Since we appealed for donations a few weeks ago we have been delighted with the response. So far, just over £2500 has come in, a figure which includes donations received at the 20 Watch Points. We also know that more money has been promised and that some further donations will be received.
So a massive 'thank you' to everyone who has donated to us. You really have been most generous.
Some of you have said that you prefer to remain anonymous and for most we don't know whether you would be happy for your name to appear in full or in abbreviated form, so printing a list of donors is tricky. For the moment we won't publish one unless there seems to be a call for it. No doubt you'll let us know.
In previous years, th
e sum of £2500 has been sufficient to keep the project in the black, covering the costs of keeping the web cams running and buying such equipment as was required. The time devoted to running the project was mostly donated voluntarily with a relatively small but significant amount of Nick M's time working at the museum covered by the city council (most of his time was and still is voluntary).
Now that Nick no longer works for the council we will need a higher level of income to pay for (some of) his time. In addition it may be necessary to take on someone who will have time to take the project forward - for example, go into schools and invite schools to come
and see the birds.
So we are now in the process of applying for grants to cover these additional costs.
The money donated already however is crucial. First it can be used to cover some of the immediate costs of preparing a bid, investigating live streaming etc and secondly, it can be used as 'match funding' or 'seed money' for any bid that is made.
Grant givers like to see that projects they support don't just expect 100% to be given to them. They like to see projects making an effort to raise money themselves - so your donations will be vital in this respect.
Over the autumn and winter we will keep you informed of any developments. For now though, even though the breeding season is over, our behind the scenes work continues in earnest.
Should anyone who has not yet donated feel inclined to do so, then we would be delighted if we can get that figure up to £3000 or even £4000......
The work on funding and development is being co-ordinated by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.
Again, many thanks from the project team and from the project partners,
Again, many thanks from the project team and from the project partners,
Nick M, Nick B and Tony G
Photo of a flying adult by Andy Byron, web cam screenshot from 2008
35 comments:
Webcams frozen since 13th July.
I know the Peregrines have more or less left the cathedral for this year, but there was still the chance of seeing one around - UNTIL THE WEB CAMS BECAME FROZEN ON 13TH JULY AND NO ONE SEES FIT TO EXPLAIN WHY, WHAT HAPPENED, HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO BE LEFT LIKE THAT? OR IS IT A CASE OF 'NOW WE'VE GOT YOUR DONATIONS?.....
I had to read that post by Anonymous (20 July 2011 02:30) twice to convince myself I wasn't hallucinating! How anyone could post such a crassly ungrateful - not to mention spiteful - comment is beyond me but of course anonymity makes some people really "brave". All I can think of as a contributing factor to this bit of nastiness is the time it was written - in the small hours, BST. That's if the author is indeed here in the UK. Quite frankly I can't imagine any of our friends who watch from beyond these shores showing such bad manners, so my guess is that this is a British male. How sad.
To Anonymous (why?) at 02.30 20 July:
The team (all volunteers now I think?) does a great job of keeping the website up to date in view of all the other commitments they have. They deserve time off and have holidays, families and work pressures which should quite rightly come before this project.
As you have such a strong opinion about keeping the watchers informed, no doubt you will want to offer your services for free next year? The team would be delighted to hear from you I'm sure.
To the team - the majority of people who watch this website know you have other priorities and get around to sorting out the cameras as soon as possible. I for one am very grateful for all you do, and I hope you do not take posts like "Anonymous 02.30 20 July" to heart. Hiding behind "Anonymous" says it all, doesn't it!
Sue, Derby
Anonymous, if you are going to shout please tell us your name!
To the team - thank you for getting the cameras back on, looking forward to seeing if the babies are still hanging around.
re. the cameras being frozen: Nick M was on leave when they froze so I asked someone at the museum to see if they could fix it. He tried several things but was unable initially to identify the problem but told me he would try other ways. Meanwhile I have been away for five days (having been unable to go away for almost two months while the watch points were running) and have just returned to find the cameras working again thanks, I assume, to the person at the museum. I should find out more tomorrow.
Nick B (DWT)
Ps Thanks to AnnieF, Kerry and Sue for their timely comments to 'anon'.
Good Grief, Anonymous, allow me to add my voice to those who think your snarky remarks are out of line. I too post as anonymous--not smart enough to navigate the other options--and I am not currently residing in the UK. Let me assure the team that most of us very grateful viewers appreciate the time and energy that goes into maintaining this lovely and informative site. Of the several falcon sites I regularly watch, this is the best. Many thanks to all concerned and shame on Anonymous for the lack of grace and gratitude.
--Anonymous in San Francisco
Dear Anonymous
May I suggest you engage your brain before the CAPS LOCK key and take a moment to reconsider your offensive remarks & then perhaps apologise.
I can't resist offering a free lesson in CAPS LOCK key usage. The function it was originally designed for other than SHOUTING on other people's blogs. Yes, not your blog, THEIR BLOG. You are a GUEST here; nameless, faceless and uninvited.
Most moderators would have simply deleted your insults but they published them, perhaps as a small example of the many small-minded idiots they have to deal with on a daily basis.
All the exceptional, good and kind people who give up their time to keep this project & blog going deserve medals. Many of them were involved in the creation of it & the results are an education and a delight to us all, year in, year out. Even 'Green Class' understand that and they're about 7 years old, I believe.
Doubtless, many of them plan their holidays around the breeding season to ensure the cameras are not interrupted and are ready to intervene (where legally allowed) in the event of any mishap.
There are thousands of other blogs and forums you can contribute your rhetoric to and far more deserving targets than volunteers and charity workers.
I don't know about you (OBVIOUSLY) but when I donate to any worthy cause, I do so WILLINGLY and with a GLAD HEART. It's a VOLUNTARY act, you see? I don't return later to demand results for my money or to villify, demean or accuse volunteers of misappropriation.
One more thing: Some of these people involved here are or have been employed by the council, I believe, or are still linked to it in some way. Because of that, they are defenceless because they have the image of Derby and its council to consider. If the council were to pull the plug on the IT services provided here, that would be the end of the webcams & quite possibly the end of the project.
I guess if you were to phone and ask for your money back, they'd return it. They'll need your name & address of course.
Shame on you.
I've just driven past Jury's Inn and could see one of the peregrines on the lettering on the east face.
They are still around!
Thank you for the 'update' re donations etc, just hope more donations roll in, you truly deserve it,as the site gives so mucj pleasure. I considered my donation as a heartfelt 'Thank You' to all concerned.
Please excuse my rant. I think someone's had that coming to them for a while but I didn't expect to find an appropriate target here, of all places.
Best wishes to all (-1).
Terry
Thank you for fiixing the cam - greatly appreciated!! (no one there though!!)
Nothing to add other than to say I totally agree with all the comments regarding "Anonymous's" post. Totally out of line, unnecessary and ungrateful and it would be appreciated if they could post an apology using their full name ..... and the squadron of pigs flies by my window .....
Hello people.... I will treat ''Anonymous'' with the respect he deserves NIL........ back to what we are here for.....Mr/Mrs Peregrine was on the ledge last night looked like he/she was waiting for the kids to come home... x
Thanks very much for all the supportive comments - probably enough for now maybe?
We've never had a freeze continue for a week but these are changed times....
Apparently a council IT engineer went up the tower to the ringing room and sorted the problem that way, something Nick M used to do in his lunchtime but sadly he's not in town any longer of course. Thanks anyway to museum staff for getting the freeze sorted out even though it took a bit longer than usual.
Nick B (DWT)
Very good back view of a peregrine (adult I think)up on the tower.
How lovely to log on and see a peregrine on the tower cam. Of course he is facing the wrong way so I cannot see if it's an adult or a youngster ...
Agree with all the comments made towards 'Annonymous' a very saad person.
However I do find it disappointing that Nick M was put out of a job and did this voluntarily and now the council are looking to replace him!!! I'm afraid I don't understand the councils workings.
Keep up the good wok everybody, everytime we pass the hotel we always look on the lettering to see if they are there. Sometimes yes and sometimes no.
To all a big THANK YOU
Both adults were present this morning plus one of the juvs, the latter seen by Cliff and Ian. The falcon was sitting in the sun on the nest platform preening while the tiercel was on Jurys.
Tony G said there had been a lot of noise when he arrived at 7am, presumably a juvenile begging for food from one of its parents.
nick B (DWT)
There's a peregrine on a corbel beneath the scrape lhs, and I think I can see another on the tower - unless it's the death-wish wood pigeon that was there earlier, I can't quite make it out.
Sun's out now so I can see it's another peregrine on the tower.
I was delighted to see 2 Peregrines circling high over my head outside my home in New Normanton on Thursday evening. I heard them before I saw them.
A question.
Something is killing pigeons, plucking them on the ground and picking the torsos clean.
It cannot be a Peregrine can it?
Not plucking at ground level?
Anyone got any idea what it might be?
Hi Irene M: I think it is likely to be sparrowhawks. These round winged birds of prey are in a different group from the falcons (peregrines, hobbies, kestrels etc). They hunt birds by flying low and fast and anyone with garden bird feeders will know of their ability to dodge around buildings and trees, quite unlike the hunting techniques of peregrines.
Sparrowhawks are common and widespread and they are often seen in towns and cities like Derby. The larger females are quite capable of taking wood pigeons which are bulkier birds than collared doves and feral pigeons.
They usually feed on the ground or on a low tree stump or wall and of course do get mistaken for peregrines, birds which never hunt in enclosed spaces.
In open country, peregrines will feed on their prey on the ground but in cities they carry prey high up to lofty perches where they are plucked and eaten (or stored).
Hope that helps....
Nick B (DWT)
Finally caught one on the upper right hand cam...lovely!!!!
Monday 11.45am.... What a fantastic view of a juvenile on the tower up close and personal.... x
2 peregrines on view - 1 on the scrape ledge lhs, 1 on the tower.
@ IRENE M.
I've a couple of photos on Flickr ( my moniker: AnnieF) of a sparrowhawk in our back garden, plucking a small bird it had just flushed out of our bushes, if you'd like to see them.
Thank you for the information. Yes, I have had sparrowhawks in the back yard. I watched a youngster plucking and eating a sparrow, back in the late winter. I was accompanied home from work tonight by two of the Peregrines, one rather larger than the other. I wonder if mum was giving hunting lessons. You would have thought that the place was devoid of birds, it was that quiet!
Falcon on the upper right hand cam!!
Good to see a juvenile with prey on the tower cam right now!
Lucky again!! Falcon on scrape!!
I know it may surprise some....but I do sincerely apologise for my comments on 20th July. I had been having a terrible week, couldn't sleep & the web cams down with no explanation seemed to be the last straw at 2.30am. I am an avid watcher of the Peregrines and have been since the first year. I live in Derby and have been up the Cathedral Tower (last year) and see them regularly on the Jurys Inn sign whilst working. I'm afraid it was a case of everyone was on my back and I was just lashing out. Not an excuse - just a reason! And I can't believe there's talk of replacing Nick...surely if they were thinking of that, the best person for the job is, well, Nick himself!!
Keep up the good work everyone...oh and by the way I'm female (AnnieF 21 July)
@ AnnieF
Hope things are better for you now, we all have days like that, I'm sure most of us have been there.
Last year the peregrins kept me going through a bad patch in the middle of the night, so I can understand your frustration.
From my point of view all is forgiven, I hope we all have the grace to accept your apology.
Kerry - as I understand it, the ANON person remains ANON and the reference to AnnieF they just made was that AnnieF had inferred in an earlier email (on 21 July) that ANON was likely to be a British male.
ANON was just saying that 'he' was actually a 'she' (and directing that phrase towards AnnieF....)
So AnnieF is NOT at all the person responsible for the comment which upset everyone, indeed she was one of the first people to respond angrily to the comment.
I could have deleted your comment Kerry but since I don't have an email address for you to use to explain I had no option but to post your comment and reply publicly like this. Hope that's OK.
Nick B (DWT)
@ Anonymous:
Well yes it was a surprise to read your post, but a lovely one and how gutsy of you to apologise. Now I have to add my own apologies - to all the men I libelled with my wholly inaccurate conjecture. Sorry, chaps - maybe a Freudian slip?! I take it back, anyway. Clearly we women can be equally 2sad". BUT as Kerry said, we all have days/ weeks like that, and I do know exactly how it feels to be treated horribly. ( I got so upset I wrote a stinker to my boss, got into trouble, but also got a sideways move away from him & his bootlickers! It was arranged by HIS boss, who hadn't realised what a bullying regime that man was running..). Enough of me. Now the webcams are ok again and we can all be grateful for this super website, hiccups 'n'all!
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