Peregrine falcons at Worcester Cathedral

[Ex-Ascot]

It's OK here.

[G-CPTN]

It's OK here.

And here.

[Opsboi]

The feed seems to be frozen. I can hear the wind over the mic but the bird isn't moving. It was the same last night about 2200 when I had a last check before going off to bed.

The Ancient Mariner

Hit the 'live' tab when that happens

[Rossian]

My aren't they growing quickly! Right now the "parent" (sex unknown) is sounding really cross and shouting at the other "get a bloody move on and catch something to eat". It did the same yesterday evening, got no reply, left the nest and came back in about two minutes with what looked a blackbird sized catch and proceeded to shred it to feed the chicks. It's quite tough being a peregrine.
Oh! and why are they called "peregrine" the root meaning of that word means "a pilgrim"??

The Ancient Mariner

[Boac]

The word originally meant "foreign," as did its Latin predecessor peregrinus. But even before peregrine appeared on its own in English, it was part of the name of that well-known bird of prey, the peregrine falcon. The bird's appellation derives from "falco peregrinus"—literally, "pilgrim falcon" in Medieval Latin.

See? It's a **** immigrant

[Rossian]

How can one reliably tell the male and the female apart? My Observer book of birds is not terribly helpful in this regard.
I've been tending to assume that the one that is visible most of the time is the hen as I've only occasionally seen another bird appear with a kill. I'm sure she's aware of the webcam as she seems to give it a direct baleful stare from time to time.

The Ancient Mariner

[Opsboi]

How can one reliably tell the male and the female apart?

The male is the smaller one
When either of them look at the camera, they're saying "Good day, O-N. Nearing finals, I have control..."

[Opsboi]

Wow, they're growing fast!

[Rossian]

They serpently are! The parent can't cover all four now to keep them warm at night.
I see there is another webcam at a big building in Glasgow, the Gilbert Scott tower, with four peregrine chicks. They are proposing to abseil to the nest (which is a big proper nest) to electronically tag the chicks for the future.

The Ancient Mariner

[Wodrick]

When the remains become obtrusive what do they do?
Lob them over the side aiming for the Bishop perhaps.

[Hydromet]

Apologies for thread drift.
Across the road from us and slightly down the hill, every year from March to October we hear a pair of boobook owls, which we suspect nests in a large old eucalypt in the bush (national park) there. Also across the road and slightly down the hill live a state politician and his family. The tree is immediately behind the house. My next-door neighbour is also into nature photography. One day he went through via the national park with his camera and tele lens looking for the nest. Not surprisingly, this raised the concern of the politician's wife. Fortunately, he was able to allay her concerns, but it may have been wise to speak to them first, so they weren't worried about a non-anglo person pointing a camera in the direction of their home.

Normal service may now be resumed.

[Rossian]

The chicks are at the stage that all comparable young'uns are. Eat, sh1t, sleep. Their outer wing feathers are beginning to show and the "fluff" is slowly disappearing. Fascinating watch.

The Ancient Mariner

[Rossian]

They seem to have spent the night alone and appear to be concentrating on GROWING with more proper feathers appearing.

The Ancient Mariner

[izod tester]

When I looked last night at about 23:30, the chicks were huddled together in the nest and one adult was sitting on the perch visible at about 2 o'clock.

[Rossian]

And some brave soul has been up there and ringed them!

The Ancient Mariner

[Rossian]

Ooooer missus someone seems to have lost a ringed leg in the middle of the tray!!

The Ancient Mariner
PS could (gulp) they have turned cannibal??

[Opsboi]

And some brave soul has been up there and ringed them!

The Ancient Mariner

I don't think our babies have been ringed

Some of their meals have, for sure

[Karearea]

Surreal to look back on the video and see the mom feed the little guys while the bells peal in the background...

[Rossian]

Having had a closer look at the ringed leg in the middle of the tray/platform - maybe someone is missing a racing pigeon?
"I hear that Cedric bought it this afternoon chaps, we'll raise a glass to him tonight" stiff upper lip and all that.

The Ancient Mariner

[Opsboi]

And some brave soul has been up there and ringed them!

The Ancient Mariner

I don't think our babies have been ringed

Some of their meals have, for sure

I take it all back, one of them has definitely been ringed