In good weather, the first of this season's Watch Point events took place on Saturday (25th May) with over 50 people attending.
Mike Goold (from DWT) took this photo of the falcon leaving the tower:
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| Legs trailing, the falcon sets off from the tower. Mike Goold |
And here's an Update on the second WP written by Joyce to whom thanks (on 29th May):
"Helen, Steve, Tony and Joyce welcomed 90 visitors to the first Wednesday Watchpoint on Cathedral Green today including a ‘Walking For Health’ group and families with children on half-term holiday. One lady was visiting from Sydney Australia!
The Chicks are too small to be seen yet, but here are the adults who treated us to some flights between the tower and Jurys Inn. The male flew off for a while on a hunting trip, but sat on top of one of the cameras on his return. We guessed that the female was keeping the chicks warm and well fed, as it was rather cool and breezy today for much of the morning. She did sit on the nest ledge for a while too, so our visitors had some good views".
Update on the third WP from volunteer Antony P:
Over 120 people attended today's watch point in what was (eventually) warm sunshine.. The chicks were fed twice in quick succession early on, first by the female and then by the male and both adults were around for much of the watch point frequently flying between the tower and the Jurys Inn to the delight of visitor and volunteer alike. We also got our first decent look at one of the youngsters as it sat next to 'Dad' for an hour or so with its head clearly showing over the edge of the platform.
Each year Derbyshire Wildlife Trust organises a series of Watch Point events on Cathedral Green, the grassy area behind the cathedral....and this year will be no exception.
Emma Wood has organised the rota of volunteers who will operate the Watch Points, set up the telescopes etc so that everyone can see the birds 'for real'. This will be especially important this year with no access to the web cams so far anyway...
Then they run every Wednesday and Saturday until 6th July.
Do please try to come along and say 'hello' both to our wonderful volunteers and to the birds themselves!
The Project Team
Please scroll down to read about the current state of play regarding eggs and chicks...…
(A visit to the cathedral today (31/5) to try to see on the monitor how many chicks we have proved fruitless because they had all moved out of range of the only camera that can be seen on the monitor half way up the tower...which is pointed at the side where the eggs were laid. So we are no wiser as yet!)
6 comments:
Great to hear all the progress that's being made; and that the watch points will be starting shortly;great stuff!����
Both adult peregrines were around for much of Wednesday's watch point. We had particularly good views of the male bird who spent a long time sitting on top of one of the cameras attached to the nest platform, surveying the surrounding area and keeping a close eye on the chicks below. He certainly is a very handsome and striking bird, with particularly clean markings and dark colouring on his head. The chicks were fed on at least two occasions, but as they are still quite young they were not visible from the ground below. The cool weather also meant that they were probably hunkering down on the platform. We had a steady stream of visitors throughout the morning who all enjoyed looking through the telescopes and seeing the birds up close. We were also treated to some fly pasts by both peregrines as they passed directly overhead a few times.
Glad the watch points are attracting so many people especially the children on half term. I've a horrible suspicion that we won't be getting any live pictures this season but wondered if The Team had any news re the connection problems?
Will the chicks be ringed this year?
Saturday 1st June - Watch point
Over 120 people attended today's watch point in what was (eventually) warm sunshine. The chicks were fed twice in quick succession early on, first by the female and then by the male and both adults were around for much of the watch point frequently flying between the tower and the Jurys Inn to the delight of visitor and volunteer alike. We also got our first decent look at one of the youngsters as it sat next to 'Dad' for an hour or so with its head clearly showing over the edge of the platform.
Antony P
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