Sorry for double post - at least one of the chicks seems to still be there. You can just see a little foot sticking out from under the tray and occasionally a wing being stretched out. I can only see one for now though.
Hi Sid. I visited again today armed with my camera this time. I was lucky to get shots of one of the girls and also mum. I'll upload them tomorrow for you to see. Mum uses a perch on the church so I got lots of shots and she's definitely moulting...was pretty breezy and she looked slightly ruffled. They can most definitely be heard from street level mostly when they know mum or dad are around. Been a pleasure watching them I'll be sorry when they go.
Sid, you can just about see & hear them from street level.
I spent 2 & a half hours here this afternoon in the crappy rain, both juveniles hiding under the tray but one 9F kept popping up every now & then & eventually both had a feed on the tray but couldn't see from street level, watched the webcam. No adults were to be seen in all the time I was there which was a shame as I wanted a photo of the female, will have to get back before she has moulted. A chap showed me an excellent photo of the adults making a food pass in mid air showing also that she is currently moulting.
Thanks Steve I thought that maybe it wouldn't be possible to see the birds from street level directly when they were on the tray and would perhaps need to use the webcam via the phone. Couldn't do that on my Nokia brick
Sid, you can just about see & hear them from street level.
I spent 2 & a half hours here this afternoon in the crappy rain, both juveniles hiding under the tray but one 9F kept popping up every now & then & eventually both had a feed on the tray but couldn't see from street level, watched the webcam. No adults were to be seen in all the time I was there which was a shame as I wanted a photo of the female, will have to get back before she has moulted. A chap showed me an excellent photo of the adults making a food pass in mid air showing also that she is currently moulting.
Just spent a great couple of hours watching the birds in the Rochdale sunshine (and pouring rain), 1 on the shelf the other under it, then both back on it, then 2 under it!! Mum perched not too far away keeping her eye on them and the little ones making a absolute racket.
Hi Rachel were you able to see/hear the birds from street level?
Just spent a great couple of hours watching the birds in the Rochdale sunshine (and pouring rain), 1 on the shelf the other under it, then both back on it, then 2 under it!! Mum perched not too far away keeping her eye on them and the little ones making a absolute racket.
Larger more advanced of the girls is putting in some serious wing stretches this morning, she looks almost ready to go. Very strong looking young lady.
I agree that they appear to be very near to fledging. Both have been sitting on the tray edge and doing a lot of wing exercising in the last 48 hours.
Both were in the nest tray earlier this morning, but now at 11.52 there is only one. Close observation reveals that the second bird is under the nest tray.
Will be interesting to see if she returns to the nest tray when food arrives.
Girls have been really well fed this last few days and my how they've grown. Lots of stretching going on, looking like they're close to fledging now. I'll miss watching them.
Female finally! Just brought in a feed. Looked like one of those decorative white doves that had been sprayed a strange green colour that people set free at weddings
Chicks seem to be getting less visits than usual, is this normal? I've not seen the female today unless I'm just missing her every time. Chicks look fit and healthy though and a good size.
Re yesterday (Tues). I just caught the female bring a catch in about roughly 19.00 hrs .. the carcass of the previous pigeon was well picked, just a breast bone and wings ..... she fed the smaller fledgling and then the sibling decided she could just force down a bit extra ... no wonder they're packing weight on.
Roger/
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Thursday 18th of June 2020 03:16:36 PM
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
Don't know where the adults go when they are not with the young ones Karen, presumably not too far away. What was strange for me today was normally I have seen one of the adults bringing in the prey, as the male did today whereupon it is torn up and fed to the chicks whereas today it was a do-it-themselves meal
About 10 minutes ago, just before 2pm the adult male bird dropped a small prey bird on the nest tray and after a short while left the youngsters to pull it to pieces and feed themselves. They are getting quite advanced now, can't be that long off fledging.
I went to ring/colour ring the chicks yesterday afternoon and Im pleased to say 2 very fit and healthy females in there.
The juvenile female, against all the odds, seems to be doing a fine job if rearing these chicks, assisted of course by a very good male
Once again, and especially in the current climate, a massive thanks to Rochdale Borough Council for not only opening up a currently closed to the public buidling to allow access to the tray but for the continued brilliant webcam that many of us have been watching over the past 2 months. Also a big thanks again to John for great rope work.
A few pics and a vid atteched.
-- Edited by Craig Bell on Wednesday 10th of June 2020 11:33:10 AM
Was just watching the webcam and only the chicks were to be seen, both tucked away in the corner of the tray nearest to the wall. One chick was completely in the shade and apparently sleeping, the other partially in the sun and restless. The adult male came to the box and almost immediately stretched a wing and kept it in place to shade the chick and it settled down. Was this a deliberate act to protect the chick I wonder or was it merely a coincidental move on behalf of the male?
I have been watching the new arrivals during the course of the day and wondering what it is the birds are lying on. I can see what looks like an astroturf layer and what I thought was a straw top layer. But is it straw? - a suggestion has been made that the light coloured bits are bones, if so what purpose would they serve? Anyone know or any thoughts on the matter please?
The Male has just arrived with a Swift, which he has plucked and he then left with it, the female got agitated and moved slightly, I think there is only one chick and no sign of egg or shells.
I saw that also, the male returned to the nest with a kill, she got her talon caught on the chick for a very brief moment, chick looked OK after it, the female flew off with the kill and returned without it, in the time she was gone the chick looked alright
I watched in the very early hours the female turning constantly. I was interrupted by an attempted robbery (we have them in Salford, I nailed a burglar three weeks ago) my very powerful torch that I use to view owls caused the thugs to abandon their mission to steal an expensive motorbike. When I viewed the cam later this morning I got a message that the server was down, I was not connected till 12.51pm. Bloody typical for me to miss the hatching!:( However the female, it seemed, retrieved a food item from the other half of the tray and dropped it on the chick, and when removing it, trod on the chick. Realising what it had done the female pulled her foot back slightly but when settled it was possible to see the toe raised with the possibility that a talon was piercing the chick. With low resolution images one cannot be sure damage was done. I hope we don't have a deformed chick or one that succumbs to an infection. I don't know if feeding actually took place since I had to deal with the telephone.
Sadly screen grabs are never quite as instant as on would hope. The images I have attached show the female's toe/talon raised on the chick.