Wednesday 2 July 2008

Of doting donors and inspired infants

Following our appeal for donations to help support this project, we are pleased to report that 26 people emailed the wildlife trust to find out how they could get money to us.

Of these, 18 kind folk have made donations totalling just over £500 to date, a very encouraging response.

Today we have been chasing up the remainder, making sure we had sent them the necessary information. So far, most have responded with encouraging emails along the lines of 'thanks for reminding me, I'll get my cheque in the post to you tomorrow'!

If anyone else is inspired to send a donation, however small, please email us at

enquiries@derbyshirewt.co.uk to find out how to do it.

On Monday, a large red folder appeared at the Trust office containing wonderful drawings and writing from children at Brigg Infant School near Alfreton, spurred on by Helen Naylor, their class teacher.

Once we can locate a colour scanner, we hope to reproduce some of this fabulous work by these young but eloquent children here on the blog - so watch this space!

Encouraging children to admire and understand peregrines will be a major theme of our developmental work over the winter though we will need to seek funding to underpin the staff time involved....nothing comes free these days!

The photo, taken at the watch point on one of the few wet days, shows Andy M, one of our regular volunteers, helping one local youngster to see the young peregrines standing on the edge of the platform.
We have calculated that our brilliant 24-strong volunteer team contributed over 300 volunteer hours to the running of the watch point - an excellent effort.
They were (in no particular order):
John & Sue H, Andy & Chris M, Steve & Ann R, Mary C, Ian & Judith F, Mary B, Peter W, Margaret K, Sue J, Margaret & Brian H, Jackie T, Pat S, Barry P, Mike S, Jan H, Matt B, Diane L, Lynne M and Alison R. (We hesitate to publish their full names without seeking their permission).

Meanwhile, we have been busy writing articles and short news pieces about our peregrines - check out July's Derbyshire Magazine, August's Bird Watching magazine, Bird Guides webzine (accessible only to subscribers), August's Derbyshire Ornithological Society's bulletin among others.
The pud cam has continued to give plenty of good viewing of our birds even though their visits to the nest platform below have been rather few and far between...so do keep on logging in!
Shortly we hope to have a new exciting announcement about the DVD - so keep an eye open for that too!
Nick B (DWT)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pax Canada 3.32pm
falcon sleeping in front of the pudding cam.

Anonymous said...

Well what a strange sight a peregrine and a wood pigeon spending the time of day together in the early morning sun in front of the puddding cam! How small is that wood pigeon's brain with all of his relations scattered around his feet!!

Anonymous said...

Pax Canada 12.13am
Two on the pudding cam

Karen Anne said...

I hope froona caught a snapshot of the peregrine and the wood pigeon, that would be something to see.

Fourth of July over here in the States, fireworks tonight. Amazing what a few hundred years do to relationships between countries :-)

Anonymous said...

Saturday 09.44 and two very wet looking youngsters are in view from the pud cam.
A very wet day here in Derby.....
Nick B (DWT)

Anonymous said...

Two peregrins this morning one on scrape and one on tower

Anonymous said...

pax Canada 11.44pm
bird with prey on the pudding cam

Karen Anne said...

California condor and wildfire news:

Slightly conflicting news about the adult wild condors. One site says 44, each wearing a transmitter, have flown out of harm's way. Another says one, a mom of one of the endangered chicks, is missing.

There seem to be 3 chicks. One in an area where a fire went thru, condition unknown, nest 200 ft high, so some dim hope remains, but I assume the parents are not there to feed him or her if the chick survived. The other 2 chicks are in an area where a fire is encroaching and rescuers can't get there. Think good damp coast thoughts. I didn't find an article saying where the parents of these 2 chicks were.

Map of two condor nests and fire location here:
http://www.mercurynews.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=2006299

Eight condors who were being prepared to be released were rescued, rescue story here:
http://malibusurfsidenews.com/stories/200807/20080703001.html
I don't know if these count as part of the 44 or not.

A note about humans, state firefighting resources having run out, individuals are fighting fires in groups:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/us/07firefighters.html
(political announcement) Where's the National Guard? Well, we know where many of them are, thanks Bush, you can't leave office too soon.

Anonymous said...

Four Peregrine this afternoon - 5:30PM - on the mobile phone tower/radio mast in Orient Way Pride Park, Derby.

One bird caught a Starling close to the tower and then performed a mid-air food pass to one of the others.

All four birds were VERY vocal and gave great views to the people lucky enough not to be driving past unaware of the birds above them!