The University of Sheffield have just put up a webcam to view the Peregrines that raised young last year, no one at home as i type.
http://efm.dept.shef.ac.uk/peregrine/index.html
edit, when enlarge to full screen it's still cracking quality
It still amazes me how fast these birds grow & mature - like some sort of time lapse images!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Do we have a fledging date for these D?
Popped up to St Georges at 7.30 this morning on my way to work - saw all three youngsters standing on the ledge of the nestbox flexing their wings. Fledging is imminent!
The University are apparently saying Thursday based on the timings of last year's brood but to me they look ready to go at any time (before anyone shoots off up there please have a look for yourself first as I'm no expert by any means!)
Was also rewarded by the presence of BOTH parents and even saw Dad chase (unsuccessfully) a pigeon.
Will post pics hopefully this evening
Ian
Yes it looks like they've fledged Alan. On reflection I think it might have been starting to happen when I was there this morning. Both parents were around and they made repeated fleeting visits to the nest. They weren't bringing food so maybe they were trying to encourage the kids to go for it!
Just looking now there's one at the nest and it looks like at least one on top of the box. Maybe they haven't quite fledged after all and are just playing hide and seek with us!
Anyway here are some pictures from this morning, which unfortunately was very overcast
Mum (I think!) looks in "Wakey wakey, rise and shine"
Juniors 1 and 2 respond
Job done, mum departs...
...flies a circuit and perches a few yards from the nest
"Let's have a look around now she's gone"
Meanwhile Dad is also perched nearby, right at the very top of the tower where he can see not only his family but also the whole of Sheffield!
and finally after his siblings have returned to the nest, Junior 3 shows himself
And just to put the whole scene in context here's a location pic taken last week in much brighter conditions. You'll see the nest suspended from the roof, top left; Mum's perch is the decorative stone on the right of the tower just a little below the nest; and Dad was perched directly above Mum but right up at the very peak on the right hand side of the tower.
and just a bit closer
Thanks for looking
It was a morning I'll never forget Alan, my pictures don't do justice to the experience at all I'm afraid. The best start to a working day ever!
The birds fledged one yesterday and two this morning! I went up at lunchtime today and enjoyed a fantastic half hour - no pics as for various reasons I didn't take the camera but oh! I wish I had. Both parents were there and two of the youngsters (both female I was told), there was plenty of flying and a couple of kills were brought in.
When one of the youngsters called for food both parents ignored her for a good 10 minutes, then Dad flew off and immediately came back with a kill. He landed on a ledge a little away from junior and started work on his kill, clearly trying to entice her. Feathers floating down all around us on the ground! He continued to ignore his offspring, who kept edging closer but just wouldn't make the leap to join her dad - who eventually finished off the prey himself and then flew off!
Junior continued to cry and finally Mum relented, flew off and made a kill, came back, dropped the prey at the youngster's feet and immediately left again.
Fascinating stuff and it was a real privelege to be able to witness the parenting behaviour of these magnificent birds.
I was also told that the third youngster, a male and apparently the first to fledge yesterday, was found exhausted this morning on the ground in the church graveyard (the nest is on the side of a former church). He has been safely returned to the church roof where his siblings are still residing for the time being.
Regards
There was an update on the peregrines on Springwatch last night.
Watch on iPlayer at 37 minutes
Tiger Signature
A few more from showery Sheffield today
Are you pointing that at me?
I suppose you think this is funny?
I'm cold and I'm bored and I want to go home
Does my bum look big in this?
Stop showing off and behave like a lady
Sorry mum :(
off to the naughty corner
What happens when a peregrine meets an osprey ?