0000 hrs a bit breezy on the tower, Midnight finds the adult female in the box, facing West, with the chicks for a change. She has only just arrived. The chicks are asleep in the NW corner. She looks around, has a bit of a preen but very little movement for 2 hours.
0202 hrs the adult female moves to the front of the box, standing on the ledge, her feathers giggling. The chicks are a black and white mound of feathers & fluff in the corner.
0204 hrs the female takes off into the night sky.
0217 hrs VXN spreads her wings, disturbs VZN resulting in the both rearranging how they are laying. It takes them a little while to get properly settled. A few feathers to rearrange, never truly asleep. I wonder if the chicks sleep with both eyes closed or practice uni-hemispheric sleep like the adults?
0302 hrs the chicks are definitely not comfy, more of a shuffle around, time to sit up, have a preen
0317 hrs both chicks are awake now, but seem reasonably settled. Quickly snoozing, then a fidget and back to sleep.
0457 hrs it's much lighter now although it looks very grey compared to the bright weather yesterday. Both chicks are alert, one sitting up but both looking around. A bit of bird noise can be heard off camera. As the chicks realise it’s an adult VZN is straight to her feet calling. VXN remains in the corner for a while longer before both moving towards the front of the box. Both then stretch their wings. No food yet but some could well be on its way.
0500 hrs the chicka look to the skies, still calling. VZN has a proper flap while VXN looks on, then shows her yoga poses, then both quieten and move to back of box.
0514 hrs VZN has a run to the front ledge, stops just in time, looks around then hurried back.
0524 hrs the female brought a large prey item (pigeon) in for an early feed this morning, both chicks seemed eager to eat
0546 hrs there wasn’t much left by the time they were finished, the female left taking the remnants with her, both chicks showing very full crops. Considering the size of the prey there wasn’t very much left. After standing for a while they soon settle down in the NW corner, in food coma
0724 hrs VZN starts to move around, disturbing VXN. They spend a few minutes fidgeting
1000hrs the watchpoint is open and the female lands on the NE pinnacle affording the visitors and watchpoint volunteers a great view of her
1009 hrs the male flies east
1031 hrs the male returns from the East and flies around the church at quite a speed before disappearing out of sight, the female left her perch and flew briefly before landing on the roof in front of the next box but not going in
1035 hrs the male was located at the base of the NW pinnacle giving lots of visitors on that corner a great view when a telescope was relocated there for a couple of hours
Approx 1110 hrs the female is in the box with her chicks
1205 hrs 3 gulls flew quite low over the nest box, one landed on the NE pinnacle until the female left the nest box and gave chase
1206 hrs our the female sitting on top of the nest box
1208 hrs the female circled the tower then landed back on the roof
1308 hrs the male left the NW corner of the tower and flew ESE with intent
1312 hrs the female left and flew W
1340 hrs the female returns with food and takes it into the box, no sign of the male
1348 hrs the male gave chase to a Herring Gull that got too close, there was a second gull also close by but the female remained on the nest box feeding the chicks
1352 hrs the female flew around the tower before landing on the SE pinnacle
1358 hrs both adult birds flew, the female landed on the SE pinnacle
1528 hrs the female left the church and flew West
1547 hrs 5 gulls flew close by but none landed on the tower
Thanks to Chris for his camerawork & Bev, Jane, John and Richard for volunteering on the watchpoint today and engaging with a whopping 377 visitors including one family with young children who are regular visitors.
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