Its been a quite a mixed week at the watch site, Monday was a day full of sunshine and promise. Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps all singing their little hearts out, staking a nesting territory and trying to attract a mate. One keen eared volunteer even heard our first Cuckoo the year calling, I was asleep at the time and missed out. The stage was set, sunny bank holiday lots of visitors and the woods and alive with birdsong and my snoring. The only thing missing was an eyass.

Then it rained, and for the rest of the week and still no chick.

Today the sunshine was back and so whats the wildlife. Volunteers and visitors have been telling me all the treats they have seen on the walk up to the watch site, we’ve had butterflies and bumble bees, herons, dippers and even a kingfisher! But still no chick.

The peregrines are still incubating and this morning the falcon was very restless on the nest scrape, constantly looking underneath her and checking the eggs, surely this meant one of the eggs had started to crack?! This behavior went on for a nail biting 2 hours but the tiercel returned to take his turn incubating and things started to settle down to a more regular egg turning every 15-30 minutes.

We will see what joy tomorrow brings, the peregrines still think the eggs are worth sitting on, so we are staying hopefully too.

Hope to see you soon.

Adam Murphy – Peregrine Ranger