Surprise!

 As we worked behind the scenes to reconnect our web cameras for the 2021 season, we were surprised to be sent this screen grab from the IT team yesterday.  It shows we already have two eggs laid by our new female peregrine who usurped or replaced our old, experienced falcon last year.

We didn't think this new female had laid any eggs last year, until an eagle-eyed watcher commented that they could see a tiny  fraction of a white egg on the far side of the nest platform on one of our screen shots. But nothing came of it, nd we genuinely thought there had not been a breeding attempt.

But fast forward to 2021, and we knew we were racing against the season to get our internet connection restablished inside the Cathedral Tower. Last Friday, we plugged in the final cable to connect up the cameras to Derby City Council's network, prior to reconfiguring the cameras and assigning new IP addresses. At that time there was no sign of any egg-laying behaviour, though plenty of 'ee-chup, ee-chup' calling by the large falcon to the smaller, diminutive male.

Previously, Derby's peregrines have always laid much later than other peregrine nest cam projects. With a new female in the pair bonded, we now seem to be more normally timed.  But what has suirprised us is the one normally-coloured egg, and the second which appears almost pure white. Although peregrine falcon eggs to vary in colour, we've never seen this before at Derby, so will watch with interest over the next three days or so to see if other eggs are laid. Normally we've had a clutch of four eggs laid every single year, though three to four is generally expected for peregrines.

Finally, a word about our live webcameras: Well, these are on the way. An order was placed with Streamdays last night, and we hope to get this operational in the next 36 hours or so. It may take a little time to get the cameras placed on Derby City Council's website, but we'll endeavour to show them here, too.

As always, .. watch this space!

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