The watch point went well, after a fairly quiet start. The chicks were seen preening a lot of the time and doing some vigorous wing flapping, which sent clouds of fluffy white down floating from the tower. All three chicks could be seen and the difference in size between them was quite noticeable, even from the ground. One of the youngsters was very bold and perched on the edge of the nest platform for a while. The adults were around on and off throughout the morning. One of them sat on the Silk Mill chimney giving us some good views. Some food was eventually brought in by the female after she appeared to retrieve it from a cache on the other side of the tower. It was immediately grabbed from her by one of the chicks, although the adult bird soon took charge again.
Report on the Watch Point Saturday 2 June:
The adult birds were around for much of the time during today’s watch point, either on the tower or on the nearby hotel lettering. The female could be seen sitting above the nest platform on the left hand side of the tower, keeping a close watch on the chicks below, but often out of view of the cameras. The chicks were quite active and it was great to be able to see them through the telescopes. There were at least two fluffy white heads appearing above the edge of the nest box at regular intervals. The chicks were fed just before lunchtime and again later in the early afternoon as we were packing away. The weather remained fine and the watch point was busy, with many visitors coming from further afield, including New Zealand, Iran and the Ukraine, as well as Portsmouth!
Thanks to Helen and to Antony (our volunteers today).
Next WPs: Wednesday 6th and Saturday 9th.
Ringing the chicks
With several alterations to plans due to the rain today (30th May), the chicks were finally ringed in the early evening.
Nick M abseiled down and lowered the chicks in a rucksack and they were ringed inside the cathedral tower by Chloe and Dave, both experienced and licenced ringers.
The chicks were noisy and feisty and obviously in good health.
Their weights were 545 gms (the male) and 815 and 665 (the two much bigger females).
The unhatched egg was recovered and will be sent for analysis.
If you wanted to see video footage - Alex Rock from the cathedral captured film and put it on the Cathedral's Facebook site.
Here are some stills and screenshots:
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| Nick M abseils down and reaches the chicks |
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| One of the chicks about to be ringed |
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| Colour ring in place, just the metal BTO ring to go on |
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| All three safely back in the nest |
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| The female is soon back to check on her chicks |
The project Team
62 comments:
Congratulations to Nick M and all concerned for managing to ring the three chicks this year, especially with the weather taking a turn for the worse. Interesting to see the difference in weights between the little male and the largest female. The expressions on the chicks faces were quite amusing and it seemed mum returned fairly soon after the ringing to make sure all was well - I wonder if after all these years she's used to the procedure.
Morning Heather
Like you pleased all went well and Humans as well chicks all safe.
Thanks Team for all your efforts.
Thank you and well done to all on the ringing team. It was done, as usual, quickly and efficiently with the minimum disturbance to the birds.
Amazing pics, thanks to all concerned for safe & efficient job done!
Marvellous, what a thrill for you to actually handle the three 'fluffy' balls. Be interesting to see the results of the egg analysis. Thanks to the ringing team for their work.
Brilliant video from Derby Cathedral on Facebook - those chicks were so vocal!!
Can you tell us the Darvic ring numbers of each of the chicks please?
Morning all
Like Joyce will await the ring numbers, which I am sure will soon be forthcoming.
For those ( Like me) not on social media, this link will take you post re Video, which can be viewed by all.
https://en-gb.facebook.com/derbycathedral/videos/1835656096494292/
These three bundles love being on the slate side CHOL:):)( So thanks for all the different Cam views, appreciated.
I'm guessing the ring numbers might be 033, 034 and 035 if they follow on from previous years, but I don't know for sure.
Chicks very lively ver early this morning ...https://youtu.be/yGYmH_l98dY
Feeding time, with very large prey! One lucky girl seems to be getting lots!
Looks like the little boy with his Mum copying her actions as she looks out over her area (correct me if wrong)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvVqj6KvDpw
Hi Wendy, Think it's the little male alone at the slate end of the scrape playing with a feather and showing too much interest in the world outside for my liking. No parent present at moment and sisters huddled at far end. At least it's not so hot as yesterday, MrsP kept turning round with wings fully outstretched as if protecting chick from heat but there wasn't one underneath. When female chick did go over there was no room underneath so waddled back to far side of scrape to rejoin others. Wondered if adults adopt this behaviour to just keep themselves cool?
HI All: thanks for your comments and apols for late response.
Ring numbers quoted by Helen are correct.
Heather: birds will splay wings in a behaviour called 'sunning' which is linked to feather condition maintenance so maybe she was doing this independently of any intention to shade her chicks...hard to say!
Nick B
Hi all
Little worried just checked all cameras and can only see 2. :(
Hi all.
No worries head count now 3
anyone know what the coloured disks on the platform are??
Morning all
Chicks becoming very active, scary times ahead , just hope they all fledge safely and enjoy a good life.
@Iain.
Re coloured discs. these are probably leg rings from Prey caught,and are usually collected and noted, after fledging, when at sometime our dedicated Team clean the scrapes for next year.(The laws of the wild with all families needing food).
A treat today seeing the three together in close-up ...https://youtu.be/uNVip87hkWM
Finally, the Nottingham pair have stopped sitting on the egg. I was getting more and more sad watching them trying to hatch the egg.
just checked on the chicks. I haven't seen them in 8 days as computer was down. My goodness they have grown and one is almost all dark feathers. In 3 or 4 weeks they will fledge! They are alone right now. 2 are preening and 1 is looking out over the city.
Just been watching the chicks. No 1 chick was obviously on guard duty and intently watching all the activity below. Suddenly she/he stood up and raised its huge beautiful and powerful looking wings. Thankfully it didn't do an exploratory flight!
One of the female chicks spending long time consuming prey that was probably dropped into scrape by parent, all part of the learning curve. Both females still have quite a lot of white fluffy feathers to get rid of compared to their brother who lost his awhile ago.
Sheffield chicks performing amusing antics flying onto roof of scrape, and the two Rutland chicks thriving on a plentiful diet of fish.
Wonder if The Team have any news of the unhatched egg that was recovered from scrape whilst ringing the chicks. Is it sent off somewhere for analysis, eg to see if embryo inside?
Web cam #1 not working for me.
I went to another browser and now I see them. Wonderful little birds. Preening of course. Its funny to watch the fluffy feather fly away as they preen. I guess the little boy was born first as he has the most permanent feathers. His face looks funny because it still has lots of fluff.
Anxiety building now as chicks getting more daring ...https://youtu.be/lL36_dk1X68
Strange that the little boy looks almost ready, while the 2 girls are still fluff balls!
Know what you mean Wendy the male chick's favourite place seems to be balancing on the edge of the scrape and from your video trying out even more terrifying manoeuvres. Not the shy little male we've usually seen in some years, perhaps because he was probably the first to hatch out. At present they're calling out presumably for lunch and the male is on ledge in corner but with female sibling right behind him, only needs her to give him a nudge......!
I see Sheffield's fledgling got itself into a spot of bother but despite being slightly concussed managed to get back to the scrape ok.
All cams working again, though the pic on Cam 1 made my heart miss a beat, as could only just make out the third chick, at the bottom among the feathers Doh!
Thanks Nick M for prompt attention to cam rectification.
Thanks for letting us know Kate & well done Nick M for getting it sorted for us!
We can worry some more now Heather as we watch their scary antics!
Yes, thanks for getting all working again. Male chick is sitting on the ledge. Females are still waiting. It will all be over so soon.
Looks like all 4 cameras are not working 8.30pm
Blank screen on cameras 1, 2, and 3 however 4 showing picture but frozen at 15.57. Seem to remember we had camera problems one year at fledging time so hopefully our marvellous Team will be able to sort things out once more.
Still same cam problems as Heather describes!
None of the webcams are working except 4 and it is frozen.
All came are still down this morning :(
Cams*
All down unable to watch been down since yesterday 😪
All of the webcams are down, 1 2 and 3 say 'file not found' and 4 has a picture but is frozen at 15:57 yesterday
To whoever? Thank you for getting all the cameras operational again.
Many thanks to the Team for sorting out the gremlins in the works and all webcams now operational. Little male on sentry duty as usual.
Can only see 2 chicks am I missing one
Sorry didn't realise the eldest was on he lege
Good to have cams back & see all three still there although more grown-up one on ledge looks ready to go ...https://youtu.be/AguuQeaWk8w
Cam 1 starting and stopping. Chicks are getting so big.
Same scenario, different location ...https://youtu.be/ME0XJOy5NoQ
Cameras 1 2 3 down 4 appears frozen at 11.59
We have alot of swifts around our school but we dont have any peregrins. which is faster, a peregrine or a swift? We think a peregrin is faster when they're in a stoop but we're not not sure when they're flying level. Next week its swift week.
The gremlins are back as Denise has mentioned! Male chick looks as if it could fledge any moment, much wing flapping and flying from one end of scrape to the other.Yesterday MrsP was in scrape feeding male chick who was in favourite position on edge but facing inwards creating some heart stopping moments as she lunged towards him. He seems to keep aloof from his sisters and unlike the usual timid males we've seen in the past. Hope he survives to bring up a family of his own as he seems to be a strong specimen.
One of the chicks has been sat of the edge of the roof at the back of Bennetts all afternoon. Looks very uncertain now he has left the nest, almost panicking! Wildlife Trust have been informed :-)
Just got back home after a couple of nights away to find no cams transmitting again & it looks as if we have missed a fledge! Pleased to know that aid is forthcoming!
Has one of the bird fledged already, i only see two of them.
Been down to have a look tonight but no sign, In fact no sign of any birds on the tower (the chicks would be hunkered down anyway)...and just one adult on Jurys.
Nick
I'm afraid the cams won't be back on now until next week sometime since we rely on the council and its IT support company and they don't work over the week end. They were alerted to the problem during the week so hopefully will get onto it on Monday.
Meanwhile, apologies....
Cam 1 is working and 2 of the chicks are sleeping. I have seen 3 cars move thru the screen so it is live but slow. Hard to tell if 3 chicks there.
Just the 2 girls on the scrape looking out over the city. Stretching their wings. They still have a bit of fluff so I doubt they will fledge before Monday.
One just finished a snack and there is a bit left. The other was on the other side of the scrape but may have eaten too. They do look good.
Morning Vicky
Cams ok for me can see the two looking out, no idea where the third maybe? not on the ledge underneath as yet.
Just hope all will be safe.
The one with the least fluff left put her foot on the ledge just a bit. Then let it slide off awhile ago. Thought she might try to hop on but I guess she isn't ready. Too bad all the fun will soon be over.
Apologies Cams Page 123 but 4 stuck.
certainly only Two on Scrape.
When I drove past Jury’s Inn around 05:45, there looked to be a peregrine on the roof
Woken up now & on the move again ... so good to have cams back, thanks guys!
https://youtu.be/CPYt5LYCYcE
Only Have page 3 cam ... 1 & 4 not working, 2 is obscured mostly!
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