Wednesday 11 August 2010

Ben Fogle Points The Way

TV personality and adventurer extraordinaire, Ben Fogle, helpfully shows everyone where Derby's peregrine falcons nest on the city's cathedral.
Ben came to Derby today to help promote a snack bar product on Cathedral Green, but was obliging and professional enough to pose for our camera. I thought about inviting him to abseil down with me the next time we nip down to clean out our peregrines' nest. But for this adventurer, who has trekked across Antarctica and rowed across the Atlantic, I suspect it would be a very minor achievement indeed!





Ben is probably most well known for his BBC TV progamme, "Extreme Dreams" in which he and his crew take a group of relatively inexperienced but nevertheless brave group of people into outdoor challenges that would tax most ordinary people to the limits. It's a fascinating programme to watch and even motivated my own 8yr old to create a winning piece for a school Easter Egg competition, as you can see below.
(Egg- stream dreams. Get it?)

Anyone wanting a Ben Fogle's autograph on a copy of our promotional Peregrine leaflet can have it if they bid over £10 towards the Project. Offers close at the end of this month and his signature will go to the highest bidder. Leave you genuine bid on our comments. (Autograph will only be sent once donation has been received.)

28 comments:

Terry, Herts UK said...

Both adults visible on the cams. Is it my imagination or are they spending more time together this year now that brooding is finished?

Anonymous said...

Obviously Mr Fogle is only a minor celeb as i can't see any bids for his autograph...lol

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

Ah,but that means I get to keep it, along with my autographs from Sir Patrick Moore amongst others!

AnnieF. said...

@ Terry Herts UK

No, I don't think it's your imagination! I've been quite surprised at the number of times I've seen both adults either together or quite close to each other. It seems to be a very strong union. I hope that bodes well for next spring.

Terry, Herts UK said...

If you can catch the BBC TV news today, there's some nice footage of peregrines because of this stupid, stupid man.

And, for once, a prison sentence suitable for his ignorance and greed. :)

Terry, Herts UK said...

Thanks, Annie.

As I type they are both on the cams again. One upstairs, one downstairs.


Anon: Are you a celeb and can I have your autograph please? :P

Anonymous said...

Todays BBC News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-11024315

slumpy said...

Good news from Warwick today. Hope there's a nest opposite his cell window.

AnnieF. said...

At last, an environmentally-aware judge!



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100819/tuk-bird-egg-snatcher-gets-jail-term-6323e80.html

Erica said...

Yes, fine remarks from the judge.
At last I have seen a peregrine on the ledge after looking in vain for ages.

Terry, Herts UK said...

Hear, hear Annie.

I applaud Judge Christopher Hodson. We desperately need more such people in authority to stamp out this unacceptable behaviour and act as a strong deterrent.

All too often, these sad and/or sick idiots get off with a slap on the wrist which does nothing whatsoever to deter others.

The time has long passed when these crimes can be ignored or given trivial priority and I'm gratified to see the police taking firm action, the judicial system backing them up, and indeed my fellow bloggers raising the subject here.

:)

Anonymous said...

Two of our peregrines are on view this morning watching over Derby - I love to see them as they brighten my day

AnnieF. said...

There they are again - one adult on the nestbox ledge rhs, the other on the tower.

AnnieF. said...

Still there!

Audrey (London) said...

10.32a.m. Peregrine on cam (pud cam?) not seen one for a few days, so very welcome!!

AnnieF. said...

There's a peregrine on a corbel beneath the nestbox rhs, but I can't tell if it's an adult or juvie.

AnnieF. said...

Sorry, senior moment - it's left-hand side!

AnnieF. said...

Exactly the same as yesterday at about this time - a peregrine on the lhs, down on a corbel. Do they have routines, as such, or is this sheer coincidence?

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

Peregrines can have regular routines, though these do vary throughout the year. For example, in the months leading up to courtship and nesting we normally see an adult bird landing on the nest ledge within 30 minutes of dawn breaking.
I've not checked for regular daytime activity like you describe, so here's a chance possibly for some online research. If you'd be willing to keep a daily log of activity, we'd all be interested to know the results of your findings over a two or three week period.

Helen said...

Logging the peregrines daily activity would make a great project for lots of the schools out there!

Terry, Herts UK said...

A falcon news story you may have missed.

Anonymous said...

11.42am There is a peregrine on the tower and it looks as if it is sheltering from the bad weather

Anonymous said...

10.24am There is a peregrine on the tower in virtually the same place as yesterday at 11.42am. I will try and check to see if it is still there at the same times as yesterday.

Anonymous said...

There is a peregrine in view on the rhs and its back is to the camers but it looks as though some of its feathers on its right are very ruffled or something! I wonder if it is OK.

Anonymous said...

At 8.35 the peregrine whose feathers on the right hand side (with its back to the camera) looked very ruffled yesterday still seems to be there today. Is it the same one as yesterday as it looks like it to me. Are the rough looking feathers just part of the moult? diThere is another peregrine on the nest.

AnnieF. said...

A lovely view this morning of both adults preening - one up near the pudding cam, the other in the scrape, on the left. They certainly look fit and healthy.

AnnieF. said...

A good close-up of an adult near the pudding cam.

AnnieF. said...

...and another down on the favourite corbel. Same time, same place!