It was good to see some familiar faces and to meet some people who have supported the project over the years for the first time (a special hello to Lynda who has been a staunch supporter of the project for many years and who had to get three buses to get there! It was great to meet you at last!).
The next WP is on Wednesday 30th, same times, same place. It's half term so bring the whole family down!
The first of our usual series of Watch Points (WP) begin THIS SATURDAY May 26th on Cathedral Green behind the cathedral on Full Street.
there are plenty of car parks nearby and some street parking (but it is all metered).
So if you live anywhere near, do come down and meet our super volunteers and Marc Whitlock from the Trust (he'll be bringing all the gear down with him from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's HQ where it is stored).
WPs start at 11 am and run on until about 1.30 depending on whether there is much to see and how tired the volunteers are by then.
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| A 2017 Watch Point - note the roof is now finished and there is no white plastic 'shroud' over it |
It is WEATHER DEPENDENT so if it is really wet it won't happen. Also be aware that it gets very hot standing on the Green so do come prepared with skin protection, hats etc.
We have telescopes which will allow you to see the birds 'close up' and by the weekend we expect the chicks to be just big enough to poke their heads above the front of the nest platform.
Subsequently, WPs will take place every Wednesday and Saturday morning until Saturday 7th July.
Meanwhile the chicks are growing fast, fed on the 'Atkins diet' - ie all meat - and not even any water (they get what they need from the meat unbelievably!). The first feather 'pins' will soon start to appear and they will get a bit less appealing to look at!
Wendy Bartter captured this video yesterday:
Hope to see some of you at a WP during the summer....
The project team
13 comments:
Looks like the left-overs of prey on the scrape and the egg is out in the open. She is no longer incubating it. It was quiet during the night. One adult covering the chicks, the other came back for a second and took off again. Possibly forgot to bring an early breakfast and went back to get some.
I just watched a feeding. The little guy got some first then one of the girls just got right in there taking big pieces from mom. The second girl had been turned around and just couldn't turn herself around to get fed. I'm sure she will get her fill next time. Mom left with the prey.
I hope to get to the Watchpoint on Saturday and I might even bump into the lovely birder I met yesterday in Aylesbury! We met on the top floor of the m/s carpark serving the Travelodge where he was staying during a few days work in Aylesbury, I was looking through binoculars at the Aylesbury Urban Peregrine Project (which I was pleased to be able to show him) He spoke up very quickly to sing the praises of the Derby Project telling me he was a Derby man and a member of Alveston birders. I agree 100% with him that Derby is the best one bar none, such a beautifully run project engaging, delighting and educating thousands of people.
The peregrines hav grown a lot more and are getting bigger. We have a nest in school in a tree it’s a collard dove yesterday it was windy and the nest was blowing about. Sometimes we can see the birds tail. It isn’t the same as the peregrine nest because the peregrine nest is made out of stones and the dove nest is made out of twigs and fevers. The peregrine eat a lot a but we can not see the doves eating. We don’t think the doves have chicks yet.
Female chick attempting to brood failed egg at 0946 !
Is that a blue ring on the leftover leg of their prey?
MrP arrived on scrape short time ago without food. Lovely shot of him on Webcam Page 2, he really is a very hansome specimen. One female chick doing her own thing, stretching wings and not wanting to be with the other two. Can't believe how much they've grown and those talons......! Hope egg doesn't get crushed when they all start wandering about.
I haven't seen them for a few days and have they ever grown. One female is over on the other side. Soon they will be a different color completely.
Anne in Allestree
Just been watching, one of the chicks is almost attempting to go through to the other side where mum is taking a well earned rest. She has one eye watching them anxiously and maybe wishing that they would go back to sleep! Last night's lightning storm doesn't seemed to have frightened them at all.
Adult brought a pigeon in at 16.17, two biggest had their fill before smallest's one had a chance to start to be fed. That one was then suitable bulging in its crop in a few minutes. looks like one pigeon is easily filling them at this stage.
16.42 after force feeding the last mouthfuls to all the chicks, adult picked up remains and fly away with it
Biggest chick feeding it's self and trying to fly inside the nest box amazing how fast and big there growing
The chicks are on the far side sleeping and mom is sitting on the ledge at the other end.
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