Hatching egg

Expectant tiercel waits :)

The Catherdral Peregrines eggs are expected to hatch any time soon. 29/04

25/04 back on nest ledge face due to wind change and Goldfinch at dusk

Other Derby Peregrine's

This is a pair that produce in captivity, both have been hand reared from the moment they hatched. And eyasses are produced through A I.(artificial insemination) Sky the falcon is 11 years old and the Tiercel Arnie is 10 years old. Every year both rear their young in there own pens. Arnie the tiercel gets the last young of the season to rear, once there is no need for him to donate semen.

Pretty quiet time

Not a lot really happening, The tiercel seems keen to incubate and has been doing quite long stints.

He also seems to spend a long time away as well. At the moment both the falcon and the tiercel seem to favour the side of the Catherdral on Irongate coming up from the city centre, to take thier meals and rest. Which overlook another nesting family???

Falcon has to catch her own tea

Arrived down at the Catherdral at about 6.15 pm. Andy was already there and he explained that I had justed missed the falcon come in with her tea. We watched her plume and tuck into her meal, at the top of the Catherdral. Should have been a good view from the pudding cam.

She then took a good rest up top, and then finally dropped down to the tray to relieve the tiercel, who seemed reluctant to give up incubation for a moment. He gave way and left, and then settled up top for a brief moment before taking off, to dissapear for about an hour, as darkness started to fall he returned to take watch. I found it interesting that the falcon had to catch her own meal tonight.

Typical Peregrine egg size and weight

Falcon take's a break from incubation

Not much to report here so a few photo's from a few days ago,of the Falcon taking a break from incubation and has a spot of lunch, a moorhen. Just see its feet on one of the photos, also she dropped the head which Andy spotted. After she had her fill she dropped down from the top of the Catherdral and the tiercel gave way and she resumed incubation.

Tiercel on evening watch, and other bird life around the Catherdral

I use a 400D or 40D canon body with a 100-400mm telephoto or a 300mm prime lens which I us with a 1.4 X TC or a 2.0 X TC. I am still learning as I go a long, but good light, and being in the right place is perhaps the most influencing factor to getting my photos. I know what you mean about depth of field. When trying to get close shots of small birds, it takes some mastering, again if the light is good the depth of field can be increased.
I went down to Catherdral last night not much happening Peregrine wise, but all looked well with the tiercel appearing just before dark to take up watch. Loads of other birdlife below and around the Catherdral.
The Derby Peregrine blog can use anything it likes Nick, which is doing a sterling job, and if I can be of any help at all, I will. One of my plans if it works out is to get detailed photo's of captive Peregrine chick development to sort of run along side the Catherdal chicks, which is sort of in trouble already because the Catherdral Peregrines laided early. But hopefully they wont be to far behind.
Regards Colin

A few Photos Of Derby Catherdral Peregrines From 2008