Thank you to todays volunteers- Peter, Julia, Andrew, Barbara and Sue
09:00 Jubilee day starts in bright sunshine, and the possibility that the chick might fledge. An earlier screen shot had it sitting on the ridge near the fleur de lis, seemingly looking out over Cromer and taking in the view. A little later a feed was brought and left with the chick, then a parent came in to help. The chick then moved off down the roof to the left of our view.
09:02 Our cameraman then tracked the chick down to the ridge looking out to sea, with a magnificent backdrop of the pier and calm waters. The chick is sprawled in the sun, left leg extended behind it. A post-prandial nap perhaps!
09:10 Stirring, the chick extends its leg even further. Very little down remains now, with the exception of the crest on its head.
09:16 The chick had gradually retracted its left leg, but now extends it again. Moments later the leg is tucked back under.
09:19 The chick is moving the leg around more, and it is also looking around as if a parent might be nearby.
09:22 The chick suddenly lurches to its feet, off balance because of the ridge tile edge, shakes its wings, then starts to move down the roof, and temporarily out of sight.
09:33 Evidently one of the parents, probably the Falcon has been standing in the shadow of the platform on the inset view. Camera eventually tracks down the chick, now sprawled on the tiles in the sun, and apparently asleep.
09:40 Not so sleepy, as it seems that the Falcon has moved off from its shady position. It can be seen leaving in the background of this shot. The dark amorphous blob!:-
09:41 The chick stood for a moment, then re-settled on the tiles, although still alert and looking round. Looks ready to move off at any moment.
09:42 There is a brief glimpse in the inset view, of one of the parents coming up and over the roof of the church. The chick gets up with wings spread and moves off up the tiles and out of view to the right.
09:44 The camera finds the chick for a moment at least, although it is looking round as if ready to move again.
09:48 After standing for a few moments, the chick gently slides one foot down onto a tile, just below the ridge, and settles down with its head up to the ridge.
09:5 However, it is not settled, then gets up and suddenly disappears from view off the bottom of the view.
10:05 Some random feathers float across right to left. Maybe some plucking going on out of view on the right?
10:14 The chick re-appears from the bottom right, and flutters and hops across to stand at the North edge of the tower:-
10:18 The chick is standing close to the edge, looking out to sea. Also visible on the inset view. Chick turns away from the edge, and flutters down the roof, seemingly practising pouncing.
10:22 The chick turns and moves back up to stand on the tiles looking round. There are odd feathers coming across the view from the right, indicating that some plucking must be going on, then the chick starts to flap, almost at the edge, as one of the parents flies by, carrying food.
Moments later, the Falcon swings in from the seaward side to land on one of the fleur de lis. Screenshot has the Falcon’s tail just visible at the top:-
Parent returns to land at the top of the fleur de lis, then comes down onto the ridge with prey. It is the Falcon, judging by their relative sizes, and it feeds the chick for a short while, then leaves with the prey.
10:33 After a few minutes standing on the ridge, the chick moves off down to the right corner of the roof, then down into the gulley at the foot of the wall. It gradually moves along, flapping its wings.
10:36 The chick emerges from the shadows onto the roof, seemingly practising its pouncing:-
10:39 It has a fragment of food on which it pounces before it makes its way onto the edge of the walkway, to play hide and seek with the camera.
10:51 Although not obvious, the movement of shadow under the chick suggests preening of wing feathers. Probably necessary after all the flapping about earlier!
11:00 Having stood on the walkway for some time, the chick hops down and runs down the roof, back to the gulley, where it plays in the shadows.
11:05 Back on the walkway after a quick charge about in the shade
12.30. The chick is asleep on the roof near the northern edge
13.03. Stands, stretches wings and starts calling
13.04. Stands on the northern edge looking out towards the pier.
13.06. Moves to the side of the fleur de lis and starts calling.
13.08. The chick walks a few steps down the roof onto the lightning conductor, turns and returns to the edge looking seawards.
13.14. Stands and flaps his wings and walks to the centre of the ridge and out of view. There is lots of calling from both the chick and an adult.
13.16. More calling is heard whilst the camera goes on a peregrine hunt.
13.18. Success. Finds the chick on the S end of the ridge, he immediately walks off screen. Found again hiding under the handrail.
A pink balloon floats low across the roof right to left and the chick runs off out of view again.
More calling can be heard. The WP report adults are reacting to the balloon.
13.30. A peregrine can be seen on the right hand side of the inset view close to the fleur de lis north side but not clear enough to id
13.37. As it turns and lays down I can see it is the chick but it is in line with a vertical rail, only head and tail are visible either side.
13.53. Can just see the chick lift it’s head and glance around.
14.00. Both adults are calling.
14.06. Jubilee announcements can be heard from the street. An adult screeches loudly over the sound. The chick seems oblivious to it all but seems to have slid down the roof a bit so a better view of a ‘headless’ body is seen.
14.18. The adults are both calling loudly. Music from the street is heard.
14.24. The chick is still hiding behind the rail but on very close inspection the back feathers can be seen rustling in the breeze.
14.25. More calling from an adult.
14.27. The falcon flies into view on the main screen carrying a small piece of prey. She moves to the south edge, again almost hidden by handrails.
14.29. The falcon turns and carries the prey towards the walkway out of view and the chick joins her. Lots of calling. Feed time.
14.36. The chick appears on the main screen running along the ridge to stand on the lightning conductor near the S edge. He jumps down onto the left side of the roof and stands facing S.
14.44. Starts a bit of preening.
14.46. Turns to face N and with wings flapping runs off out of view
1500: view facing south over church roof, with nest box in inset view with chick just visible against north parapet.
