The Diary closes down for the winter hopefully to reopen next March. Thank you for reading the entries - we”ve had another good season and hope the birds will nest again in 2007.

Today the tiercel has been watching over the territory. Two of the eyasses have taken cover in the oak trees one coming out to take prey - from the falcon?? over the brow of the valley - and bring it back to the quarry face and mantle it from his/her sibling who was crying very loudly.

The weather has continued to be kind. This afternoon one of the youngsters returned to the quarry trees without any kind of call so presume an adult wasn”t there. No kill so maybe no hunting??

Not a lot happening the birds continue to learn and weren”t happy in yesterday’’s rain. On Saturday two juveniles passed by my house making lots of noise - about the edge of their territory.

The last weekend was pretty peaceful at the viaduct - it was sunny and warm [too warm for some!] and the birds were largely quiet. Two of the kestrel young gave flying displays around the quarry - they seem to be keeping away from the peregrines . Yesterday the tiercel managed to rest on a branch in the left hand trees without being overly hassled for food by the eyasses who are keeping to the right side of the quarry. Birds are difficult to find in the abundant leafy branches.

On Saturday both peregrine and kestrel chicks were flying despite the heat of the day. Two of the peregrines disputed prey which one of them had successfully taken from an adult and succeeded in dropping it! Much wailing ensued!!
On Sunday however we saw prey dropped and retrieved in mid-air by one eyass who took its prize to the crook of a tree eating a few bites before bringing the carcass to one of the quarry ledges and having its fill. Another eyass perched close but was apparently not hungry and didn”t investigate the prey once its sibling had finished and moved off.

We have begun to wind down the watch as the peregrines are beginning to hunt away from the quarry area. The kestrels are still around - not too happy when a buzzard hoves into view. Thanks for reading the Diary entries will now be irregular.

The male kestrel continues to bring in food for his chicks who kick up a din when he arrives. Yesterday one of the chicks in a display of bravado [?] flew up and knocked a peregrine youngster off its ledge above the webcam. The peregrine youngsters are still being kept waiting for food - the falcon brought in prey which the young ”fought” over and dropped so there was a chorus of wails when she didn”t immediately go off to catch more.

Today the three kestrel chicks fledged! We now have a situation where the kestrels are living dangerously - they and the peregrine youngsters are competing to perch on ledges!!! The tiercel made a stoop of sorts on the kestrel male when it was bringing in a shrew for the young so … can the male keep out of the tiercel’’s clutches long enough for the young kestrels to grow?

Rain most of day the peregrines may be trying to keep the youngsters short of food to make them want to hunt rather than fly for fun but in the rain there’’s not a lot to be done! The kestrels continue to grow they should be flying any day but haven”t shown any inclination today.