Sorry, male on top shelf!

10.15 Sunday 2 Jan looks like mail on top shelf, viewed from College Bank.

27th December one bird visible on shelf before top spire from College Bank flats. Spotted at day break, still there at 9.55.

14th November.

1 was just about visible through the swirling mist and was seen to be perched on the edge of the nest tray at 8.45 this morning.

Cheers,

Bill.

I can hear a lot of comotion from the Peregrines today outside my office window at the Black Box!

Ive just walked across town this morning. Peregrines still resident in the town centre, as one of the birds was screaching and doing laps of the black box!

I've just been driving home along Spotland Road, wondering whether to pop to the Town Hall for a quick look. At that moment a peregrine flew really low over the car. That's my fix for the day!

I live in the College Bank flats and have a scope trained on the clock tower on the reverse side from where the nest is. The shelf below the tower piece is where they tend to store the pigeons prior to consumption. Yesterday, there were two adults and a chick on the shelf. Diet is mainly feral pigeons, but I have seen white doves caught as well.

An extended stay on Saturday and I did not see the adult male bird.

They certainly are! Yesterday the juveniles were sharing a pigeon on the Town Hall, then one of them flew off with it to a chimney on South Street (near John Peers) and ate it by itself giving lots of people great views.

The juveniles fledged yesterday (many thanks to Roy from RSPB volunteers). I imagine these birds will provide some cracking views.

Chick again stood proud on edge of tray again today. Female next to tray preening herself.

Went to St Chads again today at 12.10. Chick stood proud on the edge of the tray. 12.15 female returned and perched herself in the top of the window above the tray in the clock tower. She kept looking down to check on her chick. Great viewing!

Yes

presumably the female adult bird is larger than the male?

Do you mean the chicks - if so it's the leg thickness.
Adults - size.

a daft question but how can you tell the difference between the male and female Peregrine?

Went to St Chads at 12.10 today. Fabulous view of the female on the tray with a chick. Not so much of a chick any more - it's nearly as big as she is!

Watch out Pigeons of Rochdale - theres a Peregrine somewhere near you!

Good view of female feeding chick this morning. When I uploaded photos, I was amused to see a dead pigeon laid in front of box waiting to be eaten, which I hadn't spotted!

I was watching the site from about 3.00 to 8.00pm and got some cracking views but sadly didn't see the chicks whilst they were being fed. I watched and photograped a mid air pass between male and female of a small bird which I have yet to identify from the pictures.

1045-12.15

Watching the male sat on the nest from St Chad's brief views of one chick popping his head over the box

No sign of the female as of yet, although one fellow birder suggested she was at ASDA doing her shopping....

I'm glad I joined the forum, I'm learning all the time!

Yes, I think so. In Manchester (I am a volunteer on the Manchester peregrines) in past years they had a 'larder' on the Town Hall. Now they have moved nest site to the CIS building praps they may not use the Town Hall. Yesterday a bird was plucking prey on the other side of the tower from the nest and seemed to put it in what looked like a big funnel sort of thing. We hoped they weren't blocking up a vent!

Is this something they would normally do? I just though they killed fresh for every meal

I saw one land on St Chad's yesterday. Wonder if they are keeping food there?

Just been to St Chads this morning. I looked at the Town Hall clock tower but no signs. All of a sudden there was an almighty screach from behind me on the low part of the roof at St Chads. Next minute the female flew 6ft off the ground through the trees and round the back of the Town Hall clock tower. Looks like she may have been going for a swim as she went off in the direction of the baths on Entwistle road. Superb sighting - the nearest I've ever been to a Peregrine!

I am SO delighted! Hope they do well.

I'm very pleased to be able to say that an inspection under a Sch 1 licence this morning revealed 2 newly hatched chicks on the nest tray.

Its a shame but I dont think they will have laid eggs. If they had, the female would be sat on the nest a lot more I think

Went up to St Chads at 11.45. Female was on the ledge on the left side of clock tower sheltering from the downpoor. Still no sign of the male.

-- Edited by Mike B on Monday 10th of May 2010 12:28:18 PM

went out to see the Peregrines at lunch today. The female was sunning and preening herself on the opposite side of the tower to the tray. No sign of the male - probably out hunting the pigeons. Great views of the site from St. Chads though!

Fingers crossed they have eggs. Just back from enjoying excellent views of both birds. At first, one bird was feeding - lots of feathers blowing around! Then both flew around quite a lot with the female going to the tray. From where I was standing I couldn't see if she was on the tray or the ledge. A while later she flew off again.

3rd May.

Once again just a single bird was visible on a brief visit at 7.30 am today.

Cheers,

Bill.

A visit will be made shortly under licence if it doesn't become apparent.

Do we know if there are any eggs?

-- Edited by Jill Brown on Monday 3rd of May 2010 12:36:45 PM

This bird (Darvic A1) was ringed in Lancs but not far from Rochdale. Both birds present today, but as one came the other disappeared - incubation shift changeover? Still not clear what's happening.

Visited the town hall and I am delighted to note that one of the birds (I saw only one) was wearing a red darvic ring which means it was ringed by Craig Bell.

One bird flying to and from nest tray this morning, calling. Clock been broken since yesterday afternoon, so they will have had a peaceful night!

saw female on opposite side of tower and wings flapping in the tray presumably male 2.00pm

2/4/10. 9:30am. Male flew to nest tray. Both birds then flew around, then land on the opposite side of the clock tower.

Yes the tray is a chestnut brown colour.

Went for a look at lunchtime, forgot to take my binoculars to work :( , saw what I assume was a peregrin take flight and do a circle over the town hall car park a couple of times, tomorrow I will remember binoculars! Judging from where the bird returned to is the nesting tray rusty brown/red in colour or am I looking at something else? Should be easier tomorrow with binoculars!

Jill Brown found the remains of a Kittiwake under the tower this morning. When I was there at lunchtime, the female was sitting on the tray intermittently whilst the male was higher up on a spar. Best viewing point is St Chad's churchyard.

Bill Myerscough wrote:

---

28th March.

Cracking views of 1 sat on edge of nest tray at 8.20 am.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 28th of March 2010 08:32:41 AM

---

At 8.50 am the smaller male was plucking a large item of prey from a ledge higher up the tower. At 9.15 am the female getting impatient for her breakfast started calling loudly. The male took off shortly before the female on the nest tray and they exchanged the prey in a stunning aerial food pass. Fantastic! The female ate out of sight away from the nest tray.

Also singing Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush, pair of Coal Tits.

Excellent urban birding!

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 28th of March 2010 09:30:22 AM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 28th of March 2010 12:44:40 PM

28th March.

Cracking views of 1 sat on edge of nest tray at 8.20 am.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 28th of March 2010 08:32:41 AM

Both birds visiting nest tray, per Jill Brown.

27/3/10. 11am. One bird seen flying around S Parade then land high up on the east side of the clock tower

Both birds were present again today with the female visiting the nest tray (information from Roy Ridings). They may be the St Luke's birds, but another pair in a different area of Rochdale, present till 9th March, have also gone AWOL...

I haven't seen the Heywood town centre (St Lukes tower) pair for a few weeks, so it could be they have moved across the boundary

I have been told by an RSPB volunteer living in Rochdale, Jill Brown, who is involved with the Manchester Peregrines, that a pair is now in residence at the (secure) Town Hall tower, hopefully using the tray we put up in February 2009. Any sightings at all gratefully appreciated!