A big thank you to Mike, Stephen, Barbera and Sue for todays wonferful blog
In the bright morning sunshine the Tiercel at Cromer church is sitting on the north west pinnacle while the Falcon sits to the left of the nestbox, just in view on the camera, which gives us such amazing and privileged views of these birds.
09:16 The Tiercel drops from his perch while the falcon stays at the nestbox.
09:40 The Falcon moves into the centre of the box and after standing in the scrape for a few minutes she settles down on the scrape.
10:01 The Tiercel can be heard, off camera, calling. The Falcon remains standing over the scrape, dozing, as she has done for the last 15 minutes.
10:05 Moving off the scrap the Falcon picks at gravel and preens herself before returning to her over-scrape standing position but this time facing the back of the box.
About 20 minutes later she settles down lying on the scrape where she remains, just keeping an ever watchful eye on things.
11.00 til 13.00 no blog submitted
13.00 The Falcon is laying with her head out facing the sun with wings outstretched, panting but not vocalising.
13.15 Some movement and looking as though she’s trying to lay but no result. Lays down again
13.17 Shuffles and makes a bit of a noise.
13.19 Some screaming which could be from Herring Gulls or the Tiercel, but I can’t see him and the Falcon has her head away from the camera.
13.20 Tail twitching and she is panting. Difficult to tell if that is the egg or the heat. Is there an equivalent word to ‘labour’ for egg-laying creatures?
13.26 She gets up and moves around, no noise. Preens a bit.
13.28 BONG…. The church clock’s fast.
13.31 Scrapes and settles down again.
13.45 Chewing gravel.
13.49 Gets up and is looking around, seems interested in a soft call I can hear, maybe a contact call from the Tiercel?
13.54 Scrapes again and settles down. Alert and looking out of the box.
13.58 She sits up and stretches with under-tail twitching again. (The clock’s still fast.) Pointing inwards but looking out, quite still. She has her head in the shade but her beak in the sun and the yellow cere(?) is standing out quite spectacularly.
14.12 Tiercel is screaming but Falcon seems uninterested.
14.16 Mantling and panting again.
14.20 Gets up and looking around very alert.
14.26 Tiercel arrives, lots of chat, Falcon leaves and Tiercel eventually settles down in the scrape and chews some gravel.
14.38 He’s sitting up and looking alert, comes to front of box then flies off.
14.41 The box is empty but there are calls from outside.
15.00 Empty nest but lots of calling from both Peregrines I believe
15.10 Poppy back in nest
15.17 Moving the shingle around, getting ready to lay an egg??
15.22 Left nest again
1528 Back in the nest again, just standing looking out of the box, seems unsure of what to do with herself, maybe an egg is on its way
15.32 Just standing there looking around, 2 minutes later moving the shingle around to make a bigger depression, but is just standing and doing nothing.
15.36 Keeps closing her eye/eyes momentarily
1540 Preening right wing and chest then the left wing
15.44 Settled down on the scrape for a while but standing up again seconds later, she seems poised for laying an egg but who knows.
15.48 Left eye closed,
15.56 Has now settled down on the scrape, then stands up again, she seems quite unsettled, standing up but keeps closing her right eye
16.00 No change, signing off
16.18 Poppy ( I’m assuming) sitting in dip facing the back of the box and turning head towards the front of the box.
16.26 Head tucked in.
16.29 Alert and lifted head.
16.30 Preening
16.31 Turns head towards the front of the box. Half standing. Preening and looking out but stilling facing the back of the box.
16.32 Turns round but now facing out towards the front of the box.
16.33-48 Intermittently while hunkered down closing eye looking out, alert, sleeping.
16.36 The male can be seen eating prey on the south east turret
16.43 The remains are cached by the male into a crevice for later and the male departs
16.49 Wakes up, turns head a few times then proceeds to pick up gravel and put it down again.
16.50 Stands up and continues to pick up gravel and putting it down. Scratches ear (?),
very alert then and then turns round and faces the back of the box again. Standing and preening
16.53 Settles down in dip again sitting side on and looking out of the box.
16.54 Sleeping with intermittent eye opening
16.56 Alert and looking out.
17.00 sign off.