to enlarge the full 1.2Mb photo and look carefully - very carefully.
Click here to see Saturday evening's post showing four individual photos, taken just afterwards, which show their exact locations and we can find out how well you did at spotting or guessing. To make it more fun (and more of a challenge).
We've not the resources to offer a prize, but we could perhaps offer successful peregrine spotters a chance to abseil down the tower to clean out the nest tray later this winter!
But seriously, a number of you have asked about making donations to keep our project going next year: Nick Brown from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has just posted details in the blog entry below this one.
And finally, here's an update from late yesterday, left by Andy and Chris M. in comments:
Bitterly cold in Derby this evening but when we arrived on the Cathedral Green at about 7.45pm both adults and 1 juvenile were perched at the top of the east face of the tower. Over the next quarter of an hour, the youngster flew a couple of laps around the Green landing quite well on the tower each time.The adult female flew off at about 8.00pm and after about half an hour of waiting, the second juvenile flew in from the west, lapped around the Silk Mill museum and landed on a gargoyle. Both juveniles are becoming much more confident both in the air and at landing!
But seriously, a number of you have asked about making donations to keep our project going next year: Nick Brown from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has just posted details in the blog entry below this one.
And finally, here's an update from late yesterday, left by Andy and Chris M. in comments:
Bitterly cold in Derby this evening but when we arrived on the Cathedral Green at about 7.45pm both adults and 1 juvenile were perched at the top of the east face of the tower. Over the next quarter of an hour, the youngster flew a couple of laps around the Green landing quite well on the tower each time.The adult female flew off at about 8.00pm and after about half an hour of waiting, the second juvenile flew in from the west, lapped around the Silk Mill museum and landed on a gargoyle. Both juveniles are becoming much more confident both in the air and at landing!
35 comments:
Just when we thought we could get those jobs done!!! Now we are trying to see them again.
Oops sorry, just read that we're not supposed to post till Saturday!!! Goes back to my Scouts training - Observation + Being Prepared...
John
Well, I only have found three, and that was after a bunch of scans of the photo. I guess someone else will have to clean the nest :-)
They look very comfy and appropriate on the cathedral.
When you say "run down the blog," does that mean the web page will stay up? So that we'll be able to check in from time to time to see about the next season?
I'm struggling to spot them too, so likewise no prize coming for me. I already tried to comment but I seem to have failed. What I tried to say before was what another fine picture John Salloway has produced. It strikes me that you have some wonderful foundation material for a whole range of fund-raising merchandise. A calandar with pictures of the birds in the appropriate months springs to mind.
I have to travel "up North" on the weekend of 20th October to visit Nottingham - I shall come and see you for sure then and catch up on project developments!
I think I've found 4 of them, but you won't need me to fly all the way to clean the nest, er?
A click isn't enough to enlarge it, try to save the image in jpeg file and magnify it to 150%.
Jennie, HK.
I've spotted three - aren't they talking to each other then!!
Anna, Ripley
Keep going guys - it's a bit like the "spot the ball" competitions they used to have in UK newspapers. It's a matter of guesswork: "is that grey blob a peregrine, a pigeon or a blob?"
We'll reveal the answers on Saturday - and then you can tell us how cruel we've been!
Rest assured that we will keep this blog going in some form once the main activity has died down, as we'd like to keep everyone informed of progress and future happenings.
It's rather late in the day, but we will soon be able to offer young bloggers a cut-out and colour-in peregrine hat to print and make. (They say it's the latest fashion in Hong Kong!)
Two juvies are up and the parents are down of the picture. And Mom is now on the nest.
14.50 Lovely to see Mum on the nest again looking well.
Anna, Ripley
1511 and we have a visitor in the box not sure whether it be an adult or one of the girls but all the same wonderful to see
Very nice to see a lovely bird on the nest.
By the way :-) Here are the falcon names I know -
Dayton, Ohio:
Parents: Mercury and Snowball (Snowball went missing, Mercury raised the chicks by himself the last month before they fledged.)
Chicks: Flight, Light, and Crystal (named by fourth grade class in local school.)
San Jose, California
Parents: Jose Fernando and Clara de Guadalupe
Chicks: Hiko, Spirit, and Esperanza (chicks' names chosen by a contest open to elementary school children in San Jose.)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania:
Parents: Dad and Mom
Chicks: Red Girl, Blue Girl, Green Boy, and Yellow Boy (named for band colors.)
San Francisco:
Parents: George and Gracie (presumably named after Burns and Allen.)
Chick: Bridgette.
Brisbane, Australia:
Parents: Frodo and Frieda
Chicks: parents expected to nest in August(?).
Macomb County, Michigan:
Parents: Horus and Hathor
Chicks: still eggs.
I looked on the webcam not expecting to see much but there was a bird there, it was good to see at least one of them.
As for the spot the bird comp', I think I've got three and I've found a shpae that could possibly be the fourth. All but the first are difficut to spot, I wouldn't have believed they could have blended in so well!
One bird returned to the nest at around half 3. It looks like one of their parents. Jennie, HK
feeling rather sentimental, blame pmt, but do you think that mum is missing her girls? May be she is looking for them? Must get another box of kleenex out!!
double treat for me went into derby today and saw a peregrine on one of the gargoyles was fabulous also what sounded like a peregrine being fed noise came from the cathedral dome area, then went on webcam at 15.46 and behold another peregrine on the edge of the nest really wonderful i do miss them and it was nice to get down to the cathedral today like ive been meaning to, im just so glad i saw one.
4:10pm by my watch and one bird is at the nestbox.
.... and it left while I was posting that comment!
Found all 4, not bad for 70yr old eyes :-)and one of the parents is in the nest B.C. Canada
Mum sat on the nestbox. Wonder what she is thinking. "It was some much easier when I knew where they were"!!
Falcons have to fly to catch food... 2 growing chicks; also need to teach 'em as well as look after them. It's a wild life isn't it? (???***!!!)
John
18.40 Wow, more than 4 hours later and she is still 'just sitting' - wish I could do that.
Anna, Ripley
The box has a visitor again. Actually, it's fascinating in a weird sort of way watching the world pass by in Derby - vehicles along the road visible from the right camera and people hurrying along the path visible on the left camera.
I still can't spot all the photo peregrines, by the way. I have 3 and a number of smudges!
Found all four I think!
Always fancied giving abseiling a go....
7.02pm B.C Canada time, there seems to be a falcon sitting on the ledge below the nesting box
Hello,
I believe I've got all 4 but no current passport, a pity. ;) They all look rather pleased with themselves I think.
Good to see all doing well. We in Dayton still have 3 chicks, at least two of whom can now get very close to Dad's high-up ledge on a nearby building, so all is well.
Nice game of Find the Falcon!
sues comment about watching the world go by in derby has brought on a confession. Feeling very bored and full of mischief the other weekend a friend of mine was lucky enough to be near to the cathedral while yet again I was stuck at home supposingly doing more mundane tasks. Like sue I realised I could see the road from the web cam and that was when I had the bright idea to relieve the boredom. I phoned my friend on his mobile and after some careful positioning managed to see him on the road plus the falcons both at the same time. Stuck at home we were in hysterics firstly trying to get them in the right position and after about 20 minutes watching them wave at the camera!! What is it they say about the devil and idle hands!!
pray that I am forgiven!!
0625 and there is a pereguin on the nest!! It must have read the above entry about my idle hands being full of mischief!!
0640
latest update is there is still some one sat in the nest.
Here it is pouring it down and work beckons know I would rather be sat watching our feathered friends.
Roger and out for now!!
Just had another go and found all 4 so it must be a pigeon. do i get a prize for spotting that? i liked this game as i have been able to look at the cathedral in all its detail thanks.
Honestly! We're supposed to be refraining from giving the game away! Please don't give answers or clues .... some of us are dusting off our abseiling gear even as I write. HelenHoward, you made me laugh - that's a brilliant work displacement idea, to get a friend to wander past the camera range. Maybe THAT would be a fantastic finale if the time come to wind down this blog - to get Nick and all the team to wave us all goodbye!
SueHetherington
Got 3 of 'em, can't find number 4
I can find 4 birds but my money is on 3 Peregrines and 1 pigeon.
If I win I will readily donate the abseiling prize to someone slimmer and fitter than I.
pbnottm
Well I meant to post earlier this morning, but anyway as my submissions, how about:-
I think the 4 Peregrine Falcons are
1 On the extreme right gargoyle
2 On the slanted roof / near the base of the tower
3 On the small ledge on the Left Butress
4 Just above/behind the trees on the left.
Over to you, John A
Oh no, I've just seen no 4 is in the arch of the window below the gargoyle next to where no 1 is seated
Then of course, no 2 is on the slanted roof near the base of the tower
No 3 is on the small ledge on the Left Butress.
John A
Great idea Sue. Then maybe the team, (or Capita?)could set up that shot and some other pictures as downloadable wallpaper backgound files. I've been using peregrine pictures on my desktop for weeks now. Thanks John S for the latest.
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