Friday 21 February 2020

A new season begins and an Update

Update Friday March 6th:
Nick Moyes abseiled down to the nest platform to clean the tray and camera lenses and fix a new microphone. The weather was good and he completed all the tasks successfully.

With the web cams soon to burst back to life, it is an appropriate time to start blogging again as we begin yet another breeding season.
Scroll down to read about the hard and complex work now being undertaken to get full connectivity.
It's not been easy but we a re almost there!
The only way to watch the cameras at the moment is to go up the tower to the small project control area where the monitor can be switched on. Nick Moyes has already observed some courtship display....so the omens are good for another successful breeding season.
Displays on the nest will continue increasing in intensity as the weeks progress. Mating will occur in March and the first egg should be laid either at the end of March or in early April.
Before then, Nick will abseil down to clean up the nest platform well before egg laying begins.


Nick Moyes prepares to clean the nest platform
To read (much) more about the project click on the various tabs at the top of the blog home page.

To see any of the 50+ you tube videos of the 'highlights' over the years (egg laying, the rearing of the chicks etc) search on YT for Derby Peregrines VC57  and scroll down the blog for links.

Male peregrine on the edge of the platform
Photo Graham Whitmore
The female falcon
Photo Colin Pass
More pictures and stories from the past will follow over the next few weeks.....

The project team this season consists of Lisa Witham (manager), Emma Wood (until April), Mike Goold (Watch Point Events), Sam Spickett (community work), Nick Moyes and Nick Brown.

Nick Brown
The Project Team

9 comments:

Kate said...

Thanks to Both Nick Moyes and yourself for updates,cant wait to be able to see The Derby Cathedral Peregrines.LIVE Cams

Really appreciate.
Kate

Unknown said...

Can't wait! Thanks for your work behind the scenes. Missed this so much last year.
Grateful thanks. Lynda

Wendy Bartter said...

Great news, thanks to all!

Unknown said...

Wonderful, I must come over and see them.

JANET MORLEY said...

That's great to hear it's all up and nearly running again and that the male has already been on the nesting platform!! Spring is here!!

Anonymous said...

Just been reading that one of the Belper Peregrines have been found shot dead :( what's the matter with some people ??????

Heather said...

Fingers crossed the Web Cams will be re-activated this year, missed the action very much in 2019.

Appalling news re Belper peregrine that died after 2nd pellet was being removed by those wonderful people trying to save him. What will happen to female now as heard the pair had been seen mating. Will she incubate eggs if any produced, but will have to leave nest to get food and presume they'll then no longer be viable? As interviewer commented "There needs to be far stiffer sentencing if perpetrators are ever found" unfortunately both are highly unlikely.

Wendy Bartter said...

https://twitter.com/TimBirchWild/status/1237531846860144640?s=19

Wendy Bartter said...

Please ignore that link, doesn't work ... should have related to news of a 2yr old Derby male wooing the female at Belper!