The total of donations we received at the Watch Points on Cathedral Green over the six weeks we ran them was £1021.07, so a big thanks to everyone who put money in the collection box and, again, to the volunteers who ran the show and made it all possible!
There are also some personal donations now coming in so if you still wish to contribute to the project's future, please feel free to do so!
The money now resides in Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's bank and, rest assured, will not be used for any purpose other than the future of the peregrine project.
To discover how to make a donation, please check back to the blog entry titled 'Donations and the future of the Watch Point' on 28th June. Apologies to one overseas potential donor who is still awaiting bank details but these will be sent to them today I hope.
Nick B
Peregrine Falcons first nested on Derby's Cathedral, England, in 2006. Our Peregrine Project is now run by a partnership between Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Derby City Council, Derby Cathedral and the Cathedral Quarter. Here is what's happening in 2024. . .
46 comments:
what a fantastic amount. Pity there was not a couple more zeros in that final total but brilliant all the same.
Any amount how ever big or small is to a great cause if it gives us the chance to see these beautiful birds.
18.12 Mum must really like the view from the nest box she's there again this evening.
Anna, Ripley
1855 and shes still there!!
1918 and she is still there. wonder if she is looking for her girls
Lovely to see her.
Speaking of falcon obsession, over on the Pennsylvania falcon message board someone has posted a model of the remains of an obsesser (is that a word?), namely a skeleton, sitting at a computer.
2023and yes she is still there
I suspect the girls are somewhere on the tower. I went this morning and saw all four bird on it. Dad feed the girls on the gargole whilst mum watch from the box.
John S
2108 and she is still sat there, and this seems tohave become a regular pattern over the last few nights. Was this the case last year. Its good dad is doing his bit by feeding his daughters!!
It's amazing that one of the birds keeps coming back to the nest box, is this normal?
Anon,
At both the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and San Jose, California web cams, both parents and the fledglings returned to the nest area usually at least one bird a day, if not more.
I don't know how long that will keep up. Pennsylvania still has their webcam running (people begged :-), but San Jose's is off. Really, we have to get lives, though. Smell the fresh air, etc. Celebrate the 4th of July...oops...maybe not :-)
22:16 Mum is still in the right side of the nest. Hope you have Happy Independence Day celebrations tomorrow Karen!
Ciao
John
2225 and she us still sat there. she looks so lonely in the street light Oh god pass me the box of kleenex agaub!!
Thanks, John. Maybe we can get a new administration in next election and not have to feel embarassed when we say we're Americans. Well, I stray off topic, no more of that.
Someone is still at the nest...
8.14 Empty nest! Boo hoo. And it's my day off.
Anna, Ripley
I notice same people seem to be writing comments - are we sad or what!
Anna, Ripley
Keep looking - nest not empty now
Stevie
I went with my heavy Olympus OM10 camera (with a zoom) to take some pics this morning! Alas no birds - though I heard from someone that the 'chicks' could be heard from the side (Amen Alley for those people familiar with Derby). It looks like one of the youngsters is presently there now... 16.10
John
16.25 Is that a youngster or is it Mum, can't see whether her stripes are vertical or horizontal - at least she's in the middle of the nest so we don't have to keep switching cams, how considerate of her.
Anna, Ripley
1715. Looks like it's mum. Jennie, HK.
i have also noticed its the same people who keeps leaving blog but in my case these birds are a form of escapism and viewing them and writing blog is a great stress relever. Now how sad is that!!
Helen- It's not sad at all! :) Those of us who "suffer" from this addiction harm no one and may help our falcon friends by chatting about them with our friends and family. I personally think it's very cool to be able to see these endangered birds as they nest even more closely than I can see my backyard birds. I've even started calling my beloved goldfinches, chickadees, and cardinals by the falcon name of "tasty morsel". Now THAT is sick! Looks as if your mom is enjoying the quiet of the nest ledge nowdays. Our falcon chicks are off flying around and much harder to see, but no news has to be good news for us.
Still peeking in daily here -
Jan in Dayton
It was definitely Mum on the platform around 5pm local time. She had no white streaking in her head or back. It can be hard to tell colour sometimes, but she also looked greyish rather than brownish. Her large size showed her to be the female, not our male.
In answer to Helen Howard's question: "how sad is that?", I'd completely agree with her that this project offers escapism, but I don't think it's sad at all to get involved, even though I know you were jesting. Personally, I've had a very rough time at work over the last year, and found that throwing myself into this project, the blogs and the birds has been a valuable form of escapism for me, too. I've gained immense pleasure from everyone else's pleasure, and have had support from my friends and partners on this project, as well as being able to offer support back to them at times, too. Apart from my faux-pas with some not very well chosen words a week or so ago, there has not been one word of criticism here of what has been achieved. And that's fantastic. Our partner organisations, who have given the project their full backing and support, have all seen real benefits in a host of different ways, and I know they all want to continue in the years ahead. So everyone's continual presence here gives us all purpose, and has certainly enriched my life, and I'm pleased it has enriched other people's too. How sad is that? ...well, not sad at all. I'd say it's great.
The birds will stay local. Each night they will settle on the cathedral or adjacent buildings. Once the parents feel the young are capable they will chase them off. One of last years juveniles did'nt go until feb this year and then there were still reports of seeing one around. If you live local it worth keeping your eyes and ears open as you will hear the young birds pestering the adults. I went yesterday morning and saw the Dad feeding the Girls on the gargoyle. Still lots to be seem if the weather holds off. I've heard its good in the morning.
John S
Re: "I've even started calling my beloved goldfinches, chickadees, and cardinals by the falcon name of "tasty morsel".
I think it was someone watching the San Jose, CA webcam who happened to be below that nest in the street, saw a portion of prey that had fallen into the street, and said to herself, hmmm, there's still good food on that.
:-)
and we looked there and the nest was bare!!
2149 and not a bird to be seen!!
8.39pm B.C. Canada, looks like one of the falcons is still asleep on the edge of the nest
0533 gmt and there is an early morning visitor!!
A lovely birdie, sound asleep, with her? head tucked into her feathers.
o629 and she is still sat there enjoying the early morning sunshine while she can!!
8.28 Who's that looking very comfy in the nest box? What a lovely surprise.
Anna, Ripley
It's quite unusual for birds to "sit" in a nest like that, isn't it? Jennie, HK.
Do you sleep Helen? Looks almost as though our peregrine is hiding something?
An earlier question of mine - do peregrines ever had a second brood - she looks broody.
Anna, Ripley
I'm worried, I hope she's not ill.
Anna, Ripley
Our bird is still "sitting" in the nest like that. I started to worry too... Jennie, HK.
Could she be one of the chicks, I'm sure I saw a red band on her leg earlier? Sue
10.06 Her right wing doesn't look quite right - I hope she's not injured herself.
Anna, Ripley
July 5th - 10.10a.m. (UK time) visitor at the scrape!!! Lovely to see whichever it was. Must go back for another glimpse.
10.30 It is one of the girls! Looking a bit perkier.
Anna, Ripley
quite right, must hv hurt her right wing... Jennie, HK
Come on somebody in the know, any ideas why this peregrines in the nest and looking a bit under the weather what happens if its injured? getting really worried and the pics not that good so cant see if its hurt itself, will check back later perhaps some one can shed some light on his or her situation and odd behaviour.
11.12 if this is one of the girls in the nest, she really doesnt look too well, is this normal that she should return to the nest like this, after all weve not really seen the girls since they fledged, will mum or dad come and feed her? perhaps we should be patient and see what happens, but then how long do we be patient for, how long has she been sat like that?
Hi Guys
Tony, the Head Verger at the Cathedral, alerted me to your concerns an hour or so ago. I've been watching the live video stream for a bit before replying.
It’s clearly a juvenile, (patchy head and red ring) and this was exactly the position (apart from the slightly outspread wing at one point) that it used to take up prior to fledging. Any young bird with an injury is unlikely to be able to make it to the ledge.
Personally, I wasn't too worried – this sort of alarm over inactivity has happened before, but it was worth watchign and waiting before replying.
Since first watching from 10:30 lcoal time onwards I've seen her move around the platform, with both wings looking the same, and she is now standing on the ledge as I write this at 11:45am.
So I think she was, quite simply, just resting. She's now rather lazily just standing there, as peregrines are wont to do. Perhaps she's hoping Dad will bring some food to the nest, just like in the good old days.
I hope this reassures you, but we'll keep an extra close eye on the webcams today. But had something happened to her, it would be unlkely that we would have wished to intervene.
12.36 Just come in from gardening and delighted to see your reassuring comments - she certainly looks 'normal' now. Maybe this is the 'lazier' youngster.
Anna, Ripley
can sleep easier now thanks for the reassuring comments and letting us what was happening shall go to bed now.
!
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