For example, on Thursday AnnieF. left this observation:
Well I've just spent at least 8 minutes watching the falcon doing her utmost to persuade the tiercel to give her the eggs. He was crouched over them, his head to one side and so low it was almost touching the gravel, and she at one point bent down too, so they were almost beak to beak! He was extremely stubborn, but eventually, at about 13.24hrs., he gave in. He didn't seem very happy, but she wasn't going to take no for an answer this time.
Egged on by a follow-up comment from KarenAnne in USA, I dutifully nipped out on Friday lunchtime and climbed Derby Cathedral's 82 steps to the half-way point where the bells are rung. This "Ringing Chamber" is where our equipment and video recorders are located. Reviewing what AnnieF had seen, it was clear that our female falcon had actually spent a total of 14 minutes trying to chivvy the tiercel off the eggs! You'd have been bored by the whole sequence, as there was a lot of standing around with our female chirruping gently at him from time to time. But this is how it all ended.. . .
And we'd have missed stuff like this had you not told us.
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178 comments:
16:58, female has a stretch of the legs and a move of the eggs, she's done that a few times today. I suppose that sitting on 4 eggs must be uncomfortable, especially after several weeks.
Anyone noticed that the male looks more uncomfortable and moves around a lot more? :)
Thanks for the post and change-over video! I generally get to watch from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in the middle of your night and am sad to say have seen nothing exciting happen at all...yet!!
18:41-18:43, the female is yet again moving around a lot and looks like she's leaning forward again.
18:44-18:46, she keeps looking down and underneaf her, she must have moved an egg slightly and has now moved around yet again.
She seems to have settled down now.
Love the video. I was watching the cam while this exchange was happening, and loved the way the falcon re-arranged the eggs to her satisfaction after she finally got the tiercel to move himself. Can't trust hubby to do anything right, obviously!
@Sally, I too am in B.C. and last year I saw one of the eggs hatch in their night, hang in there:)
Thanks for the great video. Its amazing what birds do and how they look after their eggs. Can't wait until they've hatched even though it stops me for doing other things. Keep up the good work.
sun 8.10 - Derby
Morning all, looks like lovely weather over Derby, same for Nottingham. Mum's on the eggs this morning, nothing happening, just moving around a bit, re-arranging them eggys.
Not seen dad since yesterday early afternoon, I think it was, he must be hiding from us. Hope he catches a nice pigeon I didn't see her eat anything yesterday.
Question: how long do these birds go without a nice pigeon in their belly?
___________________
Offtopic:
Pam "... loved the way the falcon re-arranged the eggs to her satisfaction after she finally got the tiercel to move himself. Can't trust hubby to do anything right, obviously!"
I'm shocked. I think he does a great job on them eggs and he spends all day hunting, winning the meat, and she spends all day sitting on her bum. ummm, sound familiar?
j/k ;)
Craig, Nottingham
@ Project Member.
Thanks for the info about the glow worm colony - wonder if my sister knows about it???
Just watched the changeover video and it's amazing how she has to re-arrange the eggs (and herself) till she's completely satisfied.
Moving the eggs - they have to "roll" them periodically so they develop well. I forget what happens if they don't, but it's not good.
tiercel: I'm the Dad, these are my eggs, turf off :-)
Naughty Craig, stop stirring!
The eggs are unattended! 17.34hrs.
No one on eggs at present, and no one in site.
? falcon back on eggs.
One of them came back a couple of minutes after my last post - it's the falcon, I think.
Tiercel's just turned up in the nestbox, rhs. He looks a bit wary.
Both birds on nest platform, looks like falcon on scrape.
18.35 Is that a young one from last year on rh side of nest?, looks a bit small
He hasn't made a move towards her yet. She occasionally glances at him.
18:43 Sunday
Both birds disturbed by somwthing, falcon has left eggs.
Well, it's 18:46 Sunday, and hubby seems to have turned up without dinner, so mum has had to go and get it herself, while dad sits in the other end of the scrape watching the eggs from there. Wonder if she told him not to dare touch them. ;)
Tiercel sitting on rhs of platform looking very alert and watching something happening above and around him.
at 18.43 she left the eggs the one on rh side did not take over
? falcon just taken off from tower.
It;s 19:14 hrs your time on April 18 and the falcon has hopped off the eggs, but is close by.
Eggs are still unattended at 19.17. WIll they be OK? Maybe it is warmer in Derby than it was in Cheshire today!
Back on the nest.
18.03 eggs covered again
At 19.00hrs the falcon was still absent, & the tiercel gave himself a brief pedicure.
Just after 19.01, he jumped to the nestbox ledge rhs.
At 19.06 I saw her flying from the Jury's Inn direction towards the nestbox. The tiercel may have called to her - his beak opened as he looked up.
She came back to the eggs at 19.17 & then the tiercel flew flew off.
I calculated that the eggs were exposed for about 35 minutes. Is that normal? Also I wondered whether the falcon "told" the tiercel not to go near the eggs. He seemed quite anxious, but didn't attempt to move to the egg side of the box.
@ Pax: I did wonder, too, whether it really was the tiercel because it looked small; but would she have left the eggs for so long, knowing that a juvenile was so close to them? Maybe the egg-sperts will take a look at the video and tell us!
A peregrine was on the J at Jury's Inn at 8pm Sunday.
@Craig. Peregrine prey is far, far more than just pigeons. The Derby birds have now taken around 48 different species ranging from small birds like swift, goldfinch and robin, through pigeons, arctic tern and lapwing, right up to mallard, teal and ruddy duck. Oh, and a rat.
When they're feeding young, I'd suspect they would take around one bird a day. Unless they drop it, they do seem good at not letting much go to waste. It's often a surprise to see the scraggiest of bones being picked over. However, I'd have to check the "bible" on peregrines (Derek Ratcliffe's book, The Peregrine Falcon) to be sure if I've given you the best answer.
@AnnieF yes lets see if we can get an answer from one of the project members.
@Project Manager, Sir.
Mucho thanks for the reply. I was using the word pigeon rather loosely, I was well aware that they take other animals too, but I used the word pigeon because otherwise I would have had the word 'bird' in the same sentace twice and it didn't sound right. :)
I suppose I could have said 'nice meal' instead of pigeon.
Weather looks miserable. Must check the forecast.
Thanks for providing the video of the changeover it was fascinating to watch. I searched youtube before this was embedded and got to see a different video where the tiercel did not give up, unless this is the conclusion.
Thank you for climbing the tower to get this for us it is much appreciated!
@Craig - the tiercel is quite a bit smaller than the female so I suppose he doesn't have as much coverage but I love the way he sits more upright and prettier, so cute, but then I am biased - I think he is gorgeous!
aww think I have missed the changeover :( has anyone got a screen shot of the swap?
Sorry Phoebe missed it also, I hadn't really noticed and do now know what you mean by "sits more upright and prettier, so cute", he certainly looks smarter - I won't go as far as to say gorgeous. :)
female has a stretch of the legs and a move of the eggs, she's done that a few times today. I suppose that sitting on 4 eggs must be uncomfortable, especially after several weeks.
@ Anonymous - nice copy and paste :)
I think it's the tiercel on the eggs at the moment not the falcon.
Agreed. It's definitely the tiercel (male)
16:50:23, female just landed on the nesting box. No food in them talons. Male has his head down and watching her. She's just standing there, no interest in taking over the sitting at the moment.
16:54, we have the male off the eggs and flown the nest, female is looking out at him, and finally moves over to them eggys. Nice little move around of the eggs and sitting pritty.
19:02 Dad just came in and took over the eggy sitting.
She has just re-arranged the eggs to her satisfaction and settled down again.
Change over complete (Mr P don't put the eggs in the right place} Eggs re arranged Nite Nite
Mo Cole Belper
Was that Dad re-arranging the eggs then?
One arrived on nestbox ledge rhs.
Both birds on nest platform.
20:58 Male's turned up and is sitting on the edge. Female is keeping an eye on him.
21:07 I think he's pitching up a tent. He's not moving and the female is still watching him with her head slightly bowed.
21:17 Nothings changed, she's still watching him with head bowed, like she's protecting the eggs or nervous with him there. Is that a normal behavour?
21:38 And I give up watching to see if anything's happening. He's pitched a tent and she's going to stay put and watch him.
21:50 The falcon has just arrived on the RHS nest ledge sitting preening - the tiercel is fast down on the eggs with beak almost buried in the gravel.
21:50 she's decided not to watch him anymore and get some shuteye. He's cleaning himself, got to look good for them birds/chicks. :)
Well, been over an hour. Was watching Runaway Train on the Iplayer but that's finished, and she's back to trying to sleep while he cleans.
Time for bed. GN.
Both birds still on nest platform.
Same one still on the ledge while the other egg-sits.
Someone on the eggs, and someone on the other side of the nestbox, puffed up and keeping watch. Not sure who is who.
one on the eggs, one on nest ledge
I'm really enjoying watching the webcam and reading all the wonderful comments. I fly falcons in displays for a small falconry centre but watching them in the wild is completely different and even more exciting! Is there an incubation countdown clock on the website or something you might be able to set up? It would be great to be able to see how many days since the eggs were first laid as we are all excited and looking forward to the hatch days!
@skyfalcon Glad you've enjoyed watching. Thanks for leaving your comments and the suggestion for a countdown clock to the next big event. It's a good idea which I've just been looking in to for you. Although it is quite easy to do, I'm not sure it's really appropriate.
The ones I've looked at this-evening either have a rather naff appearance or contain advertising. Apart from not wanting to be held up to ridicule when we get it wrong (!), I feel we've probably put enough tools and widgets on this site already. One the left side you'll see we've already got Translate; Key Links; Partner Links; Diary Archive; Google Location Map; Your Latest Comments; Webcam Hit Counter, World map showing where visitors come from; our position in the Birding Top 1000 website list.
But if anyone wants to point me to another Blogger blog using a good counter, I'll happily take a look. I think a "count days from" counter would be better than a "days to go" counter. Far less embarrassing for the likes of me, who always gets it wrong! Which is why we welcome input from falconers who really know the intimate lives of these birds.
Oh, BTW: our expected hatch date is 29th April.
Nick M.
There's a peregrine on a corbel below the scrape.
13:40 and dad's back, on the stonework, hiding himself in the corner or just grabbing some shade. Tis a nice day out.
14:03 Dad's off the wall, He's moved to the nest. bye bye mum, it's change over time. Nothing to it quick land and swop.
I see the tiercel is still sitting pretty on the eggs. The falcon landed on the tower a short while ago but has now left. Has there been any changeovers seen since last night?
14:13 Mum's back, on the stoneworks, near the corner. Time for a clean.
14:14 A still frame of her looking at the camera and my thoughts went to 'do my feathers look fat on camera?' - no they don't, you look great, just continue cleaning.
14:17 Time for my closeup - moved closer to the camera.
14:19 TOO CLOSE... and she's left us... I shouldn't have shouted should I. Sorry Mrs. Peregrine. Do come back.
:)
@Project Manager
Tad bitty off topic but I went into Waterstones to check out that book you mentioned - the "bible" on peregrines (Derek Ratcliffe's book, The Peregrine Falcon) - they were sold out :)
14:29 and something appeared in camera 3 from above... either she's sitting on it (and flashing her tail feathers) or it's a loose thing in the wind.
14:42 Nice closeup of dad on the nest, what prompted that I wonder?
Nice picture of dad's wing feathers, any chance we can zoom out?
There we go. Much thanks.
I'm afraid Derek Ratcliffe's book is now out of print. It can be obtained via a library or second-hand from sites like Amazon or Ebay for around £25 -£30, but I'd always recommend going for the second edition (1993) rather than the first 1980 edition as it contains much more up-to-date information.
It's bright but breezy in Derby right now, with Dad on the nest. Craig has just asked what prompted the camera going close-up. The answer is that I was adjusting the camera zoom from my work PC, which I'm lucky to be able to do from home as well. All further requests for zoomin/out to be accompanied by a generous donation to the Project, please! :-)
16:01 Missed her land but the female has returned, on the far end of the tower cam3
She's still on the tower, close up to the stonework.
Changeover! 16:36pm.
16:33 Was working hard (laughable since I've spent nearly all of this PM watching these two) and missed her move down to the nesting box.
16:35 Male moves off, female moves in to see what damage he's done to her comfortably arranged eggs.
That's a nice zoom in onto her face, she's a very pritty birdy. Pitty I have no idea how to take a picture of it.
Saving webcam images
Instructions on saving screenshots from a PC and then posting to our Flickr Group pool are available on our blog for 29th April 2009. Here's a shortcut link:
http://bit.ly/cFe2YU
Please let us know if these could be improved. In eseence, you hit the "PrtScrn" key, then paste thre image into an imamge editing program on your PC, cut out the unwanted bits, then post to www.flickr.com (which you will need to sign up to first).
Mucho thanks, I've never used flickr before and it's very easy, just registered and posted a quicky that I took - I should have just used Cam1 to screenshot it. Feel free to delete it, there are much nicer ones on there.
Craig, Nottingham
alibris and abebooks are a good source of used books. They both have the 1993 edition, but it's pretty pricey. I'd try interlibrary loan.
One egg-sitting (tiercel I think) and one on the tower.
cams frozen
Looks like Webcam Feed2 has frozen at 08:02, but it's a lovely shot of both birds
multi view cam frozen
Amazing, I have actually caught another bird around. One sitting and one higher up. All I've seen for days is the bird on the eggs.
09:06 Morning all, female on the nest, teircel on the tower cam3 looking very fluffed-up while cleaning.
Weather is lovely.
Much thanks Karen Anne, but I was just looking at them. Probably won't buy one.
09:15 Slight move of the eggs.
09:19 Cam1 is playing 'zoom in on the bottom left hand side' again.
09:20 Males flew off in search of breakfast.
Mum on the nest.
Derbyshire buzzards poisoned
Thanks for the info Terry.
"£5,000 fine or up to six months in prison" - I hope it's per bird killed (Don't tell me it it's otherwise, I like to imagine it. Poor birds.
13:51 and dad's back - tower cam3.
13:57:17 and dad's gone again.
15:09 - awww, Have I missed a change over... certainly looks like the teircel on the eggys.
15:18 Not sure if it was for everyone but this camera/browers wasn't refreshing/froze. Which would explain why the tiercel hadn't moved every time I flicked over to him between working :)
Eventually noticed the time at the top and hit the refresh button to find the female was back (16:14)... silly Craigy. And the word verification is dorks - seriously.
I'm afraid not, Craig. For a start, they have to find the culprit and even if they do, they'll probably just get a slap on the wrist.
Gamekeep fined £1000
Let's hope our birds stay safe, especially at this crucial time.
Hi there to the Team
Has it been decided when the Watch Days will be yet? I have put my name forward to volunteer but haven't heard anything as yet.....
No one on nest at the moment.
Falcon left the eggs very hurriedly at 19.12, beak wide open & looking very aggressive. She flew straight out, as if something was getting too close. At just after 19.15 she returned & settled down again.
This is terrible news about the Buzzards in Derbyshire that were poisoned. I find it very worrying that there are people who can carry out such cruel acts against these wonderful birds. What a terrible world we live in at times.
? falcon, rearranging the eggs.
10:41 Changeover time. Dad moves out. Mum is on the eggs.
16:21-16:25 Is there something interesting in that gravel? Lots of leaning into it... suppose sitting there doing nothing, bored, you will eventaully find something interesting in it.
16:25 She's decided to ignore the gravel and turn sideways... I wonder what it said to her.
Last message I said "16:21" and "16:25" - I do ofcourse mean 12:21 and 12:25. Sorry.
@ Craig:
What clock are you using? You seem to be hours ahead of me - and I'm in the UK too!!!
@AnnieF - I think I was subconsciously using the 'I want to go home is it 17:00 yet' clock. Busy day.
We've just seen a buzzard gliding round in wide circles above us, with its tail feathers spread in a fan-shape, making the most of the thermals on this gorgeous day. Not exactly on-topic, but encouraging news, especially for Terry. And a wonderful sight, too.
Is that the tiercel egg-sitting right now?
@ Craig - You can stop watching the clock now, it's back to civilisation and these amazing birds!
18:19 The female (I think it is) has arrived and is sitting on the box, cam2.
Any chance we can reset the zoom back to normal, hard to tell which is which.
18:23 Changeover time. Male flies off the eggs, female eventually decides to come over and sit on them.
18:24 and sitting comfortably.
09:15 Change over time. Male is on the eggs, right before the change the female bowed her head with beak open, in a threatening kind of expression. But when he came over she promptly left with no fuss.
I added a picture of what looks like a threat on flickr. Male doesn't seem to be put off by it though. He's sitting comfortably.
As Craig said, is it possible to set zoom back to previous setting, it is no longer possible to watch the falcon nagging the tiercel to get off the eggs, and as Craig said it makes it harder to tell which bird is which?
Mucho thanks for the reset on the camera, we can now see that the female is sitting on the stonework below the nest in camera1.
I notice that the male has his beak open slightly so maybe she wasn't threatening him, perhaps she was just a little warm and panting. Still looked good.
Tiercel is still on the eggs, and the falcon is perched on a corbel below the scrape. They are both looking behind them as if disturbed by a noise.
The tiercel is still on the eggs with the falcon on the corbel below the scrape. They both seem to be looking out at something and quite alert, maybe there is something in the skies that concerns them?
Don't know if its Mr or Mrs P that has been sat on the tower (under the nest) for about 45 mins.
12:13 Male has a move around of the eggs (a little leg action involved) before sitting back down. Female is still standing below the box on cam1 lower wall.
12:32 Female left the wall and is now on the nesting box, male leaves, 12:33 female moves towards the eggs, move them around and parks herself down.
16:58 I just caught the back end of a changeover, the tiercel is back on the eggs and the falcon has flown off.
Eggs unattended 17.36. I think the tiercel had beeen on them.
Falcon egg-sitting now, 17.38.
Tiercel arrived on tower.
Just came on at 18:14 and the tiercel is sitting on the far end of the tower, mum's on the eggs.
Does the tiercel have food with him or is that just a blackish thing on the wall next to him?
Been watching for a while and think it's not food, just a thing.
18:29 tiercel moved out of the view, closer to the wall,
What's that in the background moving across cam3... a hotair balloon?
18:30 He's back in view.
18:39, I missed the right time he flew off.
18:46 Tower cam3 something just appeared on the right hand side of it... no idea if it was the male. Camera also seems a little lighter that before. Perhaps just me not paying attention.
............OT.............
I notice that most people call the female 'falcon' and I had to look this up (being a simple person), that's a new word meaning learnt for the day.
Falcon = falcon-gentle = the female peregrine falcon/any female falcon.
Yesterday it was corbel - it's a decorative bracket... is that what those are down there, the tops of decorative brackets?
:)
18:50:10 Tower cam3, now a dark patch on the left followed shortly after followed on the right... either he's standing next ot it or something is blowing about in the wind. Camera brightness seems to have restored.
18:53:23 Female is having a stretch of her wing, perhaps moving the eggs, the camera froze for a few seconds too.
18:54 and it's definitely the male sitting next to camera3, just flashed us his tail feathers. How rude.
Camera freeze, that male doesn't wnat you to see what he's up to no doubt.
19:00 It's back. Having technical problems over there?
19:24 Changeover time.
21:00 female is back. Think it startled the tiercel. Sitting on the opposite side of the box.
12:15 Think she just had a small fly to move location. She's still on the box, just moved further back.
21:23 Female has gone from the box and is now in tower cam3.
8.25am is that a youngster from last year on the tower cam??
Falcon has been fast asleep on the eggs for about an hour.
Getting very excited, not long till hatching now!
22.35
Looks like tiercel on nest.
23:05 just noticed the male has a late night snack. Impossible to tell what it is. Anyone wanna guess?
Dad on the tower cam with prey
Mum's feeding on the tower 11.15
11.15pm
Peregrine on tower with prey. I think it might be the falcon, and that it's the tiercel on the eggs. Can't be sure though.
23:28 She's vanished, and took her meal with her.
Looked tasty. A world second isn't it? Hunting at night, for a second time... means it's not just a fluke.
I've said it's the male with food - it was actually the falcon... the egg sitter has perked up at something, and the posture says it's the tiercel.
Been watching to see if she took it down to him, but it seems she isn't.
Will you be making a utube vid of this meal?
23:32 Something still has the tiercel's attention. She must be nearby.
23:32:48 Falcon has turned up on the nesting box - cam2, no meal.
23:33:12 Tiercel has moved off. Falcon moves onto the eggs.
23:34 Tiercel pops onto tower cam3, has a look around then flys off again.
All is quite again.
9:33-9:43 A lot of moving around on them eggies. And looking up, maybe the tiercel is up there somewhere.
10:25 Falcon has left the eggs and is standing on the edge... nevermind she's decided to go back and sit on them again, stretch of the legs?
I think that's the tiercel on the tower, looking a bit windswept.
One on the nest, another on a corbel beneath it.
How about a new post :-) Hard to find the most recent with 120+ comments...
A changeover could be imminent - the one that was on the corbel is now on the nestbox ledge, rhs.
Nothing's happened yet except that the one on the nestbox ledge has been having a leisurely nibble at its claws.
14:46 Changeover time
@Karen Anne, re comments, I scroll down to the bottom and work up, or scroll down to todays date, I think the project members are trying to get their regular work done so they can be around more during hatching, just a guess :):)
Tiercel on nestbox ledge, rhs, looking outwards.
21.57
One on nest, one on corbel below.
The falcon left the eggs just after 21.52 and flew to the tower. Tiercel stayed on the ledge until about 21.54, when he sauntered over to the eggs and sat down. A moment or so later the falcon landed on the nestbox ledge in front of him, had a quick look, then flew off.
9.50 first time seen some action. One on eggs and another high up having just brought in a kill. Looks as tho he/she is enjoying it.
09:47 Just noticed the Falcon with breakfast. Pitty I missed most of the footage. Tiercel on the eggies.
09:54 She's flew off with her breakfast again. Think the male spotted her.
I took a screenshot of her when she moved close to the camera, but she was so close it looks like a gray, white and red sploge and I won't be posting that. :)
11:10 Female has landed on the nesting box.
11:11 male flies off. Female on the eggs.
11:14 male turns up on tower cam 3, I look a nice screenshot of him as he approched the camera. Looking for his share of the breakfast no doubt.
My message at 10:00 is kind of out of other with one I posted a little before that saying that the female was on the tower with breakfast. Perhaps it didn't get sent, we do tend to have problems with the internet at work.
11:15 changeover falcon (I think) is now on the eggs and the tiercel landed on the tower then flew across and landed on top of the tower cam, his tail ocassionally visible.
11:21 she is turning the eggs.
Looking very fidgety on the eggs. I wonder how long it will be before we have our first hatching?
11:41 Falcon on the eggs found something interesting in the gravel, so much so she got up to investigate getting off the eggs for a few seconds.
(See my message has turned up of 09:47 - perhaps it was just a brower/internet delay)
off the eggs
well that was quick, back on now
16:07 Changeover time.
16:08 Falcon on the ovals.
16:08 Work's internet died (nothing new).
I think that's the falcon on the eggs. Earlier there was a lovely view of the tiercel on the tower with a pink-and-blue sunset background.
When I logged on at just after 9.00am the eggs were exposed and there was a peregrine on the nestbox ledge, rhs. I thought, from its cautious behaviour, that it must be the tiercel but now that it has settled down on the eggs, it looks large enough to be the falcon. Confused!
She's a bit fidgety this morning. I wonder if she's starting to hear small voices from below.
09:41 Tail feathers over tower cam3... hopefully it's the Tiercel and he will take over the egg sitting, the Falcon is looking a little hot in the sun.
10:25:42 More tail feathers in cam3... not very chivalrous of him to be sun-bathing on the tower while mum's becoming more hardboiled than the eggs.
A peregrine is perching on a corbel below the scrape, looking up.
10:38 Notice the camera has zoomed out again. Tiercel is on the eggs.
Female is below the nest box on the wall, having some shade.
12:05 Male gets up off the eggs and stands on the ledge. Female isn't visable... he's in the way.
12:10 Male returns to the eggs... female is still on the wall below.
12:30 changeover time, Falcon on the eggs.
@ AnnieF confused... Know what you mean. I'm all for a good zoom in for the egg watching, afterall within the next couple of days the first fluffball should appear. But it makes identification harder. I find it, in this sitation, easier to look for distinctive differences between Tiercel and Falcon.
- Tiercel has darker primaries.
- Tiercel also sits up straighter on the eggs, posture.
- Falcon has a white stripe on the end of her tail.
If anyone sees any other difference, which make ID easier, please let us know.
Today's the day, not for dollmeio, but for a hatching I can feel it in my bones.
@ Craig: Thanks for the ID hints - but what are "primaries"? Sorry to be such an ignoramus!
it shoud be doves on a cathedral not hawks
17.49 off the eggs sitting on the edge
back on the eggs 17.52
I think identification for next year is a pink ribbon round Mrs P's neck cos that is the only way I will be able to tell them apart. I think a chick will arrive before the day is out (with either blue or pink bootees.
@ AnnieF - Sorry my bad... found this for you and anyone else:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Birdwing.svg
Primaries, the large feathers on the end of the wing.
@ David WB: Your bones may well be right! There's an awful lot of fidgeting, moving around and taking quick looks at the eggs by the one that's sitting at the moment (falcon I think).
She's been tidying bits & pieces away, as if preparing the nursery, and is still changing her position frequently.
19.40
I’ve been watching for the last 20 minutes and there’s a lot of fidgeting, moving around and checking of the eggs. After the egg laying, my guess was that the first hatch would be around Thursday/Friday this week, but that behaviour seems to suggest things may be imminent?
RJ
My guess is that the first one will hatch at around 08:00 Thursday morning. Should we run a sweep stake on it?
21:00
Falcon on scrape, tiercel on rhs of nest platform.
21:27
Falcon has just chased tiercel off nest platform.
21:30
She is back on the eggs, has she sent him out to get dinner?
Still a lot of fidgeting going on and not much sleeping(me too!) The eggs were left uncovered for around 3-4 minutes up until 9.30pm. All seemed to be intact although the reflection off the IR illumination makes it hard to tell.
Something's definitely going on - she's moved round in a complete circle twice in the space of a few minutes and keeps bending her head down to the eggs.
She's asleep now.
bird on the eggs but not sleeping -definitely wide awake and looking around.
A quick no fuss change-over from falcon to tiercel 09:48. Managed without revealing the eggs at all!
10:54 Female has returned to the nesting box.
11.03 Male moves off, good view of the eggs - nothing has escaped.
11.04 Female is on the eggs.
Looks like we will get a hatching soon - I hope it's during school time tomorrow so that my children get chance to see it.
Did there seem a bit more of a crack just then in one of the eggs? She sat down almost instantly.
Keep having a quick check. Not seen any chicks but mum has been very restless. I will be glued to the webcam when I get home from work!
i have been watching the falcons for a month now. I have never seen anything so magnificent. I have not been able to watch all the time due to my job as a nurse, I am not a computer buff pretty new to all the technology, but I have been rewarded with finally seeing a little falcon hatch, unbelievable, thank-you so much you have made my day, Donna Liverpool
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