Saturday, 4 May 2024

Growing fast

The three chicks will grow very fast and do so without getting a drink!
This screenshot by Margaret Cowley shows them very well as they are now:


And here is just one of Wendy Bartter's many YouTube videos showing a feed (at 6pm yesterday, May 3rd). To see others check out the comments at the foot of each post:


The speed of the chick's development is remarkable. In just seven weeks they will be the size of their parents and be ready to fledge. Artwork by crowartist.co.uk :





If you are a first time visitor to this blog, welcome! Please scroll down to read more of the story so far this year.

The Project Team
The project is managed by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust working in partnership with the Cathedral, Derby City Council's IT team and Cathedral Quarter.

92 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutely stunning..need names of derby past and present

Wendy Bartter said...

Lovely screengrab Margaret and the artwork is just fabulous! Our chicks are 6 & 7 days old and looking really good and strong ... here is part of the feed at 11.51 this morning
https://youtu.be/YxRTP5-5Eo4?si=xf2Qjjt_RhAFK0Sq

Wendy Bartter said...

Male brings in prey at 14.13 and feeds the female, wrong angle to see if chicks got any
https://youtu.be/4fnLlwQQlbk?si=C58GhDO-fE512GwM

Wendy Bartter said...

Here the female feeds the chicks at 16.08
https://youtu.be/E-bmcT_T_C0?si=tHKVkEJlradkBqgk

Wendy Bartter said...

They both bring prey but female thought his better than hers, both feed the chicks again
https://youtu.be/PJHPdgrIAfA?si=XqVhyVotQKqlda-D

Clare said...

The parents are doing so well this year, especially with 3 to feed! Will the chick's be ringed this year?

Nick DWT said...

Hi Clare: yes we hope so, when they are about 20 days old give or take.
Nick B

Anonymous said...

Such a privilege to be able to watch these amazing birds raising their chicks. Thank you so much to everyone who has made this possible - I really look forward to seeing how well they are doing each day and reading all the comments which keep me updated. Brilliant job.

Wendy Bartter said...

Female becomes a 'mumbrella' in this warm morning sun ...
https://youtu.be/Mjp-nSxa6yI?si=9La-dBTqy5an_3Ys

Wendy Bartter said...

Male brings prey at 13.42, outage for me and pick up at 14.00, not sure if same feed
https://youtu.be/QfV5CwReK9c?si=P-hcy8xeSwDUr2Jp

Wendy Bartter said...

Female brings prey at 14.49 can see her struggling to hold it in left foot ... at the end she gets very upset, alarm shreiking at an intruder??
https://youtu.be/0sX_W4xTdWk?si=muow2UZj8Ej4Z_U4

Anonymous said...

Interesting feed around 19.30. Dad brings in prey, looks like a starling, but it's still alive and flapping. Dad soon puts it out of its misery and starts plucking off it's feathers. Utter carnage. Just shows what killing machines peregrines are. Messy scrape now.

Jean said...

I also watched this feed and thought it was a starling. One of the chicks seemed to get the starling’s beak stuck in its mouth, haven’t been able to see if it has dislodged it…….

Wendy Bartter said...

Earplugs needed ... Mum screeches all the while male is feeding scrappy leftovers to chicks, only a short section of the 10 minute duration ...
https://youtu.be/rs0_o3_4HCg?si=0XBcEDdSt8w8UMfC

Wendy Bartter said...

One impatient mobile chick makes it's way to Mum as she plucks the prey, watch for his bulging crop after a while ...
https://youtu.be/-byel-xLfKc?si=kUPq_c-aXnczSs_P

Wendy Bartter said...

Have posted this feed below Jean, must watch it through after reading your comment, just looked at chicks and none appear to be suffering

Wendy Bartter said...

I see that the chick on the right took the beak then the one in middle back took it from this chick and was asking for more food with beak still in mouth but didn't get any and at end of feed still had the Starling beak in it's mouth

Wendy Bartter said...

This bit of footage follows on from where I ended the previous one, can see the beak still lodged when Mum comes back to cover it, fingers crossed it gets dislodged quickly
https://youtu.be/yUK0tWGFkZA

Merlin said...

All 3 chicks look well at 6.05, waiting for food...

Jean said...

Thanks for the footage Wendy, confirms what I was thinking!
Have been watching chicks this morning and they all seem to be ok, preening in the sunshine.
Not letting me get any good photos……..

Kate said...

Thanks for all updates and of course our Wendys live footage.

It is always scary and worrying when we see little ones , taking too big a bites of food, but thankfully under Mums watchful care inevitably survive.

Just snapped all three flat out as Mum sits on the ledge.

Wendy Bartter said...

The Starling's beak is visible just now in centre of scrape, have taken a pic to enlarge and include in next video!

Jean said...

Just added 3 pics to Flickr from latest feed 9.40
They all seem to have had a good meal judging by their crops.
Now all sleeping in the sunshine!

Wendy Bartter said...

Thanks for the pics Jean, chicks crops are noticeably fuller now ... here is footage of parts of those two early feeds close together at 09.43 and 10.03 showing the feisty little 'un pushing forward to get fed
https://youtu.be/tObrY84hCU4?si=ttVzuIiv3GKd9ki1

Anonymous said...

I saw an old video on YouTube from years back which showed the camera that's now showing tops of heads trained on other side of nest area. Why does it not still show this? The two cameras would cover the whole nest then.

Anonymous said...

17:00pm feed all getting fed

Anonymous said...

Fed at 20:15pm

Wendy Bartter said...

Male brings prey at 19.52 and feeds the female ...
https://youtu.be/-MetJEoe9YE?si=bjJdfD2SbRE8NomZ

Wendy Bartter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Margaret said...

Have you noticed the dead bird prey's leg with a green ring on it?

project team said...

Hi Margaret: this will be a ring from a domestic possibly racing pigeon which the falcons will catch. Being caught by a predatory bird like a sparrowhawk or peregrine is inevitable if people release birds into the wild....one of many hazards they face.

Wendy Bartter said...

I had to delete footage of that late meal yesterday as it had gone pear-saped, sorry for that!

Margaret said...

I am told that the leg is probably from a racing or domestic pidgeon....!

Wendy Bartter said...

Female feeds chicks at 14.11 ...
https://youtu.be/4DiV1eSgggU?si=aJolMIftLQUvPaqw

KATE said...


Thanks Wendy.

Wendy Bartter said...

Another feed at 16.19 from a larger piece of prey ...
https://youtu.be/BhQEwECHHoM?si=e9KhUDwM-rnXARKL

Danielle Harvey said...

It was so lovely to see the noisy chicks being fed their breakfast this morning. It automatically puts a smile on your face.

Thank you :)

Wendy Bartter said...

The feed at 18.21 that made the scrape such a mess, the whole feed so we can see if each chick got roughly the same amount ...
https://youtu.be/jMY7sgWimVA?si=EM1j63w2FlC6L9uc

Wendy Bartter said...

Mumbrella duties again but one chick gets too hot lying in the sun ...
https://youtu.be/8DwleWkHp9Y

Wendy Bartter said...

Chicks are following Mum to the front ledge ...
https://youtu.be/UHnENnhgTZY

Wendy Bartter said...

Footage of a long feed in double time at 12.46 ...
https://youtu.be/7ScJsyAeCSY

Wendy Bartter said...

Two short feeds followed, chicks not too interested in food
at 14.04
https://youtu.be/f7dNGexezgk

and 15.34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRQOFlJFs2c

Emma said...

Just watched the babies having a good feed. I can’t believe the size of their crops. It’s amazing they manage to fit that much in and survive!

Wendy Bartter said...

It's the size of portions and amounts of feathers they than cope with already that amazes me Emma!

Anonymous said...

Three peregrines and a gull having a scrap over Darley Abbey right now, great entertainment

Wendy Bartter said...

Some chick feather pics and see them strolling around again, so confident!
https://youtu.be/wsqsHfrSKMU?si=n-2zPDLaWnX0z-4F

Wendy Bartter said...

Most of the feed at 13.56, unfortunately lost transmission towards the end ...
https://youtu.be/MgAvIA_UmkY?si=xYlYmYpUHMWGYfB9

Anonymous said...

Wow, the scrape is so messy. Do the parents ever clean it up? Genuine question!

Wendy Bartter said...

Another feed at 19.50 where female brought in rather large prey item and left it in scrape at the end

https://youtu.be/CRy1eY0yaQQ?si=b6DZ_XW8FGXTrV7F

Anonymous said...

Doesn't seem that they do. The flies buzzing around amazes me the birds don't end up with fly strike. Must stink as well. No wonder the babies grow up fast. Can't wait to get some fresh air!

Anonymous said...

Walked past the cathedral this morning. Stepped over a headless pigeon. Wonder if it was one of our peregrine's meals. Could hear them clearly.

Wendy Bartter said...

Feed at 12.56 didn't interest one of the three chicks, it stayed in the corner but as I'm typing this I can see it joining in the current feed ...
https://youtu.be/E3P2Bw8m4UA?si=OkNgwat7pwF4HCP1

Wendy Bartter said...

All three were up for the feed at 15.25 with one forward chick trying to help itself after Mum had left ...
https://youtu.be/CM4xStoZavw?si=cGXZqHbQpfGy0e43

Wendy Bartter said...

Some very distressing new from Kingston College Peregrines ... yesterday the female sufferred a catastrophic injury to one of her feet and eventually went to ground where she was luckily spotted and caught ... a vet gave emergency treatment and she was seen by an experts today ... the very sad decision was made that it would be kinder to euthanise her ... in the meantime the male has stepped up and been regularly feeding the chicks ... a decision on how to go forward will be made tomorrow!
The whole sorry story is on X for those who have access!

Wendy Bartter said...

Good feed at 19.38 after male brought in prey and female tugged it from him ...
https://youtu.be/NeBOl0Qd6kk?si=5Z_PYYTNpqMWQ2aF

Anonymous said...

Brilliant feed today at 10.30am looked like a little kingfisher was brown and a nice light blue with a longish beak so I googled it...parent stepped onto the other side of the scrape after feed and the bigger one of them all ate a big bit off the floor and was struggling a little parent noticed and came over and took it out of its mouth and shredded it smaller and fed them... they never fail to amaze me these beauty of birds...they are so clever

Wendy Bartter said...

Thanks for your observations of that feed, I was aware of it but unfortunately wasn't able to record at that time

Wendy Bartter said...

Chicks on the move again ...
https://youtu.be/LEM8qxeobbc?si=cn_GtfU86UUsiPyT

Wendy Bartter said...

Female feeds the chicks at 15.28 ...
https://youtu.be/mOs1EqCHKT0?si=asjG33rqX1h_aVf_

Swift Class said...

The chiks are growing fast. we can see their fethers starting to grow and their legs luk strongir legs.

Anonymous said...

Empty platform, presume they're on the other side where the 2nd camera used to point but now doesn't.

Merlin said...

They were being fed on the other side half an hour ago- perhaps they are fed up of the mess!

Anonymous said...

Where have chick's gone please can't see them.

Wendy Bartter said...

The chicks made their way to the other scrape when food was brought in at 15.42, a long feed and the chicks have so far not returned to where we can see them although can just see some white fluff on cam #1 ...
https://youtu.be/acNm8gUJFJw?si=aUXYr476sBDSOTHd

Anonymous said...

Wanted to see how the chicks are after overnight torrential rain. So disappointing that the second camera doesn't point to the other scrape. Seem to remember the same problem last year.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Something weird in front of camera one. Any ideas what it is?

Anonymous said...

It's not a peregrine that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

Could it be a snail. Maybe it absnailed down 🤣

Anonymous said...

All back in the scrape again. Mum looks very wet

Wendy Bartter said...

Does look like an alien creature but just a collection of water maybe caught in a cobweb!

Anonymous said...

A good feed at 11.15

Wendy Bartter said...

Poor wet female feeds the chicks at 11.12, longfeed with Male eating in the scraoe at the end ... https://youtu.be/aLPeSonZgRs?si=PFCz1qwyTwVIYMG9

Wendy Bartter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Yes Wendy, no live stream available for me also.

Anonymous said...

Why the cameras turned off and why is there two people dangling on ropes by the nest. I thought you wasn’t aloud to disturb the next whilst young are there ??

Anonymous said...

Cameras are back on and we now have a better view. Looks like the scrape has had a tidy up too.

Jean said...

Chicks just had a good feed.
Not only have we been cleaned up, we now have orange rings!!
Just added 3 pics to Flickr

KATE said...


There is usually ALWAYS a reason, doesn't have to be doom and gloom.

We are very lucky to have such a dedicated Team who endeavour to assist us armchair viewers.

Thanks Jean for pics I have not been around much today.

Jessica Kilmurray said...

Don't worry, these were the professionals from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, doing a fantastic job of looking after the chicks and nesting platform

Jessica Kilmurray said...

Please don't complain, the team at Derbyshire Wildlife do all of this on their own time and often using their own resources. Without them there would be no peregrines on the Cathedral tower, let alone a 24/7 live stream

Mrs Lee said...

Do we have any info on weights or sex of the chicks do you know Wendy? Did they take the egg too?

Mrs Lee said...

Sorry, Jessica

Anonymous said...

Jessica Kilmurray I'm sure peregrines in Derby are perfectly capable of existing without input from humans, I'm not sure why no-one is allowed to criticise anyone these days without someone coming in wagging an internet finger and telling us to be grateful.

Anonymous said...

Do platforms in other places offer more shelter overhead to avoid nests being soaked or are they all open to the elements?

Wendy Bartter said...

So pleased to hear that the chicks have been ringed and look forward to some lovely pictures and finding out what varieties we have! A bit of a letdown with further feed video as my laptop is having a hissy fit and refusing to process anything ... have to let it and myself cool off and maybe can salvage something later on ... ITM am off to look at Jean's flickr pics!

Anonymous said...

Think we should probably be considering not responding to anonymous. We have had similar problems in previous years and the best course of action has always be to ignore. I am sure all genuine bloggers on this site are aware of the dedication and care of everyone involved, and it is easy to become involved in playing their games!! Chris Marshall

WENDY WOODS said...

First time commenter.
May I say how much I'm enjoying watching this webcam. I found it after getting bored watching my local one, (Rochdale Town Hall) as our mother is still sat on eggs!
Looking at others around the country I'd say these in Derby are the oldest chicks.
Hope something happens soon in Rochdale!

Wendy Bartter said...

Pleased to hear that you are enjoying watching the Peregrine family here, the first chicks to hatch were at FaB, Charing Cross Hospital!

Wendy Bartter said...

Nice pics Jean which I believe are from this long feed at 17.42 (sorry it ends abruptly as lost transmission) ...
https://youtu.be/CHC1f7Z8rSQ?si=u6Pwe5UF5xu3iUp4

Jean said...

Yes Wendy they were from the 17.42 feed…

project team said...

Please make future comments to the new blog post and not to this now old one.
Thanks
The project team