Update Monday morning: we've spent three hours wandering round the local streets, peering from the tops of multi-storey car parks etc looking for the juvenile that fledged early this morning but so far without any success. The falcon (and the tiercel) have been flying over the whole area perhaps also searching for their youngster. Hopefully the bird is not on the ground but on a roof somewhere and will take off and return to the tower later. There are so many flat roofs, back yards, derelict plots, trees etc that finding the bird is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Further update later today...
Update:Saturday's Watchpoint report has been added at the end....
Here are some recent photos via Flickr of the two juvenile peregrines, some taken from the ground by Colin Pass on
Friday 11th June and some taken
Friday 11th June and some taken via the webcams. Thanks to everyone for contributing them and especially Colin since he had to stand below the tower with his big, heavy lens and wait for the right moment!
There was not quite as m
uch wing flapping on Saturday as we might have expected so opinions are now suggesting that fledging may yet be a couple of days off - even for the more advanced bird.
The forecast for the next few days is for good weather, perhaps with a few showers so that should not adversely affect the birds.
In a way, the longer they delay making their first
flights, the stronger they will be and the less likely that they will come to ground...
uch wing flapping on Saturday as we might have expected so opinions are now suggesting that fledging may yet be a couple of days off - even for the more advanced bird.The forecast for the next few days is for good weather, perhaps with a few showers so that should not adversely affect the birds.
In a way, the longer they delay making their first
flights, the stronger they will be and the less likely that they will come to ground...The top four photos were taken by Colin. The two below were captured from the web cams by HelenSara and Craig.
They show the chicks
They show the chicks waiting for food and then just about to get some!
Nice work everyone!
Nick Brown (DWT)
Here's the Report from the Watchpoint yesterday, Saturday 12 June
An early-ish start today! Chris and I were just starting to set things out at 10 o'clock this morning when a coach party from Chester on a sight seeing tour of Derbyshire ambushed us. We couldn't set telescopes up fast enough! So apart from seeing the Cathedral and Silk Mill museum as they had intended, they also got very good views of our chicks.
The falcon had already arrived at the cathedral at about 9.30 carrying a feral pigeon which she cached on a water spout and then sat back to enjoy the sunshine leaving the chicks calling to her and flapping to exercise their wings.
Just before 11.00 she suddenly took off over the river calling loudly and gaining height - a buzzard had drifted into her territory and was escorted off in the direction of the Bus Station.
This was followed by about twenty minutes of both adults flying together all around the area culminating in a breathtaking mock stoop by the falcon which took her low over Cathedral Green and around the corner of the Silk Mill before she soared away to land on the police radio mast near Chester Green.
Shortly after 12.00, we again saw both adults flying around to the North, sometimes landing for a while on Jury's Inn. The female then returned to her favoured perch just below the nest platform where she rested until, at about quarter to one, a crow flew across the Green and across the nave of the cathedral, just below the faclon - she launched herself at the crow and we later had reports from two ladies (who had travelled from Newcastle-under-Lyme just to see the peregrines) that an injured crow had been seen in Iron Gate trying to shelter in a shop doorway - presumably the same bird which won't be making the same mistake again!!!
Just as we were preparing to close the watchpoint (and this always seems to happen to us) the falcon took off again heading high over the Market Place area, we then saw why - the tiercel was coming in with a prey item. They flew around each other for a few minutes before making a food pass - the tiercel dropped his catch just as the falcon passed underneath him, she missed it at the first attempt but twisted around to catch it before it had fallen twenty feet. This was brought back to the Cathedral and plucked before being dropped into the nest platform, the falcon then returning to her perch.
The many visitors we had today (including a couple on holiday from Australia) were treated to excellent views of both chicks as well as the aerial displays put on by their parents.
Many thanks to all who came down today and thankyou for the generous contributions you made to our funds.
Andy, Chris and Helen.
47 comments:
Thankyou so much, all of you, who provide these fabulous pictures of the falcons. Being a complete computer, photo/domo myself I really appreciate the fantastic images you capture.
Thanks for the photos they are great and Colin thanks a million for sharing yours. They certainly are gorgeous young birds!
Thanks to the team also for all your hard work.
oh what beautiful pictures. Can I ask a stupid questions. When they fly, do they go off, or do they come back? When are they expected to 'leave home'
thanks
Andrew L: the youngsters will hang around for at least a month and maybe longer...perhaps well into the autumn, assuming they survive their first flights. The parent birds will teach them to hunt, a skill that will take them some time to master.
Gradually they will perch further away from the cathedral and gain their independence.
Last winter one of the juveniles could often be seen with the adults and it even landed on the platform briefly when the eggs were being laid if I remember correctly.
Normally we would expect the juveniles to disappear and to lead solitary lives somewhere within perhaps a 50-100 mile radius for 2-3 years until they come into breeding condition and begin to try to find an unoccupied nest site for themselves.
Nick B (wildlife trust)
Someone (sorry, I forget who) has just posted a comment which has disappeard into the depths of blogspot!
They asked if it was possible to get a print of Colin Pass' photo showing two youngsters in flight.
I'm sure will be. We will ask Colin for his permission, come up with a price (part of which will be a donation to the project) and a method of getting prints ordered and delivered (eg in the UK) soon. Watch this space.
Nick B (DWT)
What a lazy pair! Watching the world go by has worn Titch out - now having to have a lie down.
At this rate these two will still be here at Christmas.....
Amazing photos, many thanks to all you talented people.
Will they, won't they? At the moment they're both peering down at Mum who's perched on the corbel below. Seems like a nice day for testing the wings but I don't think they're quite ready.
They don't want to go do they?
This morning one kept flying from one side to the other and I thought they might go. They intend to keep us watching and in suspense.
Just got back from Cathedral Green having decided to spend an hour or so watching. As soon as I got there it started to rain very heavily! One of the parents (possibly Mum) was on one of the high pointed towers - don't know what the proper name is.... However about 4.15 a Girl's Brigade marching band came down to parade by the river and the parent flew around, keeping an eye on things. Chicks got back down into the nest box for a while until the music stopped then got back out on the ledge looking very damp, poor things.
Going to go down tomorrow afternoon - hopefully with better weather and maybe see some fledging activity with a bit of luck :-)
18.19 - The more adventurous of the two has just taken to the air. Not visible on the nesting platform. Was this the first flight or was it a brief visit to the top of the platform (no tail feathers in view of the webcam).
Thanks Nick B. Most interesting. Hope all goes well in the next few days....
The little blighters are going to fledge tomorrow the instant it all kicks off at work. I can feel it in my bones. AnnieF - keep me informed!
Team - post the videos. The suspense is killing me. This season has been so dramatic and, unfortunately, we will never know what happens to our chicks due to not being able to ring them. But, the decision not to, at the time, was absolutely right. Well done to you all. The 'Green Meanie', and you all know who I mean, was so uninformed - where her dummy is now is anyones guess.
Not sure I know who the "Green Meanie" is... anyway:
07:05 The kids are more awake than I am, and still in that box.
"Chicks fledge 42 to 46 days after hatching" :Wiki - They have until Wednesday to keep to those figures. HAHA Yeah right, these two?!
Anyone wanna place a bet?
(The losers money can be donated to the DWT project :P)
10pwatchIt certainly makes it more nerve-racking having a time lapse on the images, doesn't it? Suddenly one is not there and your heart leaps, only to see the bird in the next tray in the next shot.
Sorry, I obviously typed by mistake my 'secret' password at the beginning of my message.
8.27 Can only see one bird on the platform. No sign of any trailing feathers around the edges of the image. Has one gone? Ruth
First fledge in the last few minutes. I looked away briefly and missed it but there's definitely only one juve left on the scrape.
Thank you Terry.
One left then. Hope the one which fledged landed safely, and nearby.
Adult (tiercel, I think) just delivered prey to the remaining juve. It was a very swift drop-off so it seems reasonable to assume he was already aware the other one has flown. Looked like he was in a huge hurry!
Fingers crossed for a safe landing somewhere local and that the adults are looking out for it.
Good luck to the team for a rather manic Monday!
There's definitely only one juvenile, it's in the lhs of the scrape and it's busy plucking a medium sized bird. I wish I'd been around to see the first one take off! It would have been a heart-stopping moment. Let's hope the team can give us news of where it got to. Sorry, Midge, I was too late logging on!
Oh dear I missed it and the other one looks quite sad all on his/her own.
Only one left now! Looks as if its saying where is everyone!Has anyone seen/heard of the one that has left?? When did it go?
The remaining juvenile's having a big wing-stretch on the scrape ledge. What's the betting it'll take off today - evens?
Definitely only one bird on the ledge. I knew it would happen whilst I was unable to watch! Never mind Craigs' bet - donate anyway!
Just logged on and see there appears to be only one juvie in the scrape, no sign of the other one, has he fledged?
Any news? Please someone update!
Yes indeed, only one there (though there is another bird sitting on the tower (the top right cam on the 'right hand' one) Well, no other posts as yet, so I would hope it was a successful first flight......... I so wish I could be there to see it after following them since they were eggs......
Latest update at noon on Monday just added to this post.
Nick B (DWT)
oh dear....Is it normal for them to be gone for so long on the first flight (I can't settle and I have got a big pile of ironing to do it will have to wait) xxx
Thanks for the update, Nick B.; no news is good news, best of luck with your search.
The remaining juvenile is still practising with big wing-flaps taking her (?) from one side of the scrape to the other. Won't be long now!
Just a thought but if the fledgling has not been seen yet is it possible it could be on the roof of the cathedral?
I live in an apartment on stuart st and i can see the nest from my balcony. I Think i saw it fly over the silk mill green this morning at around 07.35 give or take a few mins is this the time it was last seen on the web cams?? i saw it flying well and high,also in a sraight line heading north east over the river and thats when i lost sight. Hope this helps with the search.
Phoebe: We've been and looked onto the nave roof this morning - nothing doing there.
Andy Muller: thanks for that very helpful comment..we'll be going down again soon and now perhaps have a narrower search area - though unless the bird fleis back or is sitting prominently somewhere we don't have much chance of finding it.
Nick B
Nick, Andy Muller's time for seeing the peregrine in flight is about an hour earlier than Terry (Herts) says that the first juvenile fledged. Hope it wasn't an adult that Andy saw.
For what it is worth, both juveniles were present at about 7.30 am. I agree with Terry's estimated time for fledging (~8.30) as that was about the time I noticed one had vanished. Just sorry I didn't see it actually go! Hope it is found and is well and safe somewhere!
I may be wrong but, about 5 minutes ago, I think an adult returned to the tower and then flew off again holding some prey item. It didn't visit the scrape, so am just wondering if the adults have found the juvie? Sorry, may be wishful thinking.
Andy et al - I'm fairly sure that when I reported the fledge, it had only happened a few minutes beforehand and felt a little unlucky I had missed it.
I'm not 'the sharpest card in the pack' in the early mornings but I think it very likely that the peregrine you saw was an adult.
At around 0745-0800, I'm pretty sure I was occasionally watching the webcams amongst other things and thinking that both the young 'uns were very active. There was no sign of the parents. Wish now that I'd taken some notes.
Good luck with the search. Needles and haystacks come to mind ;)
This is so upsetting.. I hope he shows up soon..
Is that the missing juvenile back on the nestbox edge rhs?
It's gone, but if the team want to check the video it happened about 16.05 ( at least, that was when I saw it).
It looks to me like the older juvenile back in the scrape 18.01hrs., tucking in to prey that was left there. The other's in the opposite corner.
18.08 Is it my imagination or am I just seeing things - there looks to me as though there are two birds on rhs cam. Sorry if I have got it wrong! Maybe one of them is an adult! Anon
It has just flown off from the left-hand ledge, after going over to the other one to have what looked like a friendly chat!
I have posted a clip on fliker. A falcon flew in a few mins ago but I can't tell if it is the missing chick or an adult
Jean, I don't see your pic on flickr, but the juvie's breast feathers are in up/down stripes and the adults are side to side stripes. Makes it easier to tell them apart. Also the adult cere (nose)is yellow, and the juvie's is blue.
Pam Thanks for that I wondered how you all knew which was which. Unfortunatley in the pic I got it had got it's back to the camera. Anyway the fledgeling has been found so a good out come.
Lots of agitated behaviour in the scrape. I am sure chick 2 will be on his/her way soon.
I watched similar behaviour last year when the chick flaps and then runs to a back corner and out again. It must be the adrenalin.
Tww
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