Watch Points begin - plus Updates

UPDATE: Saturday's Watch Point (25th) was very well attended with some 300 visitors counted in the sunshine. A full account is at the foot of this blog post and another about Monday's Event. The next public Watch Point is this Saturday 1st June, 11am to 1pm and longer if fine.
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Ian Layton, our Engagement Officer writes:
So far so good! We have four apparently robust youngsters (if you are new to this blog please scroll down to read the latest news of our chicks and see photos and a video of them).
Let’s hope the weather is kind to them and we see all four fledge.
Let’s also hope that the weather stays fine so as many people as possible can come along and see what’s happening up on the Cathedral tower. Once again the project will be organising “Watch Points” and encouraging people to use our telescopes to get a close up view and “share the magic” of the peregrines.

This year Watch Points will be run from 11.00am till about 2.00pm each Saturday from May 25th to at least June 29th. As the falcons were late in laying their eggs this year, we may run our Watch Point season a little later too.

Watch Points, as always, are free to attend. Donations are always welcome of course and if you do want to find out more about becoming a member of DWT, then we will have the necessary literature for you.

So it would be wonderful to see you all on Cathedral Green over the next few weeks if you can make it!
In addition to the Saturday Watch Points we are holding our annual Peregrine Event on Bank Holiday Monday 27th May (next Monday!). This will include a Watch Point, hourly Tower Tours taking people to the top of the tower (there will be a charge for this) and a small display and some children’s activities in the cathedral itself. Just turn up at any time between 10.30 and 3pm. Tony Grantham (our cathedral rep.) and I will be there and Nick B will pop in too.

Looking up at the nest with a scope

I have also been busy visiting a range of community groups and encouraging them to come and see the peregrines for themselves. So far we have six group visits to mid-week Watch Points confirmed and we have a further six groups arranging dates. These range from local Brownie groups, through groups of people with hearing or visual impairment – and on to folks from Care Homes. As much as I love seeing the birds via the web cams I’m really looking forward to seeing the expressions of people who have never had the opportunity to see the falcons ‘for real’ before.

We still have some free dates towards the end of June – so if you know of a group who haven’t seen the falcons but might enjoy their magic – please let me know and I’ll get in touch (email peregrines@derbyshirewt.co.uk).

And while you are in Derby (if you get there!) do be sure to catch Nick M’s great display showing the nest platform with eggs (and a monitor with the live web cam view) in the window of the Cathedral café on Irongate, opposite the main entrance to the Cathedral. It’s well worth stopping for a look and indeed going inside for a bite to eat or a coffee/tea!

Hopefully we’ll see lot’s of you at the Watch Points over the coming weeks. Please don’t be shy – introduce yourselves as blog readers or web cam watchers – and let us know what you think of the project and how we might improve it.



The 'wow' factor!

See also the Watch Point tab above for more information about dates - coming shortly.

Watch Point Report for Saturday 25th by WP volunteer Andy Marshall: A fine sunny morning prompted an early start so we were on Cathedral Green at 10 am setting up . The female peregrine was on the platform shading the chicks but the male was nowhere to be seen (earlier he had been perched on the green “spike” above Jury’s Inn).

At 10.50 she flew off briefly, returning to one of the food caches above the nest and dislodging a pigeon which had unwisely settled there - before returning to her chicks.

A Cancer Concern  sponsored bed push plus pushers  stop to see the birds! Photo Sue H

Just after 11 am, the male put in an appearance, perching on the right-hand waterspout. This brought his mate out onto the edge of the nest platform calling to the male who eventually took the hint and flew off again. The female flew up to check whether he’d brought in any prey but flew back to the nest without anything. At 11.40 she flew off and circled over the River Gardens area for some time before returning at midday with prey. She proceeded to pluck it before dropping down to the nest and feeding the chicks.

Feeding over, the female cached part of the remainder of the carcase at the top of the louvres above the nest then flew with another piece before returning to settle down and brood her (no doubt) sleeping chicks. From then until then end of the Watch Point just after 2 pm the most we saw of any of the birds was the females head as she occasionally peeped over the platform edge.
Watch Point and Tower Tours - Monday's event: With another 200 people turning up (or being dragged screaming and kicking off the street) to see the peregrines, a good day was had. The sun

WP Monday 27th - a quieter moment

stayed out and many people went up to the tower top to see the great views of the city and beyond.
The birds showed themselves quite well with some flying about and at least two feeds. Among people who came were some from Spain, Greece, The Philipines and France too. If today was your first experience of the Derby Peregrine Project do watch our birds on line and come back to a future Watch Point. The next one is on Saturday 1st June, 11am until at least 1pm, weather permitting.