With thanks to Mike, Julia, Barbara and Sue for todays blog
08:13 A little bit overcast in Cromer and the nestbox remains empty but the beautiful Falcon (female) sits on the north-west pinnacle of the church dozing with one side but always alert on the other.
08:26 Still facing into town she begins to preen before having a good old scratch.
08:37 The tiercel returns to the church (audible but not visible) and is greeted by the chaps of the Falcon. I don’t think he stays long as she soon settles down again.
08:42 The pair copulate
09:22 after a thorough preen of her feathers the Falcon now turns and looks out over the sea.
09:24 The Tiercel returns to the nestbox and after a few calls begins to scrape in the gravel before preening himself at the front of the nest box. After just ten minutes in the nestbox the Tiercel flies off at
09:34 and can be heard calling. All this time the Falcon remains on her perch. As the church bells tolls
10:00 the Falcon briefly calls out.
10:13 The Falcon lifts gently off from her perch and worried gulls can be heard calling. Neither birds are in view or ear shot.
10:20 The Falcon appears at the nest box and pics and scrapes for several minutes, never really settling, standing over the scrape, dozing.
10:55 The Falcon moves to the far left hand side (as you look at it) of the nestbox and picks at the gravel before cleaning her back feathers
10:59 She quickly comes to the front of the nestbox and is only just in view but can be heard gently vocalising.
11:00 to 13:00 no blog
13.00 The start of my shift and there is nothing on either camera, No Egg.
13.12 The outside camera moves around focusing on the Tiercel sitting on the SW turret.
13.17 Camera moves around but the Falcon is not visible, settles back on the Tiercel.
13.25 Calling can be heard from near the nest cam. The Falcon arrives on the turret below the Tiercel.
13.26 He reacts and flies off only to return within seconds, they copulate. The Tiercel flies away and the Falcon remains on the crocket.
13.29 She hops up a couple of ‘flights’
13.31 The camera zooms out finding the Falcon resting.
13.40 She cleans her talons.
13.59 A single call is heard, the Church bell tolls.
14.07 There is a series of clucks and calls which last until ..
14.11 when the Falcon can be seen calling, she bobs and turns 90deg facing to her right.
14.16 The Tiercel flies in from the N side with fresh prey and lands on a lower crocket.
14.18 The camera zooms in on the Tiercel with the prey, looks like Starling. The Falcon doesn’t seem interested, he flies off with it.
14.20 The outside camera moves around, no sign of the Tiercel, camera settles back on the Falcon. Calling can still be heard from near the nest cam.
14.29 Church bells toll.
14.45 Falcon, still in the same place, stretches and looks around, the wind is ruffling her feathers. The box is remains empty.
14.48 The camera pans around, settles back on the Falcon.
14.50 Falcon stands, facing to the right, calls and settles.
14.54 Calls can be heard. The Falcon flies away.
14.55 The Tiercel enters the box chirping. He stands in the scrape facing forward. Occasionally chirping, turns to the right and stands.
14.56 The outside cam settles on the Falcon resting on the SE turret.
15.00 The church bell tolls, ending my shift.
15.00 Tiercel sitting on the edge of the box looking out, keeps closing one eye, then both and then opens them again
15.30 No change from above, just sitting there watching on the world outside the box
16.00 Still no change, now signing off
16.00 Poppy on the edge of the box looking alert. Remained there until
16.25 Did not return.