00.00 finds mum by the side of 2 sleeping chicks. They have the odd twitch, mum changes between sitting up then snoozing with her head turned back over her shoulder.
00.27 both chicks awake, have a fidget and then push themselves into mum.
04.10 mum lifts carefully away from the chicks, stretches then takes off into the night. Still very dark. One chick wake up, has a preen.
04.37 you can see mum land on the ridge of the roof with food. Small, unrecognisable. Both chicks now awake. Smaller chick is closer to mum and gets the first mouthfuls before larger chick pushes itself forwards. Both looking strong.
04.45 mum decides it’s her turn and tucks into the leftovers. Both chicks moving about towards back of box, not so bothered about more food but do both manage a bit more.
04.51 mum eats the last few bones and with it gone she covers over the chicks as best she can.
05.47 she moves to front of box then hops onto railings. She can be heard calling to male. Chicks start preening.
The back of the box looks less like a painted piece of wood but more like a Jackson Pollock masterpiece.
07.05 another call from an adult. Both chicks pancaking.
07.10. Dad comes into the box with a small model, manages to feed a couple of mouthfuls to the chicks before mum comes charging in. In his haste to leave he takes the food with him, dropping it at the front of the box. Mum quickly recovers it and starts feeding. No mistaking who rules the roost here. Lots of begging calls from the kids.
07.13 all food gone, mum moves to front of box, sits a while then flies off. Chicks sitting up, then walking around. Both now finding their feet a bit more.
07.15 both of them flapping.
07.16 mum comes back.
08.03 chicks getting restless and noisy. Mum leaves box on the east side. You can hear her land on the scaffolding rails and can occasionally glimpse her tail in the top left hand corner of the inset view. Chicks continue to whistle, then quieten down and huddle together.
08.13 mum still on rail just outside the box.
08.20 kids squawking, mum still on rail.
08.25 mum being very loud
08.27 mum calling again.
09.00 handing over to Julia with mum still on rail and chicks alternating between sleep and preen.
09.00. The chicks are in the box alone, mum is outside on the framework east side.
09.04. Falcon is calling.
09.05. Dad enters the box with prey.
Mum follows him in and takes it off him, he makes a quick retreat, as seen in the inset view.
The chicks are extremely vocal while they wait for mum to pull feathers off the prey one landing on a chick.
The larger chick, call it no.1, is closest so getting fed first. Mum tidies up a bit by giving them both a feather.
Mum pulls out the heart, a prime piece. Eats a bit herself then offers it to first no.1 chick then the smaller chick, no.2.
09.08. No 1 chick is being fed again so no.2 tries to help itself from the carcass which mum pulls away out of reach.
09.11. No.1 is offered a foot which it drops so mum picks it up and eats it. Both chicks are now being fed and each screaming for more.
09.13. A large juicy looking piece is snatched from mum by no.1 with no.2 getting hold of it too. A short tug of war with no.1 winning.
09.14 No.2 goes into the NW corner and looks to be trying to cough something up.
09.16. No2 waddles back to join its sibling with no1 putting itself in front. It takes another beak full then retreats to the back of the box stuffed. No2 is looking for more food but mum is busy helping herself and flies off with the remains.
09.19 The two chicks huddle together and nibble around each other’s beaks.
09.26 They are settled and dozing.
09.37. Falcon returns, inspects the messy gravel and moves to the sleeping chicks and stands over them.
09.43. She leaves the box and perches on the easterly framework just outside the box.
10.20. The chicks have been spending a few minutes preening and now collapse into a heap to doze.
10.39. No 1 , the larger chick, starts screeching, looking over its shoulder at mum who is still on the framework.
10.40 Falcon gives a short call which they respond to. Both stretch their wings showing the underneath development.
10.58 Both chicks now fast asleep. I am able to observe that no1 chick is breathing steadily at a rate of 42 breaths per minute.
11.48. Falcon comes in with prey for another feed.
12.20 The chicks have received 4 feeds so far today. Chicks are currently unattended in the box, the falcon is perched on the E side gingerbread man close to the SW pinnacle, male on S side of the gingerbread man between the SW and SE pinnacles.
12:50 The chicks take an afternoon nap
13:10 The tiercel is alarm calling, an intruder is spotted high up. Male visible on S side, female on W side. Both birds chase off the intruding peregrine.
13:28 Male arrived, female came back to SE pinnacle.
13:50 Female arrived back on SE pinnacle, then SW then dropped into the box.
14:06 Male flew S from hidden spot on the tower
14:20 Male flew around tower and landed on SE pinnacle
14:55 Female leaves the nest flies to SE pinnacle then flies again
14:57 Female back on the box no food, chicks very noisy.
15:14 Male flew S from unseen spot on the tower.
15:19 Male landed on NE pinnacle giving good views from the watchpoint
Photo credits Bev.
Thank you to today's volunteers- Bev, Mick, Julia I, Richard and Jane, John