09.00 Another start of today's blog with Poppy in attendance.
09.27 She gets up starts looking around and calling out, then disappears leaving the chicks home alone.
09.29 Henry appears with prey and starts feeding their chicks. Smallest chick was facing the wrong way for a time, he eventually manages to turn round to get some food.
09.41 End of the feed, Henry turns and leaves with the remains of the prey.
09.42 He arrives back, strolls over to his young sits there facing West.
09.51 In comes Poppy and takes over from Henry, he departs, leaving her to brood their young settles down facing North.
10.27 The Tiercel is perched on the S/E pinnacle, thanking Jane for the information at the Cromer watch point.
10.46 One of the chicks tries to make a escape for freedom, but He/She only manages to get their heads through before being pinned down by mum.
10.52 She shuffles anti clockwise and taking in stones to help with her digestion, settles facing N/W.
11.20 I've escaped!
11.24 Mother and Daughter portrait
11.35 More stone intake by mum, with daughter looking on.
11.45 She manoeuvres to edge of the box, looks out eventually departs at 11.46 leaving the chicks home alone.
11.47 In comes Poppy with prey and starts feeding her young.
12.03 End of feed, she leaves and in comes Henry, Dad what are you trying to do!
12.07 Poppy arrives back and takes over from Henry, settles down facing East.
12.46 Chicks fast asleep under Poppy after their massive 15 min feed earlier.
13.00 The Falcon is sitting facing north, covering the chicks. She has a quick preen, while the little ones move about beneath her.
13.02 The larger chick climbs over the smaller one and defecates on the rear wall en route.
13.03 The Falcon is looking down at her chicks, and then looks up, giving a gentle chirp.
13.05 The fluffy down on the chicks is blowing in the wind. The Falcon snuggles down over one of the chicks and the unhatched egg.
13.06 She preens her belly and underneath her wing.
13.11 She is still preening. The smaller chick wriggles.
13.12 The Falcon pecks at the gravel.
13.14 The larger chick is trying to sit up, but the Falcon sits on it.
13.16 The large chick is struggling to get out from beneath the Falcon, but she has it firmly pinned down.
13.22 The Falcon is suddenly awake and alert.
13.24 She looks up - is the Tiercel coming?
13.25 No sign of the Tiercel and the Falcon is quickly half asleep again.
13.26 The large chick waves its wing and the smaller chick defecates towards the camera.
13.28 The large chick is trying to stand up, but mum keeps squashing it back down.
13.29 She has them all covered, but not for long. The bigger chick is soon standing in front of her showing its full crop.
13.31 The female is mantling her wings over the chicks.
13.34 The larger chick is gradually making its way back out.
13.35 The chicks are now asleep, and the Falcon is looking up.
13.38 She is getting sleepy. At least there are no flies this week... spoke too soon, there's one on her wing and now it has disturbed her and she is following its every movement.
13.39 She is watching the fly while one eye is closed.
13.44 The Falcon picks up a piece of gravel but drops it.
13.45 More gravel pecking. She tries to hook the larger chick back under her with her beak - very gently.
13.49 She is sitting a little more erect, so that both chicks are visible - one yawns.
13.50 She has a desultory peck at the gravel before starting to doze off, but is then disturbed by the wriggling of the chicks.
13.52 The Falcon looks around sleepily.
13.57 She pecks at the gravel as though she has seen something moving there, but soon relaxes again, covering one of the chicks with her wings, while the other sleeps in front of her.
14.00 She is looking very intently down at the gravel by the chicks.
14.02 The larger chick shuffles about in its sleep, stretching its neck out, waking briefly for a quick yawn.
14.04 The larger chick is struggling to make its way out from beneath its mother, with several wing flaps.
14.09 The Falcon seems more alert and is looking around. The larger chick continues to wriggle from time to time.
14.13 The larger chick sits up and calls. It preens its feathers and then turns to face away from the camera, but soon turns back so that I can see it preening its right wing.
It continues to preen for several minutes and then the adult also starts to preen herself.
14.16 She tries to clean her talon, but gets it tangled in the down of the smaller chick, which manages to sleep through the excitement.
The Falcon tucks the egg back under her.
14.18 The chick is still preening and the larger chick is calling.
14.20 It pecks at the feathers of its smaller nestmate - maybe the preening instinct is strong, or is this sibling rivalry?
14.21 The larger chick appears to have an itch and is flailing its huge talon towards its chin, to no avail.
14.23 The largest youngster is still preening.
14.25 It stands and takes a few wobbly steps forward. It is bobbing its head and very alert - but not very good at staying upright.
14.26 It flaps its wings to help it to regain its balance - good practice for soaring in the skies, which it will be doing in just a month or so.
14.27 It has another wing flap, and I can see the flight feathers beginning to come through.
14.30 The Falcon is facing the back of the box, and appears to be pecking at the gravel. The smaller chick is visible beneath her tail feathers.
14.34 The Falcon is on the left of the screen, with both chicks and the egg on view.
14.35 She walks around behind them, picking at the gravel as she goes, making her way to the front of the box.
14.37 She returns to the chicks. Although she has her back to me, I think she is preening her chest and belly.
14.42 She settles onto the chicks, facing south, and has another quick peck at the gravel.
14.43 She rearranges the chicks and the egg and wriggles down into the scrape.
14.50 She preens her back and beneath her wings.
14.51 She is peering intently out of the box.
15.00 Falcon is standing by the egg and the sleeping chicks. She is preening. 15.03 She huddles over her brood, facing left and in semi shade. 15.05 She backs up and now stands behind her brood. Chicks continue to sleep. 15.10 The smaller chick wakes, spreads its wings and tries to move forward but is exhausted by the effort and flops. 15.12 The larger chick wakes, preens and moves behind falcon and they look at each other. 15.13 The smaller chick opens its wings and flops onto the gravel.
15.15 Both chicks are awake and trying to move about. 15.16 Falcon huddles over the smaller chick who aims for the brood pouch head first. 15.28 All three snooze. 15.34 Falcon preens. 15.42 Larger chick preens while mum and smaller chick snooze. 15.50 Falcon reshuffles and has almost covered both chicks. 15.56 Falcon calls out. Tiercel lands into the box bringing a small remnant of prey. Falcon takes it from him and larger chick almost snatched it away from her. Tiercel flies off and larger chick is fed continuously. 15.57 Larger chick is very eager while the smaller chick is not engaging with this meal. 15.59 Crop of larger chick is bulging. 16.00 Falcon devours the remainder of the prey and there is nothing left of it. 16.01 The smaller chick is awake and watching although the meal has finished. 16.02 Falcon goes to the edge of the box and flies off leaving the chicks unattended. 16.03 The larger chick preens, tiercel arrives into the box and he huddles close to the chicks facing right. He is alert and looking about. 16.17 He is following the sight of something overhead. 16.23 The falcon lands back into the box and he flies off. She settles close to her brood facing right. 16.27 She flies off again leaving the chicks unattended. 16.30 Tiercel lands into the box and tries to cover the chicks. No way is this going to work! 16.36 Again he huddles to try to cover his family and disturbs the chicks. He is using his open wing to protect them to good effect.
16.48 All is calm and still.
Today's blog come from Graham, Val and Debbie - Thank you!
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