Hatching Day Today??

Update: 1.30pm hatching is going on right now. Lots of you are posting images at http://www.flickr.com/groups/derbyperegrines

Will our chicks hatch today? This seems most likely, but images captured automatically overnight show nothing has happened yet, with the female doing most of the work as usual. Only one moment was caught where all four eggs were visible during a changeover - at 04:30 this morning.

It's a lovely sunny morning here in Derbyshire, though the forecast is for greyer skies and rain later

We know you'll keep watching and commenting on the time of key events, and we all find this most helpful.

Picture taken at 12:18 Today  - feathers of chick visible, and Project team can hear faint "tseep tseep" sounds.

Meanwhile Tony, the Head Verger at the Cathedral, has planned an Open Day for THIS MONDAY, 3rd May, the bank holiday. There will be trips up to the top of the tower and a chance to see the monitor in the bell ringing chamber as you go up. There are almost 200 steps so beware of the physical demands this places on you before you think of going up. Also note that children under 8 are not allowed to climb the tower.

The Trust has arranged people to run a Watch Point on Cathedral Green behind the cathedral that day too - so between 11 am and 4pm, we will have volunteers able to show you any action and hopefully at least the off-duty bird - almost certainly the male (you won't be able to see the brooding bird or the chicks themselves from the ground for a few weeks yet).

Do go along....Derby is quiet on these holidays and parking is easy (though you will probably still have to pay).......