Tuesday 3 May 2016

First chick of 2016 (and now two)

Update Wed 4th May 2016: We now have two chicks (see bottom picture)

Finally! After keep us all waiting, our first peregrine chick of the 2016 hatched out around 5pm this evening.
The video below was captured by one of our regular webcam-watchers, Wendy Bartter, to whom many thanks for uploading.

We had been hearing the faint cheeping of the unhatched chick on and off throughout the day. And, as so often happens, many of you were watching and caught the moment, whilst others (like us here at peregrine towers) missed it!



The screenshots below were also captured by our webcam watchers, and posted to our Flickr goup.
(Note: All our webcam images are freely provided under a Creative Commons CC by 3.0 licence, and this includes images subsequently posted to Flickr)

May 3rd 16.19 Chick hatching

May 3rd 17.41 Chick 1

May. 03 16.59 First chick hatches

Two chicks, captured on the webcams at 08:45, Wed 4th May.
Note the broken eggshell fragment in the right-hand corner

May 4th 08.43 Two chicks

54 comments:

Joyce S said...

Great news! :-)

Heather said...

You're not alone at Pereguine Towers, after watching and waiting for days I too missed the first hatching due to broadband problems. This also occurred when first egg was laid - my faith in technology is rapidly deteriorating!

Here's hoping the other three hatch successfully and that the weather forecast for sunshine towards the end of the week will prove more accurate than my broadband!

Heather said...

11.45 and small prey brought to scrape but was then taken away. Difficult to see but it looks as if the second chick is arriving, can just distinguish what looks like the head emerging from the shell.

Unknown said...

Caught a good glimpse of one chick this morning at 7:35 ish. And two eggs, couldn't see the third so there may be a second chick in amongst the white fluff! Tiercel has been on the ledge watching the goings-on.

Karen B said...

Hi Hazel, Yes i managed to catch a glimpse of some white fluff as falcon was shuffling around. ?? I may have seen second too but is difficult to tell. Can't stop watching ! Am becoming obsessed lol!!!

Helen said...

Two chicks this morning!

Karen B said...

08.42- Change over , wonderful view of the two chicks!! At last!

Heather said...

Hi Hazel, you beat me to it, was just about to say definitely two chicks at 8.44 when MrP decided he wanted to turf MrsP off and get a go at baby sitting, so sometimes we get lucky with the changeovers!

Vicky said...

Good morning all, there was just a change over and yes we have 2 chicks. They are so sweet.

Unknown said...

Isn't this wonderful?

Thank you so much.

Karen B said...

Lets hope we have a full house this year.
Does anyone know, other than the sighting of one of the Falcons at Rutland Water what has happen to the remaing Falcon and Tiercel from last year?

Wendy Bartter said...

Great news about second chick, thanks for the updates & checking footage now to see if anything useful!
ITM, a few glimpses of first chick ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNXwGdjvh8I

Kate said...

Fantastic news thanks everyone and Karen B yes these cams are really addictive Enjoy!!!!

Heather said...

Wondered if anyone has seen chicks being fed yet since hatching? As previously mentioned at 23.45 last night tiercel brought small prey into scrape but flew off presumably to pluck it. It was then that falcon also left and when I thought I saw second chick emerging from egg - don't know if Nick can confirm this?

Karen B said...

Hi.. I wondered this too Heather, I have not noticed any feeding yet.

Joyce S said...

Fantastic news, and such a treat to see two little chicks in this morning's sunshine!

Julia said...

Just got a good screen shot of both chicks. Is there anyone I can send it to as I don't have Flickr or anything

Karen B said...

Changeover at 16.18 - difficult to see if the remaining eggs are hatching. The chicks are calling out as if hungry anyone seen a feed yet?

Vicky said...

She just left the nest and the wee ones are bobbing their little heads..

Vicky said...

Now Mr P is covering the babies.

Anonymous said...

@Julie: For those capturing screen-shots and unsure where to send them, please use our project contact address (it's in the About Us' tab on our blog. i.e. peregrines@derbyshirewt.co.uk (Saving them as jpegs is better than huge bitmaps.)

@Karen B: We don't know where our other young birds have got to, other than the Rutland water bird.

Just about to shoot off for a live phone interview on Radio Derby - no doubt they'll be asking similar questions!
Nick M
Peregrine Project Team

Karen B said...

Thanks Nick, just wondered if there had been any sightings as they were ringed. Good luck radio interview!!

Wendy Bartter said...

Thanks for the timelines again, just checked & no feed yet but lots of changeovers, will have another vid soon!
I did capture the Mrs removing eggshell from underneath at 02.40 which could have been second chick hatch time ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4ZxE_JjKVk ... no previous glimpses of chick!

Vicky said...

chicks alone again. Still just two.

Phoebe said...

Falcon just returned to the chicks. The Tiercel is sat on the scrape ledge. Two chicks and two eggs. Tiercel just flew off.

Vicky said...

Dad was with them but not covering. He seemed to be looking for her. She came back and squawked and he went to the other side. No prey with her. She is covering them and he just left.

Sandee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sandee said...

< whoops, sorry >

Congratulations from the USA! I've been watching since last year! :)

Wendy Bartter said...

Not seen any feed to date, just the latest changeover that Phoebe & Vicky reported!
For the benefit of any of you who missed out on viewing this afternoon, I have made a compilation vid on changeovers & chick views ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNfHFy2ZZC0
Hopefully the next one will be the first feed (if cams let me!)
Welcome Sandee, what time of day is it with you?

Phoebe said...

The falcon just left the scrape and the chicks were soon joined by the tiercel. He left when the falcon returned. No food was brought. The chicks usually have the yolk to feed from in the first 24 hours after hatching. Maybe they will get a feed before nightfall.

Vicky said...

When i checked, the chicks were alone, just 2. She came back and is rocking the eggs again. No feeding.

Heather said...

Have just seen the chicks left alone twice since 20.00 and calling for food but so far none has been forthcoming.

Saw on Sheffield's notes that the incident that Wendy videoed where, the chick was scattered to the front of the box, also happened again this time at the back of the box with the male just pecking at it. But when female returned she retrieved it and this has led to speculation that this is a new female who is rather clumsy when leaving the box.

Wendy Bartter said...

The very same thing has been happening with amazing regularity at Woking too Heather,obviously a very hapless inexperienced pair but exceedingly painful to watch! The first chick perished & by yesterday there were two more with one unhatched egg (& I have to say I hope it doesn't) & one of the chicks was missed out on last feed ... not enough food there for sure!

Heather said...

22.42 MrsP left but returned very quickly, however might have been MrP- still no food.

How sad Wendy that Woking is experiencing the same problem as Sheffield but with more catastrophic results. Perhaps this is more common than we realised and has only been spotted because we have more cameras nowadays.

Wendy Bartter said...

I did do quite a few vids last year too Heather & never saw anything like this before although I admit to watching & recording a bit more often now ... slightly taking over but it's only for such a short time!
BTW, read on Woking twitter that feeding better today & watched 12 min vid on there too so much more hopeful as chicks look lively enough! It's odd how other people on there haven't noticed how bad things have been (24/7 recording certainly shows things up)
Last vid of the day, I shall be recording overnight as usual but am out early & for most of tomorrow so will have to catch up with all comments late afternoon to check for 'happenings'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T--ftThygQI

Karen B said...

Morning all, has anyone seen any feeding over night or prehaps chick no.3??

Kate said...

Morning all 06.36 eating latest egg shell Yay!!

Unknown said...

Chick number three?

Heather said...

Just seen MrsP removing fresh egshell from beneath her so perhaps we have chick number 3. Earlier MrP tried she to remove MrsP for a changeover but she was having none of it. Still no feed. Hope this gets through as couldn't get past proving I'm not a robot!

Kate said...

Doh! Heather I am back to proving and few days ago I had about 4 or five different to approve.

Saw her tossing out the egg shell at 06 36/7 good news for third chick

Wendy Bartter said...

Hi all, very quick editing & upload job as off out for several hours ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbBF_AYwN_M
Will leave recording but at the mercy of the cams ... like yu Kate, my stream 2 froze & 4 went off with no refresh ... grrrr! Nick M said there was a problem which he is sorting

Unknown said...

No sign of any food scraps around?

Unknown said...

Saw chicks being fed late last night x

Unknown said...

Saw chicks being fed late last night x

Dutch Eagle Fan said...

Congratulations on chick #1 and #2.
They are quite early this year, only 36 days between first egg and first hatch.
So far the average is 39 days
Diagram from the nesting calendar: http://postimg.org/image/hudpt0sld/
Link to the nesting calendar: http://sites.google.com/site/nestkalenders/home/slechtvalken

Helen said...

Just one egg left to hatch now. Watching a few moments ago it was interesting to see the male determined to brood the chicks. He eventually managed to shuffle off the female.

Vicky said...

Well, I watched the parents for over 20 minutes. He on the other side sometimes with his back to her. Just now he finally ventured over and she finally flew off. There are definitely 3 chicks now and one egg left.

Peregrine Project Member (Nick M.) said...

Thanks, Dutch Eagle Fan
We appreciate the links you supplied. I'll post them on our blog later.
Regards
Nick M.

Helen said...

The two older chicks just had a good feed. The smallest chick missed out this time but I'm sure it will catch up on the next feed. The adult birds are usually very adept at making sure each chick gets it's fair share.

Unknown said...

Feeding time with a juicy lump of prey and three upturned little beaks. Mum doing the honours, dad on the far ledge on guard.

Wendy Bartter said...

Back in time to process vid of that feed (I see another going on now as I type) ... I called it the first one although have noted Lynne scott comment about seeing a feed late last night so will investigate recorded footage more carefully (such a rush job this morning) ... I have to say that the male reminds me so much of Pingu in the first moments!! Lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMFJ62ukkdc

Unknown said...

Another feed. Mum's making sure each baby's getting its share.

Unknown said...

The falcon has flown off with the remains of the meal. I couldn't see any sign of hatching in the remaining egg, but the chicks are huddled around half of it so maybe they're hiding a pip.

Wendy Bartter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.