Wednesday 8th: our first welcome donation (£20) came from children at Gorsefield Primary School, Radcliffe near Manchester so a big THANK YOU to everyone there - that is a wonderful start and really great that children have got together and made a contribution. Their teacher tells us that they are hooked on our birds! To see details of our regular Watch Point events behind the cathedral scroll down a couple of posts on this blog - there's one this morning and again on Friday and Saturday. The chicks are now showing themselves! See you there?
With our chicks growing rapidly - and hopefully all looking fit and healthy this year - now is a good time for us to ask you 'web cammers, blog followers and commentators' for a contribution to keep the project running.
You can donate in one of the following ways:
Thank you in advance,
With our chicks growing rapidly - and hopefully all looking fit and healthy this year - now is a good time for us to ask you 'web cammers, blog followers and commentators' for a contribution to keep the project running.
In previous years you've been very generous....and we need you to be again this year.....perhaps even more so given the difficulties we have experienced over the winter.
Watching wildlife, whether virtually or for real, gives so many of us great pleasure and enriches our lives. In return, there is so much we can all do - and donating to keep this project running (and inspiring the young like Thomas (shown here) and the old - like me - NOT shown here!) is just one of them.
(If you are also interested in finding more about and perhaps joining the wildlife trust then please ask for some literature to be sent to you - you don't have to live in the county to belong).
Here's what you need to know to make a donation to support the costs of running the Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project.
The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (one of the project partners) is a registered charity and a 'not for profit' organisation. It is the best (indeed the only) recipient of project funds. The Trust holds your donations, then pays the bills on behalf of any partner as required.
Rest assured that any money given to the Wildlife Trust will be used only to support this project provided you clearly state it is for the Peregrine Project. All donations, however small or large, are acknowledged either by email or letter. Note that UK donors can increase the value of their donation by Gift Aid. (If you have donated and gift aided before we should still have your form so there's no need to fill out another).
All donors will be individually thanked either by a letter or by email. With current difficulties in changing the home page (where we have recorded the names of donors in the past), we will publish a list of donors (but not the amount they donated) here on the blog. You can choose whether to be anonymous, to have your full name used or some semi-anonymous abbreviation (eg Mrs S from Matlock or Stan D from Whaley Bridge). Let us know your preference.
You can donate in one of the following ways:
UK donors:
1) Post a cheque made payable to DWT to the Trust at East Mill, Belper, DE56 1XH including a covering note stating that your donation is only for the peregrine project (plus your address so we can thank you).
1) Post a cheque made payable to DWT to the Trust at East Mill, Belper, DE56 1XH including a covering note stating that your donation is only for the peregrine project (plus your address so we can thank you).
2) Ring the Trust office in office hours (01773 881188) and make a payment over the phone by debit/credit card (office hours are 9am to 5pm, weekdays, to 4.30 Fridays).
3) ) You can also use the donation mechanism on the Trust's website at derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Go to 'support us/make a donation'. We use Virgin Moneygiving and find it works very well.
Go to 'support us/make a donation'. We use Virgin Moneygiving and find it works very well.
UK Taxpayers only: you can greatly increase your donation by filling out a Gift Aid form whereby the tax people give the Trust a further 25% of the value of your donation. The form can be sent by email or through the post…just ask.
Overseas donors:
1) Please email enquiries@derbyshirewt.co.uk asking for the codes you need so your bank can transfer money to the DWT account. (Unfortunately Gift Aid does not apply unless you are a tax payer in the UK.) Note that banks may charge for this service.
2) Donors from most overseas countries can also ring the Trust (weekdays on 011 44 1773 881188 ) to pay by credit card......as long as you can work out when the office is open of course (check the webcam timestamp!)
3) Use our online donation mechanism visa our website - see No. 3 above.
Payments should only be made to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the partner best placed to receive donations. No other organisation or website is authorised to collect funds on our behalf.
It helps if you clearly mark on your payment that it is for use by the Peregrine Project for use in either just the current financial year or, better 'this and next financial year' (this allows us to carry your money over from year to year should we need to - ie if we were to have a surplus).1) Please email enquiries@derbyshirewt.co.uk asking for the codes you need so your bank can transfer money to the DWT account. (Unfortunately Gift Aid does not apply unless you are a tax payer in the UK.) Note that banks may charge for this service.
2) Donors from most overseas countries can also ring the Trust (weekdays on 011 44 1773 881188 ) to pay by credit card......as long as you can work out when the office is open of course (check the webcam timestamp!)
3) Use our online donation mechanism visa our website - see No. 3 above.
Payments should only be made to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the partner best placed to receive donations. No other organisation or website is authorised to collect funds on our behalf.
Thank you in advance,
Nick B (of DWT), on behalf of The Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project.
37 comments:
Morning all,
15.40 Dinner time for the chicks, being fed by the Tiercel.
re. Donation, I'll send a cheque via the post when I find that donation form.
Come on, Jurys Inn.
Put your hands in your pockets and make a contribution in return for all the free publicity you get, 24/7. Thousands of people view this blog and many of them would not have heard of you otherwise. Must easily be worth your while financially and enhance your reputation by sponsoring such a deserving, charitable project.
Goodness me, aren't they scruffy little herberts! It's been ages since I had time to look and the young ones have really grown! I wasn't able to get to the special day due to ill health, but I was glad I was able to donate by proxy. I'm feeling much better after my op now and hope I shall be able to make it up to Derby this summer. MEANTIME, we have exciting news of our own in Aylesbury (now in the public domain) WE HAVE PEREGRINE BREEDING SUCCESS TOO!! They're very late, obviously not old hands like the Derby pair but boy oh boy are we chuffed!
Interested to see Derby birds flourishing. I am over in Toronto, Canada at the moment and as I have been watching their nest site for many years also, have taken advantage of looking at it in person so to speak. Can see the nest site on the 43rd floor and most evenings the adult flies onto a building on the same level across from our room and have been watching intently through binoculars. Their peregrines are due to fledge this weekend and were banded 2 weeks previously to the Derby ones. So interestingto bere here.
Sue: please email me since I can't find a current email address for you to thank you personally for your great donation, delivered by your brother on 30th.
I do hope you recover quickly from your op - and great news about your Aylesbury birds! See you soon perhaps!
Nick B (DWT)
07.12 Breakfast. Looks like the Tiercel feeding the chicks, hard to tell.
Been some wing stretching this morning. Not too long now.
Wow aren't they changing?
I see you are accepting donations what is the chance of having streaming so we don't get delays in the viewing - it is continuous.
Hi: streaming is a real possibility - indeed, we would have explored it last winter had circumstances been different.
Nick B (DWT)
Watchpoint Saturday 11th June 2011
My what a difference a week makes!
We were all surprised to see that the chicks were now replaced by 4 well grown juveniles. They spent most of their time removing the last of the down resulting in a constant fluttering of it from the platform.
Visitors were treated this week to good views, one youngster was visible for most of the time - she(?) appears a little more advanced than the rest and is starting to exercise her wings. A smaller male is however not far behind her.
Mum was visible for much of the session sitting either on Jury's Inn or just below the platform.
Dad redeemed himself later in the morning by trying to return with some prey but finding the wind too strong he obviously took a rest somewhere out of sight but then eventually managed to bring it to the platform. The parents are now leaving the food with the chicks for a time before feeding to encourage them to feed themselves.
Today was very well attended with 110 visitors and donations totalling over £50 - thanks to all came. For anyone who has not yet been please consider coming soon as these birds will be off the nest in a week or so.
Chris, Andy & Celia.
What a great display the juveniles are giving us today. They all look very healthy and active despite the rain!
I see one of the parents is sitting on the corbel to the far right of the scrape, keeping well out of the way lol.
I can only see three juveniles in the scrape! Where is the four one?
I can see 3 juveniles in the scrape but not the 4th. Have I missed something?
Ok, I saw four chicks earlier now I only see three, does anyone know what happened?
Phew! the fourth is there after all! Their camouflage is very effective!
Now I can see them all, huddled in the corner. Very confusing when their camouflage is so good.
Well, a very wet day as forecast and the juveniles are looking very soggy. I guess their feathers are a bit more waterproof than their down would have been?
Nikki: you're right. The chick's new feathers protect them quite well against rain. When they still have their white down, the falcon usually covers them with her wings as best she can but now they are bigger, they need to toughen up!
A few years ago, we had a day like yesterday - torrential rain all day - but that time it was coming in from the east and blowing directly into the nest platform. The falcon was incubating her eggs at the time and we watched her all day getting progressively wetter and wetter but sticking at her job. Fortunately the drainage holes drilled in the base of the platform by Nick Evans when he made it worked well and the eggs survived - but it was fascinating to watch the dedication of the adult bird.
Nick B (DWT)
If my calculations are right regarding other years i think we should maybe get a fledge sometime this week am i correct.
Wow they are looking more and more like young adults
09.23 Breakfast has arrived. Looks like the Tiercel who is delivering.
09.37 Tiercel seems to be standing on the ledge eating while 4 hungry chicks/juvs look on. Careful Tiercel or they'll eat you instead.
09.38 Now he's moved into the right hand side of the scrape. Picks up some food.
09.40 Not sure what he's doing now. Either feeding them or teasing them.
09.41 Back over to the left with food he picked up on the right. Not sure if he's feeding the chicks or eating it himself. Looks like the latter.
09.44 He's flew off. Looks like he's taken the food he had.
09.37 - 09.44 Feeding time from the Tiercel. I did a long minute by minute list, which included the Tiercel eating the food and not feeding it to the chicks. But then it wouldn't allow me to log in and all my work was lost. (although I should really be doing work and not watching them eat)
It is amazing that the chicks are white and downy for so long that one could think the feathers are taking too long to show. Then within a short space of time one can see them mature and change almost overnight.
Hi its 13.56 just checked the cameras and there definately only three chick....have i missed something, has one fell or fledged?
4.11pm There is a serious debate/consultation taking place at present between 1 parent and three chicks - maybe they are being fed - whilst the fourth one is sulking at the far end of the nest. Will curiosity get the better of the one standing alone, I wonder.
Havn't seen the Nottingham Peregrines for a few days now, have I missed them fledging? Dont always get chance to read all the posts so sorry if something has already been said
Hi all,
Looks like fledging could be any day now. Doesn't time fly... looking forward to seeing the chicks fly! Four healthy fledglings this year, so far so good, let's wish them luck in the big wide world.
Donation is on its way! xx
Just to confirm - there are still four chicks on the platform. At this stage they do become inordinately well camouflaged with the nest platform.
I had expected we would still have quite a bit more watching and waiting to do before fledging. Sometime around 23rd June looked most likely, judging by the timetable I'd worked out a month or so ago, though it's always very weather dependant. But emails from other peregrine experts who have been watching the cameras rather more cloesly than I have recently suggest that it'll be a lot earlier than this.
Either way, my thanks to Nick Brown for taking on all the blog post moderation whilst I've been out of the country with my family for the last couple of weeks or so. It's not easy to keep on top of things when only one person is moderating. But hopefully you'll see a quicker turn-around now I'm back on computer duty. Nick asked me to switch the cameras over so that both sides of the nest platform are now fully covered, so I hope this is giving everyone a better view.
But what a shock to come back after a fortnight to see how the chicks had grown? Wow! Before I went away they were still small, un-ringed lumps of white fluff. So may I personally thank the ringers for their efforts, but most importantly Nick B. and his team of watchpoint volunteers, who invest so much free time and effort each year to make this project the huge success that it is.
Nick Moyes
Scarey when they start perching on the platform ledge!
A quick and very general 'thank you' to those generous people who have donated so far to the project in response to my appeal for donations.
With a target somewhere in the region of £2000, we have a long way to go but we are definitely off the starting blocks and into the first lap. More details to follow soon.
If you have yet to send anything, don't forget that even small donations are valued (and we thank everyone individually).
Best wishes,
Nick B (DWT)
Just watched feeding time. My how they've grown.
Good to find Nick M back
I believe the Nottingham peregrins have fledged as I haven't seen them for several days. I've not been able to find a chat or comment area on their site - their may be one?
Our derby Peregrins are growing so quickly and so far things are going so much better than last year - do hope it stays like this
Wow, don't they look fantastic! Lots of wing flapping on the ledge last night - a bit worrying.....
Hope they can wait until Saturday morning before taking their first flights as that's the earliest I can get down there
Hi Mary: I think you should be OK. They do quite a few days of flapping before fledging. Friday is set to be very wet (and note that there may not be a Watch Point that day) so I feel confident the four of them will still be in the platform on Saturday. Should be a good day to come!
Anyone thinking of coming down to see the birds for real needs to get a move on though. Lats year, quite soon after fledging the chicks were taken off to the police aerial across town and didn't show at the cathedral at all after that.
Nici B (DWT)
Joy: re. the Nottingham peregrines: they have fledged already and no, their site doesn't have a blog or comment facility either - so stick with Derby!!
Nick B (DWT)
Morning,
I've just come back from Nott'm Trent Uni and report that I saw 4 Peregrines, although hard to pick out adults from juveniles, I am sure that there was 1 definite juvenile sitting on the building with antoher one above.
There were two, again I presume juveniles, giving a nice arial display above the tower but not straying too far.
Then it decided to rain and I guess they took cover.
Strangely though I was the only one around watching the skys. I must have seemed like a odd person to the passers by standing at the edge of the street looking up.
Need to remember to bring a camera.
So much wing flapping and activity, it can't be long now before one flies the nest. Let's all hope they do well. Thanks again for the great blogs.
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