Today there was one lone juvenile sitting near the south west turret. All the others, Mum and Dad, included had deserted the spire – or perhaps he had been left in charge!! We took a picture – see below – and had a fleeting glimpse of two more peregrines flying in formation nearby but there was no communication between them and the sitting youngster. I daresay they were out over the harbour playing and learning their hunting skills.
There were high levels of excitement at the Cathedral yesterday. In recent days the Peregrine family have (with the exception of one reluctant juvenile) spent each morning away from the building, presumably involved in hunting lessons for the youngsters. During one such period a lone male adult Peregrine appeared above the Cathedral and was soon investigating the nest site and surrounding pinnacles. After observing the bird’s leg-ring (Green #34) it was realised that this was none other than the male displaced from its territory at Sussex Heights in Brighton by one of the Chichester birds’ offspring last year. Everyone watching was alarmed as one of this year’s youngsters was perched on the far side of the spire from the interloper, but fortunately for the juvenile in question the Brighton bird appeared not to notice her.
The new arrival came and went from the building several times during the morning and nobody could be sure that he had not displaced the Chichester birds earlier in the morning. At around two normal service was resumed however, as Green #34 flew off to the south east, and shortly after his leaving the Chichester male adult returned carrying prey with a juvenile female in tow. The two birds performed a spectacular food-pass above Millets, and then both settled upon the Cathedral as normal.
Now the wait begins to see if the displaced male will appear again, and if he will contest the territory with the current inhabitants.
Dad surprised everybody by making a landing on the north side of the Cathedral looking very bedraggled this morning. He looked very much as though he had been soaked from head to tail, and then sat drying-off for a long time before regaining his usual appearance. We assumed he’d decided to have a good bath somewhere nearby before drying himself in the warm breeze, but it’s impossible to know exactly what had happened. There was very little other activity around the building during the day as most of the family were out and about, presumably honing the flying skills of the young birds as they begin to learn to hunt.
Last night found Dad sitting high up on the spire with a feather sticking out of his ‘nose’ (see picture) – even after a speedy flight it had not become dislodged.The juveniles performed to perfection giving us several wonderful displays of their prowess in the sky to the strains of Mozart and Beethoven (equally performed to perfection by the Boston Youth Symphony) from the Cathedral.
On a glorious Sunday afternoon the juveniles took to the sky as a family and what a spectacle it was too! Some very fancy flying as well as practising turning upside down. Even though they were playing quite a long way away I didn’t manage to get all 4 in the lens so here is s sample of what 2 of them were up to.
The Peregrine family have continued to provide great entertainment in the last week. Notable moments include one of the adults taking a Pigeon over the shops in East Street in front of many shoppers, and lots of mini-stoops by both parents right around the Cathedral resulting in no reported captures. Yesterday an adult carrying prey was sighted heading into the north of the city at low altitude with two loudly squawking juveniles in hot pursuit. It seems that the parents are beginning to demonstrate their hunting technique to the youngsters.
One young bird amused watchers by electing to perch on the end of the white crane north of the Cathedral, where he or she continued to sit unpeturbed as the crane rotated as it went about its work.
Lots of opportunity yesterday evening to watch all the youngsters fly now that the girls have joined their brothers in the air. Such a beautiful evening is ideal for gazing skywards and seeing the antics of 4 young peregrines learning to fly like their parents. Landings are still a bit dodgy and sometimes the point is missed so they have to go round again.
The two female juveniles followed their brothers into the air this weekend. Number 43 seemed to have taken her first flight early on Saturday morning, with her sister (number 42) following in the middle of the afternoon. The males are now noticably improving their flying skills, chasing each other and the adults around the Cathedral throughout the day.
Today we had to go out and do other stuff much to our disappointment but our return journey meant we had to pass close to the Cathedral. What a treat female 43 sitting on the bell tower. What luck I had my camera with me, she flew back to the nest turret, some great pictures. We were treated to a great flying display by the adults as well. I will wait to be posted by the RSPB as to when or if 42 has made her maiden flight. What a great time to visit Chichester and see some of the greatest flying you are ever likely to see. A rare privilege.
Female juveniles numbers 42 and 43 spent the majority of the day looking like they might fledge at any moment, but by evening had yet to do so. Mum and Dad continued to attempt to lure the female youngsters to fledge, circling above them often. They even delivered most of the days’ prey into the southwest turret (rather than that on the southeast of the building, in which the nest resides) in an apparent act of bribery! In the early evening the parents relented and brought a meal to the nest site for the young females.
On such a windless day it was perhaps unsurprising that the girls chose not to take to the air today. It is often said that Peregrines prefer to make their first flight into a headwind. Perhaps if there’s a breeze tomorrow they will finally take to the air.
