The winter approaches and although we are finding very little in the way of prey remains at the foot of the tower, you can be sure that the peregrines are taking advantage of some of the thousands of migrant birds that have been pouring into Derbyshire in the last two months. Among them will be woodcock and snipe (both caught at night as they migrate over the city), teal, lapwings and golden plover plus fieldfares and redwings.
This is also proving to be a 'waxwing' winter. Waxwings are an irruptive species which means that in those years when there are no food supplies for them in Scandinavia and Russia, they migrate westwards to Britain to take advantage of rowan, pyracantha and other berries planted in suburban streets, around supermarkets and retail centres. In 2006, another 'irruptive' year, a few waxwing feathers were found at the cathedral....so it is possible that the peregrines might take one again this winter. We'll keep an eye out for their tell-tale feathers with the red waxy tips.Nick B (DWT)
Ps. The graphic is by Katie and Dillan - to whom a big thank you!
I love Colin's images and the children's artwork. I wonder, did that blackbird get away?
ReplyDeleteOur Aylesbury peregrines are still around the platform, from time to time. Our platform will soon get its annual clean up - it looks like yours will soon be due too? We're also still enjoying the sight of waxwings in Aylesbury. They're around an industrial park which has big retail outlets - and ornamental trees of the type DWT Nick mentions in the header entry. Some of the bucksbirders are a little concerned that this year's supply of berries has already taken a bashing and there is a concern that the birds will be be struggling to find food as the winter progresses. Maybe some of our winter migrants will need to press on southwards in search of food?
Congratulations Derby Peregrines
ReplyDeleteYou now have over 1/4 of a Million Hits on the web cams.
I wonder who it was that reached the milestone and clocked 250001.
Well done to all the Project members have a pat on the back from me and thanks on the behalf of the anonymous members.
Regards Ian (superbrad)
Thanks Ian...you did well to spot that!
ReplyDeleteAnd a huge thanks to all you folk out there who log on and do the watching the web cams and reading the blog!
It makes it all worthwhile for us.
The project team (Nick M, Nick B and Tony G)
Can't see any signs of peregrines on the webcams today. It looks so horrible in Derby today - leaden sky and low cloud. That's about the same as we have here in Aylesbury. I came past Derby on the train last Tuesday (20th Nov) and the weather was bad then too with a lot of flooding. The rivers around Derby were raging torrents. I guess the peregrines have found somehere more sheltered to sit out the weather?
ReplyDeleteHi Sue: I was in Derby today and both peregrines were on Jurys Inn for a part of the morning with one briefly on the nest platform as well. The day cheered up quite well actually once the early rain stopped.
ReplyDeleteThe River Derwent is extremely high (though not flooding). There was a report of a few waxwings on Bold Lane in the city a day or two ago but I didn't have a chance to check them out.
Nick B
13:35 hrs 28/11/12 one peregrine sitting quietly on video 2
ReplyDeleteNobody home again today but can I go off topic and mention my local project of Aylesbury again? We've not got our webcam up and running at the moment but behind the scenes work is going on - and we expect to be on the telly tonight! It'll be on the ITV News, Meridian region (not Derby's I expect?) and is on the website here http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2012-11-29/success-of-falcon-project/
ReplyDeleteBoth peregrines were sitting on the nearby hotel lettering this lunchtime, making the most of the sunshine. There were a few feathers around the Cathedral from different prey species, some possibly from a woodcock.
ReplyDelete13:25 hrs Sun 2/12/12, one bird on the platform. How to tell if it's the M or F?
ReplyDelete