It looks like Derby's peregrines are amongst the last to lay, judging by Froona's comparison blog.
Yesterday evening our male peregrine was in the nest scrape alone, flying off just before dark. The nest remained empty until 2am when the female arrived, with the male just visible on the ledge below the platform. They both left soon afterwards, but at 3am she returned again, spending 5 minutes in the scrape before moving to the edge of the nest platform. She moved back in to the scrape at 4.30am when it started raining, but stayed there until 06:30 when she went back to the edge again. She finally flew off at 08:00 this morning. This is a change of behaviour we've not seen this year, suggesting that she's perhaps only a few days away from egg laying.
As at 28th March, our birds are still actively displaying to one another. The clip below was captured just before dusk on Sunday 23rd. The male had already stood absolutely still, head bowed, for nearly five minutes before she decided it was her turn in the scrape. Being so much bigger, she soon got her way! My money did go on eggs to be laid around 1st April, but now I'm not so sure - we'll just have to wait and see.
Here are the dates and times people have suggested so far:
17 March, early morning - Jan, Dayton Ohio
21 March 8:00 am. - Anonymous
01 April @ 00.45 gmt -Lyndsey, Chesterfield
01 April 23:00 Nick M. Derby
02 April around 08.10 - Anonymous
03April, 3:45am. - Jennie, HK.
04 APR 16:20 -Spikennipper in Ashford, Kent.
07 April - Pax, Canada
08 May 10:02 AM. - Lewicki.
leave a comment if you want to add your own suggestions
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. . .
ooohhh 1st of april eh? good guess, thats what i guessed too. hope we're right.i'm on holiday the week after and i'd really like to see them laid before i go.
ReplyDeleteis there any way of doing some camera trickery just to pretend we were right? april fools day joke and all that
lyndsey, chesterfield
No problem Lyndsey - I'll just post last years video clip of the first egg being laid at whatever time and date the highest bidder requests. (only joking!)
ReplyDeleteNick M.
Hello from Dayton!
ReplyDeleteWe have an egg in the nest and it will not be online until later this week, but as of now the Columbus falcons have no eggs, either. It does seem from looking at your female in the videos that she's way chubby in the back end area (blush) so perhaps soon. Then again, I've been wildly off the mark with my predictions of your first egg!
It can't be long now and then it will seem like watching paint dry as they parents sit, sit, and sit. The Froona website is very cool, thanks for the link!
Jan
"...her turn in the scrape..." Nick, you remind me I don't often see two birds staying in the nest together except during courtship moments, is this normal? Jennie, Hong Kong.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick guess but i think we might see an egg by friday morning, about 6.00am. Andy, Derby
ReplyDeletelooks like some sort of tasty snack being stored in the far corner of the nest platform......i think both birds are on pudding cam but its difficult to see, there definately one there.
ReplyDeletelyndsey, ches
i truly hope a project member is watching right now and recording what is happening on pudding cam.... one of the pergrines just landed right up close in full shot with a catch and began to devour its supper, truly amazing, i feel honoured to be able to have seen it happen...it's times like this when i really appreciate the enlightening work the peregrine project member's have done to enable us to see this.and now i remember why i got hooked last year to it
ReplyDeletelyndsey,ches.
Hi Lyndsey
ReplyDeleteLuckily enough, like you, I was watching for a while. I'm especially lucky in that I can see full, live video on my PC, so I can watch and hear every movement the birds make. It makes all the difference and, believe me, we are working on plans to bring this facility to a wider audience.
I couldn't see what species of bird the peregrine had caught, but I got a clear view of (her?) feeding around 8pm for quite some time.
A couple of days ago I wired up a second video recorder inside Derby's cathedral tower, so we should be able to review footage from both the nest cam and the top of the tower.
Sadly, night-time shots are not very good quality, but it'll be interesting to see what went on ealier this evening.
I shall report back on any interesting activities.
Regards
Nick M.
both male and female at the nest scrape at 06.59. the first egg i think will be 2nd april around 08.10.
ReplyDeleteCould any one please tell me what lengh of time does it take for a peregrines egg to be laid.
ReplyDeleteI have tried to post on here 3 times and nothing shows up. What is the secret? I predicted yesterday that if she didn't lay an egg during the afternoon (which she obviously didn't) then she would lay one this morning.
ReplyDeleteI love this site, camera and more than anything it feeds my peregrine passion. Thank you so much. Veronica B in Cornwall
i think we have an egg!!!!!!
ReplyDeletelyndsey, ches
hurray, eggs at last! well, one so far anyway! :)
ReplyDeleteWhoopee...yes a gorgeous egg..congratulations Derby.
ReplyDeleteVeronica B
I guess 28th March approx 12:40pm...... Only cos I have just watched the first egg get laid!!!!! I can't believe I was watching at the time!!!!!!! Thank you so much for this awesome experience!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAngie