Meanwhile, here are some of today's pictures uploaded to our Flickr Group Pool:
by rejsharp
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. . .
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Temporary Camera Problem
After yesterday's succesful ringing, (see video here) our webcam images have frozen this evening. They should be back online tomorrow morning. After this evening's service, Tony, our stalwart Head Verger, climbed the 82 steps of the tower to the halfway point to check our internet equipment. All seemed fine, so we think the fault must lie with the end of the 2-way radio internet link in The Silk Mill - Derby's Museums of Social and Industrial History. We're hoping its simply a case of an accidental unplugging of our wireless bridge connection. Easily done in today's climate of trying to save council tax payer's money and the environment by switching off all unnecessary equipment. We'll see tomorrow.
Meanwhile, here are some of today's pictures uploaded to our Flickr Group Pool:
by rejsharp
Meanwhile, here are some of today's pictures uploaded to our Flickr Group Pool:
by rejsharp
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85 comments:
Maybe a little Don't Unplug Me note needs to be on the plug, if this is actually the second time it's happened?
i wish I could remember where I'd heard about something like this happening before, which turned out to be a night cleaning person unplugging some piece of equipment so they could plug in their vacuum cleaner, then plugging it in again later. Drove people nuts trying to figure out what was happening.
well done tony for climbing the steps again. if it is more serious than a flick of a switch, and you have to go down to the ledge again, will you attempt that soon or leave it untill the chicks have gone?
We did think of that last time, Karen Anne. But we'll probably find it has fallen off, or something equally daft.
On UK TV some while back wthere was a TV police series called "Frost" in which, I think murder in one particular hospital bed was investigated in the intensive care ward. It turned out the night cleaner was unplugging some key bit of life-saving equipment and plugging in her old floor-buffing machine, so causing the demise of another old buffer!
Final comment for this evening - (I've other work to do). Absolutely not, Wayne. We could not excuse another abseil down to the nest just to turn our cameras back on, flick off a spider, or whatever. The fault isn't there, I know that, but its worth pointing out that the UK law that protects these birds would not accept a faulty camera as justifiable disturbance to a nest. I think even the gentleman who heckled us from his bike yesterday night, and who felt aggrieved that our ringers dangling on their ropes for 30 minutes were already causing inappropriate disturbance to his favourite birds, might have good reason to report it to our local police force and their Wildlife Crime Unit on 0845 123 3333.
I remember that very episode of frost..........
Anyhoo i hope everything is fine today and we can all get back to watching!
I wonder what the little rascals have been up to?!
@ project member, that is what i thought you would say but i was just making sure i was right about this point. so if i was wrong and someone saw the team comming down the tower they did not report them to the police.
Web cams are up and running!
Happy outome!
Thanks to the project member who climbed all those steps and the one who seems to have stayed up into the wee small hours to give us as much info as was available.
How lucky we are!
J.J. Derby
Yeah, i see we're back up nd running, Super!!
Glad to see all the little ones are okay :)
Fiona ... which 'little ones' would that be? They are huge! ;-)
@ anon-
mmmmm yes, they are quite large now. I have been calling them 'the little big ones'!
Busy watching the family and just wondering about all the people down below that are passing in cars and busses and how many of them will be totally unaware of the wonderful family story that is unfolding above them on the tower........
Hi Fiona,
We have been running the watchpoints for a few years now and there has been a developing interest from the people of Derby over this time. In our first year people asked what we were looking at, now people ask how they are!! The press and local radio and TV run news stories on them.
Last year when the re development of Cathedral Green took place it was a bit worrying at times when people slowed to look up at them on a narrow road!!luckily no bumps took place.Therefore in answer to your question quite a number do know and are interested in the story as it unfolds.
Chris M
i have to say there has been alot of movement early this morning with both male and female catching prey. excellent views, these catches were between 7am and 9am this morning. but since then there has not been an afful lot happen.
Just a cheeky suggestion...
We're not getting nice close-ups of the chicks any more because they've all taken up residence in the right-hand side of the nest platform, which only appears in one corner of the multi-view picture. Would it be at all possible to make that side the main view (Nest platform view), at least for now, rather than the abandoned left-hand side which is mostly giving us rather uneventful close-ups? I don't know how easy it would be to do this, hopefully just another flick of another switch?
Both parents in view, one on the nestbox and one in the pudding cam area.
Great to be back home and see all is well at Derby - a snuggle of white chicks in the RHS corner, an adult on the rim, head under wing, and the other parent by "pudding cam". I know birds feet automatically lock when they sleep, but I wouldn't fancy sleeping on the edge of that drop. It's soothing to be home and seeing the birds because I've been at the Old Bailey today, seeing a high profile case (about which my lips are sealed, no further comment) but it's reassuring to see the good and wonderful things in life again to restore my spirits.
Both parents have left their overnight roosting perches, off to forage for breakfast?
Good morning Jennie, I took exactly the same screen-shot as the one that you just posted on Flickr! I liked the rosy glow of dawn on the falcon's tail.
Sorry - Good afternoon in HK!
The shots are not as good as used to be the camera is too far away. Wish we could zoom in on the latest shots. I know it will probably be a great big thing to change the camera. But can't help wish we could see a better shot of the babies. Hope you can find a way of zooming in on the new nest site. Understand if you can't.
Sorry do not know what happened before I knew it the comment was posted. Well it is 12. 33am Maybe I am too tired.
It happened again Oh boy I think I am just too tired. Also upset about this murder we had in Ontario, Of Tori Stafford. I do hope the family of 4 chicks will survive this time. Also looking so much forward to seeing you all in September. Will try my best to bring you a contribution to help the project. P.S. thanks for posting my attempt at posting my photo on
flickr. Thanks to all who helped me to do it.
Well Ann - two of the chicks seemed to hear you and rushed into the scrape side of the tray! Shot on Flickr shortly.
HELLO ROGER (AT) Not sure what your comment meant. Please be more clear. I have seen a few of the night time shots. Thanks and I am so glad for the folks that helped me put my pictures on the pool.
@ Ann:
Your post said that the screen-shot possibilities of chicks were not so good lately (because they are only in the small view on the right hand side of the tray).
A few minutes later, two scuttled into the scrape side of the tray - where they present a larger image. I thought that you had been sending them telepathic messages. :)
Any info on Monday's watchpoint? We're travelling up from South Wales - hope the weather will be fine.....
Mary T - Caerphilly, S. Wales
Hi all,
Info for Monday:
Watchpoint on Cathedral Green from 10.30am
Cathedral open 9.00 - 6.00 (Services 9.30(Morning Prayer), 10.00 (Holy Communion), 5.15 (Evening Prayer)
Cathedral Beddoes Room (Entry from Cathedral Green) open from 10.30 for
'Live' screen, Photography Exhibition (some photographs for sale), Refreshments.
Entry Free - donations welcome
Tower Tours - 11.00; 12.00; 1.00; 2.00; Cost Adults £5.00, Children £3.00
Hope to see some of you there
Tony
Thanks for the info Tony - looking forward to meeting you then.
Mary T - Caerphilly, S. Wales
Can't believe how they are growing, some shots definitely show they are peregrins. The older feathers are coming. Great watching, keep up the good work hope to be down on Monday. does anyone know how many they take up the tower t once. Want to bring some grandchildren but don't want them to be disappointed if we can't get up the cathedral tower. Joy
Is everything ok with the babes? There seems to be a lot of white feathers everywhere and not much movement. Hoping they are only sleeping.
@ Anon:
The babses woke up a bit when a parent came to the tray (twice) - but as no lunch was forthcoming, slumber has resumed.
What a life! Eat yourself stupid, sleep a lot, be worldwide celebs without trying, ...
Does anyone know when their last feed was, I guess it was very early?
@anon
re Tower Tours
Each tour is restricted to 13 people who must be aged 8 or above. 8 - 16 year olds must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Although places cannot be booked in advance of the day they can be booked on the day (if that makes sense!!)
Be there early to avoid disapointment
Tony
The white feathers presumably belong to prey.
The animals sat in the ark and cried,
adding more salt to the brine.
Who was it, that brought the dinner back?
'twas stooper the pere-grine.
The watchers all cried Ooh! and Ahh!
as they stood upon the green.
Was it the Queen or Mr. Bown?
No - it was pere-grine.
The nimble swift and powerful goose,
fly high at rates so fine.
But none of them fly one half as fast,
as speedy the pere-grine.
The cathedral visitors to Derby,
remark on the webcams and screens.
They ask "Oh! What's that magnificent bird"?
We answer - It's peerless the pere-grine.
With my apologies to Toad and K.Grahame.
mmm - sorry about spelling Mr. Brown wrongly! The tense in the last two lines would be better if plural.
Mind you, it's the first poem that I have plagiarised in thirty years!
I see that some of you can delete your entries, and then re-submit them.
How do you do it?
Roger (AT),
There is a little trash can under the entries I post, if I click on that I can delete the entry. But I am logged into blogger when I post. I am not sure if that is available for people who aren't.
@ Karen Ann:
Many thanks - You are quite right, I see no trash can so I need to be a registered blogger.
I shall join up at once!
Thanks Karen Anne - I will now be able to remove any gharstley mis-speelings!
@ Roger AT
Excellent poem Roger!
So what are the reports from the watch-point? What are the parents up to?
We can see the youngsters snoozing in the tray, but nothing much of the falcon or tiercel since the lunch-time feeding session.
Do Colin and Wayne and Co have any new photos for us?
It looks like the chicks are being fed now. The mum has her back to the camera. No sign of the Tiercel.
Feeding over. It is tough to get interesting shots for Flickr from the split view.
Both parents were visible on the pudding cam for a few minutes
Watchpoint Report – Saturday 23 May 2009
A busy day – for us if not for the peregrines. A steady stream of visitors all day saw the female sat either on the nest or the waterspout next to “pudding cam” (with occasional glimpses of the chicks) or on a series of brief hunting forays which were unsuccessful until just before 2.00 pm when she returned with a pigeon carcass which she plucked and then fed to the chicks for about twenty minutes before caching the remains on the side of the Cathedral – thus ensuring that the watchpoint was over an hour late finishing!
Many thanks to all who came to see the Peregrines and thankyou for the generous donations.
Visitors today came from Italy (not just to see the peregrines but they were delighted to have done so), London, Warrington, Uttoxeter and a young girl from Brigg Infant School, who had visited the Cathedral as part of a school trip earlier in the week brought her mum along to see what all the fuss was about.
We also discovered that peregrines aren’t fond of balloons – at about 11.00, a blue balloon drifted up the side of the Cathedral causing much consternation from the female who was sat on the nest at the time. For several minutes, until the balloon was out of sight, she was calling loudly and looked quite agitated.
It's great to see that the children from the Brigg are getting their parents involved. They enjoyed their visit to Derby on Thursday and managed to get a good view of one of the adult peregrines sitting on the scrape. Some of the children even took their own binoculars!! They are becoming peregrine experts!
Talking about the webcam views the RHS looks slightly out of focus, could it be checked when someone has the time please?
THE MALE DOES HUNT!!!!! hi just an update from today, there was hardly any movement today as the watchpoint team has already stated. but this evening the male brought in what looked like a pigeon carcas to feed the chicks, {although it looked as if there was hardly anything on it. then both male and female went to the gargoyals. at which time Colin and i saw a hobby fly up the right hand side of the cathedral. although both parents didnt even bat an eyelid
Thanks for the info Wayne. A Hobby! Wow would that be a threat to the chicks if it found them alone?
I see tonight the Falcon is very alert, but it is probably another loud Saturday night in Derby City.
Looks like Mum has gone off hunting for breakfast whilst Dad has a lie in!
Looks like breakfast is being prepared up on the tower, but hidden behind a buttress.
The youngsters were fed breakfast at 07:18 WCT.
After the falcon left they had a fine time, trotting from one side of the tray to the other. From the open beaks in the screenshots, I think it was a noisy affair.
It seems hard now to pick out Tiddler, there are two larger chicks and two smaller ones, but varying distance from the camera obscures real comparitive size.
8.15 and it looks like the male has just delivered another meal. The whole family are together in the box
Fear not Phoebe. The dashingly handsome Hobby isn't really a threat to the brood. Like Peregrines they specialise mainly in snatching prey out the air. They are partial to dragonflies but agile enough to get swifts and swallows. They are no threat to pigeons or game bird chicks either incidentally.
Interesting care behaviour just now: One parent is in the tray with wings spread out, offering the chicks protection from the sun,one has taken cover, and the other 3 are in the other shady corner.
Ah! As I type another chick strolls over to check it out.
@ John (not the sloop) - Thanks for the info on the Hobby, they are a handsome bird.
The chicks now appear to be panting, it is a very warm start to the day here in Derbyshire! I assume the Peregrine does not actually drink water but gets it from the fresh food they eat?? It will be interesting to see if they have more smaller meals in the warm weather to keep hydrated.
Mum looks really hot she is spreading her wings to try to lose heat. She is also protecting one of her chicks from the sun. I wonder where the Tiercel is?
I've been away for a week's camping so am suprised at how much the babies have grown!
Real feathers showing, I've just added two photos to Flicker.
Just after eleven a.m. what I thought was late elevenses turned out to be the Tiercel having his portion. The Falcon flew off the nest when he arrived and was out of view, meanwhile he plucked his prey and had his lunch! The chicks had none. I hope he put some in the larder for them.
Pix on flickr
Now that down is being shed for proper feathers, it looks like the chicks have been plucked!
Dinner is served... aren't they growing? The flight feathers are growing by the minute!
can the project team get in touch with me on the below email address it is quite important that i speak with you asap
@ Wayne - your email address does not show on your last post.
@ project team, panic over it was not what i thought it was sorry for the panic
Both parents are on view, no wait mum has flown off!
There seems to be quite a difference if feather development between the largest and smallest chicks.
Or perhaps this is an optical delusion ? :) - caused by the bigger chick starting on her de-fluffing activity?
I agree Roger, they are coming on fine now and the flight feathers grow as you watch! It's getting really exciting now - I can't wait for them to get all their flight feathers, but I hope they all fledge safely.
Hi Phoebe, Yes, I guess the first flight is their next big challenge. I read on the Canadian Peregrine link that I posted, that urban peregrines do get a small "rescue possibility" advantage if their first flight goes badly.
I have been dashing in from gardening now and then to see if I can get a shot of all 4 rascals in the nest scrape side. No luck! They have of course been teasing me and dancing about in the "wrong" side. They seem to be settling in for a snooze now.
I am not sure it makes sense to change the main camera view - they are growing so fast that they are bound to occupy both trays much of the time. What happened last year?
I wasn't here to see last year unfortunately but if you look in the previous years from the main page its all on there.
I too think they will use up all of the tray before long and possibly the cameras will be one for each side as main views - (hint-hint)
Hi all
Life has been v busy for me the last few days and I feel I've completely lost the plot. I'm having some problems getting the multi view; as we still have the blog entry headed "Camera Problems", is this why? Hopefully, all will be revealed whenI visit tomorrow - I'm very excited! I'm off to dust off my "sensible shoes" now, ready for that tower climb!!
Hi, Sue,
The multiview seems fine for me.
How tall is the tower anyway? I am pretty sure I will not be climbing up if I get to visit :-)
Breakfast was served early this morning at 05:11 WCT. Parent and youngsters all looking fine.
@ Sue: I hope you enjoy your visit to Derby Cathedral, and that the weather and birds co-operate.
@ Karen Anne: The blog item says that there are 82 steps to the half way point - which must be about 4 floor levels in an average house.
The tower is 212 feet high 'in old money' - so that's about 70 metres in new? The total number of steps is just under 200 (Tony will know the exact number).
Fortunately the tower tours make a stop half way up at the ringing room so you can take a breather but the climb does require some physical effort as you can imagine....so people who are scared of heights and who have serious breathing, are seriously overweight or have other health problems should think hard before attempting to go up to the top.....but most people manage it without problems.
The views of the city from the top are great of course once you get there and you appreciate what the peregrines look down on every day.
the forecast today is fine for the morning with thunder showers moving up from the south during the afternoon at some point.
Nick B (DWT)
There are 189 steps to the top of the tower - although some days I am sure there are more!!! May I also advise all climbers to wear sensible flat shoes.
Looking forward to seeing lots of people.
Tony
The chicks are getting very close to the edge of the tray this morning, peering over the edge. Should make good viewing for today's visitors, me included. pix on flickr
pax Canada 12.13am
Is that Garbo in the corner?
"I want to be alone"
When are the pigeon fanciers gonna give it a rest.They keep banging on about loosing their pigeons due to peregrine strikes but they dont really know what theyre talking about.Yep no doubt there are a few strikes on racing pigeons but if he wants to come round my house he can help himself.Theres at least 8 racing pigeons on my roof probably all classified as peregrine strikes,theyre a pain in the backside because they eat foodstuff put out for the wild birds not to mention the mess they leave behind.So...next time 1 of your pigeons fails to return from a race dont blame a peregrine for the loss,maybe its had enough of being cooped up and its reverted back to its wild state,just a thought
here we are again, happy as can be, all good friends and jolly good company
yep..typical reaction from someone who keeps pigeons.Do people realise just how ruthless these people are with their own birds,wouldnt think twice about grabbing one of their birds around the throat and killing it just cos it dosent quite meet their standards,whereas a bird of prey only kills to survive,watch the chicks people,when theyve had enough to eat they stop,nature at its finest...rspb keep up the fine work and people of Derby be proud of these birds,your very lucky
Andy,
Just a note that we were asked to ignore and not respond to the pigeon guys.
DNFTT :)
Is there not a "moderator function " on this site ?
I really don't think that anyone with reasonable intelligence and serious interest in racing pigeons would be foolish enough to want to alienate a large body of other bird enthusiasts.
Recent comments by "anonymous" demonstrate a level of stupidity which renders them unworthy of debate and should not have appeared.
Thankyou for today the Falcons were amazing :-)
David - Just do what I do. Use the "unwanted" posts as evidence that the need for properly enforced laws protecting all wild birds of prey are as essential as ever, and persuade more people to sign the RSPB's anti persecution pledge.
Try it - it's ever so satisfying.....
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