A third peregrine falcon left its nest on Derby Cathedral at 15:30 this afternoon.
Thanks to amazingly nifty keyboard work by webcam-watcher, John B, we can bring you this, the only image we can now supply of the moment of departure.
At the time of writing this post, an hour has passed and we've heard no news as to whether or not she was successful in her maiden voyage. It's currently raining in Derby, and all three of the Project Team are away from the city centre today.
We hope you will understand that, as volunteers, we can't always be there on the off-chance of anything going wrong, though we are on call should the worst happen and we would come in if we were needed. So we have to rely on our existing contacts with the local police, city rangers and vergers to keep us informed if we need to drop everything and literally come rushing to the rescue. We've also emailed staff based at The Silk Mill to ask if someone could pop-out and ascertain whether or not the lift off went as well as we might hope for. So far we've not heard back, though Matt the verger reports that there's no-one on the Green right now.
The Cathedral is open until 18:30pm tonight, so if any blog reader is able to check for us on their way home from work this evening and drop in with the news to give to Matt the verger on duty today, that would be appreciated. He can then ring one of us if we need to come up into town.
Nick Moyes and Nick Brown.
Update:
After returning home, Nick Brown later took a call from Cliff to say that all six peregrines were visible this evening. So a big thanks to him for letting us know. Whether the most recently fledged female can get herself higher up the tower remains to be seen however.
24 comments:
another food delivery to the remaining youngster in the scrape, the falcon, she ate some but took it away and the juvie got none !!
Seems like the missing female that fledged earlier this afternoon is probably now sitting down below the nest and just above the nave roof. Thanks to Cliff and Christine for this information received just recently. We'll assess the situation again in the morning. She's certainly safe there anyway.
Nick B (DWT)
ps A car load of people from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire who had come to Derby especially to see the birds were watching from the ground when I was down at the cathedral early evening. First time they have been to see the birds. Good to see such enthusiasm!
7.28p.m. one little peregrin all on her own, looks as though she has had lots to eat. Hope the 3rd fledged is ok
Just had confirmation from Cliff that all six peregrines were visible this evening - big thanks to him for letting us know. Whether the most recently fledged female can get herself higher up the tower remains to be seen however.
Nick B (DWT)
Thanks for the info on the fledged female this afternoon, she will be safe enough if she stays put on the nave roof. I hope she manages to get higher up tomorrow.
re: Mansfield group: It always pleases me to see enthusiasm, I especially enjoy reading what Green Class tell us.
0330. Just one remaining juvenile on the scrape. Fast asleep at this time (as should I be!).
At 8.40am youngster was doing a lot of practising wing flapping. Then an adult arrived at the far end of the scrape and the youngster went to get to that side but the next thing I saw was the youngster sitting at the back far end of the scrape with her face into the corner. She stayed there for a little before approaching the other end where the adult was now sitting on the ledge. It looked like breakfast but the adult - tiercel I think - had to have its share first and then the youngster seemed to be tucking in. An amusing incident if I saw it right!
Update 9am Thursday. Yesterday's 'fledger' is on the south side of the tower about half way up. The adult male recently took food to the platform for the remaining young female. 012 and 015 are lying on the ledge/gargoyles above the nest. 015, the male, has had a couple of flyabouts. The falcon (adult female) has been quite noisy this morning, making passersby look up. It seems likely that the last one to go may depart today. After a sunny start, the day is clouding over and heavy showers are forecast.
Nick B (DWT)
The last one in the scrape looks very settled at the moment, not in a hurry to leave.
Thanks for the update on the rest of the family, good to hear #012 has reached higher up!
PS Re: 'Monday's Flying Excitments - I hope Kaths puncture wound on her arm is ok.
Ah we have movement in the scrape...
at 8.30ish ths morning i looked on both cams and could'nt see the remaining peregrine! when i went back to the first web cam it looked to me like the remaining pere was just coming in to land??? is this the case or had the peregrine just come back from the other end of the box?? Thanks
sara: there is a delay between both webcams they are a few second different it could be that you just caught the gap when the bird was moving from one side to the other, they do flap whilst walking across.
Sara/Phoebe: the last youngster was climbing right up the metal struts earlier so maybe that's why you couldn't see her.
Also, after the tiercel had fed her, she went quiet and lay down...
I'm expecting her to have a flying attempt today - but who knows!
Nick B (DWT)
phoebe/nick Thankyou, i did wonder if it was something like that. She looks so sad there all on her own
:( can i take her home lol I'm really hoping i catch her fledge, missed yesterdays one by minutes. Loving the web cams :)
It seems #015 has come to keep the last one company! Or, hopefully, to give her a flying lesson !!
... saying that they both look a similar size so it could be the other female that fledged.
Looking at the female youngster left in the scrape, she is lying at the front and against the side of the tray, I notice her right wing is pointing upward it could just be because she is against the side wall but I noticed this the other day too when she was in the same position. I hope she doesn't have anything wrong with her wing and that it is only the position she is lying in. Hopefully she is just not quite ready yet to fly, let's hope she does so later today.
The right hand camera is zoomed in a bit too much. Great action as the chick is tucking in.
this may sound like a silly comment but is the last pere ok? she keeps sleeping today. would she be feeling a bit lonely and fed up??
Maybe it's just me, but I haven't seen the last juvie eat. Has she been eating? Also, she doesn't seem to be interested in flying. Maybe it's just the times I've been checking in. If she's injured or cannot fly will she be rescued?
Thanks Nick B. I know here in the states we have Audubon Rescues for wild birds to rehabilitate them or if they cannot be released back in the wild, homes them for the rest of their lives. Of course we are forbidden to harbor wild animals and that's where the Audubon Centers come to play. I wasn't sure if it worked the same way there.
I think that is one of the young females in the scrape with the last one, it is out of character for #015. I have been out for the last few hours so don't know it they have both been there all the time.
An adult has arrived with food and is feeding one of the youngsters, the other is watching, she came up in front of the food but went away and sat on the ledge.
ah pleased to see she is not alone i felt sorry for her she looked very lonely
ah back together again for the night
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