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| Looking more like a drowned rat, our peregrine falcon tries to keep all four eggs warm and dry during Sunday's downpour. |
Our own peregrines clearly struggled in Sunday's heavy rain and winds, but the lateness of hatching this year might well have saved their young. The video below was captured at 10am on Sunday morning. A drenched male (notice his small size) is relieved by the larger, drier female falcon. We glimpse the four unhatched eggs for a moment and a wonderful light-coloured patch of dry gravel around them. We checked what happened next. The rain and wind continued unabated even if the bells themselves ceased. Half an hour later our female was looking pretty wet herself. But she remained on those eggs through all that the elements could throw at her. For another nineteen hours solid she kept those eggs warm and dry, until relieved once again by her mate at 5am the following morning. Scenes like these would have been repeated across millions of nests of a wide range of bird species this April, and some will have got through it, and others will not. This is nature, of course, and we are fortunate to witness this fight to reproduce the species, distressing as that sometimes can be, and frustrating when we are powerless to intervene.
Meanwhile, we are on the brink of being able to tell you two items of good news, though that news is now tempered to some extent by what has happened in Nottingham and, perhaps, at other peregrine nests elsewhere in the UK.
Just as the birds are keeping us all waiting to see when the first egg will hatch, so, for reasons beyond our control, we have to keep you waiting too (this is because we await permission to 'go public' with our news).
If you've been following this project for a while, you might well guess what we are talking about (but don't let on yet!). The other bit of good news is very recent and has come out of the blue. All will be revealed soon - hopefully within the week, perhaps just about the time our eggs are due to hatch, if they survived yesterday's weather - and we are hopeful that they have.
Newcomers to this project blog can read previous posts to see what stage we are at - just scroll down this blog and you'll come to them - or look at the links to archives on the left side of the page.
Essentially, we have four eggs that are now well incubated. The first was laid on 29th March and the last on 4th/5th April. Incubation starts with the third egg usually and the incubation period is about 30-33 days. So you can work out roughly when hatching might start.....
Some of our web cam watchers, both adults and children have been guessing when the first chick will appear....we have dates from 30th April to 9th May so far.....
For now though, we'll just have to wait and see on all fronts!
Patience, as they say, is a virtue.....
Nick B/ Nick M
88 comments:
Unbearably sad news from Nottingham. Let's hope the remaining two chicks survive and thrive. I don't think anyone could have predicted such awful prolonged weather over the weekend. You have to admire the parent for steadfastly staying on the nest.
Good luck this week while we await events here in Derby - firstly let's hope all the eggs will hatch successfully and fingers crossed to hear good news about the project.
The male is back at Notts and the chicks have been fed !! What better news is there ?
Christine
The Nottingham tiercel has returned with food, so all is not lost for the two remaining chicks there.
Thank you both Nicks for your update - it will be good to have some good news soon, after the dreadfully sad goings on in Nottingham. I can't tell you how happy I was to see Mr P back in Nottingham and the surviving chicks finally getting a small meal.
I do hope Derby's Mrs P managed to keep those eggs warm yesterday - how stoic are these amazing birds? I may have missed him, but has our own Mr P been seen since yesterday's foul weather?
All good wishes to the team. Jane x
Hi, thanks for the news. I watched the Notts two chicks being fed by the falcon who took food from the tiercels beak while he was eating it! The two remaining chicks were fed, not a lot, as they were still wanting more but at least they had some.
I can't wait to hear the news you have for us Nick ??
@ Ash class - I think you may be right about the chicks wriggling in the shell.
There is a very long and detailed entry on the Notts blog page and there is the wonderful news that the male has returned. It says there were "whoops of joy" from a number of offices in Notts, seems so many of us were gripped by this story. It is a miracle that anything survived at Notts, I truly believed they all had perished, including the female, I have never seen a sorrier sight. Derby looked pretty bad too and I couldn't helpn reflecting on Nick Brown's recent words about "our male doesn't seem to like the rain" - well they all had a basin full yesterday! Is it just me, or does it strike anyone else as decidedly odd to have serious flooding and freezing cold just as a drought is called?
Still no news at Aylesbury of a hatch, we were expecting it yesterday .....
I'm afraid a third chick has been lost at Nottingham. It seemed to be alive when the falcon flew off about forty-five minutes ago, but by the time she returned with a small prey item and plucked it, only one chick was strong enough to be fed. Life can be so tough for these birds.
lets just hope all your news is good news from now on.
Hi to Sue Peregrino - you and I are both watching Notts and Derby. I now live in Notts but used to live very close to Aylesbury so am very interested in news about 'your' chicks. I hope you will keep us updated on their progress also! So sad about 'our' chicks, I am just hoping that at least one survives now, and fledges successfully.
@ AnnieF, that is sad news for Notts, I looked at them and caught the end of a feed earlier and only one was eating, I had thought that the other was full and fallen to sleep, so sad. I hope the remaining chick will make it, it will be lonely though.
Anyone seen the derby eggs lately, I thought I saw a pip in one last night and posted a pic on flickr but it may not have been.
Hello Penny
(and anyone else interested) We in Aylesbury have a web cam too - on the AVDC website and we think we are on the verge of a hatch. So exciting - and terrifying at the same time. Aylesbury is a first timer and we don't have state of the art facilities, but we're thrilled to have anything at all. You will recall the grossly ugly County Hall, Penny (aka "Fred's Folly") - that's where our birds are, up on the 12th floor ledge. I'm interested in all the urban peregrine sites, I have a special soft spot for Lincoln too (I think apart from "home" I am drawn to our lovely English cathedrals) So, I have to put Aylesbury first because its home but Derby has always been the gold standard to me, a wonderful project run by top people, loved by people worldwide and shared so generously with anyone who wants to be a part. I'll never forget your Notts female yesterday though, the most faithful thing I think I'll ever see.
Not good news from Nottingham - we should remember that we had a similar event in Derby in 2010 when we lost two of the chicks at a similar age, albeit in different circumstances. Evidence, if ever it was needed, that whilst uncomfortable viewing, it is nature in action, with all the trials and tribulations these wild birds must go through - mortality in the first year is apparently 60–70%
Incidentally, the Nottingham eggs hatched in just over 50 hours from late morning Saturday 21st to the early afternoon of Monday 23rd. Which, and experts out there might confirm, seems quite a long gap. I think the average Derby hatching is roughly a day from first to last. Anyway, I’m sticking to an earlier prediction of around late 3rd May or early 4th for the first hatch at Derby.
Derby has always been my first choice to follow, but during the long gap between laying and hatching, I do follow some others, obviously Nottingham, but also Norwich, which has possibly the most vertigo inducing webcam ever!
RJ
Have just witnessed a very heartening scene at Chichester this morning, all four chicks appear very healthy and have had a very good feed with the female ensuring that each and everyone had a fair share of the food, also saw the female and male together and realised just how much smaller he is than her
Christine
How wonderful that double good news lies ahead, Nick & Nick! We hope the peregrines' eggs will hatch successfully too.
Thank you for taking the time to edit and share video of the birds' determination to protect their eggs. That "halo" of dry gravel was striking. Like so many others, I will never forget the Nottingham falcon standing drenched to the bone with her wings spread over her chicks; a harder task even than protecting eggs, I imagine, especially when small creatures get hypothermia much faster than larger ones if I remember my school biology correctly. However, she may well have saved one chick during what the News has been telling is the wettest April in the UK since records began. One realises that every fledged bird we see is a triumph of life.
Turning to a bit more good news: Manchester's urban peregrines have 4 tiny chicks but we didn't get such prolonged heavy rain over the weekend.
Good luck in Aylesbury, Sue.
hi all yes very sad news about nottingham i have been looking at notts norwich derby and chichester derby is still number one norwich is not far from me so i can go and see peregrines hope to came to derby this year.
I drove past Jury's Inn at 09:45 this morning, and we could see a peregrine up on the letter Y of the south face
Thanks for fabulous the video it was good to hear the bells too! The tiercel is having a good share of incubating the eggs. They are so dedicated.
Notts last chick looks in trouble to me, it didn't lifts its head for a feed. I don't think it will make it.
Tuesday 11.50 am - derby falcon very "fidgety" today - wonder if this is the first chick appearing??? Hope Notts situation improves - poor things
I just grabbed a few moments (a treat now I've finished my pesky law assignment!!!) to look at the video. I was so struck at the fierce instinct in both birds to incubate whatever happens. The female had some difficulty in convincing the male to get off - and then bless her she sat through the storm. I've not had a look at the up to date situation in Notts yet but I shall never forget what I saw, "greater love". Aylesbury is keping us all holding our breath still - she's fidgeting, getting up, having a look, shaking her wings ... but what is going on we can't see yet, the camera is directly above. Somebody saw a "shift change" yesterday and the eggs have definitely pipped, so presumably there's an epic struggle going on to get out of the shell. I've heard reports that the great storm did some damage to pylon-nesting peregrines in Wiltshire (blew the whole "nets" and contents away) So, it's more than urban birds that suffered, as we all would have guessed. Derby is peacefull sitting, but there are some nasty ominous black clouds in the background. Rain rain, go away - come gently in the winter like you're supposed to.
Thank you for the video, could I recommend a warning on the sound... I was wearing headphones, and it was loud. :)
One thing you've not mentioned in your Sunday weather report was that not only was it wet and windy but it was cold. I'm sure it was the same for Derby but for those not local a little note - it was cold, which would have made things a lot worse than just wet and windy.
Oh rats, it's raining again in Notts - although thankfully not as bad as Sunday (if it was, I'd definitely start work on building an ark)
It was very cold down here in the south as well, Craig. I spent the day at Pangbourne (Berks), at a bat care workshop, and I never managed to take my coat off at the venue. I had to get into a hot bath when I got home to ward off the hypothermia! It's not great today, after quite a nice day yesterday. I don't think the forecast is too good for the rest of the week :(
(You're right about the bells too. They're lovely but L O U D. It's astonishing the peregrines are so unconcerned)
It's raining heavy now but the falcon is still keeping her eggs warm and dry, let's hope the weather is better for the hatching.
PS. I am hoping my last post about Notts is wrong, maybe the chick didn't feed because it was still full from the previous one. Fingers crossed.
HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISORY NOTICE:
All videos may contain bells.
Bells are loud.
Headphone users please beware.
The Peregrine Project Team cannot be held responsible for any cases of deafness or PTSD caused by computer users having their volume controls set too high!
You watch and listen to these videos entirely at your own risk. Please consider your neighbours and close all windows before watching Derby's peregrine videos.
@ Craig, you should be more careful it is a cathedral after all and they have many bells. Personally I love to hear them.
Nice one Nick M
The children were very sad to hear that two birds had died at Nottingham. When we looked they were convinced a third chick was not moving and were shouting at mum to help it. I showed them the Derby falcon and one pupil commented "that's called reslilience". We have been talking about not giving up on difficult tasks and having some resilience. They are very impressed by both mums.
Sharron
The Nottingham chick is being fed right now & looks feisty - and it's hungry too.
That must be so hard to explain to the children, Sharron. I'm not sure how I'd do it. If it's any comfort, I don't think the mother will have emotions in the way we humans do, if the chicks don't react, she won't see them as "her babies". While losing chicks is horrible, look at it the way Chris Packham talked about a similar situation one "Springwatch" - losing chicks is horrible but the loss of an adult breeding bird would be a much bigger tragedy. One chick is one chick, but a breeding adult is potentially many offspring. I don't know how she survived it herself, she looked dreadful. But survive she did, what a bird!!! What a survivor!!!!
Now those bells, I'm sorry if I annoyed you Mr Moyes. I don't usually have the sound on at all on my PC and I switched it on entirely in hounour of the video. I think I may have to contemplate changing my blog nickname from peregrino to quasimodo (honest, it was a bit of a surprise - and I have previously been to Derby in person and should have known what to expect) I can't close my windows, I have to think of my swift calls CD! :)
Things progressing at Aylesbury - have had a sight of the 3 eggs and 2 have got definite holes in! Woo-hoo!
Another good feed at Nottingham and the falcon's having a meal as well. That chick looks much better than it did this morning.
@Sue You've not annoyed me at all. In fact, I do hope no-one was offended by my humorous response to Craig's comment about how loud the bells were in the video.
I remember the time some years ago (it was midday) when I had my first experience of dangling from a rope outside the bell chamber and we'd forgotten to disconnect the hourly chimes. Now that really was loud.
Hey - I've just seen a changeover at Aylesbury and there is a chick !! Don't know if it is my computer but the picture at Aylesbury goes altogether every 5 seconds then comes back, anyone else notice this ?
Christine
Yes, here in Aylesbury, we have one hatched out, seen at about 7.09 this morning. Sorry to bore Derby to bits with Aylesbury news ..... but I think you'll forgive me! Christine, our Aylesbury project is very primitive compared to other, we're beginners. We are so grateful to Aylesbury District Council for facilitating us at all but all we can manage is 15 second refreshes. It was improved at one stage to 5 second refreshes but it was overloading the server. The biodiversity officers are the only people who get a live stream. We're so jealous, but they do keep key people informed of what goes on in the "blackouts"! Anyone know how long it takes between hatches?
Just looked at the Notts Peregrins, not sure if there is one or two - not a lot of movement even tho mum was moving around.Hope this one survives. Its so sad but the weather has been horrendous.
Waiting for Derbys to hatch - come on Mrs. P
Many of you on this site have observed the Nottingham events over the last few days, which as we know have resulted in three of the chicks not surviving.
For those of you not familiar with the Nottm. site, it may be appropriate to mention a relevant point. The nest site is on the one of the highest buildings in the city, and as such gives the falcons a superb vantage point, but is of course, very exposed.
I think it is also appropriate to mention the storm itself which hit Nottm. late on Saturday evening , and lasted twenty hours. The conditions must have been similar in Derby: torrential relentless rain throughout the storm; very high winds gusting to 50mph; temperature of 5 centigrade .The temperature actually started to drop on Saturday afternoon, so this was clearly a severe storm.
The mother did everything to protect her chicks as we know, a classic example of maternal instinct from mother nature.
Lets hope the surviving chick goes from strength to strength. Soon we should see some developments at the Derby site , which observers at both sites will be awaiting with both excitement and a degree of trepidation because of last weekend.
To have thes superb creatures living in the centres of both Nottingham and Derby is a privilege for us all, long may this continue.
If one looks past the picture of the falcons on the Aylesbury website it is stated that the pictures refresh every 15 seconds so Anon on a previous comment need not necessarily worry that her/his computer has a problem.
Sue P; hatching usually takes place within about 24-36 hours, ie between the first and the last.
In 2010 it was 24 hrs., last year just a bit longer as far as I can tell (though there's no time for the fourth egg).
Nick B (DWT)
Have you seen the sad news from Belper? http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/?tab=fiveDay
It was a horrible storm.
@ Joy:
There is one living chick at Nottingham, and a body. At about 10 am, while the falcon was away from the nestbox, the living chick tottered over to the near right corner and stayed there. On her return the falcon tried to brood it with one wing, then changed her position so that she covered it properly, hence her tail feathers are overhanging this corner!
Getting quite tense now for our Derby hatchings given that the 5 day weather forecast isn't exactly brilliant. Fingers crossed!
Still hoping to see the Aylesbury chick, and the Aston kestrel eggs should hatch soon - I'm going to be glued to my laptop!
one of the eggs hatched at Norwich to day hope all be ok
Hi Sue, I only managed to see the chick at Aylesbury by chance this morning because I have 'Peregrine fever', I have all the symptoms because as soon as I wake up I think 'PEREGRINES' I'm watching too many webcams, either that or I'm bonkers which is the more likely explanation!! I got up at 5am this morning with my 'fever' and just had to have a look as I knew the Aylesbury chicks were imminent, not complaining about their webcam, at least we can see something which is better than nothing. Fingers crossed for more hatchings everywhere! Think I'll stay up all night !! Christine, by the way can anyone tell me how to put my name on comments without being anonymous all the time, I'm a plonker on the computer
The Nottingham parent looks very content now, just covering the one remaining chick which is being VERY well fed
Our Nottingham chick is still doing OK and very happy news from Norwich where two chicks have successfully hatched today! Not much longer to wait now Derby - keeping fingers crossed for nice weather!
Nottingham chick having an excellent feed from prey just brought in by the falcon. The tiercel has taken off. All' seems to be well with the family.
Hi Anon,
To put your name on your post: above the 'Publish Your Comment' click 'Name/URL' then you can type in your name.
I wonder if we will have a chick hatching tomorrow?
It is defo a "peregrine" family on here - we all so concerned / happy/sad about other sites - we all have one thing in common - we all care about our british wildlife - with all fingers crossed the first Derby chick will be hatched thursday 3/5 x
Thank you Phoebe ! And yes zulu98, it does bring people together and also brings some lively debate!
Another changeover at Aylesbury - 2 Chicks !!
Correction - 3 chicks at Aylesbury !!
Great little video. I didn't realize how loud the bells were until I watched this. Amazing how both birds work together to keep the eggs safe & then rear the brood. Interesting how the Notts eggs hatched long before those at Derby.
Sharron, your discussion with the children about difficult tasks was inspiring.
When I read the good news about all the other chicks that have hatched elsewhere since the storm, I felt like ringing those loud bells myself! We have Nick and Nick's double good news still to come too :)
You'll notice that I daren't count our chicks before they hatch but I have got my fingers firmly crossed for Derby.
I am curious about peregrines' hearing now and why the bells don't put them off. I have read about their incredible eyes with their two foveas and their 'jet engine' nostrils but guess hearing isn't a key sense for them?
I wonder how much it would cost to have a proper live camera setup like nottingham trent university have on their nest site, I would imagine that it would attract alot more attention for the cathedral and the people of derby. Very sad that the chicks died in nottingham, although I only watch their camera because its better. Tony
I'm expecting a hatch today sometime too. I also have a Bluetit nesting in one of my boxes, she is sitting on 8 eggs, hence my new profile picture, not the best camera but at least I can see what's happening.
I was "off air" all day yesterday due to having my "other hat" on (studying for a law degree at the Uni of Buckingham - groan)so a big catch up now. Christine, I think we're still on a 2 hatched situation in Aylesbury. We're really primitive in our set up, but lots of us are watching. Bucks Bird Club is gathering together some of the stuff people send it, I expect the webmaster will eventually get some of this morning's grabs added in. Anyone can look at Bucks Bird Club - just google it. The other question about getting a blogger id - it's a real fiddle, I managed it, (but only just) but only put the bare minimum on (I'm paranoid about not putting too much personal info "out there" in the void!!!) I'm sure the very IT-savvy Nick Moyes of this project put out some good info - well numerous times actually. I don't know if he can advise where it's buried in the archive - or maybe it's at a more really located place now? Derby are still incubating then, I would have liked it to be today (maybe it still will be) as it would have been my mum's birthday. A fine day, 3rd May! And nice to remember her on my joint favourite peregrine site :)
I've just had a glimpse of the eggs, not sure if any are 'pipping' yet.
Sue, could have sworn this morning when I saw the changeover at Aylesbury that there were two 'fluffy' chicks and one 'damp'as if it had just hatched, sure I saw just one egg left, told you I had peregrine fever - now I must be seeing things as well !!
8.35pm - Mrs P looks a bit 'fidgy' , I think there may be a hatching soon
Have just seen the "Nottingham One" getting a good feed. It looks really big and strong now. Looking on the positive side after all the heartache we felt, I guess the singleton is really a very privileged chick now, getting absolutely undivided attention. It's a miracle any of them survived at all given the foul weather. Well done Mrs Notts P!
The falcon is definitely fidgety at the moment, she keeps moving around on the eggs they must be rocking about ready to start hatching. I hope there is a chick soon.
The falcon keeps looking underneath herself, maybe there is an egg hatching!
What is the latest date that the eggs could hatch, and what will mum do if they don,t
Falcon just got up briefly and the egg which is on the top left of the four in the picture seems much paler around the top? Breaking shell?
Sad to read about the tiercel in Belper. How can an adult be brought down by bad weather?
We have just seen the birds change over and we think that one of the eggs may be pipping?
Various responses to people's posts:
For those asking about why we don't have fully live video - this was something we had intended to introduce in 2011, but staff cuts within the partnership meant no-one was availabnel to take this forward. However in 2012 we are working away behind the scenes on thsi and hope to have some news on this soon.
Meanwhile we think one of our video recorders has frozen inside the Cathedral, so can we all keep our fingers crossed that hatching occurs after I've been able to get in to Derby to fix it? I no longer work in the city centre, so fixing problems now takes longer than it used to.
I'll be monitoring the cameras over the weekend, so hope to be zooming in on any imminent hatching event.
Recent storms: There have probably been many losses of birds during the recent bad weather. We see adutls getting sodden, and maybe in strong winds they are less able to control their flight. However, it more the newly-fledged birds that are at greatest risk. As a rule, we don't normally discuss the locations of other more sensitive sites on this blog.
Hatching is expected around 5th May, but there is always some variation. Should all eggs prove unviable we might expect to see the aprent birds sitting ont hem for some considerable time before eventually abandnoing them. Wwe have no experience of that happening in Derby, so I can't say how long that might be - perhaps another week or two?
Aylesbury's still doing OK. Two of the three eggs have been hatched awhile now and I personally don't think eggs 3 is viable (I could be wrong, I often am!) On our Aylesbury web site, there's now a link to YouTube with a selection of video clips. Were you supposed to reveal a predicted Derby hatch date, or is the guessing game finished? For anyone new to Derby, it has reassured ththem that they can relax and know a hatch is should be certain.
I would like to see hatching whilst the tiercel is on the eggs, I wonder how often that happens? Or maybe he can tell and lets the falcon take over.
Just seen all four eggs as the tiercel left them and the falcon took over. It definitely looks like on egg is pipping and it is paler as Caroline notcied.
Just seen a changeover and all four eggs are definitely still intact (13.20 on 4th May). Yet to catch a glimpse of the Aylesbury chicks, and the Notts chick is being fed to bursting point by both parents! Hoping we get a Derby chick very soon now - good luck Mrs. Derby P!
We have seen the male and the female peregrin incbating on the redish broun eggs.We think they will hach later today or erly tomorrw. We are looking forerd to seeing the chicks hach out of the eggs. The femail keeps rigling about on the eges. Pehaps she thinks they might be starting to hatch.
was very sad news about the notts peregrines, was just wondering though do the parents remove the ones that die and if so what do they do with them?
If anyone is interested in owls as well have a look at The Lost Garden of Heligan they have an owl box with webcam, have got five eggs, two of which have hatched. Glad to see the little one at Nottingham doing well. Hope ours come soon.
Bernie - don't want to say too much about what happens to the chicks that die but lets just say that they are 'used' in the most economical way - there are very young children reading this blog but if you look back at Derby blogs two years ago you will see what I mean. Can't be too long now before we have a Derby chick, we have waited so long
Did I just see a chick or am I going Peregrine crazy ???
Such sad news about the peregrine death at Belper. I live in Belper and had no idea there were any "local" peregrines. This bad weather has caused so many problems for lots of wildlife. It's a real shame.
Thanks Christine, I work in a nursery with young children aged between 2-3 and we have been watching the webcams, havnt watched for a few days though due to a room change. I had better think of something to say to them when they ask me about where they have gone.
Bernie - how about recycled for nature ? would that explain it enough ?
Bernie - just had another thought, those chicks may have gone on an adventure which I believe is true to some extent
The Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario has a new guest!! Just watched the hatching of the first chick - 3 more to go. The first Derby chick should appear soon.
I'm sure I'm not seeing things, there looks to be a piece of shell and I'm positive I can see a bit of white 'fluff' underneath the female
Definitely a chick at Derby - HOORAY -still two chicks at Aylesbury and one remaining egg
Just logged on at 6.26am and I see an egg shell! Should be an exciting day today.
Looks like the first chick has hatched right on time - brilliant news!
Looks like the first chick has hatched right on time - brilliant news!
egg shell in the platform I assume we have a chick
CM
Did one of the eggs hatch?
Looks like eggshells, and something white and fluffy!
Looks like eggshells and tantalising glimpses of something white and fluffy. Pix on Flickr.
Holidaying in Tenerife from Derby & trying to keep watching but my internet access isnt very good but I seem to think everything going ok with our chicks. Will be back in Derby at weekend so will be able to see whats been happeming then
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