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Post Info TOPIC: Bolton Peregrines


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RE: Bolton Peregrine



Thought is was you Paul, nice to meet you again. Afraid it takes me a couple of sightings to recognise people properlywink.gif

Dean.

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nice to catch up there on your home turf dean!

cracking flight views just after you left - male overhead filling my bins.

saw some spectacular stoops but no strikes. female brought in a bird, stripped it of lots of feathers had a small snack on it then stashed it behind the vase things where the ravens nest is - a couple of hours later the male returned empty clawed and began eating it!

good views of all 3 chicks on and off, including some wing flexing.

great to meet steve astley up there too, and almost forgot, ian chisnel (sp).

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Just spent a couple of hours on the car park roof and on the town hall square.
Superb viewingbiggrin.gif
Watched the birds hunt then pluck the prey before feeding the young. Drew quite a crowd on the square while taking pictures. Most people are fascinated with the birds.

I agree with simon, don't think there are many better views of nesting Peregrines.
Get yourselves down theresmile.gif

Cheers Dean.

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I would urge anyone interested in seeing the Peregrines to make the effort and go and enjoy the brilliant views from the market hall car park. There cant be many places where you can watch the Peregrines at eye level like this. The young are growing fast as pigeon after pigeon is brought in by the male and passed to the female. The peregrines can be seen plucking the pigeons on the ledges before feeding the young.

Access is from Bridge Street into the market hall car park above Debenhams, drive right to the top, level 3, and view the town hall clock tower. Cost is £1.20 for an hours parking. You can enjoy peaceful uninterrupted viewing because you dont get any non-birders coming up to you asking what are you taking pictures of? or are you from the papers? The car park seems to close about 6pm in the evenings I think.

Urban birding at its bestsmile.gif


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Went to see the Peregrine family this evening,just after 8pm with Simon (Warford).
Once we had the scope set up,we were lucky enough to see the male bring in prey.The female promptly began feeding her brood but she had her back to us so we couldn't see anything clearly.As the sun was still shining,the shadow the female threw on the wall gave us the most unique and sinister view of prey being dismemebered and the chicks opening their beaks to take their feed........BRILLIANT!! biggrin.gif



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Sorry not to be able to stay longer, Neil, but duty called! All three chicks were female, and were a good weight. We had to interrupt a pigeon lunch, I'm afraid! All have red Darvics with one letter and one number, as well as a metal ring. I have sent Ian some pics which he may be able to put up, and the Bolton News have some that should be in tomorrow's paper.
The remaining egg was empty,(probably cracked) and was therefore able to be removed from the nest by our licensed ringer, and was presented to Bolton Museum. (Otherwise it would have to have gone for analysis to see if there were any pesticides etc which prevented it hatching)

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Fantastic views today as both male and female circled the clock tower as the young were being ringed and I assumed checked. It caused quite a stir on the Town Hall square as people stopped to watch what was happening. It was a pleasure and an honour to meet and have a brief talk with Judith. smile.gif

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Neil Collier


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Great views today. Female feeding chicks while male looked on. Chicks showing above the lip of the tray now. She had a fly around then returned to the top of the tower to preen.

Dean.

Forgot to add 2 Arctic Terns flew over heading north.

-- Edited by Dean Macdonald at 22:34, 2008-05-30

-- Edited by Dean Macdonald at 22:36, 2008-05-30

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Three chicks and one unhatched egg in the nest tray today. Quite a difference in size, as to be expected, but I would think all 3 will make it. Perhaps 8-9 days old but will have to wait till our ringer gives his opinion.
BBC NW tonight have got hold of the story so there may be something on TV tomorrow or even this evening.
The Bolton News made their 3rd gaffe in this continuing saga: I am now apparently Judith Bell in tonight's paper (haven't actually seen it but Dean has!)

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Not seen the chicks but did hear Peregrine type screeching above Churchgate. Unfortunately was unable to investigate as I would have lost my place in the que for a pastie outside Ye Olde Pastie Shop.

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I went to the car park at 5pm today watched the female feeding the chicks. Definately 2 but possibly 3 chicks.

Dean.

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I will be going up to see what's in the tray as soon as the weather permits, as I am on the ringer's Sch 1 licence. The purpose of this visit will be to establish the age (and number) of the chicks, for ringing purposes, as they must be a certain age. It would have been tomorrow, but the weather forecast is awful.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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From car park level 3 this afternoon about 1.30 both adults together, saw 2 and possibly a third small head sticking up. It's a good view from the car park roof if you have a 'scope.
Cheers Ian

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Buggerwink.gif Thanks Melanie. I'll go after work tomorrowbiggrin.gif

Cheers Dean.

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Hi Dean yeah the car park was open,sorry you were given the wrong info'......from Melanie.

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Great news about the Peregrines. Not been able to get a look all weekend. Was going to go to the Car park today but was told it was closed due to bank holiday.

Was it open?

Dean.

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Just come back from my first visit to see the Peregrines or should l say 'family'?, as once the male came back with his prey and prepared it for the female,she stood up and revealed her offspring,then proudly fed two youngsters!!
Simon (Warford) and l watched them for a while and he estimated that the pair were approx' a week or so old,it was a BRILLIANT sight and l'm delighted that l got such fantastic views of young Peregrines,they fed and then in true baby style,one got bored and was looking over the edge of the nest box,but that was great cos we got to see his face...
anyway HUGE thanks to Simon for taking me there and giving up some of his time,l've not stopped grinning!!biggrin.gif

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saw the female Peregrine this afternoon ripping a Pigeon to shreds on the nest, couldnt see any chicks though but its looking good. The male was flying around too.smile.gif

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Great views this morning of peregrine over town hall square and circling the clock tower. Shoppers either oblivious or looking at Fred Dibnah's statue.

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Judith Smith wrote:

The Bolton News had the Peregrines as their front page story today, featuring a large picture of what looks like a Saker, perched on a log, alongside a picture of one of the actual pair sitting near the clock - obviously not the same species. Inside they have a picture of one of the pair on the Bolton Parish Church. Given that their office is next door to the church, I'm surprised they didn't notice them long ago.
I saw an incubation changeover today at 1035hrs from the Market Place Car Park and the bird which had been relieved flew straight to the church tower where it sat on the W face, in the top RH corner. So all is well there.
The text in the paper managed to attribute various statements to me which bear no resemblance to what I said (despite my telling the reporter I was speaking slowly so he could write it all down) but nothing too dreadful, and managed to transform the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group into "Great Manchester County Birding (GMCB)"







Sadly, this is rather typical of our local rag. They've now covered this story twice and shown pictures of American Kestrel and Saker Falcon. Not even British birdsweirdface.gif
Like you say Judith, you only need to look at the two pictures today to see they are not the same species.
I suppose they did get one thing right, there is some "Great Manchester County Birding" to be had around herebiggrin.gif

Cheers Dean.

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dean ,it probably does contravine the act,but you,d better get your calculator and camera ready for fledgling day, if the manchester birds are typical you could end up with one on your arm before they master the airwaves.

book early geoffbiggrin.gif

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mm



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The Bolton News had the Peregrines as their front page story today, featuring a large picture of what looks like a Saker, perched on a log, alongside a picture of one of the actual pair sitting near the clock - obviously not the same species. Inside they have a picture of one of the pair on the Bolton Parish Church. Given that their office is next door to the church, I'm surprised they didn't notice them long ago.
I saw an incubation changeover today at 1035hrs from the Market Place Car Park and the bird which had been relieved flew straight to the church tower where it sat on the W face, in the top RH corner. So all is well there.
The text in the paper managed to attribute various statements to me which bear no resemblance to what I said (despite my telling the reporter I was speaking slowly so he could write it all down) but nothing too dreadful, and managed to transform the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group into "Great Manchester County Birding (GMCB)"

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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They didn't set the maroons off, in deference to the Peregrines...
Expect something in the Bolton News, as they've finally got hold of the story. Hopefully they'll get it right this time.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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I saw one adult bird flying around the town hall, before perching at 13:15 yesterday.

K

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Kane Brides


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Not a lot going on this week. Seen the male perching a couple of times and generally not doing much. Which bodes well for the sitting female. Bearing in mind my views are short and swift, due to being at work. I wonder if i could get "Peregrine leave". Surely a basic human rightwink.gif I did sneak out at around 11am to see if i could hear any explosions from the VE day celebrations. Didn't hear anything. But the evening news could've got the days wrong.

Wouldn't want to disturb the American Kestrels would they?ashamed.gif

A Raven over town centre at tea time suggests they are still around.

Dean.

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Saw Peregrine perched on same ledge as nest tray from top of the multi storey carpark. Felt like a rooftop sniper setting my scope up, was expecting security to show but they didn't.


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Male was on the Parish church this morning.

It's looking goodbiggrin.gif

Dean.

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The female was sitting snugly on the nest tray this afternoon, just turning the eggs once whilst I was there. (Floor 3 of the Market Place car park). No sign of any Ravens or the male - but if he is like the Manchester bird, he will have found a perch from which he can watch the nest, but some distance away.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Only seen one bird this week. One on town hall this morning and one on Parish church on monday. No sign of any Ravens. Could be good news. I'll try to get to the car park roof on friday.

Cheers Dean.

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Good news at last. The female was sitting in the tray for all the time I was watching from Floor 3 of the Market Hall car park - 3/4 hour. No sign of the male, or of any Ravens.
You have to wait to see her have a shuffle, or (presumably) turn the eggs. Now we have to be patient for 28 days or more...

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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I think the only way to know for certain if the female is sitting is to go to the Bark St Car Park with a scope. At that angle, you can see any sitting bird on the tray. You can't even see the tray, never mind the bird, from Victoria Square because you are directly underneath it. From Bark St - which is a little uphill from the town centre, you can see the bird if she shuffles about. Afternoon would be better, because of the light.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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I was at Bolton Town Hall today from 4.00pm to just gone 8.00pm and met up with Anthony Bremnar the council's Sustainable Development Officer. Whether or not the birds have successfully bred is in truth an unknown. I do have concerns though. On my last visit the two peregrines spent a lot of time chasing the ravens. The weather has been pretty cold of late and I wonder if this has had some negative impact.

Today, I saw only one bird. It caught a pigeon and brought it to the east ledge. It never throughout my visit take any part of the pigeon to the actual nest site. Whilst feeding , a magpie dared to pick up some loose morsal very close to the peregrine and was not chased off. If there was a nest site to protect I wouldhave expected a pro active gesture from the peregrine. After having had a good feed the bird returned to the nest ledge but as far as I could make out did not visit the tray. From my experience and obsevations I would have expected there to be quite a bit of calling and some activity going on with both birds at some point. The bird made just one call in 4 hours and I am wondering now if the female has abandoned the nest site. Of course it could be that the female was well fed and simply performing her duty. Males do not like to engage unless necessary.


I might mention also that the ravens have not been seen for two days and I did not see them today. I sincerely hope there has not been a clash with fatal injuries involved.

I don't think things are looking good...but I hope.

If you want to watch or photograph the birds, I advise don't go alone and expect a few idiots. I might add that the two homeless people who came and spoke to me were very nice, very respectful, and I hope their luck changes, very soon.

Fingers crossed.

AD



-- Edited by Adrian Dancy at 02:22, 2008-04-23

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Have had a couple of chats with Nick Dixon, the UK urban Peregrine specialist. Because the Ravens are breeding directly above the Peregrines (rather than further along a cliff as would be the case on sea cliffs or in a quarry) the outlook is not good. If the Raven chicks (assuming there are some!) fledge soon, the Peregrines might still have a go. Why they don't go back to the Parish Church and use that nice tray there, I do not know!

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Saw 1 bird over Bury rd on the way to work this morning. Any closer it'll be a garden tickbiggrin.gif

Didn't see any activity at break or dinner time which could be a good sign but i think we're clutching at straws herehmm.gif

Cheers Dean.

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Not looking good, is it? Am waiting to get in touch with Nick Dixon, the urban Peregrine specialist - he's working away at present in an area with no mobile reception, but will be able to talk to him tomorrow.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Went down to Victoria sg at 5.15 today. Both birds were in and out of the tray. Male flew in and went onto the tray, the female then flew out. She circled a couple of times then returned to the tray. The male then flew out. She then appeared on the ledge and sat for a good 10 mins just looking into the tray. The male was circling above calling constantly, as if telling her to get back in the tray. She did go back on briefly but then flew off over the town centre, followed by the male. I lost sight and they didn't return while i was there.

No sign of the Ravens.

Both Peregrines were in the air at 10am and 1pm yesterday.
Still doesn't look any constant sitting is going on.

Dean.


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Judith Smith wrote:

Apparently they were seen mating on 28th March so all is not lost!






At least they're getting that bit rightwink.gif

Dean.

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Apparently they were seen mating on 28th March so all is not lost!

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Hope is fading for breeding this year. Adrian Dancy spent most of yesterday photographing them, but they were together and spent quite a lot of time chasing the Raven. Not correct behaviour if you've got eggs to incubate!

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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No sign today, only a very brief look from work.

Sadly, my Car trouble is terminalcry.gif so i'm without wheels for the time being. If anyone could get to the car park roof and take a look i would appreciate it. I'll do my best to get down and take a look.

Cheers Dean.

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Couldn't get there todaycry.gif Car trouble.

Dean.

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Yes, Ravens and Peregrines can nest very close to each other. The received wisdom is that there are a few skirmishes but on the whole they ignore each other; if there is a real fight the Peregrines win. But I know from experience (cannot go into site details) that this is not always the case as I have personally seen a Raven force a Peregrine off its eggs and then predate 2 of them! I wrote it up for British Birds.
In my opinion the Ravens are on eggs. For the Peregrines, we'll just have to wait patiently.
Meanwhile, I hear there is a lot of activity at the CIS building in Manchester city centre, where we installed a nest box in 2006, on the upper N side of the tower, when the solar panels were being put in. One panel was left out and a nest box inserted (with camera to be activated if they breed). If anyone is passing by there, reports would be welcome.

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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Ian, it is getting a bit vague so i'll try to clear things up.
I pop out of work on breaks and dinner time. From work i can see over some of the town centre and i can see the town hall clock through bins but not the important bit.
If they had nested on the Parish Church i would have had much better views from work. At the moment i am only seeing 1 bird from work either in the air or perched. Which would suggest the female is sitting. The only place to see what is really going on is the roof of Market Place car park. I last went there on tues and the female was sitting but i didn't see her until she took off to attack the Raven. I will be going up there again tomorrow afternoon so should have something more deffinate to report. As you see from Judith's posts she won't sit constantly until the 3rd or 4th egg is laid(the Peregrine,that is, not Judith). So, all being well, all the eggs should have been laid this week.

Now i'm over the initial excitement of having Peregrines in Bolton town centrebiggrin.gif
I think i'll stop the regular posts and only post when something interesting (to others) happens.

Not forgetting the Ravenswink.gif They seem to be doing ok while sitting but every time one of them has flown anywhere near the town hall it has been attacked by the Peregrines. What will happen if the Ravens are in and out feeding young while the Peregrines are sitting should be interesting. If the female Peregrine has to stay put on the eggs and the male has to try and deal with both Ravens, he may struggle.
If the Peregrines have laid this week and the Ravens have hatched, it could work out ok if the Ravens fledge as the Peregrines hatch.

Here's hoping it all works out oksmile.gif

Cheers Dean.

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Ravens and Peregrines can nest suprisingly close together, the example I'm thinking of is at South Stack RSPB on Anglesey, N.Wales. Sounds unheard of in an urban setting though!

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Very interesting posts on the situation here but does anyone actually know exactly whats going on? Have the Ravens actually got eggs? have the Peregrines? how rare would it be for these 2 species to nest so close together? what is the likely outcome?
So many questions-anyone with answers?
Cheers Ian
confused.gif

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1 Peregrine on the clock tower at lunchtime.

Both Ravens were very active maybe they've got young.

Dean.

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Just been on the car park roof 4.45pm. Male sat on tray then flew up a started gaining height. Soared around for about 20 mins gaining height all the time before i lost sight. Then a Raven headed towards the clock and the female came out of tray(must've been there all the time) to chase it off. Then, like a bullet, the male came diving out of nowhere to attack the Raven. I've never seen a bird move so fast. You can't really get a true idea of how fast a Peregrine dives until you actually see it. It was awesomebiggrin.gif
Both birds then continued to drive the Raven away, with another attack right over the car park.
They then circled the tower, the female hadn't returned to the tray before i had to go.

Other Raven still sitting.

Cheers Dean.

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1 bird on Parish Church 1pm.

Dean.

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Three-quarters of an hour on top of the Market Place car park (1130-1215hrs) today. The female intermittently on the nest tray - if she flew off to chase the Raven with her mate, she always returned there. The opinion of our Peregrine ringer who is far more experienced than me, is that she has not completed her clutch yet - apparently they don't start incubation until the 3rd egg (of 4) laying alternate days. So hopefully by the end of the week she should be permanently on the nest tray. From the car park, you can only see her if she shuffles about to turn the eggs over, etc. No chance of seeing her from Victoria Square if she is on the tray.
The Raven also appears to be on eggs - definitely sitting permanently.
A pair of Magpies and a feral pigeon were taking their lives in their hands (claws?) trespassing on the tower today!

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Judith Smith __________________________________ Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!


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lol, nice one John. Listening to the new Raconteurs album at the momentbiggrin.gif

Sadly you didn't win. By the time i'd finished posting the last post the count had gone up to 1503.
So some sneaky non member wonbiggrin.gif

Cheers Dean.

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