7.00 The day starts with a gorgeous blue sky but the wind is strong, gusting at 45mph
7.15 The falcon is sitting on the South East turret, no sign of the tiercel
7.40 Tiercel appears from the West and heads at speed for the tower, he does a lap of the tower before landing on the top, the sound of the falcon and her 3 chicks calling fills the streets of a near deserted Cromer
7.42 Falcon takes flight from her perch and takes the prey from the tiercel, she then hops into the platform and feeds the young, they prey is a swift
8.00 Falcon returns to her perch on the South East turret, the male lands on East side of the tower and sleeps
8.10 A black headed gull drifts a little to close to the tower and the male gives chase, the gull makes a hastly retreat and disappears over the Church nave, the male follows then gains height before stooping towards the gull
8.12 Male returns to the Tower and lands on the North East overflow pipe
8.30 All is quiet in Cromer as both adults nap
9.00 The falcon takes flight and drifts effortlessly around the tower, she lands on a gargoyle on the East side of the tower
9.15 Tiercel changes position and lands on the South East turret where the falcon previously sat
9.35 The falcon brings in the remains of a previosuly caught swift and feeds the chicks
9.39 Falcon sits on the edge of the platform for a few minutes before taking flight
9.50 The 3 chicks sit together and preen
10.00 The chicks huddle in the corner of the box and sleep
11.00 After sleeping for an hour the youngsters wake up and wander round the box
11.40 The young have tired themselves out and retreat to the corner for another nap
12.25 Suddenly the chicks are alert and calling, there must be an adult with food nearby
12.26 Tiercel brings in a kill closely followed by the falcon, he drops the prey and legs it, the falcon picks up the prey and proceeds to feed her young
12.44 Chicks have had a crop full so the falcon helps herself before departing
12.47 The young make there way to the edge of the platform and sit in the sun
13.00 Chicks huddled in corner, alert.
13.07 Chicks settled down to sleep.
13.18 Two chicks up and preening.
13.20 Other chick up and preening, then pushed past other chicks to get to far corner. For the shade and shelter perhaps?
13.33 Chick at back, preening
13.55 Chick 48 up for stretch, ring visible.
14.02 Chick 48 picking at small piece of carcass.
14.05 Chick at back up and preening
14.08 Chick 48 now in corner and shade.
14.17 Real amount of flapping from Chick 48. Trying to keep balance while standing, and trying to keep in shade, perhaps. Penned in a bit by other chicks.
14.16 All chicks up and stretching while trying not to leave their corner. Chick in far corner shifted around to the other side of the other chicks.
14.55 All chicks have now really hunkered down in their corner. Hasn’t been a lot more activity apart from the occasional preening.
15.00 All young asleep in the corner
15.14 Sat up preening
16.07 Sudden rain shower and falcon comes in without a kill. Tries to shelter chicks but they are hoping for food
16.10 Flies off again.
Thanks to Chris Skipper, Andrew Gorton and Ann Cleall for todays blog