FEBRUARY 2020
1 February – the pair arrive together at 7:10, the male flying out 20 minutes later. The female flies off after a further 20 minutes. The male is back at 8:30 but flies out 15 minutes later. The female returns at 10:05 remaining until 11:15 when the male flies in and walks into the box before sitting on the ledge; he flies off after 5 minutes. The pair return together at 15:40, both looking well fed. The male goes into the box but flies out 10 minutes later. The female remains on the ledge until 16:45 when she flies off.
2 February – the male arrives at 9:05 complete with a full crop having obviously just eaten. He flies off 2 hours later but is back after just 10 minutes. He takes a short flight at 12:10 then settles on the ledge preening and dozing until 14:25 when he takes another brief flight. At 14:45, he walks into the box on the arrival of the female. They swap places after a few minutes and she sits in the scrape until the male flies out 5 minutes later. She flies off at 17:05. She returns in the middle of the night at 21:20 carrying an item of prey – a Little Grebe, a new prey species for us. Once she has plucked her meal, 20 minutes later, she flies off with it. She is back after a few minutes so must have stashed the prey off site. She remains on the ledge sleeping until midnight at least.
3 February – the female remains on the ledge from the previous evening sleeping until 7:15 when the male joins her. She goes into the box and there is calling between the pair. They swap places after 5 minutes and the female picks at scraps on the platform. The male walks from the box, snatches the little bit of remains that the female had been picking at and flies off. She sits on the ledge until 8:00 when she flies out. She is back at 12:30 with a full crop and goes into the box when the male flies in at 14:15. There is calling between the pair and she then sits in the scrape and tends the surrounding area whilst the male picks at more scraps on the platform. She moves to the ledge 10 minutes later and sits opposite the male who flies off at 14:55; she follows at 16:35.
4 February – the male flies in at 7:00 but leaves 10 minutes later. He is back at 7:30 and after 20 minutes goes into the box before returning to the ledge, then flying off. There was further activity on camera today.
5 February – the male flies in at 7:25 and it is cold as you can see his breath in the air. He goes into the box. The female arrives immediately after him and picks up a scrap from the platform. The male flies out after a few minutes and the female sits on the ledge but takes a short flight 10 minutes later. She flies off at 8:30 returning after 20 minutes. She remains on the ledge, mainly preening, until flying off at 11:05. There is no further activity on camera.
6 February – the male flies in at 1:05 looking rather well fed; he falls asleep. At 7:45, he enters the box on the arrival of the female. She sits on the ledge and there is calling between the pair. After a few minutes, they swap positions and the female sits in the scrape before returning to the ledge opposite the male. She flies off at 7:55 whilst the male remains preening. At 8:45 the female flies in calling loudly. She keeps looking up into the sky and after a few moments flies out again. The male follows soon after. [Is there an intruder in the territory?]. The male is back at 10:20 and sits on the ledge preening until 10:40 when he goes into the box as the female arrives. She soon takes his place in the scrape and she tends the surrounding area. After 10 minutes, she moves to the opposite ledge and he soon flies off. She remains preening on the ledge until 12:30 when she flies off. She returns at 14:20 with an item of prey that looks like a Cockatiel and flies off with it 5 minutes later. At 14:50 a Stock Dove lands on the ledge and walks into the box, flying off after a few minutes. The pair fly in together at 16:15 and the male goes into the box and there is calling between them. The female settles on the ledge with a full crop and he moves to the ledge after 10 minutes and the pair start to fall asleep. The male goes into the scrape at 17:30 then flies out. The female falls asleep and remains on the ledge until midnight at least.
7 February – the female remains on the ledge from the previous evening and is joined by the male at 00:20. After a few minutes calling, they both fall asleep. They waken at 5:00 and the male goes into the box and there is calling between the pair. The female flies off after 5 minutes and is quickly followed by the male. The female returns at 7:40 and sits on the platform before moving to the ledge, flying off at 8:35. At 10:00, for the second day running, a Stock Dove lands on the platform and walks to the back of the box. It falls asleep but flies out in panic 2 hours 40 minutes later. She flies off after a few minutes. The male returns at 15:45 and falls asleep on the ledge remaining until midnight at least.
8 February – the male remains sleeping on the ledge from the previous evening and is awake at 7:00. He goes into the box on the arrival of the female at 7:10. A few minutes later they swap positions and he swallows a few stones from the platform. She then walks to the platform and picks at the stones, forcing him to fly off, then she sits on the ledge. she flies out at 8:00. The male returns at 9:20 with a full crop. He goes into the box 2 hours later when the female flies in, also well fed. They soon swap places and the female tends to the scrape and surrounding area. She moves to the ledge opposite the male 20 minutes later. They fly off together at 13:50 but the male is soon back. She returns half an hour later and he goes into the box but is soon replaced. She makes a few alterations to the scrape and moves to the ledge after 10 minutes. Something catches the female’s eye at 15:10 and she flies off but returns after a few moments and the male goes into the box before flying out. He is back at 15:20 and remains opposite the female until 17:00 when he flies out; she follows 5 minutes later.
9 February – the pair fly in together at 7:35 and the male goes into the box initially but flies out after 5 minutes. The female sits on the ledge before flying off at 8:05, returning 40 minutes later. She flies off again at 9:05 and the male arrives at 10:00. He picks at stones on the platform then goes into the box when the female arrives at 10:50 with a full crop. They soon swap places and when he flies off 5 minutes later, she moves to the ledge. She walks into the box when the male returns at 13:05 and there is calling between the pair. She spends some time moving stones and tending the scrape before moving to the ledge at 13:25. He flies off at 13:45 during ‘Storm Ciara’ and she follows a few minutes later. The pair return at 16:05 and the male goes into the box but they swap places after a few minutes. She spends more time moving stones and tending the scrape and remains in the scrape until 18:50, well after dusk, when she moves to the ledge. The male sits in his safe place behind the column until flying off at 19:00. She remains on the ledge until midnight at least.
10 February – the female remains sleeping on the ledge from the previous evening until 6:30 when she flies off. The male flies in 20 minutes later. He walks across the platform at 7:30 and swallows a few stones before sitting on the ledge; he flies off 15 minutes later. The female returns at 9:15 and she too picks and swallows some stones, the sits on the ledge. He flies off at 10:40 but returns 5 minutes later with the female. She goes into the box and sits in the scrape, moving some stones and tending the surrounding area. They are both on the ledge at 11:00. The male flies off at 12:05 and the female follows 20 minutes later. The female is back at 16:25 and flies off briefly at 16:40 returning with the male. She goes into the box and sits in the scrape but the male flies out, so she moves to the ledge, flying off at 17:25.
11 February – the pair fly in together at 6:40 and the male goes into the box. The female flies off at 7:05 and the male runs to the platform to watch her go, then sits on the ledge. He takes a brief flight at 8:20 and returns with the female. They both fly off again at 8:30 with the female landing briefly a few moments later before leaving again. The male flies in at 9:25 but leaves after 10 minutes. He is back again at 10:25 and goes into the box on the arrival of the female 10 minutes later carrying an item of prey; Feral Pigeon. She remains on the platform with the prey but does not start to pluck it until 11:35 with the male still watching her from the scrape. She has finished her meal and flies off with the remains at 12:05 quickly pursued by the male. He returns at 12:55 and is joined by the female 10 minutes later when he goes into the box. She soon swaps places and when he flies off, she moves to the ledge. She remains there until 15:25 when she leaves.
12 February – the male arrives at 7:25 and sits on the ledge until flying off at 9:00. He is back at 9:25 and is joined by the female at 10:00. There is calling between the pair and both birds are watching the sky. The male flies off after a few moments and she leaves a few minutes later. Both birds return at 10:10 and sit on the ledge until the female flies off at 11:25. The male leaves 15 minutes later. The female returns with Pigeon prey at 13:20. She proceeds to pluck and eat it. The male comes in to investigate at 13:40 but the female jumps at him as a warning and he flies off. He is back for a second attempt to pinch an easy meal at 14:00 but the female flicks out her wings and he flies off in retreat. She stashes the remains by a column a few minutes later and sits on the ledge with a full crop. The male is back at 14:20 and snatches the stashed meal and flies off. Something catches the female’s eye at 14:50 and she leaves to be replaced by a well-fed male. He remains until 17:40 when he flies off.
Today is the Peregrine Watch Day and whilst we were in the square from 9:30 until 13:30, at least one and usually both birds were present either on the platform or on one of the spire crosses. At just before 10:00, a pair of intruding Peregrines entered the resident birds’ territory. The female intruding bird circled the spire before flying off west. A little later, the resident male chased off a male Kestrel that came too close and a Sparrowhawk was also seen.
13 February – the female flies in at 6:35 and checks out the column where she stashed some prey the previous day, but it has gone – the male took it! She searches for scraps on the platform before sitting on the ledge. The male arrives at 7:00 and goes into the box and there is calling between the pair. He moves to the ledge 15 minutes later. At 8:30, she goes into the scrape and starts to call. He sees something that makes him fly off and she walks to the ledge to watch him go. She flies off at 8:45 and the male returns at 10:25. He sits on the ledge preening until 10:40 when he goes into the box when the female arrives. They quickly swap places and she sits in the scrape and tends the surrounding area. At 10:50, she walks towards the male and there is posturing and calling before he flies off. She flies off at 12:05 and is replaced by the male who now has a full crop. He walks into the box an hour later when the female returns. They soon swap places and she tends the scrape before moving to the ledge at 13:20. He flies off 10 minutes later and she walks around the platform pick up stones to swallow, returning to the ledge at 13:50. She sits there preening until 14:25 when she flies off. There is no further activity on camera.
14 February – the male flies in at 2:00 and looks at the skies above him, settling down 10 minutes later and falling asleep. He is wakened by the arrival of the female at 6:30 and goes into the box. They swap places after 10 minutes and she tends to the scrape and surrounding area. When she walks onto the platform at 6:55, the male flies off and she sits on the ledge. She flies out at 7:30. A Stock Dove lands on the ledge at 8:50 and just escapes as the female lands followed quickly by the male. He goes into the box and when she flies off a few moments later, he moves to the ledge. He goes into the box when the female flies in at 9:40 but returns to the ledge a few minutes later. The female then walks around the platform and box pick up and moving stones. She forces the male from the ledge at 9:55 and she flies out a few moments later. He is back at 10:15 and walks into the box when the female flies in with Pigeon prey at 11:00. He watches as she plucks and feeds on her meal and he moves back to the ledge after 10 minutes. she is very protective of her catch and frequently mantles it whilst calling at the male. He tries to get himself an easy meal at 11:25 but she mantles her prey and he escapes to the box before returning to the ledge. he has another attempt at 11:50 with the same outcome; this time forcing him to fly off and land a few moments later. She is still protecting her meal over 2 hours later and the male has another attempt to steal a meal at 14:10but is forced from the ledge by a flick of the female’s wing. He lands a few moments later and manages to find a small morsel. The female starts to doze but still has the remains of her meal firmly in the grasp of her talons. She is awake again at 14:40 and continues to eat. Yet another attempt is made by the male but he is forced into the box and the female mantles her prey. He has his eyes set on the prey and walks into the box to try from a different angle. He makes a grab for the prey and flies out but the female retains hold of the meal and he is forced to let go. He lands back on the ledge. Another attempt is made but the female pushes him off the ledge. He lands again and he is forced back. The female decides to try and eat more of her meal. She wants to stash the prey but is conscious of the male up to his tricks, so she walks towards him and forces him off the platform, but he returns to the opposite side. She jumps at him and forces him off again but he is soon back. He goes into the box and hides behind the column. At 15:20, the female releases her grip on the prey for a few seconds and he is in; snatches the meal and flies off. She watches him go then sits sated, with a full crop, on the ledge.
15 February – the female remains sleeping on the ledge from the previous evening and is joined by the male at 4:05. He goes into the box and falls asleep. At 7:05, he walks to the platform and the approach of the female forces him to fly out. He re-joins her 15 minutes later before taking a quick flight at 8:00. He is off again 10 minutes later whilst the female remains on the ledge until 9:20 when she goes into the box when the male flies in. There is calling and chipping between the pair and the female tends the scrape and surrounding area. She moves to the opposite ledge at 9:35 then forces the male into the box. There is posturing and calling between the pair until the male returns to the ledge. at 10:10, they swap places. She flies off at 10:35, returning after 5 minutes. They fly off together at 11:00. The male is back at 13:20 with a full crop and dozes on the ledge until the female arrives 30 minutes later and he goes into the box. She soon pushes him out and he sits on the platform and she returns to the ledge at 14:00. He flies off an hour later and she is being buffeted by ‘Storm Dennis’, at time struggling to hold on to the ledge; she flies off at 16:55.
16 February – the pair arrive together at 7:15 and the male goes into the box. He then moves to the ledge whilst the female picks at the stones on the platform. The male flies out after a few minutes and the female sits on the ledge until 8:15 when she also leaves. The male returns at 9:00 with a full crop and is joined 5 minutes later by the female. She flies off after 15 minutes and he remains on the ledge. She is back at 10:05 and goes into the box. She calls at the male and there is posturing as she walks around the platform until he flies off. She follows at 10:10. They are back a few minutes later and sit opposite each other and the male takes a brief flight at 14:00. They fly off together at 14:25, but the male returns soon after, the female 15 minutes later. She flies out again at 15:00 and the male takes a quick flight after 20 minutes. He is off again at 15:35 returning at 16:15, finally leaving at 16:35. The male returns at 18:00 and remains until 20:45.
17 February – the male flies in at 00:55 and falls asleep on the ledge. he flies out at 6:30 returning at 7:00. He goes into the box when the female arrives at 7:20, flying out a few moments later. The female swallows a few stones from the platform before moving to the ledge. She takes a quick flight at 7:45 then settles on the ledge. At 8:35 she walks onto the platform and starts calling before flying out. She is soon back on the platform, calling then flies out. The male lands briefly at 8:40, returning 5 minutes later. He goes into the box at 9:00 when the female returns but she flies out again soon after and he walks to the platform and watches her go. She returns quickly and they sit opposite each other until the male flies out at 9:30. He is back 5 minutes later but they both fly off at 9:55 with the male returning after a few minutes. He is off again at 10:25 and the pair return after 10 minutes. He goes into the box, but she soon forces him out before moving to the ledge. He flies off at 10:40 and she follows at 11:15 to be replaced by the male. He is off briefly at 11:40 then flies out at 12:15. The female returns at 12:50 then flies off at 14:00. She is back at 14:55 but leaves soon after. The male is back at 16:05 with a full crop. He goes into the box at 17:24 when the female returns but she soon takes over the scrape and he flies off. She tends the scrape then moves to the ledge before flying off at 17:45.
18 February – the male flies in at 6:30 and is joined by the female at 7:40. He goes into the box and she sits on the ledge. He flies out 5 minutes later, returning at 8:20 with a full crop. They sit opposite each other until 9:10 when the female flies off and the male leaves 20 minutes later. The female is back at 12:40. She goes into the box when the male returns at 14:25 and tends the scrape and surrounding area whilst he sits on the ledge. They swap places 15 minutes later and he hides behind the central columns. Something catches the female’s eye at 14:50 and they both take off in a hurry.
19 February – the male flies in at 6:55 and goes into the scrape 20 minutes later before returning to the ledge. He flies off at 8:20, returns 30 minutes later and goes into the scrape then back to the ledge. At 10:10, he goes for a walk around the platform, picking at stones. He is back in the box at 11:05 as the female arrives. She soon forces him out and he then flies off. She tends the scrape and surrounding area for 10 minutes then moves to the ledge showing a full crop. The male is back at 12:50 and goes into the box and there is calling between the pair. She soon joins him and there is a brief period of posturing before he returns to the ledge. She remains in the scrape, tending the area and preening until moving back to the ledge at 14:10; the male has fallen asleep. They sit opposite until 15:45 when the female flies out. She is back at 16:50 and he goes into the box, flying out 10 minutes later. The female remains on the ledge sleeping until midnight at least.
20 February – the male flies in at 4:20 and goes into the box hiding behind the central columns. There is calling between the pair, then both birds fall asleep. The female flies off at 5:55. The male flies out at 7:25 and returns a few moments later with the female. He goes into the box and is soon joined by the female and there is a brief moment of posturing and calling before he moves to the ledge and flies off. The female then returns to the ledge. she takes a brief flight at 8:00 and returns calling. She is off again 10 minutes later and is replaced by the male. He takes a brief flight at 9:10 and another 30 minutes later. He returns with the female and he goes into the box but is soon ousted by the female. He flies off and she runs to the ledge to watch him go. She leaves at 10:35 and returns at 11:05. She moves into the box 10 minutes later when the male arrives and tends the scrape and surrounding area before returning to the ledge at 11:35. She then walks towards the male forcing him to fly from the ledge. She flies off at 12:25 and there is no further activity on camera until 14:40 when the cameras stop working. When visiting the Cathedral this afternoon, the female was seen sitting on the south-east cross. Later, the pair were on the south facing turret and parapet wall of St. Margaret’s Church.
21 February to 16 March – due to technical problems there were no recordings from the cameras.