Over the weekend whilst all our picture streams were unavailable (see "Technical Hitch"), some of us clearly began to suffer peregrine withdrawal symptoms. Others actually did some work for a change! But in case it happens again it's timely to reminder that the DVD -"The Peregrines of Derby Cathedral" - is still available if you haven't purchased one yet. We've just had an excellent 'review' from Chris Packham who features on the film. For those of you who don't know Chris' TV work, he's one of the UK's leading wildlife presenters, working mainly for the BBC.
He's just sent us this lovely comment:
"Its superb. The photography is lovely, the graphics great and the webcam images fantastic -the whole story, great mating and the early chicks are really nice too.
It's good to see a modern slant on it visually. Liked the talking heads and the whole story . Thank you for inviting me to contribute. Chris [Packham].
To find out how to get a copy scroll down to the blog entry for 2nd May; by post from DWT or call at either the Museum or cathedral shops in Derby during the week.Meanwhile, hard on the heels of the super video clip of the peregrine with a jay (see previous blog entry), we have just received a photo from Tony at the cathedral showing the head of a little owl. This is a new prey species in
Derby, though not nationally.Tony's photo clearly shows the small yellow hooked beak as well as brown striped feathers from around the face. A bit gruesome perhaps but this is just the way peregrines are....predators.
Little owls are widespread in the Derbyshire countryside, delightful little birds but just one down in number since last week!
Nick B (DWT)
Follow these links to:
- read how to watch our new live a/v stream
- read an overview of the peregrine project,
- find out about buying the brand new DVD: "The Peregrines of Derby Cathedral")
- add your name to our mailing list
- see many more pictures on Froona's very detailed blog over in Holland (both from our webcams and from many others around the world)
29 comments:
Oh well - one of our Yat Rock youngsters a couple of years back decided she liked Kingfishers as a good square meal.
Someone ought to explain the realities of PR to these peregrines.....
Okay, man, I could have lived without seeing the head of that little owl. I'll be feeling bad all night.
At least with the video of the jay, there was a warning, so I didn't click on it, and my firefox software had blocked any video image I haven't clicked on.
Poor little owl...
Not sure why I chose to watch the clip of the Jay as I was eating my breakfast. I misread the explanation and thought it was already despatched. Oh well. That is nature unfortunately - but all for a good reason I have to keep telling myself.
Am amazed at the growth spurt that occured over the blip period! Live stream has just revealed one of the two biggest chicks trying to feed itself, picking up a feather and having a test to see what it tastes like. Yes, had expected some gory bits, as our sparrowhawk likes to leave gall bladder as well as feathers!
I know it's not a competition,but the Derby webcams produce much better close ups than the Loch Garten ones,aint technology great.
Loved the Jay clip,that is REALLY what B.of Prey are all about,and remember,YOU CAN NEVER MAKE A FRIEND of one.It's just human conservation.
Dennis,local lad.
WELCOME BACK - so glad to see what's going on again .... except for the gory bits. I wish peregrines only liked to eat ugly birds - but what did poor old pigeons ever do to me for goodness sake? I endorse the rave reviews about the DVD - I shall be taking it to some Bucks Berks and Oxon Naturalist's Trusts events near me to try to spread the word.
Sue H, Wycombe
Ah! That's how they keep the nest-scrape clean! I'd been wondering if parents took away fecal sacs, however: Just saw Biggun turn and squirt poo accurately over the edge! Better wear a hat when passing the cathedral tower!
The owl head and jay. Gruesome? Yes, but it's nature and the peregrines only kill other birds to eat. Who would prefer to see the youngsters going hungry? No-one, I'm sure! And apart from vegetarians out there, how many of us think twice about where that bacon sarnie comes from?!! It's good to see the youngsters all doing well. Pam, Derby.
So glad we're back in busines. I have missed these 4! How they've grown! At the moment I just see a big chickpile;) of sleeping chicklets.
I had the enormous privelige to see and touch these miracle creatures myself last Friday. I was present at the banding of the De Mortel chicklets. And they are amazingly beautiful. Those eyes, the eyes of Horus are pure magic. Experience of a lifetime indeed it has been.
Froona
Froona - you are so so lucky. What an experience. I tried to get in on the Sussex Heights banding which is happening now, but they have tv camera crew there, so no room. But at least I asked.
I love the sound effects when the perlets do a "poop shoot" over the side of the ledge!!
Great to have the camera back Thanks to all involved. However I noticed the sound has just gone off. It went just before the bells I was so looking forward to were due to chime at 3.00pm your time. ( Ann ) Canada
Thanks to all concerned re the cam back and running, I now feel much better!!!!!
Hi everybody, Also glad that the cameras are back. But haven't the chicks (eyases) Shot up in size since Friday? Does anybody else think that we (the peregrine falcon parents!) have got 2 girls and 2 boys? I think that the 'tiddler' is obviously a boy and one of the other three larger chicks probably is a boy too...
How long before they get ringed?
Ciao
Dont know how mny people have just seen yet another kill looks like a ferrel pigeon i just clicked to look at top view cam and their it was plucking away..great to be able to see all this.chicks are looking very well indeed.Richard in derby.
No offence but I wonder how many of you who find it uncomfortable to see the Owl picture or the Jay video have cats?
Of course, it's not pleasant to see any creature kill another but it's not being done for fun and those fluffy chicks will hopefully very soon be predators in their own right - just to survive.
Froona: I'm sure many of us would give their right arm for that experience!
Thanks again to everyone involved in the project for getting the pictures back online today.
9.15a.m. Good breakfast being had by all!!! What a joy to see!!
10:40am BST - Lovely views of the four chicks having a snooze together on one side of the scrape, while a parent keeps a watchful eye at the far end of the ledge. Nice to have the quad stream back for these events, as I went into the main scrape view first and wondered where the adults were!
Liz, Derby
Am I right in thinking the sound has gone from the video stream? Can see, but not hear anything at all, and I had sound much earlier this morning.
Yes sound has been down for quite some time and the other camera's froze for quite some time this afternoon. I saw mum get fed up looking for Dad so I think she has gone off looking for food. Has been gone a long time. But as camera was frozen I am not sure. But never the less a bit worried and hope everything is ok. ( Ann )
Great she is back can rest now I know can't help worrying.
Have seen some great feeding times today - the chicks do seem to have voracious appetites. I've noticed that 'Titch' is usually at the front of the queue. He may be small, but he certainly seems to be able to hold his own.
Anna, Ripley
Hope it's not the Twyford little owl we saw on the telegraph wire en route to Willington a few days ago! We've got quite fond of this little guy. Provoke's the question how far out do they fly after their prey?
Anon.
We've no worries about the little one being fed. Sometimes he (could be she) has to wait until last - but get fed it does.
Sorry about the sound. The microphone gain has now been turned down so that you should no longer get the impression that Derby is the noisiest city in the UK.
Why we lose audio from time to time is still a puzzle, The guys at Capita may have a work-around to this problem, and we're talking about automatically rebooting the computer that does the work of encoding the video. This might happen at 3am local time every night, but why it happens is still unclear.
We have a couple of great feeding clips coming up for you - we're just struggling to get them embedded directly into this blog, rather than post them from YouTube. Please bear with us.
4.15 pm feed. Really pleased to see youngest is getting fed the majority at the moment. Parent is really giving it the most - the last two feeds have seen the other 3 pushing the youngest one into the corner with its head against the wall so couldn't balance itself to face parent and get fed correctly.
Wow at 15.52 and 58seconds to-day I was so fortunate to capture a photo from the multi stream camera. It was Mum flying in wings spread beautifully with what I think was a pidgeon. I have saved it to my computer. What a lucky shot and to think a few weeks ago I did not know how to save the pictures I saw. Thanks again for telling me how. Ann ( Canada )
When I try to start viewing the stream, Windows Media Player says Stopped. Does this mean there are already the max no. of attachments, or is something wrong? thanks.
Works now, signed, baffled. Although the still camera on the nestbox seems frozen.
Notice that the camera on the nest box has frozen, what shame. Couldn't view much yesterday as our server was out of order, trying to make up today! Not much luck tonight
For the second time in a week I'm afraid that the servers at Streamdays have crashed. This means that both video feeds are down until Thursday morning. It can be hard to tell if it's our equipment that has failed, or if our hosting company has problems. By visiting a couple of other webcams which (like us) display a time code in the stream, we can see that they all froze around the same time.
Try: http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/stonehaven_harbour
or: http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/lyme_regis_dorset
or: http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/reykjavik_webcam_iceland
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