A huge thank you to Suzanna, Rachel, Daniel and Debbie for todays bumper blog
09.00 The falcon stands still in the sun at the front of the box. She faces right. Her feathers blow as she is buffeted by gusts of wind. Her crop looks full. She looks from side to side, occasionally closing her left eye against the sun. She appears relaxed.
09.29 The church bell chimes once. The falcon has not moved. She still stands at the front of the box.
09.38 She preens the feathers on her back briefly. Her feet still rooted to the spot.
09.42 She moves. Turns clockwise to the scrape, picks stones, preens, fidgets.
09.43 She’s stands still facing left. Picks at stones. Walks off scrape for more stone picking in the back left hand corner of the box.
09.45 She moves back into the scrape and does a clockwise twirl. She looks as if she is trying to get comfortable on the scrape. Off cam I hear a peregrine call. She is disturbed, looks up and out of the box. Still standing on the scrape.
09.47 She takes 2 steps forward to the front of the box. The peregrine outside the box calls again in the distance. She has been unsettled by this call but remains standing in the box looking out.
09.57 ACTION. Suddenly she calls loudly and incessantly. I can’t see the tiercel but he’s not far away. There is a lot of vocalisation between the two. He arrives in the box with plucked prey for her. She grabs it and flies off. He’s left alone in box.
10.00 He too leaves the box. Flying out cam L and the box is empty.
10.07 The reverse cam reveals the Falcon sitting on a turret.
10.08 The falcon flies from the turret out of vision. The box is still empty.
10.11 She is back on the same turret. Perched in the sunlight.
10.39 Noises off as one of the peregrines chatters (box empty - can’t be far away)
10.43 Falcon still perched on turret.
10.52 Falcon has left perch on turret. Peregrines call loudly off cam. Not sure of their location.
11.00 The box is empty. The clock chimes 11.
11.00 no sign of either the male (tiercel) or female (falcon) on either camera at this time. It’s a breezy day, doesn’t seem as windy as yesterday. It’s a lovely sunny day… the nest box is partly in the sun the camera on the turret facing roughly north again in the sun.
11.15 no change
11.30 bell tolls half past the hour and still the peregrines elude us
11.41 the whole of the scrape is now bathed in sunlight and the turret camera pans to face out to sea and there is the female (falcon) sitting high on a crocket in the sun having her feathers well and truly ruffled by the wind.
11.45 the female (falcon) commences some preening
11.47 Poppy is very alert and just surveying all around her from the vantage point
12.00 the church bell tolls midday and Poppy continues to sit alert on her vantage point observing all around her
12.02 Poppy is preening again on and off
12.05 plenty of calling and Henry appears calling loudly in the box, this continues for a minute or two and he settles himself in the scrape in the sun occasionally.
12.07 Henry performing some minor house keeping and generally shuffling about getting comfy in the scrape
12.11 Henry seems happy and settled in the scrape in the sun, alert and gently perusing the area
12.15 Henry stands in the scrape, calls a little and proceeds to just stand stands watching for about 20mins
12.25 the male (tiercel) moves to the front of the nest box
12.30 the church bells tolls half past the hour, Poppy continues to sit on her crocket in the wind and Henry remains on the edge of the next box alert and watching about him. Poppy appears to mainly have her focus on Henry and the box now
12.32 Poppy stretching her legs while balancing on the crocket
12.34 Henry keeps looking back into the box then sits very upright before flying off
12.35 Poppy appears to occasionally be calling as her beak is opening and closing gently
12.43 I can hear calling off camera in the next box Poppy on the turret seems to have had something catch her eye at the same time. PIC
12.45 the nest box remains empty bathed in sunlight and Poppy is still on her crocket
12.48 Poppy lets out a very loud call (heard in nest box camera) from her position, still remains alert and observing around
12.52 lots of calling can be heard, sounds like both birds at one point
12.56 nest box remains empty and Poppy is still on her crocket surveying her domain
13.00 the bell tolls one, my shift here is done 😊…over to Daniel
13.00 female sitting on south turret, feathers flapping in wind.
13.12 looking down, very alert.
13.17 female grooming herself.
13.19 sea gull calling, female looked up, alert, back to grooming.
13.24 looks alert, looking around.
13.26 looks down, very alert, male flies in and starts mating, lots of vocalisation.
13.34 grooming herself again.
13.35 moves to a side on view and then flies away.
13.36 lots of vocalisation, male flies in into box, scraping gravel.
13.38 sitting in scrape, side on view.
13.39 now facing camera.
13.40 back faced to camera.
13.44 moves to edge of box, facing into the camera, feathers flapping in wind.
13.45 lots of vocalisation
13.48 head up alert.
13.51 male starts to vocalise again.
13.54 lots of vocalisation, sitting on scrape.
13.56 continued vocalisation from male.
13.57 female flies in, both start to bow head and display courtship behaviour, lots if vocalisation between them.
13.58 male leaves, females remains.
13.59 she moves to corner of of box, scraping out gravel.
14.00 she moves to front of box.
14.03 female moves back in, male on south facing turret, grooming himself.
14.12 male flies away, female on edge of box, lots of vocalisation.
14.23 scraping gravel, picking up stones, sitting in scrape, side on view.
14.27 moves to corner of box, picking up stones, sitting back in scrape, back to sitting in same position, side on view.
14.34 cleaning her right foot.
14.36 now sitting on the other side, facing the left hand side.
14.37 picking up stones.
14.39 sea gulls alarm calling, female alert looking up.
14.40 Male back on turret.
14.44 females head moving side to side, very alert, gets up and stand in scrape.
14.56 female lifts head up, alert, grooms herself.
14.59 sea gulls alarm call, female looks up, alert.
15.00 Poppy standing in nest box, alert and calling
15.15 Henry on church ledge, he has a mucky underside
15.18 Peregrines look great in their separate places
15.20 Poppy preens, turns away from the camera, scrapes and settles in scrape.
15.21 Henry preens and scratches
15.41 Henry calls
15.46 Henry calls, stands on one leg while he scratches and calls again
15.48 Henry calls and flies off while calling
15.49 Henry calls off camera and Poppy squeaks back in response
16.01 Henry calls off camera
16.02 Henry flies into the nest box, Poppy leaves immediately calling as she goes and lands on the same church ledge where Henry had been previously. Henry picks at the gravel, scrapes and settles into the scrape. Meanwhile on the ledge, Poppy excretes.
16.04 Poppy preens
16.09 Henry stands at edge of nest box
16.14 Henry calls
16.20 Henry and Poppy both call and Henry follows something flying in front of him and then flies off away from the nest
16.21 Poppy continues to call keeping her balance in the strong wind, she turns gradually to face several directions
16.22 Poppy leaves her ledge......Chris suggests both birds were aware of an intruder. Camera rotates but no peregrines are seen
16.24 Calling off camera
16.27 More calling off camera
16.28 There seems to be a lot of activity on the South face of the Church and a peregrine can be seen a few times buzzing past the turrets
17.00 As church bell dongs 5 o'clock, Henry returns to the nest box and keeps a look out on the front edge while Poppy returns to the North East turret
17.38 The male takes flight from the box and copulates with the female who is still sitting on the North East turret
