Thank you to todays volunteers- Peter, Jan, Barbara and Sue
09:00 Our day starts without the benefit of sun at the moment, but at least it appears to be dry. The WhatsApp group reported that the Falcon fed the chick just before 8:30, then left having consumed the remnants. The chick settled into the left back corner of the platform to sleep off its breakfast.
9:05 The chick rouses up and has a stretch of its wings, then settles back again to continue its sleep.
9:07 It briefly looked like it would stand up, as it lifted its wings, but after a few seconds it subsided again. Listening to the audio, both parents are doing quite a bit of calling.
9:13 Tiercel arrives with prey, almost immediately followed by the Falcon, who takes it and continues plucking , while the chick looks on. The Tiercel meanwhile has left the platform. The Falcon eventually offers morsels to the chick as it remains standing in the corner.
9:17 The Falcon tears off a big chunk which includes leg, and swallows it down with great ease. She picks a few more bits for herself, then picks up the remains and leaves the platform. The chick meanwhile is picking up fragments from between its feet. It then turns and begins to pick at stones and feathers lying at the foot of the side wall.
9:23 The chick is trying to pick at something which it has clutched in its claws, but it cannot be too appetising as it drops the object and sits/leans back into the corner with its beak moving as if it is just finishing off its last mouthful.
9:29 In true peregrine style, the chick appears to have one eye open and one shut, although slight head movement shows that it is watching anyway, even if it does appear to be asleep.
9:34 The chick has now slumped down the wall and is laying prone, asleep. Its wingtip feathers are increasingly visible.
9:53 Time for a wing stretch or two, although perhaps difficult when laid beside a wall!
10:04 The chick wakes up, stands and stretches, then moves into the left corner. It raises its rear end and ejects a white stream in the direction of the camera.
10:09 The chick remains in the corner, and starts some preening for a few moments before leaning against the side wall and closing its eyes.
10:19 The sound of a gull passing close overhead and calling loudly stirs the chick briefly, but it relaxes back down again.
10:36 The chick has woken from its slumber, and is preening in the left rear corner of the platform, which seems to be a favoured spot.
10:42 The chick is evidently quite drowsy, as its wings gradually droop and it leans down against the wall once more. Its head drops and it seems to go to sleep again, then pulls itself up again and preens some more.
10:45 The chick stands up for a few seconds, then settles down again right in the corner. There are some calls from one of the parents heard off camera, but relative timing may be off a little.
10:47 Meanwhile the chick has stood up in the corner for a few seconds, with further preening, starts to pick at stones and feathers on the floor. It continues its preening activity, reaching round under its wing.
10:51 The chick pause in its preening to look up and out from the platform. It stares for long moments, then resumes preening. It seems to try to regurgitate something, but without much success. There are further calls off camera.
10:56 A rather abortive wing and leg stretch, which must be very difficult when one is backed into a corner!
11:00 This session ends with the chick in the back left corner, standing and preening, then dozing. There have been calls from time to time off camera, but the parents have not visited since the feed at about 9:17.
15.00 chick has just been fed, looks like a full crop. Has grown a lot in 1 week since last report and running around on those big legs and feet 15.06 chick is trying to get more food off the carcass, but there is nothing left. Good to see the feathers coming through 15.15 chick has moved into the shade, must have been getting too warm 15.27 very quiet, no sign of an adult 15.33 Chick is sleeping 15.44 Still very quiet, chick is sleeping no sign of adults at the moment 15.50 chick has woken up and is out in the sun and has gone to sleep again 16.00 No more activity, chick having a good sleep in the sun
16.00 Chick asleep in sun at front of box.
01 stretched wing and called ( or was it just opening its beak ?!!)
02 sleeping with wings spread out.
04 wriggling, a bit of a preen. Sat up on haunches for a bit and then sat down again, yawned, lifts head facing East.
05 sleeping in sun then, wakes but then closes eyes and appears to sleep again
06 alert, calls, settles,
07 moves head towards front of box.
08 up on haunches, looking out,
09 preening still sitting up.
12 looking out, continues to preen
16walks forward then flops down but not for long.
17 fully alert, looking out.
18 facing West, standing, ring visible
19 facing back of box then a poo, then faces back to the front continuing to look out
20 goes into East corner with back facing out then walks back towards the front of the box, alert and pecking, then back to the East corner.
22 moves to the front again, flexing wings, looking alert and standing up. Returns to back of box then back to the front, looking into the sky and preening again.
25 adult bird heard screeching but no appearance
26 chick alert, facing out of box.
30 ( bell tolls)
32 adult screeching, chick looking out - ever hopeful
36 screeching against. chick opens beak- is it trying to respond?
39 chick alert and trying to respond to another screech from adult?
40 chick continues to be alert facing out of box, settled with an occasional attempt to call in between lying down.
48 stretches a wing, settles, fighting sleep ( that’s what it looks like anyway!!
53 wakes up a bit, flexes wings, sits up on haunches, looks out. repeat of this until
17. 00 hours. Signing off. Hopefully the adult bird will turn up soon!!
17.39 The Falcon arrives in the box
