Cromer Peregrines blog – Friday 31st March 2023
As today’s first blogger starts her shift the weather is reported as being a grey day with light drizzle and a gentle breeze....11 degrees
0900 hrs the tiercel is on the scrape, he is very still and faces to the right (East)
0943 hrs the tiercel calls, he is alert and looking about then gets off the eggs and flies away
0944 hrs the falcon flies in and settles facing away from the camera
0948 hrs she moves to settle facing outwards
1033 hrs She pecks at gravel to move a few pieces closer to her
1034 hrs the falcon stands up to peck at the gravel and rearranges herself back over the eggs
1040 hrs she is calling and looking about
1044 hrs she gets up and goes to the edge of the platform and flies off
1046 hrs there is calling off screen
1051 hrs the tiercel arrives back to the platform, bobs and settles over the eggs
1110 hrs the tiercel remains in the same position and is dozing, he appears quite relaxed
1112 hrs he bobs up and down trying to keep himself comfortable over the two eggs
1114 hrs more shuffling and scratching at the gravel in the scrape he settles facing right, east
1209 hrs he wakes and repositions himself facing towards the back of the box peering over his left shoulder
1225 hrs still in the same position the tiercel starts to peck at gravel
1232 hrs he stands, shuffles around for a minute then settles back down still facing the back and now looking over his right shoulder
1238 hrs he is up again moving the eggs and wriggling around to get comfortable. This time he is facing SE and looking out across the church roof
1239 hrs he moves and stands at the front of the box, pauses and then flies off in a southerly direction leaving us with a view of the two eggs sitting in the shade.
1246 hrs the falcon arrives back in the box and sets herself down on the eggs now facing towards the back left hand corner
1300 hrs as I end my shift the falcon is settled and appears relaxed keeping the eggs warm
1400 hrs the update from Whatsapp is that the falcon has remained here for the past hour
1405 he the falcon remains on the eggs, looks damp on the roof
1416 hrs the falcon is still sitting tight on eggs, it’s raining harder
1436 hrs the falcon looks round briefly
1439 hrs some stone pecking starts
1442 hrs the falcon stands up and the eggs are visible, the paler egg is moved next to the darker one and the falcon settles down on the eggs and all is quiet again.
1453 hrs the falcon preens his breast feathers briefly
1500 hrs there is a light break in the clouds to highlight the falcon
1516 hrs the tiercel can be heard off camera calling. Falcon looks up and around. Sun shining now.
1518 hrs more calling can be heard
1520 hrs the Falcon stands up, shuffles eggs and settles again. More calling off camera.
1530 hrs the Tiercel is calling off camera. Falcom sits tight.
1537 hrs Changeover, the Falcon leaves the nest, copulation can be heard in the background, the male comes back and covers the eggs.
1559 hrs the adult has turned round, it looks like the Tiercel
1648 hrs after a very quiet period the Tiercel, alarm calling, suddenly got up and left the platform
1650 hrs the Falcon arrived and moved the eggs around and then settled on them
1700 hrs Shift ended
Blog ends for the day.
Thanks today to our blog volunteers today - Debbie, Julia and James
About 12.40 on Friday I was on Tucker Street and saw 3 peregrines fly around the church tower. So we suspect they were off the nest to see off an intruder.