It's time to help us benefit from a wonderful offer.....

(Please see the end of this blog post for the latest updates and a link to a great video by Jon Salloway)

Peregrine watchers in Derby city centre

Each year we invite donations from people keen to support the Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project and who want to see it flourish. These donations, from all over the world, help to keep our webcams running. This year is no exception, and anyone wishing to contribute is invited to follow one of the methods outlined below.

But this year, 2012, is also very different.
You may have read of the Heritage Lottery grant we recently won. This will enable us to employ an outreach person for three months in each of the next three summers, use a 'technical consultant to fix the IT side of things and to purchase some new essential equipment as well. The money can only be used for the specific purposes identified in our bid document. And we will tell you more about this once the chicks have fledged. 
Funding all other developments still has to be done using our own resources. This  includes visiting schools (the lottery expressly excluded that) and further outreach work.
So please rest assured that your donations to Derby's peregrines will still have a very important impact, no matter how large or small.

Nick B with a fallen juvenile female peregrine, back in 2006

But now, thanks to a very generous anonymous donor,  there's a way for your money to have much more impact. This donor has agreed that whatever you give by way of a donation, they will match it threefold, up to a pre-agreed, four figure total.
So if you give £1, they will add £3 making a donation of £4.
If you give £25 they will add £75 making £100......and so on. 
This is an unbelievable opportunity which we will not get again, so please do consider donating something as a contribution to our work if you have enjoyed this season.
Each donor will be individually thanked by one of the project team. To help you understand our anonymous donor's reasoning, this is what they have written:

"Last year, I lost somebody who I loved very much.  He delighted in urban peregrines and although he didn't live in Derby, this project held a very special place in his heart and he visited the city often. It was simple for me to know what would be the right thing to do to mark his passing – to help the project with a moderate windfall legacy.  It gives me some comfort to know he will be continuing to help the birds he loved so much.  I'm sure he knows and approves about this and that he rests in peace. The Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project has so many hopes and plans for extending its brilliant work, getting more children involved and more people who would otherwise not come into contact with the birds. The new HLF grant is a massive help and this new legacy will help too.  However, more money is really needed and I am very conscious of the risk that you fellow project enthusiasts may perhaps think  you can all sit back now and feel happy the project is provided for, rather than make the donation you might otherwise have made. This is incorrect, more is always needed!  The project depends on all of you Friends out there.  Please, if you have taken any delight, amazement, knowledge or pleasure from DERBY'S PEREGRINES, please make a donation to help the project reach more people like you and develop its technical quality too. Please give whatever you can afford to keep this lovely project in the air and on the air!"

We are extremely grateful for this heartfelt offer and invite you to contribute whatever sum you feel is appropriate. Thanks to this donor's amazing generosity, your money will have an amazing three-fold effect! So here's how to donate:

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (the lead project partner) is a registered charity and a 'not for profit' organisation. It is the only recipient of project funds. Rest assured that any money given to the Wildlife Trust will be used only to support this project provided you clearly state that 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 by 20%. (If you have donated and gift aided before we should still have your form so there's no need to ask for another).

We will publish a list of donors (but not the amount they donated) here on the blog later on. 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 H from Toton). Let us know your preference.

You can donate in one of the following ways:

UK donors:

• 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 (include your address so we can acknowledge receipt).
• Ring the Trust during office hours (01773 881188) to make a payment over the phone by debit/credit card (office hours are 9am to 5pm, weekdays, to 4.30pm on Fridays).
• You can also use the donation mechanism on the Trust's website at www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk  Go  to 'support us/make a donation'. We use Virgin Moneygiving and find it works very well.

To 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 20% 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 0044 1773 881188) to pay by credit card......as long as you can work out when the office is open of course (check the webcam's local timestamp!)
• Use our online donation mechanism via our website - see above.

Payments should only be made to 'Derbyshire Wildlife Trust', the lead partner for the project. No other organisation or website is authorised to collect funds on our behalf.

Please clearly mark on your payment that it is for the 'Peregrine Project' for use in the current financial year or, better still 'in this and next financial year' (this allows us to carry your money over from year to year should we need to).

Thank you in advance,


Nick M, Tony G and Nick B, the project team
Update Thursday 21st - WATCH POINT TODAY IS CANCELLED.
Update Wednesday: good weather for the Watch Point and a big thanks to Joyce S, Jim M and Will M for their help. At least two and sometimes three juvs on Jurys with one on the cathedral. All seem confident fliers.
Update Tuesday 4pm: Christine reports seeing all four juvenile birds on the cathedral ('flying well') and the parents too - great news! Thanks Christine.
Update Tuesday 19th 8.30 am: just back from the cathedral. No sign of the fledged female, two males above the nest and both parents present, the male finally on the platform. A search of local roofs and car parks revealed nothing and there was nothing on the nave roof when I went up and had a look out over it. All seemed calm so I'm sure she will turn up. Nick B.
Update Monday 18th 6pm: the last juv has still not fledged....but may do anytime, of course. The three males have been on or around the tower all day,

Update Monday 18th 7am: the female is clearly ready to leave the nest now. With her three brothers gone, she's flapping from one side of the platform to the other. So we expect this final youngster to fly either today or maybe tomorrow.
Females, being heavier than males, are the ones that have most difficulty on their maiden flights. So it is possible this one may end up on the streets below the tower. The project team is poised to deal with this eventuality.
Watch Points continue until the very end of June (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 - 1.30) so do come down and see the youngsters flying about if you possibly can. With luck they will stay on and around the cathedral for a further month at least as they learn the art of fending for themselves.
Live Video with Sound: This is working  again - just follow 'Key Links' at the top of this blog, or go here. 


The video below of our Derby birds was taken by Jon Salloway on Sunday 17th from the ground. (Duration: 15 minutes)

This video was captured on 14th June, a day or two before the first fledging occurred.