The Project Team
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| Watch Point from behind |
The Weeping Window attracted many people though not quite so many as last week when it had just started.
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| The Silk Mill Museum plus weeping window |
1) Drone-eye's view of the tower
Especially for those of you who don't live near Derby and have never visited the city to see the set up, the drone pilot, Tim Curtis of VideoEast, kindly filmed the cathedral tower for us. The drone stayed a good distance away (and without disturbing the birds), and a member of the project team was on hand to keep a wary eye open.
Tim and Derby City Council had been in discussion about the drone flights days beforehand to ensure that no harm came to either the peregrines or, indeed, to the drone itself. Drones can play a very useful role in nature conservation if used responsibly - and Tim certainly was thoroughly professional throughout the exercise having carried out risk assessments and having discussed the issues with both us and Natural England well in advance.
Tim has kindly sent us this video footage:
2) Detective work
In an attempt to discover where our new male peregrine falcon has come from, photographer David Naylor is trying to get a close up shot of the bird's left leg - the one that bears a small, metal BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) ring with a unique number on it.
Even if we could read even a few of the numbers on the ring, it might have proved possible to work out the full ring number by a process of elimination. Then we could discover where it was hatched.
We obtained permission from Bruce, the roof project manager, for David to stand at the top of the access gantry and take pictures from there - probably closer to the nest than anywhere.
His first attempt produced some fabulous photos of both adults (scroll down to the previous post to see some of them) but the male didn't land on the rim of the nest platform which would be the position where his ring could be seen from best.
David's second attempt was better in that the male did land on the platform but that ring is very dull and he wasn't able to read the numbers/letters beyond possibly an 'N'. So our hopes of finding where the male had come from are dashed for the moment at least.....
David has kindly allowed us to use his images on this blog (scroll down to see the previous entry which features three of them). Please note that they are David's copyright though I'm sure he'd give permission for appropriate non-commercial usage..... (We'll put more of them up on this blog shortly.)
Here's one of the female with her brood:
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| Feeding time.....photo copyright David Naylor |
We have just learned that one of the brood of juvenile peregrines raised and ringed at Derby Cathedral in 2011 was seen at Doncaster Minster (St. George's) in April last year (2016), 71 kms. north-east of Derby. So it seems very likely that it may be breeding there. We are currently trying to find out the details since we only discovered this by seeing it listed in a list of ringing 'recoveries' in a raptor report issued a few weeks ago.
4) Here's the latest video from Wendy Bartter entitled 'chick antics':
The Project Team
38 comments:
Fabulous photos from David Naylor, will be interesting to see if you can find out where the new male comes from. You say a Red Kite was seen being chased off , I've never seen one there, but will keep my eye out, as I walk pass the Cathedral early every morning.
I think there are 2 females and a male within the chicks. Anybody else think so? They are devouring breakfast right now. They look so different.
Wonderful information as usual.Thank you so much.
Vicky pleased you saw them feeding as every time I have looked in they are adorably just watching the world go by.
Hi Kate, this year they seem to be allowed to help themselves quite often. But I am sure they like it better when they are fed by mom. I love watching them when I can. I am so thankful a friend in Derby told me about them a few years ago.
Super pleased and super excited to announce we have 2 perigines on our local church tower. Took my son this evening to watch them and he loved it. Spoke to the church earlier and they are talking about a nest box going up next year.
One of the chicks just hopped up on the ledge. Oh my goodness, my heart was just pounding. they sure can scare you. He didn't stay up long but it won't be long and they will be up there all the time.
That one went back on the ledge and is sitting there like its always been there. Another one tried to get up but just got up and right back down. The fun begins!!
The first one I saw on the ledge is now down and then the second one got up and came back down and has since tried again and the littlest one even got up for a few seconds. It is scarey watching them.
They're up and about and peering over the edge looking down below, they look really strong now, I wonder how they know will know when it's time to "take off" . Fascinating, it's addictive looking at them!
p only see one. It seems agitated. Did the other 2 fledge? I hope not. I was looking forward to watching a bit longer.
I finally see all 3.
First time I've seen two juveniles on ledge calmly watching the world go by and combined with some heart stopping wing flapping. Third one in corner of scrape eating some prey obviously brought in by parent. One on ledge then goes over and steals it and takes to other part of scrape. There doesn't seem as much quarrelling this year compared to other seasons especially one year when they were a real feisty group. I wonder how the 3 rescued chicks are faring, two in the Midlands and one in Salisbury. I still find it incredible that the parent birds accepted them so easily. A well deserved Happy Father's Day to our new tiercel, he's doing a sterling job raising his new family!
All 3 on the ledge right now. 2 looking out and 1 looking in. Yes, they were a feisty group 2 years ago. Last year 2 got pushed off by a sibling. Much calmer group this year. So nice to see all of them healthy and dad being so great and mom same as always. Good parents.
Just tried to view camera 1 message saying streamdays not available on this website, so tried camera 4 got picture, but it's not updating at intervals as usual, is there a problem?
All cams fine for me this morning @ 8:30am.
I can get all but 4. One of the chicks has climbed the wall and you can only see wings flapping now and then.
1 chick still climbing the wall. They all looked heat distressed an hour ago and now I can only see 1. Have 2 of them jumped ?
Sorry! ... Camera 4 found them all huddled in a tiny patch of shade
Has one gone? I've looked at all 4 cameras and can only see 2 and the parent all perched on the edge.
Realise now last post, it was the 3 young birds perched on the edge. Just watched camera 1 and one has definitely been knocked off the platform by another one! Watched it happen
One of the parent birds just brought fresh kill up and feeding them, no sign of the one that's got knocked off, but the parent was off quick, maybe feeding the other one somewhere?
Yes definitely only two left, one in scrape and one on ledge. Wonder if it would be old enough to use its wings to survive such a fall. Only hope someone can locate it if still alive before something untoward happens to it. Oh dear and everything seemed to be going so well with this year's group.
I see only 2 also. That is what happened last year. 2 of them or maybe 3 got knocked off by a sibling. One sat on the roof below for a couple days and then started flying on its onw. I hope the one that got knocked off is ok.
I still can't get cam 4.
Lets hope that the missing chick is soon spotted safe and well.
I too can't get any response from camera 4.
Chick being searched for....
Project team
Here is what Janet saw ... https://youtu.be/5RxPr4GXyiE
Fingers crossed, I thought that might happen yesterday in particular they were brushing each other with their antics. Let us pray that it is the stronger one.
Well reported Janet and thanks to our wonderful Wendy.
Thanks also to the team out on the ground.Good Luck and hope you will have some good news to report soon.
Hi all: the chick is sitting on a gutter that takes water from the new plastic shroud so it's safe for now anyway. Whether the adults will feed it so low down remains to be seen but it will survive with no food for a good while - probably days so no need to panic. We cannot get anywhere near the bird since the scaffolding below is all closed off on the N side of the tower. If the bird comes to ground the roofers and vergers and cathedral office are all primed and know what to do.
A holding box, garden gloves and cloth to throw over the bird to calm it down are all at the cathedral in readiness.
Thanks for the heads up Janet.
The Project Team
Well done the Team.
I think the other Two can see it as they keep looking down, with an interesting look about them.
I don't think they can see the fallen chick - it's on the northwest corner of the roof, and would be hidden from view. It's fine though - I've just checked on it, and it's very gently ambling about. Cathedral Vergers are checking on it half-hourly.
Well done everyone, what a relief let's hope the parents can perhaps drop some food down to it. At least everyone is well prepared now should it decide to come down safely. The others must be wondering what their sibling is up to - so long as they don't get any fancy ideas too!
Is it me or is there now only one on the scrape?
I can only see one chick. Can anyone say what has happened ? 🙀
Yes Kate and Jean it definitely looks as if there's only one left now. Does anyone know, without me looking it up, when they were supposed to roughly fledge? Think there should have been a longer period of wing flapping etc. Hope this latest juvenile is safe.
I think this all seems so fast this year as there has been much less communication this year. I remember so many more people talking back and forth reporting so much more. I hope both chicks are fine. best is they would go to the ground so more can be done for them but I am sure they will be found. they can't fly far I don't think. Thanks to all for the videos, pictures and comments.
I just checked my calendar on my computer and in 2015 the end chick fledged on June 19, altho they were all born earlier that year. That was the only year i wrote down the dates of the fledges. 2 had fledge on June 17th that year. So I guess if not completely ready these ones were close.
That should read the third chick.
Just seen the second chick fledge from the nest(not pushed!!) 20:06 hours, landed in the big tree opposite to the Silk Mill, seemed to land ok
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