Surfbirds News

Two Peregrine Falcon web cameras were recently installed on Derby Cathedral, and you can now watch the nesting birds at any time, day or night. At the moment they are incubating four eggs, laid over the Easter weekend.

Follow these links to the cameras:

http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/derby-peregrine-falcons1.

http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/derby-peregrine-falcons2.

You can also find out more about what's happening and see recent video clips of the courting couple by following this separate link to the Peregrine Project Diary, or blog http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.com/.

The project partners - Derby Cathedral, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and Derby City Council’s Museum Service - have worked closely together to bring live pictures of the Peregrine Falcons. Two cameras and a microphone were installed in mid-February, and recording equipment was loaned by the BBC "East Midlands Today" team in early March. The webcam service is hosted by Streamdays.com http://www.streamdays.com .

The birds can now be seen on most days from the rear of the Cathedral at Cathedral Green by Full Street. Whilst the female is usually out of sight on the nest, the male is often on guard on one of the gargoyles above.

Watching Peregrines in Derby

There will be at least two Peregrine Watch weeks on Derby’s Cathedral Green during 2007, organised by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. Telescopes and binoculars will be available for everyone to use, with helpers on hand to talk about why the world's fastest animal lives in Derby. Details will be announced soon.

Birdwatchers can come to Cathedral Green on Full Street at any time to watch the peregrines, from now onwards. Egg laying began in early April, so chicks should hatch around 8th to 13th May, with fledging around 10-17 June 2007. Look for birds on the east face of the tower where the nest platform is located, or high up on gargoyles near the top. The female is considerably larger than the male peregrine, but either may be seen on the platform. During incubation the female will rarely be seen as she will be out of sight on her nest, on the left hand side of the wooden platform.

For your safety: please be aware of fast traffic on Full Street. Do not leave cameras, binoculars or telescopes unattended.

Other nearby birdwatching opportunities include the nearby River Derwent footpath, going either upstream to Darley Park or downstream past the Council House and on to Pride Park. Just 200m from Cathedral Green, a Park-and-Ride bus from Derby Council House takes you to The Sanctuary a new bird reserve next to Pride Park Football Stadium where many unusual birds can be observed, and where the peregrines sometimes hunt.