Fancy celebrating American Independence Day this year with a spot of music, preceded by some peregrine watching and perhaps a bite to eat?There are many concerts coming up at Derby Cathedral this summer. Amongst the more unusual is this one, booked by our very own Head Verger, Tony Grantham.
On 3rd July the East Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra will be performing a special concert at 7.30pm inside Derby Cathedral in aid of the Cathedral Fabric Fund. No, not drapes and curtains - sandstone, lead and mortar!
There are always costs involved in maintaining the ancient stone building in good condition, so funds are always needed. (There's a lot of lead flashing and stonework that needs looking after. We know, we've seen it when we've been abseiling down!)
With tickets priced at £8 and £10, it's a great way to get ready for Independence Day. You can even have a spot of supper in the Cathedral Centre beforehand. With luck, our two surviving young birds will have fledged and still be seen doing their aerial acrobatics around the tower whilst you eat.
Pay on the door, or pay before - it's your choice!
There are many other concerts and events coming up at Derby Cathedral this summer which we'll tell you about later. Most imminent of these is An Evening with Dr Wesley at Derby Cathedral. This marks the bicentenary of Samuel Sebastian Wesley, and is on Saturday 26th June 2010 at 7.00 p.m. with actor Keith Briars as Wesley.
Music by The Choir of Melbourne Parish Church and Derby Cathedral Voluntary Choir Simon Collins and Tom Corfield. Tickets are available from Foulds, the Cathedral Coffee Shop and the Cathedral Vergers. £10 (concessions £8, children free), including refreshments.
44 comments:
celebrate another country's independence from Britain after a war? You're 'aving a larf
Mum's brought supper and boy, are they ready for it - she's surrounded!
Both have gone back to sleep. No adults in sight yet.
It's Canada"s birthday on July 1st:-)
Both youngsters are asleep, cuddled up, and an adult ( tiercel I think) is perched on the nestbox ledge behind them, snoozing with his head tucked back into his shoulder.
I deleted my earlier comment because, on reflection, I feel it was too unkind.
There have been a couple of comments about why this blog is promoting another country's independence...and, since we are always banging on about keeping the blog 'on topic' - we can see why.
In fact, the post about the jazz concert is there because it gives Derby Cathedral a little extra publicity for an event which is primarily a fund raiser for them. It could have been a classical concert or any other event - it just happens to be this.
The cathedral, its clery and vergers have been crucial to the success of this project from the outset and yet they get very little recognition (or publicity) on this blog compared to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust or Derby Museums. So, when we were asked to promote this and other cathedral events we jumped at the opportunity to give something back as it were.
Without access to the tower at all times of day, the use of a room at the back of the cathedral to store watch point equipment and the unfailing support and help of the vergers on a day to day basis (particularly that of Tony, the Head Verger who has been a major player in the project's success) we would not even have a platform in place for the birds to nest on.
It could have been very different. We could easily have been refused permission to put the platform up whereas we received great help and support from the very outset, once the cathedral staff realised the potential of the project.
We hope that explains why the post was put up.
We are not averse to people promoting (other) wildlife causes occasionally in their comments or, indeed letting people know of other web cams elsewhere in the world. Please continue to do so. One of the great features of the project has been how it seems to have introduced a completely new set of people to wildlife, people who's interest before was either fringe or non-existent. Some have gone on to join their local wildlife trust, get involved with other wildlife campaigns and donate not just to this project but to other deserving wildlife charities and causes. We would only want to encourage this and indeed in the past have suggested other fund raising campaigns and events close to our hearts....usually when we have secured enough income for this one!
The global problems that wildlife faces are enormous and growing - and yet the environment (let alone wildlife) hardly featured as issues in the recent general election here in the UK. So there is much work to be done and we urge all of you to go that extra mile to actively support wildlife projects near where you live or maybe far away if you are touched by the problems that the fund raising is set to address.
Nick B/Nick M
@Nick B., Nick M.:
Very well put. Who could possibly have a serious objection to such an original fund-raising idea? There are likely to be American tourists who'd be very appreciative!
When I last looked, the youngsters were together and moving about a bit, and there was a peregrine ( tiercel?) preening on the nestbox ledge & another doing the same on the tower.
Well, I am glad I had the opportunity to delete my comment, in the Nick of time (please excuse the pun).
It wasn't abusive or it wouldn't have passed the moderation process so well performed by the team. It was in a similar vein to Slumpy's post.
If Tony or any of the other church staff were offended by it, I sincerely apologise and I am humbled to hear the Nicks' explanation of their personal contribution to this fantastic project.
Perhaps I have been here too long and in a way, this makes it all too easy to speak my mind, sometimes in a rather ascerbic tongue that I probably wouldn't use in face-to-face conversation.
As my dear Mum used to say to me, "Terry, if you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all".
I have reminded myself that I am a guest here and next time I feel the need to have a pop at someone or something, there are many far more worthy targets than the good people who have created this project and selflessly continue to maintain it.
Can't believe you are celebrating independence day yet nothing is done about St. George's Day. I can't get it.
Peregrins are growing rapidly now, looks as though these two will be ok
Lunch is served by Mum. Those youngsters s are huge! They look like strange chickens - very Picasso. What good parents these two are to have fed them so well and so regularly.
Well said Team! The Cathedral deserves our support for the sterling job they do in supporting this fantastic project. We wouldn't have the pleasure and the privilege of seeing these beautiful birds so close up as we do, if it wasn't for the Cathedral staff and I would like to especially mention Tony the head verger for all the time, support and enthusiasm he brings both to the Cathedral and this project.
This year so far has been a real roller coaster and I am looking forward to the 2 remaining chicks fledging successfully. What great parents these peregrines are, it has been wonderful to see the tenderness and devotion shown, especially to the second sickly chick.
Any chance you might get a mention on Springwatch?
Both chicks are sleeping in their favourite corner, rhs, while an adult stands sentry on the ledge nearby.
Well said Nick, one only has to look at our global map to see what a collection we are in here, Google always celebrates most major holidays with a banner too.
chicks seem to be sleeping right now, looks like your weather has changed a bit.
what the project team said is all well and good. but did you put anything up to remember and celebrate St Georges day? erm no you didn't so why put something up that celebrates bad history between us and the americans?
Tea-time!
Tea looks like a medium-sized bird, plenty of meat on it. Both youngsters aeem to be ravenous. They're growing really fast, getting more dark plumage by the day.
17:33 A lot of wing stretching from the younger chich on the left hand side of the box.
@Joy - agreed.
Hello All, on this Memorial Day Weekend from the U S of A! Wish I could attend "All That Jazz" at the Cathedral! The Derby Falcon site and web cam has to be one of the best world wide. The continuous updates from the professionals, the vast amount of pictures posted, and the map showing all the places in the world where people are logging onto this site are superb. Extremely professional and top quality all around! Thank you team and everyone associated with this project!
This weekend Derby is also hosting a meeting of the Central Council of Church Bell-Ringers. As a result there were a large number of visitors at the cathedral this morning from all over the country, with two coming all the way from America.
The monitor in the ringing chamber, that shows real-time images from the cameras, generated a huge amount of interest and excitement among them. One bell-ringer from Kent, who'd been elsewhere in the morning, even came along just before the quarter peal attempt this afternoon in the hope that we would allow her a few moments to watch it. We did.
I would like to extend my own thanks to the project team for setting up this wonderful resource and giving us all the opportunity to see and learn about these special birds from wherever we are in the world.
Many thanks.
Roger L.
18.00 The Tiercel, I believe/sure, has brough food for the chicks.
18:15 Dinner time is over.
The older of the two has to be a Falcon, it looks bigger than the Tiercel.
Another meal!
18.17 Both parents in the cameras, Tiercel on the tower; Falcon on the edge of the next box.
Over comes the Falcon to the chicks to see what mess the Tiercel has made of her nice and clean nest box.
18.20 Tiercel is flashing his tail feathers over the tower cam. How rude.
18.23 Tiercel has returned in sight of the camera and is sitting against the wall corner, taking a break. The Falcon has moved back to her favourate ledge spot on the LHS corner.
@ Joy and @ Anonymous:
Please can we now drop the subject of St. George's Day? Perhaps next year Derby Cathedral will heed the demand for a celebration. For now, it's too late, so STOP MOANING!!!
19:17 Went down for some food and nothing's changed with the parents still sitting on the tower and box edge. It's rather windy in Nottingham, I wonder if it is likewise there for them to hunt.
I was watching a Goldfinch earlier, nesting in our buddleja, and it couldn't fly straight the wind was so strong, it had to fly sideways. Very amusing. But for a Peregrine travelling at neckbreaking speeds I bet it dangerous.
Pity the Nick's (plural) didn't stick with the Jazz concert and leave it at that.
Could we just stick to the point of this blog - the peregrines?
Pleeeeeze?
I could be wrong but this year it looks to me like the tiercel has been doing almost all the feeding and guard duty since the 2nd chick died.
Trying hard not to humanise, but it makes me think the falcon has been affected by the failure of two of her young.
Breakfast being served again by Dad, I think.
Both chicks looking huge & healthy.
feed time,there getting so big and starting to lose their white down.
Hope your enjoying your long weekend in the States and England.
08:29 Breakfast is being served up by the Falcon, only one chick seems interested at the moment. Doesn't look like a big breakfast.
The darker of the two chicks is far more active & inquisitive than the other, and can stand up straight without wobbling.
I've been lookung on and off for days and have usually seen the chicks huddled up in near corner of the right hand tray where the camera does not get a good view. It was lively justto see them feed and amazing to see how big they have grown.
It looks like the falcon that's feeding them at the moment.
I have just seen the chicks properly (they are usually out of view when I look) for the first time in a few weeks and they look amazing. At 17.09 one of them looked as though it was flapping its wings and it looked bigger than the other chick, I think. Nature at its best so here's hoping all will continue well for these little ones.Anon
There's a fair-sized piece of prey deposited on the tower ledge, plucked & ready to eat.
Gosh, what a lot of angst I've missed whilst trying to sort out my naughty lap top! Couldn't get onto the internet all day - think one of my cats walked on the keyboard and changed settings in the process....What a relief I have fixed it. Withdrawal symptoms have been terrible.
See dear AnnieF has done her stuff, keeping us informed and in line! The chicks are crashed out at the moment - no doubt stuffed from all the feeds they seem to have had today. Pleased to read they appear to be getting stronger by the day. Still won't relax until they successfully fledge but feeling optimistic.
How I wish the little blighters would move to the other end of the ledge where we can see them better. They have being particulary unobliging since I got my link back.
How I wish the little blighters would move to the other end of the ledge where we can see them better. They have being particulary unobliging since I got my link back.
There's a chick looking over the edge of the nestbox, while an adult watches from a corbel below. What next?
Relief - it was "just looking", & has returned to its sibling back in the corner, rhs. They are both even darker today; either it's raining or they're getting their adult plumage seriously fast.
The tiercel (I think) is the peregrine perched on the corbel.
Where can I find details for the pre concert meal; i.e. timings, menu, cost
@Anon
Details of pre-concert meals can be obtained by either ringing 01332-341201 Ex 20 or by email to:
office@derbycathedral.org
Sorry I can't be of better help but the finer details are in the Cathedral Office which, being Sunday, is shut!!!
Tony
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