Sunday 26 June 2016

Watch Point Saturday 25th June and cancellation of 29th Watch Point

PLEASE NOTE THE WATCH POINT TODAY (Weds 29th) has been cancelled due to heavy rain. Sorry for the late notice!

It seems to have been a very eventful day down in Derby yesterday.
One of our volunteers, Helen Naylor, wrote:
"Despite the rain it was great to see all six birds for most of the time at today's watch point. The juveniles are all flying really strongly now and landing well. They look very confident." (And Joyce Sawford reports that all six birds were again visible this morning, 26th).

DWT's Marc Whitlock, who with Emma Wood, has been working alongside our splendid volunteers this summer, penned this report when he returned home:

25th June Watchpoint

A day when stepping from your door
You wonder what season to dress for.
Dark clouds gathered overhead
Filling all below with dread.
A retreat (fastest ever seen)
Under the trees on Cathedral Green.
But were we down or feeling tearful
Training scopes on cowering tiercels?
Heavens no! Out came the sun
To the delight of everyone!
Folk came again from all around,
One hundred strong came down and found
Six falcons perched way up high
On Jury’s Inn on the letter ‘Y’.
One youngster, in a gutter, on the tower
Avoiding yet another shower.
Practice flights between these perches,
Swivelling scopes making searches.
From the tower over our local
Flew able flyers, often vocal.
Mum gave lessons in the sky
With deft manoeuvres as they fly,
Honing skills in passing prey
Was spectators’ highlight of the day.

Marc W

Thanks Marc and thank you to everyone who has visited a watch point and made a donation.

If you've enjoyed our web cams but haven't donated yet, please consider doing so. It's very easy.
Click on the donate tab at the top of the blog.
Thank you

The project team

Ps. To see photos of our birds please visit the Derby Peregrines Flickr site here.

20 comments:

Heather said...

Three juveniles in scrape at the moment calling for food - what a noise. They really do seem reluctant to leave home this year but haven't seen them so much at night.

Joyce S said...

SADLY, TODAY'S WATCHPOINT - WEDNESDAY 29TH JUNE - HAS BEEN CANCELLED. IT IS WET AND SLIPPERY ON CATHEDRAL GREEN AND IT IS RAINING NOW WITH A FORECAST OF HEAVY RAIN ALL DAY.
HOPE THIS CLEARS FOR SATURDAY FOR THE NEXT WATCHPOINT 10AM TO 2PM.
JOYCE, JANE, TONY, PAUL.

Ann Raynor said...

Just checked in 3 on the nesting platform don't blame in this weather lol

Heather said...

All 3 juveniles eventually had to go in search of their own breakfast this morning. Now back on scrape looking down at none existent Watchpoint wondering where everyone is:) I've only ever seen 3 of them together and wondered if anyone has seen all 4 put in an appearance?

Ann Raynor said...

3 on the nesting platform having a feast

Wendy Bartter said...

Thanks for the tip-off Ann, great to get continued good views of our birds ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGEhwGpEvs

Ann Raynor said...

1 on the nesting platform plucking away at it's prey

Anonymous said...

2 on the platform one feeding.

Anonymous said...

3 on the platform making a lot of noise.

Anonymous said...

WOW the 4th one has just arrived on platform. So good to see them all.

Heather said...

Lovely to hear the bells and the three juveniles seem to be enjoying them too. Wish I'd seen all four together but we're really lucky this year to have them hanging around the scrape for so long.

Lots of wing flapping from the ospreys, so probably not long before they too take to the skies.

Ann Raynor said...

1 on the platform would loved to have seen all four.

Ann Raynor said...

Only one on the platform

Ann Raynor said...

Not spotted any today..Plenty of feathers on the platform must have had a good feast

Kevin said...

One of the juveniles is on the scrape at the moment, having a morning snack (Struggling a bit with the feathers!)

Ann Raynor said...

One on the scrape eating it's prey

Heather said...

Lovely side view of one on scrape showing its vertical stripes, they really have grown into beautiful birds. Looks quite windy judging by trees on The Green but not enough to blow away the amount of feathers they've accumulated, that scrape must be quite smelly by now!

Glad Watchpoint was a success with our family putting on interesting aerial displays for everyone. Hope you received a few donations and thanks to all the Team for their involvement this year - this season has literally flown by but great that they are still hanging around the scrape for a little longer.



Anonymous said...

2 on the platform tonight.

Anonymous said...

3 on the platform tonight 2 are enjoying a meal.

Heather said...

Am posting this on here in hope someone sees it as am having trouble accessing recent blog cooments , ie Wendy's which I saw, followed by mine and then the one from Nick which haven't been able to view. When tapping on blog comments on rhs the latest I can access is Anon on 6 July. All I get is "Sorry the page you were looking for in this blog does not exist"

Three in scrape at moment two of them having a good meal with what appears to be two separate pieces of prey.