A big thank you to Peter, Debbie, Jan, Barbra, and Sue for today's blog.
09:00 The sun is already making things warm, drying everything after yesterday’s heavy rain. The Falcon is in place, facing East and well in the shade of the platform. The chick is completely hidden at this point.
09:07 The Falcon is distracted by a large fly again. She twists and turns her head as she follows it. She studies the stones directly in front of her. The impertinent fly sits on her tail!
09:19 She has a short session of preening, and raises her wing a little to show the egg and chicks underneath. Then she moves to stand at the front of the platform in the sun, her plumage glowing in the sun, ruffled by the breeze.
09:25 The Falcon is watching all around, including looking back into the platform. Then she turns back and takes hold of the dead chick. She brings it to the front of the platform, and begins picking at it. She seems to be keeping it away from the surviving chick, although the chick has also moved out to see what is happening.
09:33 The Falcon, having started to eat the chick, picks it up and flies off. The other chick had been getting close, and it seemed like she did not want to feed it with this particular meal. The chick is left standing in the sun. The egg is still visible in the background.
09:37 The chick conducts some preening of its own, then wobbles back into the shade to join the egg. Then it begins an inspection of the “artwork” on the rear wall of the platform! It is beginning to get more adventurous, moving about the platform.
09:43 The chick occasionally comes back to the egg, sometimes putting a clumsy foot on it, but not treading on it in any kind of way that might break the egg.
09:44 The Tiercel comes in for a visit, without any food. Already the chick is standing to shoulder height by its Dad. They stand face to face, and the chick tries to pick at the Tiercel’s beak.
09:49 The Tiercel walks away to the front edge of the platform, off to one side, then returns to stand with the chick, who looks at him, picking at his beak again in search of food.
09:53 The chick tries to burrow under the Tiercel, but then just nestles against his chest. The Tiercel for his part tries to provide cover, but their relative sizes already makes that difficult, even with just one chick.
10:02 The chick has its head buried under the Tiercel, and its rear end wiggles about in the air. The chick’s head is just visible behind the Tiercel’s leg.
10:10 The Tiercel is looking steadily off to one side. He has also been watching the flies as they zip about. One settles on the egg for a few seconds. Would the Tiercel have pecked at it if he had noticed? Who knows!
10:18 The chick suddenly wakes up from beneath the Tiercel, as the Falcon arrives with fresh prey. The Tiercel leaves, and the Falcon sets about feeding the chick. She has her back to the camera, and the chick is the other side, but both bodies are moving about quite energetically.
10:28 The Falcon has drawn the food away from the chick, whose crop is now bulging like a golf ball. She looked like she was going to leave, but has carried on eating on the platform. The chick has shuffled a little closer, and gets further mouthfuls. The Falcon takes on a lower leg, which slips down in an instant.
10:32 Feeding over, the Falcon leaves with the remnants, and the chick stumbles back into the shade, then shuffles round and settles beside the egg. It has a wobbly attempt to scratch its beak, then tries to pick at stones.
10:36 The Falcon returns, and picks up a morsel of food which was laying near the front edge of the platform. She seems to share it with the chick, then settles over the chick and the egg. She works around to face away from the camera, and we get a brief glimpse of the chick facing out under her wing and tail. The egg may be under the other wing.
10:49 She decides to move around to face West, and tramples all over the chick’s head as she does so! The chick gets out of the way, no damage done.
11.00 Falcon is sitting over chick, facing left and in the shade.
11.04 She appears to yawn.
11.20 She is alert and looking about.
11.26 She preens while the chick sleeps.
11.30 She pecks at gravel.
11.34 She repositions herself and is facing away with her tail end in the sunshine.
11.42 Falcon looking behind her i.e. outward.
11.53 She preens and stretches each leg.
12.01 She is alert and calling. Tiercel arrives with prey, the legs of the little bird dangling.
He passes her the prey
Falcon takes and drops the prey. Tiercel flies off. She picks it up and starts to feed the chick but my view is blocked by her.
12.07 The feed is finished and they settle together. She is facing away.
12.23 Several flies in the box but one buzzes by which the falcon watches keenly.
12.56 She preens.
13.00 Falcon on the platform sheltering the chick, her back to the camera. Several flies noticeable on gravel.
13.02 Stretches wings and tail and changes position. Chick can just be seen as it half stands and turns toward the camera. Turns again and mutes towards the left side of the box.
13.13 Trying to cover the chick again the falcon stands to the side of the chick who is lying on its front and occasionally pecking gravel.
13.16 The chick dozes in the sun.
13.20 The chick nibbles the falcon’s foot.
13.23 The falcon moves to the front of the box whereupon the chick pecks her tail.
13.26 The female flies off.
13.27 The chick preens briefly. Its crop looks full. It tries to stand fully and fails then waddles over the egg to the rear of the box.
13.29 The falcon returns and tries to settle over the chick sitting very high.
13.45 They are sitting side by side with the chick and egg tucked under her right wing.
13.48 The chick pokes its head out.
13.50 The chick preens briefly before putting its head down and sleeping.
14.12 The falcon moves to the front of the box, standing in the sun watching and preening. She stretches and pecks at remnants on the platform.
14.24 The tiercel brings prey to the platform which the falcon takes. She feeds the chick briefly.
14.27 The falcon flies off with the prey.
14.28 The chick pecks at the egg.
14.29 The tiercel returns to the platform. He walks round the chick to the rear of the box, looks at the chick and egg as if he is going to brood them then just pecks at the egg. The chick is preening, the tiercel is standing and pecking at flies.
14.35 The chick lies down in the sun.
14.44 The chick half stands, stretches, looks at the tiercel as if for food then moves very close to him and preens again.
14.48 The tiercel moves to the front of the platform.
14.53 He then returns to the rear of the platform moves the egg as if to incubate it but then stops.
14.53 The tiercel flies off briefly then returns.
14.56 The chick is flat out on the gravel and the tiercel is preening.
15.04 Change over just took place, really large feet on chick.
15.06 Chick is looking to be fed, but nothing doing.
15.27 Adult seems to be listening, maybe the other one is about and calling.
15.32 Some preening
15.44 Chick is sleeping
16.00 Male shuffling around then settled looking out of box facing East. Chick not completely covered.
16.03 Chick opens eyes and spreads its wings, then tries to get under bird as if cold and then does a poo. Settles with eyes opened. Male facing East. chick settles.
16.05 Male preening. Looks out of box
16.09 Chick still only partially covered. Male facing east occasionally looking out and chick making the occasional movement too.
16.14 Chick shook its head. Still not completely covered.
16.18 Male preening facing east.
16.19 Chick wakes up. Then settles with Male still facing east and looking around.
16.24 Feathers showing signs that the wind is getting up a little?
16.26 Chick trying to get right under Male’s body - feeling cold?
16.32 Male stands up in order to cover chick. Couldn’t make out if dead chick still there?
16.36 Unhatched egg now in view. Male facing west looking at egg and then moves it under his body.
16.36 Unhatched egg now in view. Male facing west looking at egg and then moves it under his body.
16.41 Looking out of the box intently. Chick completely covered. M still shows concern about egg -trying to cover it.
16.45 Male eating stones.
16.48 Glimpse of chick.
16.53 Male facing front. Chick now visible and alert
16.58 Male facing west. Chick covered.
16.59 Male looking out, then checking chick. Egg showing.
19.28 The falcon was eating from the SE pinnacle. The tiercel flies from the box and this prompts the falcon to leave her perch. Both adult birds fly around the church tower, calling to one another. The falcon then returns to their chick whilst the tiercel keeps watch over a beautiful peaceful Cromer.
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