UPDATE THURSDAY 17th MARCH
A fourth egg was spotted early this morning! Screengrab by Kate to whom many thanks:
Kate, our intrepid web cam watcher in Devon, spotted the third egg between 5 and 6pm today (14th March) and took this screenshot:
Quite some variety in colouration there.....we wonder what egg number four will look like!
It can be expected sometime during Wednesday night or during Thursday.
Incubation will then become a serious matter for our female who will do the bulk of the work.
Being a bigger bird than the male, her brood patch, where the feathers have fallen out to allow direct contact between the eggs and her bare skin, does a much better job at keeping them all warm than that of the male.
He will do all the hunting and bring food back for her.
She will leave her eggs briefly to feed and preen and the male will do his best to keep the eggs covered while she is away.
Then, often within the hour, she will return and bully the male off the eggs and take over again herself.
The Project Team
17 comments:
Well done Kate for that capture which I unfortunately missed!
I think this is the first year where all the eggs have been so different from each other. It will be interesting to see if the chicks hatch in the same order as the eggs have been laid.
Brilliant footage,thanks to all concerned.
4th Egg seen at changeover 06.43
and another variation of colour, to help with identification Chol:):)
I have a screen grab of the 4 eggs this morning at 6.17am
Tried to email it you but i am not allowed to
Same I tried to email but wasn't allowed
I have posted my screen grab in Flickr Derby Group.
Also as Nick posted a while back
Nick Brown said...
Hi Jessica: you can send your screenshots to peregrines@derbyshirewt.co.uk - that will reach us.
The project team
6 February 2022 at 12:30
also Flickr https://www.flickr.com/groups/derbyperegrines
Thanks Kate. I have finally worked out how to use Flickr!!
emails to peregrines@derbyshirewt.co.uk are returned as our email address is not on their approved list.
That's good Jean
I found Flickr to be difficult this year, and had to re join Doh!!If you click on the Photo you can add a comment,which I have done on yours.....
However and whatever, enjoy these lovely Birds, brought to us by the wonderful DERBY Team..Many Thanks to them all.
I'll try Flickr as never used it before, I tried to email my screenshot of the 4th egg early this morning but bounced back saying I wants on their list
Sorry re. peregrines@ address not working....no idea why not.
Try wildlifeenquiries@derbyshirewt.co.uk and see if that works.
The Project Team
Great news on the four eggs, they are a bit different in colour.
I have been nursing my dog after cataract surgery and it is very intensive care for a few weeks. I hope to find time to check in here.
I keep rescue chickens and sometimes the eggshell is speckled with blood from oviduct.other times not. 2 of the eggs seem to have blood striations on them. Interesting that chickens lay eggs of similar colour particular to individual girls. So it really will be helpful to identify individual chicks until hatching.
Just catching up for this season, interesting colouration of eggs this year. Phoebe hope your dog can see better after cataract op. must be difficult getting drops in. It’s my turn next month!
After many years of watching never realised female shed feathers underneath so skin touches eggs whilst incubating. Glad scrape was able to be cleaned just in time, well done team.
Thanks Heather, it is quite intensive care with numerous drops and pills throughout the day and night. She is getting there though.
You will see a 'brood patch' on many female birds during the nesting season to keep warm and close contact with the eggs.
Heather, I hope your surgery goes well 🤞 at least you won't have to wear a cone of shame!
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