This morning we were re-adjusting our camera's zoom setting and caught a lovely five-minute feeding sequence. Here are some of the pictures we took. Below that is a video taken from a different perspective.
This week Ian Layton, our Engagement Officer, is finalising plans for free Watch Points out on Cathedral Green. This is the pleasant, grassy area you see in the background to these pictures. They will run every Saturday from 25th May onwards, from at least 11am to 1pm (weather permitting) until the end of June. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust volunteers with telescopes will be there to talk to anyone wanting to see or learn more about the city's amazing peregrines.
There will also be WatchPoints run at other dates during the weekday, though we are encouraging local community groups and schools to book in for weekday Watch Points. But you'd be welcome to come down to use the telescopes then, too, though of course we'll be prioritising pre-booked groups.
There will soon be a new Page Tab at the top of our blog giving dates and news of all Watch Points. So do check it out. But of course Cathedral Green is open to the public, so do come down to watch the growing falcons for yourself at any time of day you like. Pop over to the front of the Cathedral and you can check out our live webcam monitor in the new display in the window of the Cathedral Cafe on Irongate (they do a good cuppa too!).
 |
| Be sure to have a look at the new display in the cathedral cafe window if you're in town |
SCHOOLS: if there are any teachers reading this who might like either a visit to their school by the project or perhaps to come to Derby to see the birds 'for real' then do get in touch via peregrines@derbyshirewt.co.uk .
25 comments:
O those pics are great - thanks team! I watched that feeding sequence too and have managed to post a pic on Flickr of Chick 4 ducking under the others and popping its head out right in front. One can see the determination in its little back legs as it thrusts forward. Great to see that it has learnt this trick. Well done to Ian re the Watchpoints. Really looking forward to coming down to Derby sometime.
Clocked on just now to find the tiercel in nest feeding chicks clustered under the falcon's draped wings and then feeding her! Chick 4 seemed to be at the front and he stuffed it so full that it flopped over into sleep. I recall him feeding his mate last year but the new webcam gives such an intimate view of the family. Truly amazing footage. I madly got some screen grabs but have got to go and collect someone from the station now! Back later but this might make a fab video clip if you can dig it out sometime team? I know that means a trip to the cathedral... but I saw it from 13.44 until the tiercel left at 13.51.
Stunning images from Stream 4 this lunchtime (13.43 I've just been watching the male peregrine feeding the female bird and the chicks as she sat brooding them. What a privilege to be able to see and hear that - brilliant stuff! Would make a great video sequence if anyone has time to retrieve it!
Really enjoyed your screen grabs on Flickr of the whole family feeding, Helen. Have added some of mine though I haven't got the hang of posting them in the right time order. A video clip of the family feeding together like this should be great for schools too. Worth every minute of Nick's exploits with the hot water bottle! And all the hard work of getting the HLF funding.
Sorry me again but Stream 1 is frozen? I think Stream 4 went down with it. Though of course we still have 2 other options :)
Nick M tells me that two streams have frozen but whether he is able to fix them soon is unknown to me - possibly not until tomorrow since the cathedral is now closed.
Apologies for this but these gliches do happen from time to time!
He'll update everyone when he knows what the problem is exactly.
Nick B (DWT)
Great views of the chicks this morning on stream 3. My, haven't they grown! Hopefully the weather will be kinder to them today.
I've just been watching the first Osprey chick at Manton Bay, Rutland Water being fed.
When the camera on stream 4 was being adjusted just now (approx. 11.28) I had a different window open so I got a very strange sound which made me think my laptop was dying! Lovely close-up now though, the chicks all look fine & dandy. Many thanks Nick M.
The chicks have all settled down contentedly, so I'm assuming they were fed recently. I noticed the tiercel(?) nibbling at the necks of two of them - do they get mites or other parasites that need to be cleaned off?
Ah. I see from Twitter that it was Mum who was checking their necks!
Luncheon is served, Mum doing the honours, Dad on the ledge the other side. That scrape looks more like a feather bed!
Hi all, and Caroline and AnnieF. I have just got back from a Christian conference that I went to in Scarborough over the weekend. We have had a great time there.
So, I have mist a few day's watching the the Peregrine Family...
What great pics you have captured. They have grown so big while I was away....
Sorry Missed, not mist though I saw some mist in Scarborough .........
Number 4 chick at the front of the queue, jumping with a wide open beak at 9.17a.m. feed. Me, me, me he's saying. (or she?) Very assertive little chick. No weakling here!
Yes, Chick 4 really makes me laugh. Yesterday, when the falcon returned with leftovers from Lunches 1 & 2, the chicks were all asleep apart from one which got so stuffed that I thought the weight of food in its crop was going to make it fall flat on its beak. Then the others seemed to wake up all at once. The 3 big ones became like basketball players all stretching up together. Chick 4 went round the group, found a gap and dived in underneath and straight to the front! The push in its little back legs said it all... Great to see the chicks preening and taking an interest in the world now.
The Falcon has just finished feeding the chicks and has flown off with the carcass to finished herself (not much left). The falcon made sure that all the chicks had their fill and wouldn't let the tiercel take some breakfast despite a bit of tag-of-war. No hard feelings though; the tiercel stayed to try and brood the chicks for a while or maybe he just wanted to see if there were any scraps of food still left around the smallest chick's beak;)
The Falcon has returned now to brood the chicks but even she has no chance of covering the whole lot but seems to make sure the smallest are covered.
The pergrine falcon chicks feathers are starting to get bigger.yestday the pergrine falcon chicks was left on there owen for a whilew so they can start to Look after themselves.on friday we saw the pergrine chicks getting fed two times.they was really hungrey they was makeing a cheeping sound. we think the pergrine male and feamale are tring to start to get bigger birds for them to eat.
Good morning Green Class - thanks for your comment. Although it was dull yesterday in Derby it was warm, so probably the female was quite happy to leave the chicks for awhile.
Your idea that the adult male catches bigger prey as the chicks get older is an interesting one too...we'll have to go back to the books to see what they say about that!
The project team
Tuesday evening - Parent bird brooding the chicks and energetically pecking at the gravel at the same time. Doesn't look too comfortable for them! She surely can't be ingesting all that gravel; perhaps she's finding insects in there?
Kate, Allestree
Watched the tiercel dozing early this evening with the fidgety four - every time he nodded off, a chick wriggled. Then one chick got up and gave its wings a really good stretch so there was nothing for it but to wake up and check his offspring. Guess we'll see plenty more flapping before long. In the screen-grab, the light is behind the chick's left wing and you can just see the quills of the flight feathers have formed under the skin? The chicks have changed so much since Sunday. Amazing...
Really nice to see all the pictures and video. The new camera is amazing. Love to hear the Cathedral bells too. A week to-day I will be back once more on British soil. Arrive in Derby on 29th. This time I should be able to see more being June. So looking forward to being at the Cathedral.
This morning while at school I saw the female had a pigeon and was feeding the chicks. They were making cheaping sounds and really hungry. They all looked like little white balls.
That's a good observation Nathan. I hope you and others too manage to keep watching the birds at home over the half term holiday.
Nick
I have been to see them today and looked at them through the telescope ,i could see the mums head , beak and eyes .
Hello Gemma, that must have very been exciting to see the peregrines for real. I am looking forward to the Bank Holiday event on Monday. Hopefully both adults will be around then too, bringing in food for the chicks. You can really start to see the feathers developing now on the chicks wings and on their tails.
Post a Comment