It's incredible how fast the chicks are developing. Two weeks ago they were all white down ; now most of the four chicks have more feathers then down. I say most, because two of the chicks seemed to have developed a little more quickly than the other two. Will they be the first to fledge ?
Talking of fledging, it won't be long now. Sometime over the next week to ten days we're expecting them to take their first flight. The young birds are getting more active on their ledge daily and there's a lot of wing flapping going on ! Despite this, it's amazing how well camouflaged the chicks can be up on the ledge as with their brown feathers and little bits of white down they blend in really well with the rock face.
Meanwhile, the adult birds are still bringing in food for the chicks but it looks like they're not feeding the chicks with little pieces of their kill as much as they were. Instead they're leaving bits of the kill on the nest ledge for the chicks to tear up themselves.
Elsewhere around Dove Stone there have been recent sightings of Spotted Flycatcher, Ring Ouzel, young Dipper, Coal Tit, Grey Wagtail adults with young, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Curlew. Earlier in the year we were seeing a lot of Wheatear but we haven't seen as many recently. Perhaps they were passing through ?
Keep watching with us - we'll bring you any Peregrine fledging news as soon as we have it.
Out today in brilliant sunshine and saw the chicks still flapping wings at the nest edge. It can't be long...
from John Harris, local RSPB member.