Peregrine Diary
13 June
In the early hours of the morning, the second female chick decided to join the others and flew from the eyrie. The adult birds are continuing to bring in prey and feed it to the young. All the birds can be seen in and around the nest site for the next week or so. Operation Peregrine and the Hide will be closing down for this season around 23/24 June.
12 June
First female chick fledged!
9 June
The male peregrine has fledged! Will the two female chicks follow soon?
2 June
The rapid progress of all three chicks continues apace! They visibly change every day! It will probably only be another week before they fledge - maybe even by the week-end for the male.
1 June
The last few days have seen a huge step forward in the development of flight feathers and coloured breast feathers. The smaller male juvenile is maturing faster than his female siblings - a lot of wing stretching and exploring the boundaries of the ledge. All three are strong and active; tearing into the prey brought onto the ledge.
28 May
Eyasses (chicks) spend a lot of time preening to rid themselves of the fluffy white down. Dark wing feathers are now showing clearly. Quite often the adult birds bring in prey, drop it on the ledge and leave the young to pull it apart on their own.
25 May
This week-end the Falls of Clyde “Waterfall Days” have been taking place (no water diverted through the turbines) so it has been busy at the OP site with walkers looking at the Waterfalls. The two adult birds continue going on hunting sprees, bringing in prey and feeding their brood despite the audience!
23 May
The chicks are now pulling bits of prey apart for themselves, rather then being fed directly from the adult. A low flying jet flew over the gorge shattering the peace but the birds seemed completely unbothered.
21 May
The chicks were ringed today. Two females and a male confirmed - all doing well! They are fed up to six times a day, giving a great show to the hundreds of people who walk up through the gorge to see them.
16 May
Warm sunny weather continues. The adult birds are leaving the chicks alone in the nest, needing neither to keep them warm or shade them from too much sun. All three chicks feeding well.
11 May
A heron got a nasty surprise flying up the gorge! As it passed the eyrie both peregrines dropped on it and mobbed it. Very dramatic – loud cries from all birds! The heron dived and circled between the cliffs then flew off upstream. It was spotted a little while later by Bonnington Linn just as it took to the air again to fly downstream again. Sure enough a few moments later loud cries could be heard again as the peregrines chased it away!
10 May
Torrential rain and thunderstorm! Female sat with chicks on nest ledge but otherwise did not appear at all bothered by thunder, lightening or heavy downpour!
7 May
Sadly, over the last 24 hours only three chicks can be seen at feeding times. It would appear one of them has succumbed. When they are fed, the tiny chicks rise up in a pyramid using each other as support to force themselves towards the adult bird as it drops food into their open beaks. Very warm, sunny weather.
3 May
The fourth (and final) chick has successfully hatched!!
2 May
A third chick has been definitely confirmed! Both birds are taking it in turns to sit on the nest and bring in food.
1 May
The female has been acting very protectively of the nest, not allowing the male to take a turn incubating and it was felt that hatching time was near! Then, the male flew in with prey. The female rose from her position and two fluffy chicks could clearly be seen! Beaks gaping, ready for the male to feed them.
27 April
Great excitement as an osprey flew over the Bonnington Linn end of the reserve! It was spotted by the male peregrine – and soon chased off!
24 April
Both birds are spending long periods of time incubating the eggs. A raven (seen in the reserve quite regularly recently) tried to take prey from one of the peregrines’ larder ledges. The tiercel (male), despite being so much smaller, quickly mobbed the massive black intruder who was sent quickly on its way!
8 April
Both adult birds are now incubating the eggs, staying firmly on the eyrie through the cold weather. Unwanted visitors, in the form of crows and buzzards do get mobbed and chased off though if they get too close to the nest site.
30 March
A fourth and final egg is spotted in the eyrie. With a full clutch, the 36 day incubation period truly begins, putting hatching at about the 3–6 of May.
27 March
A third egg is spotted in the eyrie.
24 March
Operation Peregrine volunteers spot the tops of two eggs on the eyrie. Both birds are taking turns to incubate the eggs.
22 March
Operation Peregrine 24hr watch starts with staff and volunteers gathering at the watch site, telescopes set up and the CCTV link to the visitor centre switched on. The staff and volunteers will maintain a 24-hour presence on site with the watch site open to the public from 8am to dusk. Telescopes are set up for fantastic views of the birds and the staff and volunteers are oh hand for any questions.
17 March
Falcon (adult female) seen excavating a nest scrape on one of the ledges – a different nest site from last year, higher up the cliff face and directly opposite the Watch site. Both birds then seen displaying (head bowing and calling).
13 March
Both birds frequently observed displaying and pair bonding around the nest site