Update Saturday evening - egg number three appears!
Update Thursday morning: a SECOND EGG was laid early this morning, spotted by Jean. With luck we'll have a full clutch of four by sometime on Monday.
Update: we have our first egg today (10th), a whole week earlier than in 2024!
It was spotted this afternoon by eagle-eyed regular web cam watcher Kate down in Devon. Here's her screen grab:
And here's a video captured by Wendy Barrter clearly showing the egg which seems to have been laid just before 3pm.
Go to the comments to see many more videos posted to YouTube by Wendy.
On 3rd March, Dave Farmer, who is a regular photographer of our birds spent three hours down at the Cathedral watching them and taking photos.
He wrote:
"I arrived at 11.50am. At 1.45 action ensued.
The male was perched on the right hand lead rain spout looking quite relaxed.
 |
| The male on the lead spout. Dave Farmer (easyphotography.co.uk) |
He left suddenly to chase away a second female which he did really easily.
Whilst he was doing that the "real" (resident) female took up station on the nest platform. She was continually scanning the sky.
The resident female keeps a wary eye. Photo: Dave Farmer
(easyphotography.co.uk )
As this was my first visit this year, I don't know if mating has taken place but I think the odds are that it has."
Thanks so much Dave!
Scroll down to the previous post to read about the abseil to clean up the platform and see the comments below it which include links to the video clips that Wendy Bartter makes and puts on YouTube for us.
The Project Team
This project is managed by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust with support from its partners, The Cathedral, Cathedral Quarter & Derby City Council's IT team.
The project is celebrating its 20th year! There have now been OVER 5 million hits to the web cams and blog since 2007!
Thanks so much Dave!
Scroll down to the previous post to read about the abseil to clean up the platform and see the comments below it which include links to the video clips that Wendy Bartter makes and puts on YouTube for us.
The Project Team
This project is managed by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust with support from its partners, The Cathedral, Cathedral Quarter & Derby City Council's IT team.
The project is celebrating its 20th year! There have now been OVER 5 million hits to the web cams and blog since 2007!
64 comments:
Thanks Team for new Blog post, and of course grateful thanks to Dave for his wonderful on site photos,
They are truly appreciated Dave.First of many we hope.
Hi thanks for that, can i ask how do i tell the difference between male and female from the ground below the nest? I regularly walk past n see one perched on it :)
Hi Laura, it can be tricky to tell the difference when you see a single peregrine on it's own, but the female is much larger than the male bird. He is typically about a third smaller than the female, and less 'bulky' looking. In this case, I think the male is also darker, particularly around his head. It can be hard to gauge size from the ground but I tend to compare them with a fixed object when they are perched on the tower e.g. the height of the platform, or
a piece of stonework. That way, over time you get a feel for which one is the larger female/smaller male. It is easier when they are together! I hope that helps.
Laura . Whilst walking past the cathedral the birds look very small to our eyes and when the shade is pronounced it’s even harder to spot them. Seeing them perched side by side is a rare event. The males white bib extends from the chest towards the stomach area more than it does on the female and that’s how I tell them apart from ground level.
Next time you are passing and you see someone with a “big” camera in the car park, that’s likely to be me.
Great pics Dave, glad you are with us for the new season
A whoopsie from me being on the wrong page again yesterday ... some footage to show that I have sound back again on my best software ...
https://youtu.be/4oEOdwoSIUc
Just about managed to catch this bonding session ... with sound, yippee!
https://youtu.be/JvIZfcStn2E
Footage from this afternoon shows our female in the scrape then a very brief visit from the male ...
https://youtu.be/dIm39_OEt9U
Female can just be seen perching on slate scrape ledge still at 21.00, she is showing signs of being near to egg laying as she spends more and more time on the scrapes
Sweet sounds from the scrape this morning ...
https://youtu.be/ZZjYb49lwCw?si=9_088AdFA8A95G4N
Is that an EGG? she has her foot resting on as she sleeps?
P.S.not her foot just very large pink/red marking, she has now tucked it under her.My pic Flkr.
Well spotted Kate! Now for the other three! Well not now but at roughly two day intervals......
Nick B, Project Team
Certainly is Kate, just eciting footage now!
Saw it at this changeover but not quite captured
https://youtu.be/vAHeXtWCPIw?si=a5TsNEo7E-Lylpcp
Well done Kate!
Meant to say 'saw FIRST EGG at changeover but didn't manage to capture it this time!' Was sooo eggscited!
Very well done Kate ... some footage of our female with her egg ...
https://youtu.be/rp7Jv9HT_Yw?si=DxGCUVTilE5RTKsA
FaB have fourth egg today, I did report the first three on previous page!
I think this footage shows that our FIRST EGG was laid as early as 14.54 this afternoon ... what do you think?
https://youtu.be/RxqB-_S3yvo
The female doesn't seem sure what to do with the egg?
A very colourful first egg compared to last year's ...
https://youtu.be/mHg8KP_4znA?si=7v6satueGetpKzi5
She will remember very quickly anon ... saw her sleeping covering the egg fully last evening although it doesn't need to be dedicatedly incubated yet ... egg/s will often be seen uncovered until third one is laid! When the male came in for changeover soon after first egg was laid he quickly covered it for a while, was good to see!
A reminder of just how pale last year's eggs were ...
https://youtu.be/C1lnLwX1SYw?si=bijt_i5nv8ZsdSst
To give a timeline of egg laying, last year's eggs were laid on March 17th at 12.04, 20th between midnight & 07.36, 23rd at 04.45, 25th/26th overnight !
Male pays a short visit, looks at egg for a while then zooms off ... later she is calling out again, maybe she sees him above and wants some food, there is a tail visible in slate scrape but can't see what's going on!
https://youtu.be/w1U15zBiqVo
Wendy Thanks for the egg dates..Incidentally I have posted this egg on Flickr showing distinct pattern and darker other half.
Male finally gets the message and brings her some prey which she eats in the slate scrape ...
https://youtu.be/pIIPrrT-T4Y
Thanks Kate, just been to have a look & see what you mean but still a lot darker generally than previous 2 years ... maybe a sign that she is maturing?
Looks as if the second egg will be another overnight one if last year's timings are followed?
They both fly in at 17.50 and have a little chat but male soon leaves, female settles on the egg! Edit at 20.29 ... She has looked like laying a couple of times but no reveals and now she is sleeping??
https://youtu.be/QfSsWBqJSIw
Still only one egg at 22.00, she had a short break but is back stretched out on the egg🤔😴
Second egg laid 6.39am!!
Thanks Jean, well spotted!!
Nick B
Have uploaded photo. 2nd egg paler in colour.
Yes I see 2nd egg alot lighter than the 1st
Well spotted Jean, I overslept this morning.CHOL:):) will go check Flickr Yay!!
Many thanks for the photo of the SECOND EGG Jean, good to have an accurate timeline ... I captured this footage at 06.24 which shows only the one egg ... obviously wished I'd recorded for longer but it was freezing cold here!😣
https://youtu.be/OtMNp3Eid2A?si=JGDvS5hna1gF-T4F
Himself just arrived to change over, but she having none of itHa!! squawking to get him to go get some breakfast, which eventually realises and scoots 08.32 iish
Poor little male being berated by screeching female, think she wants him to get her some breakfast ...
https://youtu.be/07xTACrZrMs?si=AK_FmkPu8nvmJqpS
Snap!! Definitely need ear defenders for footage below!🤣
I’m so excited for the second egg being laid this morning, as it’s my birthday!!
Definitely a special treat for your birthday, enjoy the rest of your day🎉🎂🍾🍸
Some action footage from today especially for those of you who were unable to watch, although our female has been resting covering the eggs for most of the day, even sleeping a couple of times ...
https://youtu.be/_Uw_zxryxzY
https://youtu.be/cJtEWOKsAHA
https://youtu.be/G6Onx0PIx1I
https://youtu.be/Gyr-pEirkAs
we are suprised to see two eggs or redy. We hav seen the mayl and feemale together. We hope to see mor eggs next week.
Hi Tiggywinkle Class, good to have you joining in on here, we are hoping to see another egg sometime on Saturday... More footage to see regarding the changeovers today ...
https://youtu.be/pEbvgsAi6A0
https://youtu.be/wQVscF0K-ME
Peaceful changeover 08.13 or 08.20 (depending which cam you watch as not in sync Ha!!)
Still TWO eggs.
Hi Kate, pleased you saw the eggs as we are on watch for a possible third one sometime today ... was 63 hours between first & second egg and now it's coming up for 51 hours since second egg laid, hopefully will be in daylight hours ... if my maths correct🤔
Still two eggs at 10.38
At 12.20 our female is very restless, picking & poking in the scrape, just settled on the two eggs again! Keep a lookout 👀
4.55 pm and she's back on two eggs after a short break!
A telling sign a moment ago in that instead of leaving the nest she just backed up to the ledge to poo over it, then back to eggs!
I'm pretty sure there's 3 eggs now eeeekkkkkk
Yep! Natalie........Wendy just checking for a vid. I saw a glimpse,pity the other cam is dark, but hey ho all looking good .
I thought I saw a glimpse of a third egg about 19.33 but difficult to see in black and white!!
You were not seeing things Jean ... here is footage showing, I believe, her laying the THIRD egg at 19.27 and turning to show us the tiniest glimpse, YIPPEE!!
https://youtu.be/4j5rKUI59JE
Thank you Wendy…… she certainly looks more settled now!!
Certainly is, laid at 19.27
She had to shuffle a bit to work out how to get three under her as she was backed right in the corner!😀
Morning all. well his patience paid off, he was standing on the slate side, then as soon as she left the eggs he shot over to start incubate. Ha!! Phots on Flickr.
So pleased that you caught that changeover Kate, there another later when female returned but I missed that ... she us currently on the eggs calling out ... interesting to see the pale colour of third egg, wonder what the fourth one will be?
61 hours between 2nd and 3rd egg, on that timeline it could be around 8a.m. on Tuesday for the 4th one🤔🤯
Fabulous thanks for that, i will certainly try :)
Thanks for the reply. Yeh i always try zoomin in on my fone camera lol n then i switch to the webcams to see if i can tell but it certainly is not an easy thing to spot haha
Post a Comment