Friday 21 March 2008

Too Close for Comfort.

Here's a rather "too-close-for-comfort" video clip of our adult peregrine falcon which we captured earlier in the week. At first we thought it was tearing at our camera cable, but later realised it was retrieving prey that had been stashed right next to the new tower-top camera.

Although this new camera does incorporate anti-perching spikes around it, these unfortunately had to be shortened so they would fit through the 13cm high rainwater exit hole on the roof of the cathedral. Should the camera lens ever get completely blocked, the unit is designed so we can retrieve it without in any way affecting the birds. UK law now restricts us from disturbing peregrines on their nest - something we are only to keen to respect!




Meanwhile, down on the platform, nest-scraping is going on apace. We've not had our recorder set up on our main camera yet, so here's a clip from last year showing the same birds in action.


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amazing videos!

I had no idea peregrines sounded like that. I was envisioning something sounding more appropriate to the Angel of Death in the first video.

first video: I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille.

Peregrine Project Member (Nick M.) said...

Hi Karen Anne
The sound is called "ee-chupping" for obvious reasons. It does sound rather like a seagull's call.

It's important to appreciate that our only microphone is on the nest platform. Any tower-top camera clips will include this sound, but may not truly reflect what's going on at the very apex of the cathedral.

The tower-top webcam picture is rather hazy right now (Saturday morning 9am) as it's snowing here in Derby, but not showing too many signs of settling yet.
Regards
Nick M.

matt said...

well happy that the peregrine has laid its first egg.