Cathedral Green, the open space to the east of the cathedral where we used to stand to watch the peregrines, has finally been opened up again after its long and expensive make-over throughout 2008.Derbyshire Wildlife Trust did object to the original plans for the Green which were to hard-surface it completely and get rid of all the grass. It seems like our protestations must have worked - there is almost as much grass as there was before! (and grass is miles cheaper than stone paving!).
Anyway, the new grass lawns are greener than ever and visitors coming to see the birds will be able to relax on the new grass once it has dried out.
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It was a lovely shining spring morning on Thursday when I took these photos...but there was no sign of either of our birds...they must have known I was coming!Nick B (DWT)
Ps. make sure you scroll down to see the exciting latest video clip showing mating........fingers crossed for eggs before the month is out.
That looks really lovely. I was worried when I read about the original plans. The more green growing stuff the better.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope I get organized enough to visit Derby within the next year or so.
Peregrine on the nestbox.
I love your green green grass of home - sets off Bonnie Prince Charlie a treat! BOTH birds in view - one on the platform, one on the "pudding". Have you any idea what happened to last years 4 young? Or any of the young from previous years? I shall come up and see you all in Derby at some point this season - hopefully when you have a watch point out.
ReplyDeleteSue from Wendover
Sue/Karen Anne: look forward to seeing you when/if you come!
ReplyDeleteNo news on the young from previous years. Pretty certain the sole female from last year didn't survive since she disappeared only a week or so after we rescued her. Perhaps one will turn up this summer, who knows.....
Nick B (DWT)
Well, I hope my new profile works. I've chosen as my picture the site in Bucks where my peregrines ARE NOT at the moment! They have occasionally been there and since I took the picture (2007) a nesting platform built to Derby's plan, has been installed. Nick, I really do hope to meet you on a trip to Derby. Will you be having any special days (eg Springwatch or similar) That would be a really cool time to visit.
ReplyDeleteI hope my picture works!!!! Assuming it does, it's County Hall in Aylesbury, Bucks.
Peregrine on the nest box.
ReplyDeleteBig shadow on view from pudding cam????
ReplyDeleteTime 18.18
ReplyDeleteJust had an excellent view on pudding cam of our two lovebirds mating!!
Anna Flintstone, Ripley
Sue: nice shot of county hall but (dare I say it) not quite as beautiful as our cathedral tower!
ReplyDeleteHope your birds turn up soon though....
Plans for watch points are not very far advanced for a variety of reasons....but there will definitely be some this summer - can't let a new bit of grass go to waste can we?
Nick B (DWT)
Nick, everyone in Bucks agrees with your opinion of our County Hall - it's a 60's monstrosity. It's known locally as "Fred's Folly" after the architect. I was flabbergasted that we ever had any peregrines on it at all. I've just heard that Didcot Power station (not a million miles away from me) has peregrines, so they obviously aren't too fussy about artistic merit. But you are so right - Derby Cathedral is the king of peregrine homes. It is indeed very beautiful - and the project is run by a great team, if I may say so.
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ReplyDeleteSomeone feeding on the pudding cam (although you can only see its bum so not sure if it's the male or female!)
Ben
Sue: artistic merit is the last thing on any peregrine's mind just at the moment I suspect!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comments about the 'team'. Funny how there are so many Nicks involved - we've been trying to get head verger and keen 'perephile' Tony Grantham to change his name to Nick for some time now but so far to no avail....then there would be five Nicks (although Nick Dixon is only an honorary team member since he lives in Devon!). When he visited us the day Nicks Moyes and Evans abseiled down to clean the platform there were four Nicks on the tower roof together! Some kind of a strange clutch that!
Nick B (DWT)
No split screen?
ReplyDeleteI thought that with the current mating sequences, we might remove the split screen and focus in on the tower top before resuming split screen later on. Hope this is OK with everyone.
ReplyDeleteThere are some great mating moments I'm hoping to upload soon to the blog.
Is their something wrong with the Web Cams? They look like Night Vision, Very Misty and Dark.
ReplyDelete11.02 AM
I hope the web cams are up and running again soon, I've missed my viewing today!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone:
ReplyDeleteNick M will reply about the matter of streaming pictures - he's the 'technical' Nick.
On the donations front, since you prompted me, all you need to do is ring the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust office at Belper (01773 881188) in (UK) office hours and we can take debit/credit card donations over the phone.
For reasons which needn't concern you and which are complex to explain, we would prefer donations to be made after 1st April rather than before but if you are bursting to give the project some money now, then please just get on the phone now!
Cheers
Nick B (DWT)
Ps and don't forget the DVD is still available from us (or the Derby cathedral and museum shops) at £9.99.....
Any chance of defogging the webcam in the dome?
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