Cromer Peregrines blog – Saturday 29th April 2023
After a fresh start the weather brightened up, the sun came out and it was a lovely day here in Cromer.
0840 hrs I just turned on the screen in preparation for first blog session and caught a change over from Tiercel to Falcon. She shuffles the eggs and sits pointing to left front.
0851 hrs she pecks at the gravel and is very alert
0852 hrs the Falcon turns round to face backwards (North)
0856 hrs the sun puts in an appearance
0916 hrs the falcon shuffles round to face the left side (West) of the box. Gulls calling intermittently
0919 hrs she preens feathers on her back briefly and then moves to preening on her breast and rotates to face forwards with brief views of the eggs
0942 hrs she preens her breast feathers and pecks at the gravel
0951 hrs she becomes very alert and looking to the West as though the Tiercel is nearby
0953 hrs she is still alert
0954 hrs more preening
0956 hrs she is more alert and intense looking
0958 hrs more gravel pecking
1001 hrs now she pecks the gravel intensively
1003 hrs she rotates to face the back right (North East) side of box and settles
1013 hrs she preens under her wing
1014 hrs more gravel pecking
1016 hrs she rotates to face back left (North West) and settles
1052 hrs some stone pecking
1054 she shuffles the eggs and rotates to face front left (South West)
1100 hrs the falcon looks around briefly and my shift ends.
1116 hrs the male is on the eggs and the watchpoint see the female flying about and lands on the South East spout
1122 hrs the female moved to the gargoyle above the louvres on the East side of the tower giving the watchpoint and it’s visitors excellent views
1130 hrs the female is off again seen by the watchpoint to land on the North east waterspout
1220 hrs the female flew a few circuits of the tower, landed briefly on the roof of the church before flying to the North side of the tower, out of view of the watchpoint, her damaged wing feather was clearly visible
1235 hrs she relocates again to the South East pinnacle .. maybe enjoying the warmth of the sun
1251 hrs the female is sitting on the South East pinnacle and keeps looking up
1337 hrs the female was observed and appeared to spend some time seemingly coughing up a pellet
1359 hrs the female dropped onto the roof of the tower but there’s no changeover
1410 hrs she moved from the tower roof to the far side of the North East pinnacle before flying off East
1421 hrs the female returns and lands on the gargoyle on the South side of the tower, above the louvres
1447 hrs there is a changeover, the female is now on the eggs. The male seemed unimpressed – he didn’t want to go.
1452 hrs the male appears for the first time since changeover and is on the North East pinnacle
1500 hrs the Falcon is on eggs, she is facing left (West)
1510 hrs the watchpoint spot a male intruder flying around the church, the male took off from his vantage point and gave chase in a South Westerly direction
1511 hrs she is watching overhead
1522 hrs she gets up and flies off, calling as she goes. Eggs unattended.
At the same time the watchpoint witness her join in with the male chasing off the intruder, at one point they can see all 3 peregrines, the female then flew South seemingly very agitated
1524 hrs Tiercel arrives into the scrape, chirrups, bobs and settles facing forward
1603 hrs Tiercel giving little cheeps constantly
1614 hrs another set of peeps
1624 hrs the Tiercel very relaxed and looks to be asleep
1636 hrs a fly disturbs his peacefulness
1638 hrs he bobs and quickly rearranges himself and the eggs
1647 hrs he bobs and resettles
1652 hrs he bobs, chirps and resettles
1655 hrs he cheeps and calling is heard off screen
1656 hrs the Falcon lands into the scrape and he gives up his place without delay
1657 hrs She makes herself comfortable over the eggs and settles facing left (West)
Thanks to James and Debbie for blogging today and to Bev and Jane on the watchpoint for engaging with 162 visitors as well as contributing to the blog. Lovely photo of the female by Chris from the cameras too.