Thank you to Malcolm, Julia, Rachel and Debbie for todays blog
08.59 Empty nest tray half bathed in sunshine. No peregrines to be seen on the pinnacle.
09.48 Clouds passing by from the west with occasional blue patches through the clouds. Gulls pass by infrequently. The sun puts the pinnacle in deep shadow.
09.58 Church clock chimes two minutes early.
10.19 Falcon arrives at the nest tray. She goes to the scrape and stands looking out.
10.20 Still standing in the scrape looking around and upward intently.
10.22 Preens left wing and back.
10.26 She turns round and adjusts the scrape.
10.27 Still standing facing the rear right corner of the tray but looking out from the tray.
10.32 Turned to face out of the tray. The wind ruffles her side feathers.
10.35 Preening again.
10.40 Still preening, she has not attempted to lay down in the scrape.
10 59 She is still in the scrape. Now squatting, not standing or laying down just with her left talon showing.
It was nice to see her eventually.
11.00. As I start my shift the Falcon is standing in the centre of the box preening. The SE turret is in dark shadow as is the town in the background.
11.19. She moves into the scrape and stands facing left. She turns 360 degs while pecking at gravel.
11.27. The Church bell strikes the half hour.
11.33. She starts chirping. The Tiercel can be seen flying in from right to left across the skyline. He calls.
11.35. The Tiercel enters the box and goes to the scrape. The Falcon moves to the front and faces him. There is some vocalising between them.
11.36. The Falcon turns and flies off. He makes himself comfortable settling down in the scrape facing forward.
11.50. Tiercel pecks at gravel, shuffling his feet in the scrape and settles down facing right.
11.57 The Church bell strikes midday.
12.10. Camera pans looking for the Falcon but there is no sign of her. It focuses on the NE turret, a brighter view - some blue sky out to sea and the incoming tide breaking into white water blown in by the wind.
12.27. The bell tolls the half hour. The Tiercel remains in the scrape.
12.39. He stands facing left and pecks the gravel.
12.42. He moves to the left back corner, some more gravel is moved then he returns to the scrape, shuffles down into it facing right.
12.57. As I hand over to Rachel the Tiercel is unmoved, no sign of the Falcon.
12.58 the church bell strikes and I take over the watch from Julia and Henry (the male, tiercel) is settled and sitting in the sunny scrape. The external camera is currently showing the NE turret with the beautiful big blue north Norfolk sky over the sea which is a little rough close to shore today.
13.03 chirruping erupts from Henry and is returned off camera with calling presumably from our Poppy (the female, falcon) … he continues this for a minute or two
13.08 the external camera wizzes off to the NW tower but no Poppy there either.
13.09 short call off camera
13.10 more calling off camera, Henry replies with a short chirrup
13.17 aside from Henry appearing to be having a nap there’s nothing else to report for now
13.28 the bells tolls half past the hour, still no sign of Poppy and Henry remains settled in the scrape.
13.40 in a sudden hop and a skip Henry rushes to the front ledge of the nest box and starts calling he then jumps back to stand in the scrape continuing to call
13.41 Poppy arrives in the next box and the pair of them are having a noisy conversation before Henry departs and sits himself on a crocket on the NW tower, handily where the external camera is trained.
13.42 Poppy is shuffling about and turning while standing in the scrape, while Henry is preening in the sun on his crocket.
13.47 Poppy is standing in the scrape preening herself while Henry continues the same on his perch.
13.52 Henry suddenly starts having a good call (thanks Chris for confirming who it was) at something and then quickly diving off his perch down out of shot and some short distant calling followed. Poppy continues to stand in the scrape watching the world up there go by
13.55 Poppy moves, walks forward a little and sits herself down facing out of the box, she looks very floofed up.
13.58 the church bell tolls marking the half way point in my shift.
14.10 Poppy remains where she was soaking up the warming sun and is gently preening as well as looking around
14.14 the external camera is panned around but no sign of our Henry at the moment, its rests back on the NE turret. Poppy continues to beautify herself in the box.
14.17 Poppy returns to the scrape rearranging the gravel a bit to her liking, she stands for a while
14.27 Poppy begins pecking at the gravel with her beak almost sitting down now
14.28 the bell tolls again just once and Henry isn’t about
14.30 Poppy has just finished her housework / gravel reorganising and sat herself in the scrape but not for long before up …. she’s seen more housework to do!
14.32 Poopy returns to standing in the nest box looking around
14.42 Poppy continues to stand slightly to the right of the scrape perusing things
14.51 after a little talon stomping in the scrape Poppy finally sits herself down appearing to start to settle and is pecking at the surrounding gravel
14.58 it’s time to hand over to Debbie as the clock strikes
15.00 Poppy is on the scrape in the sunshine. The other camera is focussed on the NW turret but Henry is not on it.
15.05 Poppy pecks at gravel
15.07 She is standing and preening
15.11 She is standing still in the sunshine
15.25 Poppy is facing outwards into the sun and preening
15.33 She is still thoroughly preening
15.37 Poppy is still and looks fluffy
15.41 Ocean waves look a weird pea green today
15.47 More preening and talon care
15.48 Poppy is still and facing outwards though it's not quite so sunny now
16.27 Poppy goes to scrape and settles in it
16.49 Without much warning Henry arrives, they have a brief 'conversation' and then she leaves
16.50 Henry settles into the scrape as if taking over the incubation
17.06 Henry flies off
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