Plym Peregrine Watchers Diary

The weather was variable last week, cloud and sun. The birds have taken to absenting themselves from the quarry [or is one of them hiding in the oak trees???] and the kestrel chicks are only seen infrequently - perhaps they fear the peregrines who are around with nothing to do. The Peregrine Watch 2008 finished last Sunday, we had a BBQ to cheer ourselves up - this season we have had some 60 watchers, a number of them first-timers, and it has been disappointing for them not to see the peregrine chicks grow up. Thank you for reading these updates, hopefully next year will be a bonanza year.

Today [Wednesday] we saw the ravens back at their nest. Mrs Raven was in the nest, rummaging around and replacing sticks that the peregrines had dislodged. Mr Raven stood on the outside edge of the nest, looking on approvingly.

We had thought the ravens weren’t interested in the nest once vacated, but we were wrong…! Obviously Mrs Raven felt her home had been vandalised and was putting it right. Will the peregrines now come over to it and rearrange the furniture?? We shall watch with interest.

Four little kestrel chicks are now being seen from time to time - they seem to like siestas between feeding, maybe we have to wait another few days before they spend more time being visible. It’s been a grey weekend. The peregrines received a  surprise when the ravens disputed their being at the ravens’ nest - surprise because the ravens aren’t using it! The tiercel has been trying to maintain bonding, on Saturday he brought in a pigeon and presented it to the falcon, flying away to another ledge to give her space, and she ate it. Both birds have continued to alight separately on the ravens nest and survey the valley.

The peregrines just don’t know what to do - they are spending time sitting in the raven’s nest or on the quarry face. Glorious sunshine this weekend. The jays have continued to do a bit of hassling but are being chased off. The great spotted woodlecker is frequently eating peanuts from the feeder. The kestrels have got at least three young - this afternoon their heads came ‘over the parapet’ to see the world. Great sight - this afternoon we saw a kingfisher fishing from the greenery on the wheelpit!

A jay has decided to live dangerously by dive-bombing the peregrines when they are sitting on a ledge. The female has been eyeing it with undisguised annoyance. A couple of years ago the same thing happened and the jay came to dinner, but was the dinner!

The female seems inclined to want to lay again but the male is reluctant to take part. The weather is very variable, lots of showers and grey skies with a little sun.

The kestrels don’t seem to be bringing a lot of food to their nest so chicks, if yet hatched, must be very young.

We have ceased to operate the webcam as there are no young peregrines to watch, a great disappointment to us all. The website is, of course, remaining open.