Saturday 1 May 2010

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).......

34 comments:

Helen said...

Nearly there! Much larger hole in the egg now ...

Mo Cole said...

Come on Mrs P I have got jobs to do and people to see

Hazy said...

Just wondering how many of us are sitting on the eges of our chairs and ignoring all chores ....

soo said...

Did anyone else see a chick's head then?

And a second egg looking cracked?

Sue

Phoebe said...

Thanks for the zoom! I saw white downy feathery substance on one of the eggs !! wonder what that could be (wink)

AnnieF. said...

There's a great big crack in that front egg now.

AnnieF. said...

@ Sue:
Yes, I saw a hole in the other front egg too.

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

Picture of cracked egg now added to blog. Faint sounds audible from the chicks over lots of background noise.

Keep watching folks!

Carole Turner said...

I've been sat here all morning - can't do anything - I too saw the big crack down one of the eggs, and a second one that has pipped?

Anonymous said...

One chick seems to have hatched.

Carole Turner said...

nearly there, lovely close up shot - was that a little claw I saw? Come on Mum!

Craig said...

Couple of quick pics on Flickr.

AnnieF. said...

Piece of eggshell out in front of falcon.

Ruth Z said...

half eggshell visible!!

Carole Turner said...

Big chunk of eggshell on display - hatchling must be hiding under Mum

Anonymous said...

Big piece of shell moved out of the way 12.50! Liz, Derby

Ruth Z said...

Wouldn't you know it - just as I'm trying to concentrate on the Peregrine drama, a Firecrest is flitting around a few yards from our kitchen window (we live in the mountains in eastern France). We often have Goldcrests, but a Firecrest is rare even for us. Now what do I watch??

Craig said...

13.00 males turned up to see what's going on

Craig said...

Shoo'd away I think by Mum. Poor thing.

AnnieF. said...

Do you think he's gone to fetch food? We were asked to report how soon after hatching we saw the chick being fed.

Phoebe said...

Great pics on flickr everyone! Definitely at least one hatched by the half shell! thanks

Phoebe said...

@ AnnieF - there is food on the tower by the spout.

Craig said...

Mum's very good at hiding that chick.

Dutch Eagle Fan said...

We have a HATCH ! ! ! 13.42 Derby time!

Dutch Eagle Fan said...

A new life born on the birthday of Froona Veldhuis. How fitting.

Mo Cole said...

Broken Egg 1.44 hooray Chick not yet seen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ruth Z said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dutch Eagle Fan said...

Just read that the egg shell was already seen almost an hour earlier. Sorry ;-)

Phoebe said...

What a brilliant moment that was with both parents on the scrape? Looked like he was checking out the situation and his babies. Very nice!

Phoebe said...

How exciting!!!

Julie said...

Think I just saw that the second (?) chick is nearly out of the shell .... where has the day gone?

Dutch Eagle Fan said...

I think a second egg is cracking open right now.

Anonymous said...

looks like mum is eating the egg shell? Jennie, Hong Kong.

Toni said...

It looks like one of the little chicks hasn't made it - very sad