A massive thank you to Julia and Debbie for todays blog
11.00. As I start my double shift there is an empty box. No eggs.. The Falcon is sitting on the NE turret.
11.07. Falcon preening.
11.19. A distant call can be heard from the nest cam.
11.29. A call is heard and the Church bell tolls.
11.55. The Falcon is checking out some birds out to sea.
11.58. A single call.
12.29. She shuffles and turns settling back into her previous position. Church bell tolls.
12.30. Calling can be heard.
12.32. Female flies off the turret towards the coastline, turns then flies back towards the Church and out of view.
12.35. The Tiercel enters the nest box and facing to the right he scratches around in the scrape whilst chirping. He moves to the right back corner before coming to the front of the box. A blood stained abdomen can clearly be seen.
12.44. He is alert and looking upwards.
12.46. Relaxed now and dozing, right eye closed.
12.52. Something catches his attention as he looks up and around. He relaxes and dozes again.
12.56. The Falcon flies in from the sea landing on the NE turret where she was earlier.
The Tiercel starts chirping.
12.58. Tiercel continues chirping, scratches his chin and proceeds to preen his left foot.
12.59 Church bell tolls. He turns and walks to the front of the box looking to the right and making soft chirps.
13.08. Falcon leaves the turret.
13.09. Falcon enters the box. There is a courtship display and lots of chirping from the Falcon.
13.10. The Tiercel leaves the box and is seen landing on the NE turret where the Falcon was earlier.
13.12.- 13.19 The Falcon is still in the box standing in the scrape facing right where she preens.
13.22. She turns 360 stopping to scratch at the hole, picks up gravel and spits them out.
13.25. She is busily rearranging gravel in the back left corner. She returns to the scrape where she lays down facing the back, looking over her shoulder towards the camera.
13.29. The Church bell tolls. The Tiercel flies off the turret to the right.
13.44. Calling is heard from outside the box. The Falcon responds, stands up, faces the front and chirps back.
13.46. Falcon moves to the front left corner looking out, moves away so only her tail is visible, jumps down onto the roof and out of view.
13.51. A single chirp is heard.
13.59. The Church bell tolls.
14.07. There is a call, then chirping from near the nest cam.
14.08. A tail can be seen for a second on the left hand corner.
14.10. The Tiercel flies back onto the NE turret, same place as earlier
14.20. The Falcon flies in from the sea and lands on the lowest crocket below the Tiercel. He flies off and can be seen circling over the coastline. He then flies back to the Falcon where they copulate. He flies away and the Falcon remains.
14.29. The Church bell tolls.
14.40. The Falcon flies away leaving behind the turret flying west.
14.47. The Falcon enters the box, is scratching around facing forward.
14.59. The Church bell tolls bringing my shift to an end, still no egg!
15.00 Poppy stands by the scrape in the nest box facing outwards
15.03 She calls out and comes to edge of nest box
15.04 Looks all around, even checks out scrape behind her
15.28 Half asleep
15.33 She is preening and then calls out....... then a very quick swap of positions with Henry
He settles into scrape and completes a full circle while scraping gravel with his legs
15.36 Henry stands at edge of nest box, blood is clearly seen on his undercarriage, he preens. Meanwhile Poppy is resting on an outer church ledge
16.40 Henry flew off
16.41 Calling off camera
16.50 Camera close up of Poppy still on ledge
17.00 End of watch