Monday 8 June 2009

Fledging Imminent? (updated 22:00)

empty ledge 1
No, they've not fledged today! The shot above was by local photographer, Colin Pass, taken in June last year when he captured this image of the last bird to fledge from the nest ledge. Around 21:00 this evening there was a moment when reports suggested one of our birds may have left the nest for a few moments, but this is now known not to have been the case. Over the nicrophone to which the team have access, we could hear losts of calling sounds by the youg birds, with a parent up above, calling to them in return. Colin has just got back from the green, and this is what he reported at 21:50 this evening:
"Just got back both falcon and tiercel doing there best this evening to catch tea without success.Young screaming hungry. At times I thought one would get dislodged by the scambling and flapping. Tommorrow looks like the day, weather permitting, for a first flight. I might be a day out with my prediction for the 10th :) Nothing hsd left the tray by 9.30pm this evening."
This is another of Colin's recent photos:

Image1

With fledging likely any day now, there was plenty of activity in the nest platform this morning. There were times when it was very difficult to tell whether one of the birds has already flown or not, so careful checks of both camera images were often needed. But here they all were between 9.00 and 10.00am, still calling and screeching at their parents, and very actively clambering around, especially when food was being prepared by a parent up above.




Whilst it’s possible that one might fly off at any moment, past experience shows they can keep us on tenterhooks for quite a few days. And after the enforced inactivity during last weekend’s rain, this is quite likely. Here's what local falconer, Colin Pass wrote about them this morning:

"Well I have to say I have never seen peregrines as wet and soaked to the skin as the young this weekend.Lets hope for some decent weather over the next week. It would have been a disaster if they had fledged and got soaked like they were, and rendered flightless, it would have left them vulnerable to say the least especially if grounded. I suggest they get their oil gland motivated and get preening. If the weather holds they can get some serious wing pumping done and build up their pectoral muscles. If they follow form, and none of them are pushed :(011 should attempt to take to the skies first. I was lucky enough to see a couple make their first flights last year, I hope I am lucky enough this year."




Of course, the Team are all one standby in case one should come down – and we’ve already taken our first call from someone who saw a sparrowhawk on top of a car in Derby city centre this morning and not unreasonably thought it may have been one of our young birds. A quick check showed that all four birds were still in place.
With all this nest activity, we’ve put the second nest camera full size onto what was our "multi-view" page, but we’ll turn this back once fledging has happened as there should then be lots of activity around the top of the tower itself. So for just a short while, there'll be no image feed from the top of Derby Cathedral's magnificent tower.



The picture below was captured by rejsharp earlier this morning:
Derby Peregrines 270

58 comments:

Joy said...

I always seem to miss the wing flapping and the feeds. Glad to see its a better day for them and hopefully they will be able to practice more wing flapping.

Great to have the 2 cameras enlarged, much better than the 3 little ones.

Tremendous and thanks to the team its wonderful.

Terry, Herts UK said...

Are they really not yet waterproof?

Anonymous said...

The 6 second time lapse really makes fledging rather too exciting. You are watching one flapping its wings and teetering on the edge when suddenly it disappears, only to turn up in the other window in the other tray.

(It does enable us to take lovely screenshots, though.)

EH

Ruth Z said...

I know what you mean! It's riveting watching, and makes for a hasty return to my desk after meetings - no lingering at the coffee corner :-)

Anonymous said...

Can I only see three? Either one is hiding very well behind two of the others or he has popped out to get his own lunch.

Chris, Alrewas

Ruth Z said...

Erm, I hesitate to say it, but that nest looks somewhat empty...

At 13:11 it looks like there were only 2 youngsters huddled in one end of the nest, adn one loner in the other end.

Can anyone confirm?

Karen Anne said...

Ruth, I think four are still there. I seem to see three tails on one side, a bird on the other.

Ruth Z said...

I do think you're right - wishful thinking on my part, maybe :-)

Ah, yes, I now see the 4th head (13:19). Crafty little so-and-sos, aren't they?

Anonymous said...

Very well hidden by the other two I would have said, probably did it to get mom anxious.

Oh well, back to work then.

Chris, Alrewas

Phoebe said...

Thanks to the team for some great close-up camera work. I took advantage of this and got some good screenshots - posted to flickr now.

It was so exciting watching these birds this morning, I'm sure i saw one of them fly from the RH side to the LH side!

So much excitement I am on my way to Derby to spend some time watching and photographing.

Anonymous said...

apparently the weather forecast for derby over the next few days is rain, heavy rain and more rain.

Anonymous said...

Karen Anne, that's a fabulous link to Manitoba on the previous blog topic. They must have fantastic camera - but it looks like the poor birds are nesting in a washing up bowl! (lol)
As I wrote earlier (entry slipped down a black hole?) all 4 young are still safely on the platform but two of them are scaring me to death by nonchalantly sitting on the edge.

Anonymous said...

Sue, have you seen the other one who thinks it's funny to go up behind them and start flapping? I bet they will be telling Mum of him when she comes to visit.

Pam

Karen Anne said...

Can someone remind me, do the chicks have different color leg bands? I ask because I just saw a red band clearly.

Sue, yes, I looked at the Manitoba webcam, and thought, are they nesting in a Tupperware dish? :-) I suspect they may have a full flat roof to wander about on, and the Tupperware :-) is to keep the chicks together at first.

By the way, there's no time banner on the right side webcam, I just mention it because we had been asked to include it when posting to flicker.

andy said...

just wondering....is that an adult laying in with the chicks..looks a bit worrying

Anonymous said...

Has one of the youngsters collapsed? Behaviour looks strange, been lying face forward for some time.

Ann ( Canada ) said...

Know what you mean I have often noticed one laying quiet like that often for some time. It can be worrying when you see it. But hopefully it will be ok it has in the past anyway. Maybe we will see the first flight soon.

Anonymous said...

Must say I was getting a bit worried there but all seems well. Maybe just gathering some strength for the upcoming ordeal?

Mary T - Caerphilly,S.Wales

Anonymous said...

Great afternoon ! Watched the female flying around looking for food. She had one attempt at a flock of pidgeons....hit one then dropped it ! Just leaving at about 3-30 and there they were both together above us......magnificent.

Phoebe said...

Well it was worth the drive over to the Green. There was a lot of activity from the youngsters. The parents were flying overhead displaying hunting skills. The youngsters were quite noisy whilst watching the parents. One of them looked like he wanted to fly off getting very agitated.

@ Tracey - good to put a face to a name, we shared view of the attempted stoop at a pigeon - amazing! I've never seen that for real before.

I can't wait for Wednesday.

Nick Brown (DWT) said...

Phoebe: just to point out that Watch Points this week wil be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, weather willing but almost certainly not on Wednesday due to volunteer unavailability this week.
There will of course be people on The Green as usual watching the birds but we can't guarantee there will be any telescopes for you to look through.
Nick B (DWT)

Joy said...

Just looked and can only see 3 on the scrape. Do springwatch know about our Peregrins as they were some on from Chichester tonight.

Joy said...

There were only 3 and then one just flew in not sure whether its a parent or youngster.

Phoebe said...

@ fire fight

There is one on its own in the RH side and the other three in the LH side.

Joy said...

This is brill, 3 tog and then the 4th coming back. How exciting, this is better than the TV. The 3 keep looking up so I suppose a parent bird is there. Oh this is great.

Anonymous said...

Nope - still four there.
I think our birds were on Springwatch last year or the year before, weren't they?

Andy C. Chellaston

Nikc Brown (DWT) said...

Yes Andy, our birds were on Springwatch the year before last if my memory serves me correctly.
Nick B

Karen Anne said...

I can't tell from the comments - did one fledge and return, or is it the usual :-) "I only see 3" event? If a fledge, did anyone get photos of the only 3 in the box state?

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

Huge amounts of squawking going on right now via the camera microphone. Not sure if anyone is out there on the Green listening in person right now. An adult was on the towerr cam a few minutes ago and could be heard calling when the chicks quetened down - but they've now moved away from the camera.

I'm not sure exactly what happened a few minutes ago. Yes, there were comments from Joy that she'd seen only three and one returning, but I didn't see that myself. It's so hard sometimes seeing the birds against the mucky background, and its also hard to prove what may or may not have just happened. We did have an expereience one year when a bird did fledge and then came back, and it took quite a while for us to be sure what had actually hppened. I think in the end it was confirmed by someone watching from the Green.
Lets just keep watching!

Phoebe said...
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Phoebe said...

I've just checked my screen-shots and don't see three alone at any time. What could have happened is that one could have flown from one side to the other. I suspected this this morning from watching the webcams. When I got to the Green this afternoon Tracey came by and said she watched that happen this morning. So not exactly a fledge but leaving one side and flying over to the other.

It would be nice to think one had flown out and back in but I am not sure.

08 June 2009 21:31

EDIT: Thanks Nick B I did think it was a WP on Wednesday but I will still go as I would like to see a fledge and it just might happen this Wednesday!

Colin said...
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Colin said...
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Phoebe said...

I agree Colin, I was watching them today and they looked so eager I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a fledge tomorrow - I just might get down there...

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

Thanks Colin. False alarm, then, but thanks to everyone who was watching and reporting.

I've just updated today's blog with your recent comments, plus a couple of your stunning images, too.

Joy said...

When I saw only 3 peregrins before the 4th one reappearing I had both cameras in view plus writing my comment. I didn't have my cameras handy and have not even tried taking photos from the screen, perhaps I should.

Perhaps when the footage is looked at it will show what I have said!

Joy said...

Can someone tell me please why it shows a litter bin after my comments?

Just now it was great watching all 4 huddling together. Nite nite

Karen Anne said...

Joy,

The litter bin (trash can) is in case you want to delete your comment. It shows up for people who are blogger logged in. I am not sure who else has that ability. I have deleted a comment and reentered it sometimes if I had too many typos.

Phoebe said...

@ Joy

The litter bin is an option for you to delete your comment, that is because you are logged on to blogger.

Anonymous said...

pax Canada
looks like they are all snuggeled down for the night

Colin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roger (AT) said...

Breakfast sereved early this morning - just after 5am.

The falcon gave it straight to the youngsters, stayed 2 minutes and flew off.

They are all feeding eagerly.

Roger (AT) said...
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Roger (AT) said...
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Roger (AT) said...
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Roger (AT) said...

Sorry for the deleted comments, one of my webcam views had frozen on an empty tray - so I thought that 2 youngsters had flown!
But when one bird was half in one view, and did not appear in the other .... The penny dropped!

Anonymous said...

Parent feeding chicks
Chris

Terry, Herts UK said...

Morning all.

They've just been fed again.

Phoebe said...

Not much flapping going on yet this morning. After two early feeds they are all resting. Maybe later on there will be more activity. I wonder if there will be a maiden flight today...

wayne1984 said...

hi everyone, after being down the green for the majority of the day yesterday and seeing some spectacular views i hope that it will not be long before these birds make their first flight, as its quite crouded on that ledge

Colin said...
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Karen Anne said...

Colin, I'm wondering what kind of camera you use to get your amazing pictures of the peregrines?

Joy said...

Just watched a parent feeding one on one camera and the other 3 watching from the other side. 2 now on the ledge and wing flapping.4 now on ledge and one just watching, I presume a parent must be there. Fascinating viewing

Joy said...

Lots of lfying from one side to the other

Joy said...

2 looking as though they are thinking about it and 2 resting.

Anonymous said...

Off for a walk up the road today go and keep an eye on them. Very active yesterday hope today will be the soon.

@ Phoebe it was great to meet you there hope to see you soon.

Anonymous said...

should read......be the same. Sorry

Phoebe said...

Mum is sitting on the Corbel below the nest, it looks like she is calling them as they are agitated.