Chichester Peregrines

Webcams and scopes are going up around the Cathedral in a couple of weeks time, and apparently the falcons have just laid four eggs.  Pics here:

http://www.chichesterperegrines.co.uk/galleries/March%202011/gallery.htm

Although I'm super-busy at work that week, I'm tempted to take the day off and go up on the train - but will there be much to see if they're incubating?  Would I be better to wait till the chicks are hatched?  Or should I plan to go more than once...?

BB

Hi Badgerbread

Perhaps this a question for me, as I will be doing some days as a volunteer at Chichester Peregrines this summer. The nestbox at Chichester is not visible from the ground, as it's in a turret at the base of the spire:

So during the incubation period, what you'd mostly see would be the male delivering food to the female and standing guard over the nest, plus the image from the nestbox on the screen in the RSPB tent. I wouldn't want this to put you off going though, as it's a fantastic setting to see the peregrines.

Once the young are hatched and growing, the female can be seen sitting above the nest (as here) and also going hunting as their demand for food increases. The youngsters can first be seen in the flesh (feathers?) as they approach fledging, which fingers crossed should be in early June.  

The best place at present to keep up with news from the nest is David Shaw's blog, which you've found. Once the webcam is online, it will appear in the Dates with Nature page which gives the details for visitors.

I'm going to the volunteers' briefing next week, so will post more news after that.

cheers, Sue     

Hi

WE have gone to Chichester a few times in previous years in the hope of spotting the Peregrines but the traffic can be a nightmare and more often than not we gave up and went to Pagham harbour, but now I know you help out there Sue we will have to arrange to get down there and eventually see the Peregrines in real life and not just on the webcam.

Shane

Hi Shane

Personally, I would be tempted to go when the eggs have hatched. In fact I might be tempted to do that. :-)

Hi Chris

You probably right about the timing as the parents will be out and about more hunting, so its webcam until that happens :o)

Shane 

Thanks for the advice.

I might see you there, Sue!

BB

It's good to see there's quite a bit of interest and I will hope to meet some of you down there!

I have heard that the Peregrines now have their own Twitter profile and Facebook site, so you can keep up with the latest news from the nest. The webcam should also be online soon - more news asap.

Sue  

Webcam is online today! I don't think there's any sound, but it's an excellent picture.

Hi Rach

Thank you for that. :-) It's a nice clear picture, and a tidy looking nest.

Woodpecker

Thank you for that. :-) It's a nice clear picture, and a tidy looking nest.

Chris

It won't be tidy once the chicks start growing - I predict a spattered nestbox and feathers everywhere!

The webcam can be found here or here, but currently only from 7am - 7pm.  A night vision camera has been installed for this year, but it's currently on the blink and flashes like a strobe light (to us viewers - this is not something the birds are aware of). Hopefully it can be fixed soon.

Cheers, Sue    

Thanks for the info BB its good to see it up and running. I have that many webcams to watch during the day I can hardly get round to doing any housework. Well thats my excuse to hubby lol.

Sue

Peregrine's Eye View (panoramic photo on Chichester Cathedral website).

The male peregrine likes to perch in the top band of tracery on the cathedral spire, keeping watch over his territory and looking out for any approaching threats. Last week as we were assembling for the volunteers' briefing, someone came in to say a migrating osprey had appeared from the south and was seen off by both peregrines and an escort of gulls.

The watchpoint opens this Wednesday 13th April, in the garden of the Cloisters Cafe - details on the Dates with Nature page. I'm doing my first day the following week - looking forward to it!.      

May see you there Sue. I can never resist looking at the screens when I am in Chichester. Obviously, you are going to enjoy yourself.

Have been trying to get screenshots of the pair this afternoon.

I believe this is the female (larger, paler, longer "moustache")

and this the male, taking over for a while

 Intruders!

A video posted by the team on Facebook, of the Chichester female defending the nest against an intruding male a few days ago.   

This newspaper article from 2010 shows the male peregrine in an aerial dognfight with an intruder. The green-ringed immature invader is a grandchild of the Chichester pair, hatched in Brighton.