AUGUST 2026
1 Aug – the female arrived at 4:15 carrying fresh Black-headed Gull prey. She stashed it by a column then sat on the ledge until leaving at 5:00. XRF flew in 20 minutes later, saw the meal and flew out with it. He returned to the ledge with a full crop at 6:45. He sheltered in the shade of the columns at 8:15 for 15 minutes then moved back to the ledge and flew off at 8:40. He was back at 9:50 and sheltered in the shade of the box until flying off at 10:30 but returned a few minutes later. The female flew into the box at 10:50 and was joined by XRF but he flew out soon after. She remained until flying out at 11:10. XRF landed at 21:20 but left after ten minutes.
2 Aug – the female flew in with a pigeon leg (just the leg) which she stashed by a column at 1:50. She sat on the ledge with a full crop. Strangely, at 5:00, she picked up the leg and flew off with it – waste not want not! XRF landed with a full crop at 9:10 and sat on the ledge. He then sheltered in the shade of the column at 10:25. He moved back to the ledge at 13:10 and eventually left at 16:45. He was back at 17:30, checked the box and flew out after five minutes.
3 Aug – XRF flew into the box at 5:00 quickly followed by the female, but the male left immediately. The female looked from the ledge and followed a few minutes later. She returned at 6:00 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey. She plucked it on the platform and left with it at 6:15 without eating – was she taking it to feed the juveniles? She was back at 8:00 carrying another very fresh Feral Pigeon. Her crop was not full, so she had not fed on the previous pigeon. XRF landed but quickly left. She took her meal into the box, plucked it and fed, then took the substantial remains when she flew out at 8:25. XRF landed ten minutes later and fed on scraps on the platform, then sat on the ledge until leaving at 8:55. XRF was back on the ledge at 12:40 and was joined by a Stock Dove at 14:15, but he ignored a potential meal and it flew off after ten minutes. The male flew off at 15:05. The female was back at 20:05, checked the scrapes in the box and flew off 15 minutes later.
4 Aug – the female flew in at 9:40 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey and she was quickly followed by XRF. He tried to steal her meal, but she mantled it, and he was forced back to the ledge. He watched her pluck and feed, calling loudly begging for food. She took her meal into the box at 10:05 and he saw some scraps and flew out with them. She fed for another ten minutes, then left. XRF was back at 11:35 looking for food, tended to the scrapes in the box, then sat on the ledge. He flew off at 16:05 and returned to the ledge four hours later and remained until 23:35.
5 Aug – XRF flew into the box at 5:20 followed by the female; he quickly left. She tended the scrapes, then moved to the ledge at 5:35 and flew off 15 minutes later. She was back at 6:45 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey but left with it after a few minutes. XRF landed calling at 7:00 and flew off ten minutes later. The female was back at 7:30, checked the box, then left. She did not have a full crop so had not fed on the earlier pigeon – was that for off-site juveniles? XRF landed at 7:40, checked the scrapes then left. He was back at 9:45 for 15 minutes. The female returned at 11:50 and went into the box and tended the scrapes. She moved to the ledge at 12:00 and flew off five minutes later. XRF landed again at 20:30 and remained until 22:05.
6 Aug – XRF flew into the box at 10:00 carrying fresh House Martin prey. He fed on his meal then moved to the ledge. The female flew into the box at 10:15 and tended the scrapes, then dozed at the back. The male took shelter from the sun in the shadow of a column at 11:10. He started calling loudly a few minutes later and was distracted by something overhead. The female moved to the platform to check but neither flew out immediately. She left at 11:25 and he quickly followed. There was no further activity on camera today.
7 Aug – XRF landed on the ledge with a full crop at 8:10. He stood in the shadow of a column 15 minutes later and lay down at 9:00. He moved to the platform at 10:40 and then went into the box after five minutes. He moved back to the ledge at 12:55 and remained until 15:45. The female landed with very fresh Feral Pigeon prey at 15:55. She plucked and prepared it in the box then flew out with substantial remains at 17:00 – was she still feeding juveniles? XRF arrived ten minutes later and sat on the ledge until 17:50.
8 Aug – XRF landed at 11:30 and stood in the shade on the platform. He lay down at 12:40 and flew out at 13:30. The female arrived at 15:25, checked the box, then sat on the ledge before leaving at 15:50.
9 Aug – XRF landed briefly at 5:30. He was back at 8:20 with a full crop and sat in the shade of the box. He moved to the ledge at 9:45 but was quickly back in the shade. He lay down on the platform at 10:40 and went into the back of the box briefly ten minutes later, then stood in the shade of a column. He flew out at 11:20. He was back with a re-filled crop at 18:35 calling loudly. The female flew into the box at 19:50 and XRF left a few minutes later. She moved to the ledge and flew out at 20:05.
10 Aug – the female flew in at 00:35 carrying very fresh Sandwich Tern prey. She eventually stashed it by a column and flew off at 1:00. XRF landed at 5:00. The female returned with a full crop at 5:40 and went into the box and the male flew off. She moved to the ledge after a few minutes. She flew off at 7:40 and XRF landed and saw the stashed tern and fed on it. He had finished 30 minutes later and sat on the ledge. He moved back into the box at 9:10 and returned to the ledge at 12:15. The female landed at 13:45 and went into the box to tend the scrape as XRF stood over the remains of this morning’s meal protecting it. She flew out after 15 minutes and he fed on the tern remains, then moved back to the ledge and left at 16:55. The female returned at 20:45, fed on scraps on the platform and flew off at 21:10.
11 Aug – WATCH DAY – XRF landed at 5:50, picked at scraps, checked the scrapes in the box, then sat on the ledge but left at 6:00. The female arrived at 6:55 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey. She plucked it and flew out with the remains at 7:25. When we arrived for the Watch Day, the female was sitting on the highest north-facing cross whilst XRF was sitting in a round window just below. They remained in their respective places until two Buzzards flew over at 11:50. First XRF took off in pursuit and was quickly followed by the female. He was soon back in the box tending the scrapes for ten minutes then sat on the ledge. The female did not make an appearance before we left, and the male remained on the ledge until 15:10.
12 Aug – XRF landed at 2:15. He checked for scraps in the box and flew out 15 minutes later. He was back at 17:00 and went into the box when the female arrived at 17:10 but quickly left. She remained in the box tending the scrapes until 17:25 when she moved to the ledge then flew off at 19:10.
13 Aug – the female landed at 5:25 calling loudly but left after a few minutes. XRF arrived at 6:35, checked the box and left after ten minutes. He was back at 12:15 and went into the box to shelter and tend the scrapes. He moved to the ledge at 14:30. He tried to get some relief from the intense heat by standing next to a column at 16:10. He was back on the ledge 40 minutes later and flew off at 16:55.
14 Aug – the female landed at 5:05 and she called at XRF as he missed his landing. She flew off after ten minutes. XRF landed at 5:55, tended the scrapes in the box then sat on the ledge until 6:20. There was no further activity on camera today.
15 Aug – the female arrived at 1:45 carrying the remains of a Feral Pigeon meal that she had just eaten and stashed them by a column. She sat on the ledge with a full crop until 5:05. XRF landed 15 minutes later calling, saw the stashed pigeon and fed on it. He flew off with the remains at 6:45. He was back on the ledge with a full crop at 10:25 and went into the box on the arrival of the female ten minutes later. He flew out after a few minutes, and she left at 10:50. He was back on the ledge at 14:45 until 17:55. He flew into the box at 19:00, tended the scrapes and flew out five minutes later.
16 Aug – XRF arrived at 5:30 calling loudly quickly followed by the female. She went into the box but he flew off when she walked to the platform a few minutes later. She left soon after. XRF landed briefly at 8:50. There was no further activity on camera today.
17 Aug – XRF sat on the ledge from 5:30 until 5:55. He was back at 13:05, went into the box to tend the scrapes, then sat on the ledge flying off a few minutes later. The female arrived at 18:45 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey. Whilst standing on her meal, she looked around the city skies. She took it into the box and plucked it but did not feed on the pigeon. After plucking it, she looked out over the city again – the possibility of her still feeding juveniles was still real. She stashed it by a column and eventually flew off at 19:25.
18 Aug – XRF arrived at 5:50 quickly followed by the female. He went into the box, and she joined him. She picked up the stashed pigeon meal and left with it. He moved to the ledge and flew off at 6:20. He returned at 12:00 and lay on the platform until 14:15 when he preened for 30 minutes, then lay on the platform again. He went into the box at 16:05 and flew off after ten minutes. He flew into the box briefly at 19:20, then sat on the ledge until 20:30.
18 Aug UPDATE – I received notification this morning that juvenile 4AB (male) had been rescued from a gull attack near Abbey Park and was sent to the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital. His injuries were determined to be too severe and he was euthanised. On a positive note, this confirmed our belief that juveniles were still in the vicinity being fed by the female. This gave us hope for 4BB and 4CB.
19 Aug – there was no activity seen before the cameras went down at 7:25.
20 Aug – the cameras were off-line today.
21 Aug – the cameras were back on-line at 13:25 but there was no activity recorded.
22 Aug – the female arrived at 3:20 carrying fresh Moorhen prey and fell asleep on the ledge. She flew out with it at 8:00. She flew out with it at 8:05. XRF landed at 11:50 and sat on the platform preening. At 12:45 he lay on the platform, then flew out in a hurry at 14:00. The female was back at 16:45 and went into the box until flying out at 18:20.
23 Aug – the female arrived at 2:35 carrying very fresh Black-tailed Godwit prey. She stashed her meal and sat on the ledge until 3:25. XRF landed at 7:10 having already fed with a very full crop. The female flew into the box at 8:20 and remained there in the shade tending the scrapes until XRF flew off at 9:30. She moved to the platform and left at 9:45. The female returned at 17:05 to collect her Godwit meal and quickly left. XRF flew in at 23:25 carrying very fresh Little Grebe prey. He stashed his meal and sat on the ledge until midnight.
24 Aug – XRF remained on the ledge and made a quick visit to the box at midnight and flew off at 00:45. He returned at 5:40 followed by the female. She spied the stashed Grebe, picked it up and flew out followed by XRF. He returned a few moments later, checked the box twice seemingly looking for his meal, then sat on the ledge before quickly flying. He landed briefly at 7:25. The female flew into the box at 13:15 where she remained tending the scrapes and dozing until flying out at 16:25. XRF landed at 18:05, checked the box and left a few moments later.
25 Aug – The female landed at 4:05. She went into the box at 5:40 as XRF arrived on the ledge. He quickly left and she followed. She was back in the box at 11:55 and remained there until flying out at 17:05. XRF was back at 20:20 but left after 15 minutes.
26 Aug – XRF arrived at 1:20. He fell asleep on the ledge until flying off at 5:40, and was replaced by the female. She left after ten minutes. XRF returned with a full crop at 9:00 and sat on the ledge. The female flew into the box at 13:20 until she left at 15:35. XRF remained dozing on the ledge until 19:15.
27 Aug – XRF landed at 6:50 until 7:05. He was back at 16:35 with a full crop and sat on the ledge until leaving three hours later.
28 Aug – the female flew into the box at 7:35 and moved to the ledge at 7:50. She was back in the shade of the box at 9:05 and remained in the box until flying out at 15:45.
29 Aug – XRF landed at 5:45 and tended the scrapes in the box ten minutes later before returning to the ledge and flying off. The female arrived at 6:10 for five minutes. She returned at 9:10 and sat on the ledge until 12:25 when she went into the box, tended to the scrapes and dozed before flying out an hour later.
30 Aug – XRF landed at 6:20 quickly followed by the female. He went into the box but left after a few minutes whilst she sat on the ledge and flew off a few minutes later. She returned at 8:05 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey and plucked it on the platform. She fed briefly then stashed the remains in the box and left at 9:20. XRF landed a few minutes later, picked at scraps then saw the stashed meal. He fed on it for 30 minutes, then flew off with the remains at 9:55. The female was back at 10:20 and went into the box. She moved to the ledge at 13:55 and returned to the box at 16:50 for ten minutes as something flew over her head. She was back in the box briefly at 18:50 for the same reason – presumably XRF landing on the spire. She flew off five minutes later and was quickly replaced by XRF. He checked the box then moved to the ledge until flying off at 21:35.
31 Aug – XRF landed at 5:50 quickly followed by the female. He went into the box but quickly left. She sat on the ledge until 6:10. XRF was back on the ledge with a full crop at 8:50. He lay on the platform at 9:20 for 30 minutes, then returned to the ledge and flew off at 12:50. The female returned at 15:20, tended the scrapes in the box then moved to the ledge and left 20 minutes later. She was back at 18:05, checked the box and scrape, then moved to the ledge and flew out at 18:30. XRF returned a few minutes later, checked the box, tended the scrapes, then sat on the ledge until 19:15. He was back at 19:55 and sat on the ledge with a full crop until midnight.