May 2019

31 May – the female arrives at 00:40 with a large item of prey, which she takes to the sleeping young to feed. She moves to the ledge 30 minutes later when they have finished. She is continually scanning the sky from 2:00 but eventually falls asleep at 3:00. The young start their wing flapping exercises at 6:15 and each time there is a snow-storm flurry of downy feathers flying around the box into the streets below. Both PAF and TLC walk onto the platform at 6:20, no doubt seeking to be fed. They go searching the box for food then settle back in the box. The male flies in with a Starling at 7:15 and all three chicks run towards him and he feeds PAF and TFC whilst TLC waits patiently. After 5 minutes the female takes over and the male flies out. She ensures all three get fed. They have finished and she is back on the ledge at 7:30. The chicks do more wing exercises and walk around the box, then settle down on the platform at 8:30. The male brings in another Staling at 9:20 and starts to feed the chicks but after just a few minutes, the female forces him out and takes over. It last just 10 minutes and she is back on the ledge flying off at 9:40. The male flies in empty-handed an hour later but leaves after 5 minutes. The chicks are very active and inquisitive, spending a lot of time investigating the nooks and crannies of the box and looking over the city in between flapping duties. They have settled down by the time the female arrives with a Woodpigeon at 12:30 and watch excitedly as she plucks the prey on the platform. Their appetites have grown along with their development. There is now nothing left to stash on the larger items because they eat so well. The female finishes off what scraps are left 25 minutes later when the male arrives with another item of prey. He sits on the ledge holding the prey whilst the female sits on the opposite ledge and the chicks fall asleep on the platform. He flies off to stash it after an hour and returns to the ledge. At 15:25, the female thinks it is meal time and forces the male from the ledge and walks into the box picking at scraps to feed the young. As he has not returned, she flies off 10 minutes later. The male is back at 16:10 without prey, leaving 15 minutes later. He is back at 17:00 with pre-plucked prey but before he has a chance to feed the young, the female relieves him of it and he flies out. They have finished eating after 10 minutes and the female returns to the ledge. There follows more frantic wing flapping and lots of downy feathers flying through the air. They eventually settle down in a huddle on the platform at 21:15 but become restless and by 22:10 are walking around the box preening and flapping whilst the female sits on the ledge. They are asleep at 23:00.

26 May – the female remains on the ledge until 5:20 when she flies off. She is back an hour later with a fresh Feral Pigeon. The chicks are alert and run to the platform to watch her pluck the bird. A 3 are then fed on the platform. The male arrives 5 minutes later with a partially eaten pigeon – his crop is full! Despite the female already having a pigeon, she grabs the one from the male and takes it into the box. She is followed by the chicks and starts to feed them. The male meanwhile sees the other pigeon and plucks it. He then drags it into the box and helps with the feeding concentrating on PAF. When it is full, the male flies off with the remains at 6:40. The female continues to feed for a further 10 minutes, then moves to the ledge. She remains there until taking a short flight at 10:10. The male arrives with a partially eaten pigeon at 10:35 and the female takes it to feed the young. There is nothing left 10 minutes later and she moves back to the ledge. The chicks spend some time wing stretching and flapping. They are back huddled in the box 30 minutes later. They are out investigating the platform under the female’s watchful eye at 12:15 lead by TFC, picking up feathers, pellets and other bits lying around before returning to the shelter of the box at 12:40. The female flies off at 13:30 and is replaced by the male 15 minutes later. The chicks run out to greet, expecting a feed but there is none, so they go back into the box. The male flies off and the female flies in with a large Feral Pigeon and feeds the chicks. The are full 20 minutes later and the female stashes the remains by the column. The male is back at 14:45 and spies the stash. He drags it to the chicks in the box and tries to feed them but they are not particularly interested. He persists and they eat a few scraps. He eventually flies off at 15:10 and the female picks up the scraps he left behind and finishes them – she does not like wasting food. She returns to the ledge as the chicks huddle together. The male is back at 16:00 and the chicks start to go walkabout for 30 minutes. The female leaves at 16:40, the male 5 minutes later. They return together at 16:50. The male is off again at 17:45 and the female falls asleep at 18:05. The chicks become active again with TFC visiting the female at 18:25. There is the usual wing stretching and flapping. The male drops in quickly at 19:35. the female remains on the ledge and falls asleep again and seems settled for the night with the chicks huddled in the box. 

25 May – the female remains on the ledge throughout the night and wakens at 5:15 when she has a stretch and a preen. The young are already exploring the box, walking around and wing flapping. She flies off at 6:05, returning 15 minutes later. All three young venture out onto the platform and call to the female for food. When they realise she has none, they return to the box and look around for scraps. When they are all back in the box at 6:45, she flies off. A few minutes later, the male flies in with a Starling and is quickly followed by the female. he takes it into the box and feeds the chicks with the female looking on. When she tries to take over at 6:55, the male picks up his Starling, runs out the box and flies off. As there is now nothing to feed the chicks, she sits on the ledge, flying off at 7:30. She is back an hour later and is greeted by the chicks running to the platform expecting a meal – there is none. She flies off. All three spends lots of time walking around before huddling together at 9:00. The female brings in a large pigeon at 9:15 and the young are soon tucking in. The male arrives at 9:35 and notices a scrap has been left behind by the female who is still feeding the young. He quickly sneaks in and grabs it, returning to the platform to eat it. When the female returns to the ledge, he goes into the box looking for food but there is none. He then hides himself behind the centre column and falls asleep. He remains there until 10:30 when he flies out. The chicks are lying together in the corner of the box. At 13:00, the young go a wandering, usually a sign they are hungry, and venture onto the platform. The female flies off at 13:15. Whilst she is away, the chicks spend their time strengthening their wings and walking around the box. She is back at 14:30 but without prey. She finds a scrap on the platform and feeds it to one of the chicks before returning to the ledge. The male arrives at 14:40 with pre-plucked prey which the female snatches from him and feeds the chicks. He sits watching from the ledge until the female forces him out once they have finished feeding. She flies out at 16:00. The male returns at 18:55 with an item of prey and there is a tug-of-war with TFC who tries to take it from him. A few moments later, he loses it to the female who arrived soon after him. He sits on the ledge but is pushed out by the female when she moves to the ledge at 19:00 after feeding the chicks. At 19:10, PFD and TFC sit on opposite sides of the central column looking out watching the sky whilst TLC wing flaps in the box. The female watches them carefully until the return to the box. She flies off at 19:15. She is back at 20:50 and goes into the box to check on the chicks who are huddled together in the corner and look for scraps of food. She settles down for the night and falls asleep at 22:05. 

24 May – the chicks have been left on their own overnight. The female arrives at 4:55 and goes into the box to check on the chicks before settling on the ledge. The young are very mobile and stretching and wing flapping. She flies off at 6:35 and the chicks start to explore the box and platform. The male arrives with a fresh Starling at 7:05 and he takes it into the box to feed them. The female is watching on and calling. After 10 minutes she decides to take control and enters the box and takes the partially-plucked Starling from him and he flies out. There is nothing left at 7:30 and she moves to the ledge. The chicks go walkabout at 8:00 and 15 minutes later the male arrives with prey. The female takes the pigeon from him and he flies out. She plucks it on the ledge and after a few minutes feeds it to the young. There is nothing left at 8:35 and she flies off. The chicks all look well fed and have full crops. The male is back at 8:45 but is replaced by the female 5 minutes later. The male flies into the box to check for food at 10:40 and flies out a few moments later. The chicks are doing more exercise and standing more upright that recently. They are getting stronger by the day. The male is back with prey at 10:55 and the female initially stashes it by the column but retrieves it a few minutes later and feeds the young. It has been totally consumed in 20 minutes and the female moves back to the ledge. The chicks are doing lots more wing flapping, especially the smallest, PAF. At 11:45, the male arrives with a Starling and the female tries to take it from him but he flies off. He is back with it at 12:35 and this time allows the female to take it. He flies off but returns to the ledge. The female looks at him and calls loudly then goes into the box to feed the chicks. They have finished 10 minutes later and she forces him from the ledge. She sits there until flying off at 13:10, returning 15 minutes later. At 14:00, something overhead catches her attention and she leaves quickly. She is back half an hour later. At 14:40, all three chicks walk towards the female and stand on the platform. She pushes them back into the box but they are looking for food. They take turns to flap their wings and walk about the box and the female returns to the ledge. The male flies into the box at 15:00 and has a look around but soon leaves. The female takes a short flight at 15:10 and is off again soon after. She returns at 16:55 and goes into the box looking for food. PAF moves onto the platform and looks out over the city but goes back into the box when the female leaves at 17:00. The male flies in at 17:15 with prey and is closely followed by the female who relieves him of the food. She is back on the ledge after 10 minutes. A few minutes later, PAF has another trip to the platform, venturing a little further this time; the female watching carefully. She flies out at 18:00 and the male lands briefly 5 minutes later. The female lands with a freshly caught Feral Pigeon at 19:15 and is greeted by TFC and PAF on the platform. TFC runs towards her and is rewarded with the first pickings. Soon all three are on the platform, further forward than I have seen this group, and being fed. When they have had enough, they return top the box. The last one back is PAF. After having some herself, the female takes the remains back into the box and almost force-feeds the chicks. She flies off to stash the remains at 19:45. The male is back briefly a few minutes later and the female returns at 20:15. She sits on the kedge preening and dozing and settles down for the night, falling asleep at 21:50.

23 May – the female was watching the night skies from 23:00 the previous evening and flies off at 00:25. She is back at 1:45 with an item of prey but flies out with it after a few minutes. She is soon back but without the prey and it looks as if she may have stashed it. She is off again at 2:05, returning a few moments later. She starts searching the skies at 5:30 and takes a couple of short flights at 5:55. The male arrives empty-handed at 6:00 and the pair leave with the male returning a few minutes later. He is off again and the female comes in with last night’s item of prey which can now be identified as a Ringed Plover. It does not last long and she returns to the ledge when it is finished. The chicks are wing-stretching and exercising in the box. She flies off at 6:55 and is replaced by the male who goes into the box looking for food but there is none and he flies out. He returns at 7:05 with a second Ringed Plover. He takes it to feed the chicks but before he has a chance, the female bounces in and grabs it from him. He beats a hasty retreat. She is back on the ledge when they have finished eating. The chicks are drowsy and TLC takes up his usual position with her head between the columns. The male brings in a Starling at 7:45 and the female relieves it from him. He sits on the ledge as she feeds the young. She knocks him off the ledge when she returns after they have fed. TLC is the more adventurous of the three and goes for a walk around the platform before sticking her head between the opposite columns. The other two lie with their heads in the shade but their bodies being warmed by the sun. The male is back at 9:25 with another Starling and reluctantly gives it up to the female but the young are well fed and she takes it away to stash for later. She returns at 10:10 and has a brief, unsuccessful hunting flight 15 minutes later. She has another failed attempt at 11:30, then flies off returning at 11:45. Another attempt at 12:25 and she leaves. The male is back at 12:40 with a Common Tern; there is a silver ring on the right leg – hopefully we can recover that at a later date. He feeds it to the chicks but rather than waiting to be fed, both TLC and TFC both pick at the prey themselves. They have finished 20 minutes later and he sits on the ledge whilst the young walk around the box then huddle together. The female flies in with a Feral Pigeon at 13:45 which she plucks on the platform. She drags it into the box and feeds the chicks at 14:00 whilst the male picks at the scraps that were left on the platform. When they have had enough, the chicks stop begging and go on a walk around the box. The female returns to the ledge with the remains, then flies off; the male remains on the ledge until 14:40. The male is back at 15:15 with a large prey item that the female tries to remove from him but he flies off with her in pursuit. She is back a few minutes later but it appears that he has outmanoeuvred her! She sees a few scraps in the box and feeds then to the chicks, then returns to the ledge. The male is back with the remains of a Feral pigeon at 15:40 and the female takes it from him and stashes it by the column. At 17:15, TLC walks towards the female and she gets the stash from the column and feeds the chicks. It has all gone 20 minutes later and she returns to the ledge. At 19:30, the male arrives and walks into the box looking for scraps of prey;. the female watches from the ledge. He walks towards the chicks and picks up a bunch of wing feathers but there is no meat and the female calls loudly to him. He finally accepts there is nothing and flies out. The female enters the box to check on the young before returning to the ledge where she starts dozing. The chicks huddle in the corner and she falls asleep at 22:00 until 23:45 when she flies out. 

22 May – the female remains on the ledge until 3:40 when she goes and covers the chicks who are huddled in the corner. She is back on the ledge at 6:00. The chicks are walking around the box stretching their wings and exercising. At 7:05, the male arrives with prey which the female takes from him and feeds the chicks. She returns to the ledge when they have finished and they huddle together in the corner. She flies off at 7:20 and the male is back with another meal at 8:05. As the female is missing, he goes into the box and feeds the young. She returns at 8:20 and tries to take over from the male who takes the prey away and stands on the platform eating it. When the female tries to relieve him of it, he flies off! She watches him go and returns to the ledge where she sits until 10:40 when she flies out, returning 10 minutes later. She is off again at 11:00 being replaced by the male 15 minutes later. The chicks are active and vocal and he flies off at 11:30. The female is back at 12:00, empty-handed and leaves 35 minutes later. She is back at 13:20 and is quickly followed by the male who has a Starling as prey. She takes it from him and feeds the chicks. The male sits on the ledge but is forced off by the returning female who has finished feeding after 10 minutes. The chicks huddle in the corner and she flies off at 14:00. She is back briefly at 14:25 and then with a large Feral Pigeon at 14:40. After being fed, the young wander around the box, wing-flapping and exercising. She is back on the ledge at 15:05, flying off at 15:55. She is soon replaced by the male who checks the box for scraps of food before flying out. She is back at 16:10 and is joined by the male with a full crop at 16:30. The pair sit on the ledge until the male eventually flies off at 18:45. The female starts dozing on the ledge at 20:00. The male has not arrived with food by 21:00 and so the female finds a few scraps on the platform to feed to the chicks but it does not last long. She is back on the ledge and falls asleep at 21:50 whilst the chicks huddle together in the corner of the box. From 23:00, she watches the skies over her, possibly looking for prey passing overhead as a night-time meal. She does not leave before mid-night.

21 May – the chicks were alone in the box until 2:40 when the female returned and covered them and feel asleep. She moves to the ledge at 5:00 and falls asleep until the male arrives 10 minutes later and has a look around the box, then leaves. He is back at 5:45 with a Starling that the female takes from him to feed the chicks and he leaves. The female is back on the ledge at 6:10. The male is back at 6:50 with another Starling and another feed for the growing young. Whilst the female is feeding the chicks, a Woodpigeon lands on the ledge at 6:55. She watches it land and stretches out a wing but just continues to feed the young. The pigeon is still there when they have finished eating but flies off just as the female takes an interest and walks towards it. She sits on the ledge. The young are very mobile and doing a few wing stretches. They now have a habit of lying down flat. The female flies out at 8:00 and is replaced 5 minutes later by the male who has another Starling and goes to feed the chicks. The largest of the 3 chicks does not appear to be hungry and so just lies flat with its head inside a gap a the column in the shade. The 2 others are fed by the male. He sits on the ledge when feeding is over at 8:30 and remains until the female returns with a large, fresh Feral Pigeon at 9:25. She plucks it on the platform, which takes 10 minutes, then feeds it to the young. The male is back on the ledge at 9:40. The female flies of to stash the remainder of the meal at 10:00. 

At 10:40, the cameras are turned off to allow the young to the colour-ringed under licence from the BTO. Hopefully, future sightings of the young will help in our understanding of the movements of young birds, their feeding and hunting sites, breeding sites and longevity. This information , both locally and nationally, will help in the conservation of Peregrine Falcons. With the chicks having just been fed, they were very docile and the process for the three took about 20 minutes. When the cameras rebooted at 11:25, the female was sitting on the ledge with a full crop and the chicks were huddled in the corner dozing. 

The female sits on the ledge fo 10 minutes then walks into the box and covers the chicks. She is back on the ledge at 12:20. She flies off when the male flies in at 13:50 and he goes into the box. He stands over the chicks for a few minutes, then moves to the ledge. The female is soon back with the previously stashed pigeon and feeds it to the chicks. It has all gone by 14:00, the male flies off and the female sits on the ledge. The male lands at 15:00 with another item of prey. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. There is nothing left 10 minutes later and she flies out whilst he remains on the ledge. She joins him at 15:25 and leaves at 16:10. She is back at 16:45 and he leaves. She flies off at 17:25 returning a few moments later with a freshly plucked item of prey; probably received in a food pass from the male who arrives a few moments later. He sits on the ledge and she joins him when the chicks have finished eating. The chicks huddle together in the corner. The male flies off at 18:05 and returns 25 minutes later with more food. They finish eating 10 minutes later and the male flies off as the female sits on the ledge and falls asleep. She wakens when the male arrives with more food at 19:25. She feeds the young and he flies off. She goes back to the ledge when they have finished and settles down for the evening as the chicks huddle together to keep warm. 

20 May – the male arrives at 4:20 and sits on the ledge for 10 minutes, then flies off. The female has a quick stretch on the ledge at 5:00 and flies off 5 minutes later – the chicks are huddled together in the corner. The female is back at 5:20 and checks out the young before returning to the ledge. The male arrives with the first meal of the day at 6:05 and she relieves him of it and he flies off. She feeds it to the chicks and it is finished in 5 minutes and she returns to the ledge flying off at 6:50. She returns briefly at 7:15 and again, at 7:30. She is back 10 minutes later with a fresh Feral Pigeon that she plucks on the platform then feeds to the young. The chicks are soon sated and start to doze. They are becoming much more mobile and one decides the best place to rest is with its head between the central columns! It also has a habit of sticking its left leg out. The female remains in the box with them but just covers the smallest of the three, returning to the ledge at 9:30, then flying off. It is a bright, sunny morning and all three chicks are lying in the shadow of the centre column. The male arrives at 9:55 and finds a few scraps in the box to feed the chicks. He goes back to the ledge as the chicks huddle in the corner. He sits there dozing until the female arrives at 10:45 and forces him off. She also looks for and finds a few scraps in the box to feed the chicks and then covers them until 12:10 when she is back on the ledge before flying off at 12:45. The male checks the box at 12:55 but there is no food. The female lands at 13:00 and calls to the male whilst the chicks go walkabout in the box and start doing wing exercises. She also checks the box again and the forces the male from the ledge. He is back at 13:40 with a juvenile Starling and the female feeds it to the chicks. Nothing remains after 10 minutes and she returns to the ledge opposite the male. He flies off at 14:35 and she follows 10 minutes later. At 15:30 the male flies in with another Starling and is immediately followed by the female who takes it from him and goes to feed the young. He sits on the ledge watching for 5 minutes then flies off. The female is on the ledge 10 minutes later and the chicks huddle in the corner. She is still there at 16:40 as she follows a Woodpigeon and watches it land on the ledge. It remains for about a minute before flying off. At 18:35, the female flies out and the male makes a quick visit a few moments later. She is back an hour later, checks out the box, moves to the ledge and flies off 10 minutes later. The male is back at 20:15 and dozes on the ledge whilst the chicks are huddles in the corner. He walks into the box at 21:00 as the female arrives but she calls loudly to him and he flies off as she goes and covers the chicks. She then looks around the box for some scraps but there are none and so settles on the ledge. She takes a brief ‘hunting’ flight at 21:10 but returns empty-handed. Eventually, the male returns with another Starling at 21:25 and the female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. It is over after 5 minutes and she is back on the ledge. The chicks settle down in the corner and the female remains on the ledge flying off at 23:05, not returning until 2:40 the following morning. 

19 May – the female walks to the ledge at 1:05 and flies out returning 35 minutes later. The male arrives at 5:05 and is forced off the ledge by the female, presumably a hint to get breakfast! She flies off at 5:40 returning empty-handed at 6:05. The male arrives with prey 5 minutes later and leaves. After feeding the chicks, she moves to the ledge at 6:40 and remains until the male arrives with a Starling at 8:05. After feeding the young, she moves to the ledge opposite the male who was watching. At 8:25, he walks into the box and looks around for stashed food – the female chases him out and covers the chicks; he flies off. One of the chicks has taken to lying with a leg sticking out. The female sits on the ledge at 9:15 remaining until 9:50 when she takes a short flight. She appears to be in hunting mode, constantly scanning the skies and leaves 5 minutes later. She returns with prey at 10:15 and feeds the young. The male flies in at 10:25 with his own prey and tries to feed the chicks but one motion from the female and he retreats. Non-the-less, he ties again a few minutes later – same result, so he flies off with the prey. The female leaves to stash the remains at 10:30. She does not return until 12:45 when she goes into the box and feeds the chicks on some left-over scraps, then returning to the ledge. The chicks are more frequently being left on their own during the day. The are at a stage where they do not need the incubation of the adults quite so much. The male flies in with prey at 13:00 and has it taken off him and fed to the chicks. The female returns to the ledge opposite him after feeding. They remain there until the male flies off at 14:45 returning 5 minutes later with prey (a Moorhen) for the female to feed the chicks. She feeds the young the tender parts but eats the legs and feet herself – nothing is wasted by this pair. She sits on the ledge when finished, returning to cover the chicks at 15:30. The male lands empty-handed at 16:10 and looks around the box for stashed prey – there is nothing and so flies off. The female moves to the ledge at 16:30. The male arrives with prey at 16:45 and the female takes it from him and he leaves. The chicks have taken to congregating in the right hand corner of the box and are starting to exercise their wings. Even the female is now finding it difficult to cover all three chicks at once! The female moves to the ledge at 18:40 before flying off. She is replaced by the male a few moments later who goes into the box looking for food. As there is none, he moves back to the ledge and flies off. The female is back at 20:15 and finds a few scraps to feed the chicks, then sits on the ledge. The male has not returned by 9:15 and so she goes into the box, covers the young and settles down for the evening. 

18 May – the female wakes and walks to the ledge at 5:05, stretches, takes a quick flight 5 minutes later and returns to the chicks. The male comes in at 5:20 and flies out after 10 minutes. He returns at 6:35 with a Starling and bypasses the female in an effort to feed the chicks. It does not work out well and he has to take evasive action and flies out. The female feeds the 3 growing chicks. He is back an hour later with another Starling. Once again, he tries to feed the chicks but she will not let him so he takes his prey and flies off! The female watches him go. The female flies out quickly at 8:15 returning 5 minutes later, then runs to the ledge and flying out. Whilst the female is away, the male take him opportunity to feed the chicks and brings in new prey at 8:35 and successfully if slowly, feeds the young. He manages a whole feed without interruption from the female and goes to the ledge at 8:40, looking out until he flies off at 9:10. He is back at 9:20 with another Starling. For the second successive attempt, he manages to feed the chicks without interruption. He moves to the ledge after feeding at 9:55 but then returns to the box to cover the young until he flies off at 11:00. The female has been absent for nearly 3 hours when she eventually returns with a meal of pigeon at 11:55. It is noticeable that the chicks are more independent and are not quite as huddled together, fight over pieces of meat and even go walkabout whilst being fed. She stashes the remains by the column and covers the chicks at 12:15. The male lands on the ledge at 12:20 until something above him catches his eye and he flies off. He is back at 12:45 with a very small item of prey which he presents to the female but as the chicks are well-fed and she is not interested, he eats it himself. On his way back to the ledge, he notices the stashed pigeon and takes it onto the platform where he waits until 13:05 before feasting on it. The female decides to retrieve the prey at 13:25 and takes it back to feed the chicks but they are well-fed and so she flies out with it – the male watching her go and follows a few moments later. The male is first to return at 13:50 with a full crop and goes into the box but has no time to cover the chicks as the female flies in and he moves to the ledge dozing. Meanwhile at 14:50, the female moves around the box picking as small scraps ‘tidying’ the area and moving stones around. At 15:40, the female walks to the ledge and there is calling between the pair and she flies off. She is back a few minutes later with a pre-plucked meal. The male flies off and the female feeds the chicks. It is over at 15:55 and she covers the young. At 17:30, she moves to the ledge and looks out where she remains until 19:15 when she returns to the box to look for food – there is none. She is back on the ledge and at 19:30, the chicks are getting restless/hungry and one starts to walk towards her.  She returns to the box and tries to feed them scraps. They huddle together and she returns to the ledge before flying off at 20:10. She is back, empty-handed, at 20:45 and finds a few more morsels to give the chicks. She is back on the ledge at 20:50 then covers the chicks 5 minutes later but is back on the ledge looking out at 21:00, then taking a short flight. The male eventually arrives with the last meal of the the day at 21:10 and the female grabs it from him and he flies off. She feeds the chicks then settles down for the night. 

17 May – the male arrives at 00:10 with a small item of prey that the female takes from him and feeds the chicks; a midnight snack. He flies off and she covers the young when they have finished feeding. From the movement in the feathers, the wind is blowing strongly from the east this morning. The male returns at 5:30 and searches the box for food as the female has a stretch on the ledge before returning to cover the chicks. The male sits on the ledge for 5 minutes then flies off. The male hops into the box with a freshly caught Staling at 6:15 and plucks the bird in front of the female and chicks who are calling loudly. One of the chicks is trying to help pluck or at least peck at the prey. After 5 minutes, the female takes over and removes the prey from the male and is soon feeding the chicks. He flies out, returning at 7:00 with a pre-plucked Starling which he takes to the female in the box. He wants to feed the chicks but she will not move so he takes the food away and flies out. He is back an hour later with the prey and goes into the box. This time the female allows him to feed the chicks for a few moments before she takes over and he leaves. He is back at 9:35 with another Staling. The female allows him to feed the chicks for a few moments but once again removes the prey from him and takes over; he flies off. He is back at 11:40 with his favourite capture, a Starling. He starts to feed the young as the female has a stretch on the ledge but it is over too soon and she takes over. He sits dozing on the ledge until 12:30 when he enters the box and picks up a scrap and tries to feed the chicks below the female. After just a few morsels, the female makes her move and the male drops the scraps and walks to the ledge, flying off at 12:50. He returns at 13:30 and the female goes to greet him. He goes into the box looking for food but goes to the ledge when the female walks in. He remains there dozing until he flies off at 13:45. The female walks to the ledge at 14:35 and looks out before flying off, returning 10 minutes later. She is on the platform again looking out at 14:55, the returns to the chicks. She is back looking out at 15:35, flying off a few minutes later. Whilst she is away, the chicks go for a little walkabout and stretch their ever-growing wings. The pin feathers can now be clearly seen. They then huddle together as the wind is still strong. The female is back at 16:00 with a fresh Feral Pigeon which she plucks on the platform before taking it into the box for the chicks. The male arrives on the ledge at 16:20 and watches the feeding. She flies out with the remains of the prey at 16:25 and he follows a few moments later, but is soon back on the ledge. He flies off again as the female arrives but returns with the stashed prey at 14:55. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks and he flies off. She stashes the remains in the corner of the box at 17:10, then covers the chicks. At 18:30, she retrieves the stash and feeds it to the young. The male is back with a small snack at 20:45. He gives it to the female and flies off. The feeds it to the chicks then settles down for the evening. 

16 May – the female sits out on the ledge at 4:45 before returning to the chicks a few minutes later. The male presents the first meal of the day (a Starling) at 6:10 and the female feeds the hungry chicks; he flies off. There is nothing left 10 minutes later and she covers the chicks. The male lands for 5 minutes at 8:10 and returns with another small item of prey at 8:30 then flies off. The meal is finished in 15 minutes and the female covers the chicks. The female takes a short break on the ledge at 9:15 then returns to the chicks. An early lunch of Starling is presented at 11:25 and the male watches as the female feeds the chicks before flying off at 11:30. The female has a 10 minute break on the ledge at 12:00, then flies off. She is back 5 minutes later just as the male arrives with a large pigeon. She takes it from him and surprisingly, stashes it by a column then covers the chicks. She suddenly flies out at 12:20 and the male arrives 10 minutes later. He picks up the stashed prey and starts to pluck it on the platform. He stands on it looking out over the city before dragging it into the box at 12:55 and feeding the chicks. The developing pin feathers on the chicks can be seen clearly. The female flies in at 13:10 and tries to take the prey from him. He reluctantly allows her to have it and continue feeding and he flies out. After trying to stash the remains in the box twice, she eventually stores it by a column and then feeds on a few scraps left around. She retrieves the stash at 14:50 and feeds the chicks, returning the remains at 15:05. At 16:30 she notices a large piece of prey still in the box and flies out with it. The male comes in, notices the stash and takes it to feed the chicks. He manages for about 10 minutes before the female returns and forces him out. However, as he still has food and the female has food, he returns to the box and starts to help feed. The female allows him to do so until she has run out of food and steals the male’s. He goes to the ledge. The female flies out at 17:00 and is quickly followed by the male. She is back covering the chicks at 17:15 but flies out quickly at 18:30. The male flies in 5 minutes later and finds a few scraps to feed the chicks. He makes a hasty retreat when the female arrives after 10 minutes and flies off. She continues to feed them the scraps he left behind and looks for any stashed food before covering the chicks and settling down for the night. 

15 May – the female runs to the platform at 1:10 and looks out into the darkness, flying out a few minutes later. She returns at 1:40 and searches the box for a food stash. She finds none and so goes and covers the chicks. The male lands briefly at 5:15. He is back 10 minutes later with a pre-plucked item of prey which the female readily accepts and he flies off. They have finished eating after 15 minutes and the female continues incubation. At 7:05, the male arrives with another Starling which he continues to pluck on the platform. The female walks over to take it from him but he refuses. She returns to the scrape without it but within a few moments, the male takes it into the box and gives it to her to feed the chicks and he flies off. When they have finished, she leaves to stash the remains and is back a few minutes later to cover the chicks. The male is back with another unidentifiable pre-plucked meal. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. He remains on the ledge dozing in the sun until 10:20 when he quickly followed the female when she flew out of the box. The chicks huddle together until 11:00 when the female returns. At 11:25, she runs to the ledge and looks out. The male flies into the box 5 minutes later but the female forces him out and he flies off, she returns to the ledge and the covers the chicks. She is back on the ledge at 11:45, returning to the chicks at 12:10. She is back on the ledge at 12:45, flying off at 13:05 to be replaced by the male. He looks around the box for food then back on the ledge to fly out. The female is first back at 13:45, with a large, freshly caught, partly-plucked Feral Pigeon. She takes it into the box and feeds the chicks. She plucks it under the watchful eyes of the hungry chicks. There are feathers everywhere and cover the box like a carpet. She flies past the male, who is still on the ledge, to stash what remains of the meal. He heads into the box and picks up a few scraps and takes them on to the platform to eat. After a few minutes, he realises his opportunity to feed the chicks whilst the female is away and heads into the box with the scraps but before he is able to feed, the female returns and forces him out and he finishes it on the platform. He dozes on the ledge at 14:30, falling asleep half an hour later whilst the female covers the chicks. He finally awakens at 16:45 and the female moves to the ledge and he covers the chicks. She is not happy, and pushes him back to the ledge. She forces him off the ledge 10 minutes later, presumably to get a meal! She watches him from the platform, then flies off a few minutes later. She returns with another pre-plucked pigeon and feeds the chicks. The male is back 5 minutes later but leaves at 17:10. He is back at 17:50 and goes into the box looking for prey but there is none and he flies out. The female sits on the ledge at 18:10, flying off after 5 minutes. The male arrives at 18:35 and goes to cover the chicks but quickly moves back to the ledge, then flying off. The female flies in at 20:45 and settles down with the chicks for the evening.

14 May – the male arrives at 5:00 and goes into the box and retrieves the stashed prey by the column with the female looking on. He flies off with it and is immediately followed by the female who returns 5 minutes later empty-handed. At 5:30, the male arrives with the prey item and the female grabs it from him and feeds the chicks. He watches from the ledge for 10 minutes, then flies off. There is nothing left by 5:50 and the female covers the chicks. The male is back at 6:45 and picks a scrap from beside the female and takes it to the platform to eat then sits on the ledge. He flies off after 5 minutes, returning at 7:15 with a new item of prey (a Starling) which he gives to the female who feeds the chicks. He returns to the ledge and she flies off at 7:20 with what little is left of the prey. He goes and covers the chicks until 8:45 when he walks to the ledge and looks out, flying off a few minutes later. The female takes over at 8:55. The male arrives with an item of prey at 9:20 and takes it into the box. The female rejects his offering and continues to cover the chicks so he flies off with it. He returns without prey at 10:30 and sits on the ledge for half an hour. He is back at 11:35 with the previous prey item and the female grabs it from him to feed the calling chicks with the male watching from the ledge. The meal lasts 10 minutes and she continues to cover them as he flies off. The male returns with another Starling at 12:30 and whilst the female is on the ledge doing her ablutions, he sneaks in to feed the chicks but it does not last long and she is soon back and takes over. He gives way reluctantly. When she flies off with what remains at 12:40, the male moves in from the ledge. She is back 15 minutes later and resumes incubation. The male flies off at 13:15. Another snack arrives at 15:55 in the form of a Tree Sparrow. A few minutes later it has gone and the male leaves. The female flies out at 16:45 and 10 minutes later, the male comes in to the box but only stays a few minutes before going to the platform looking out and flying off. The female is first back at 17:35 and feeds the chicks with her prey but it does not last long with three hungry chicks. She looks around the box for stashed prey but there is none so flies off at 17:45. The male is back a few minutes later with an item of prey and is followed by the female. He takes his Starling in to feed the chicks but is quickly relieved of his duties by the female and sits on the ledge watching; there is nothing left at 18:00. He dozes on the ledge for an hour then flies off. The female covers the chicks but moves to the platform at 20:00 looking out before returning to the chicks at 20:10. The male is back with the last meal of the day another small item at 20:45 that lasts a few minutes. The female covers the chicks whilst the male flies off. 

13 May – the male arrives at 4:50 and checks out the box for stashed food. The female squawks at him loudly but he sits on the ledge. He flies out at 5:25, returning 20 minutes later with what appears to be a Chaffinch which he presents to the female. She takes it to the chicks and proceeds to pluck it in front of them and feed it to them. He returns to the ledge but leaves after a few minutes. The young have finished eating at 5:55 and the female covers them. At 6:45, the female hops to the platform and looks out, flying off after a few moments. The male lands on the platform and spends the next 10 minutes watching the skies. He is forced off at 6:00 by the female who returns to covering the chicks. He returns with a pigeon at 7:55 and the female takes it from him and feeds the young. She stashes the remains in the corner at 8:10, then covers the ever growing young. At 9:20, she retrieves the stash and starts to feed the already well-fed chicks. After just 5 minutes, she stashes the remains by the column. At 10:15, she runs to the platform and starts calling whilst looking around, then flies off. The male arrives 5 minutes later and notices the stashed prey and takes it to feed the chicks.  No sooner had he started than the female arrives and relieves him and he goes to the ledge. She finishes feeding them at 10:25 and flies off with the remains. Even before he reaches the chicks to cover them, the female is back and he goes to the ledge again, flying off at 11:40.  The male returns at 12:25 and does a search of the box then sits on the ledge. A few minutes later, the female joins him and looks out, then flies off. He moves into the scrape and covers the chicks. He moves to the ledge at 13:05, then back with the chicks half an hour later. The female is back and replaces him at 14:10. She looks around the box for food but there is none. She returns to the chicks whilst the male sits on the ledge looking around before flying off at 14:20. He returns at 15:40, empty-handed and walks around the box looking for food. He walks to the platform and is joined by the female who calls to him. He picks at a few stones on the platform. Something seems to catch his eye and the pair fly out together – probably an intruding bird. The male is back at 16:35 and covers the calling chicks who have been left unattended for almost an hour but after just 5 minutes he is back on the ledge looking over the city and flies off. The female is back 5 minutes later and covers the chicks until 17:15 when she moves to the ledge and flies off. She is back at 18:30 with a fresh Feral Pigeon that she plucks on the platform. The chicks are excited at the prospect of their first meal since 10:25 and for the first time have ventured out of the immediate scrape. One walks towards the female as she brings the meal into the box, by doing so misses out on the first few servings. They feed hungrily for the next 30 minutes. The male arrives at 18:45 and sits on the ledge watching. When the female has finished feeding she stashes the prey in the corner of the box but no sooner had she done so, the male retrieves it and feeds on it on the platform. When he has had his fill, he takes it back to the female who feeds a few more morsels to the chicks before re-stashing it by a column. The male flies off at 19:30 and the female settles down for the evening.  

12 May – the male arrives at 4:45 and checks the columns for stashed food but there is none. He flies out at 5:05, returning at 6:15 but still without the morning meal. He makes another check around the box then flies out 5 minutes later. He is back at 6:40 with a fresh and partially plucked item of prey. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks and he leaves. She walks to the platform at 9:05 and looks out. The male arrives a few minutes later and she leaves – he watches her from the ledge and then goes into the box and covers the chicks. No sooner had he settled down than she returns with a very fresh item of prey and he is pushed back to the ledge and then leaving. She covers the chicks when they have finished. The male is back with a Starling at 11:40 and the female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. He watches and remains on the ledge until 12:05. The female walks to the platform at 12:20 and looks out, sits on the ledge for a few minutes before flying off. The male arrives at 12:45 with another Starling and feeds the chicks – this is his first solo effort. They stop eating at 13:05 when they are more than full but he persists in giving them more. Eventually, there is nothing left and he does his best top cover them. The female does not return until 14:25 and the male quickly gives up incubation duties whilst the male is on the ledge. At 14:45, the male calls out and the female joins him on the platform and they fly off together, presumably to fend off intruding birds. She is back 20 minutes later and covers the chicks and the male flies in at 15:55 but leaves almost immediately. At 17:25, she flies out quickly and both adults return 10 minutes later but without any food so the male flies off again after a few encouraging grunts from the female. A few minutes later, she leaves and returns with the male at 17:40. He has food and the female snatches it from him and feeds the chicks – he flies off. What little prey is left at 17:50 is taken and left on the platform. Presumably the final meal of the day is brought in by the male at 19:55. The female would not allow him to feed the chicks so he flies off with it. He is back empty-handed at 20:45 and notices the scraps of the previous meal left on the platform. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks although it does not last long. The female then settles on the chicks for the evening and he flies off at 20:50. 

11 May – the male arrives at 5:10 and the female calls loudly. He finds a few scraps on the platform then flies out at 5:20. He is back at 6:45 and the female goes to meet him but he is empty-handed. He flies off and she sits on the ledge for few minutes and he flies in with a pre-plucked, pre-stashed piece of prey. She takes it and feeds the chicks. At 7:30 he arrives with a freshly plucked item and takes it into the box where he delicately feeds the female small pieces. She will not let him feed the chicks so he takes the prey away and flies out with it. At 8:20, the female goes to the platform and looks out before flying off. The male immediately flies in and covers the chicks. Maybe this is his strategy – get the female to fly off and he sneaks in? However, at 8:40, he goes to the platform and looks out – the chicks are calling loudly so he returns. The female arrives 10 minutes later with a fresh pigeon which she drags to the chicks and feeds them whilst he sits on the ledge, flying off at 9:00. When the chicks are full, she stashes the remains by the column. The male is back with a fresh item at 9:25 and takes it to the female who does not accept it, so he leaves it next to her and takes the larger stashed item and consumes it on the platform and flies off with the remains. Not sure that is a fair swap. At 10:15, the female stretches out and picks up the prey left by the male and feeds the chicks. The must be well-fed as they do not each much and she stashes the item after just a few minutes. The male flies in with a full crop at 10:30 and heads for the stash. He presents it to the female who refuses it and he initially re-stashes it by the column, then flies off with it. He returns 10 minutes later but does not stay. He is back at 11:20 and takes the prey to the female and again, feeds her delicately. His ploy to feed the chicks fails and the female grabs the item from him and he goes to the ledge. She stashes what is left at 11:30 and settles down on the chicks. The male flies off 10 minutes later returning with prey at 13:00. She feeds the chicks whilst he sits on the ledge. Whilst feeding, she steps on the remaining un-hatched egg and it breaks. It is clearly seen that there is nothing inside except for a small amount of yolk. When she flies out with the remains 10 minutes later he goes to cover the chicks but she is soon back and forces him off and he flies out. The female retrieves a piece of stashed prey at 15:05 and feeds the chicks but it does not last long. The male arrives a few minutes later and looks around the box for any stashed prey but there is none. He picks up a part of the shell from the recently broken egg and eats part of it before settling on the ledge for a few minutes then flying out. He has not returned by 16:00 and so the female flies out returning a few minutes later with some pre-plucked prey to feed the chicks. The male arrives 10 minutes later with another Starling and takes it into the box where the female is still feeding the chicks. He starts by offering a few pieces to the female who then allows him to feed the chicks! However, when she has finished with her piece, she covers the chicks and he has to leave (with his prey) and he flies out. He is back with his prey at 16:35 but remains on the ledge until 17:20 when he goes into the box and feeds the female again but she will not let him feed the chicks and grabs the prey from him. He retreats to the ledge whilst she feeds the young. She covers the chicks when there is nothing left and he flies off at 18:50. He is back with another Starling at 20:05 and the female takes it from him and he flies off. This is the last meal of the day. 

10 May – at 5:05, the female drags the remains of yesterday’s stashed prey and feeds the chicks. They are full 20 minutes later and she stashes the little that remains. The male arrives 10 minutes later and sits on the ledge for 5 minutes before snatching the stashed prey and taking it to the platform to eat. At 5:50 he takes it into the box and eats it in front of the female. She watches him and calls to him.He takes very small pieces from it, not really eating. He looks to be trying to get the female to allow him to feed the chicks. After a few minutes he takes the prey closer to the female and then closer still until he is almost touching her. She grunts at him and he retreats, stashes the prey and flies off. He is back with a large prey item at 7:35. The female runs to the ledge and takes the prey from him and feeds the chicks whilst he sits on the ledge with a full crop. He flies off at 7:45 and the female stashes the remains. He is back at 9:00 and spies the stash, snatches it and flies off. He returns with the prey at 9:10 and the female runs to the ledge and grabs it from him and takes it back to the chicks. After feeding, she flies off with the remains at 9:20 and he covers the chicks. A few minutes later, she returns with it and stashes it by the column. She then forces the male from the scrape. He grabs the stashed prey and flies off, returning with it 25 minutes later and tries to re-stash it but once again leaves with it! He returns with the prey at 10:05 and takes it into the box where the female takes it from him. He watches her feeding the chicks for a few moments before sitting on the ledge. There is nothing left 15 minutes later and she incubates the chicks and he flies off at 10:20. He returns at 11:40 and walks around the box looking for any stashed prey but there is none, so sits on the ledge preening. At 12:20, he walks into the box and tries twice to force the female from the chicks so that he could incubate – she would not relent and he returns to the ledge, then flies off at 12:40. The female goes Walkabout in the box at 13:20 then back to the chicks. The male is back with a Starling at 15:10 and the female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. There is little left 10 minutes later and he is wet and bedraggled on the ledge. When the female stashes what is left by the column and goes to the ledge, the male rushes to the chicks but the female intercepts him. He picks up the small stash and takes it to the chicks and tries to feed them. The female is not obliging and keeps them tucked firmly below her so he eats the remains but continues to try on a number of occasions without success. He returns to the ledge  , flying off at 17:15. He returns with another Starling at 17:40 and the female takes it from him. He watches her feed the chicks from the ledge then picks the scraps left over at 17:55 and then flies off at 18:20. He is back at 19:25 with more prey, this time a pigeon which he takes to the female. As is his want, he tries to feed the chicks but the female grabs the meal from him and he returns to the ledge. When the female flies out with the remains at 19:30, he tries to cover the chicks but she is back before he could settle and he flies off. The female settles down for the evening.

9 May – the male arrives at 5:30 with a large item of prey and goes into the box. He looks as if he wants to feed the chicks but the female takes the prey from him and he walks to the ledge. When the female has finished feeding there are a few scraps left over and the male takes them and eats them on the platform. He returns to the ledge and flies off at 6:20. He is back 2 hours later with another prey item. He takes it into the box and tears small pieces off and tries to feed the female and the chicks but she does not relent and grabs the prey from his feet and feeds the chicks and he flies off. They must be very well fed as they do not beg and are almost forced to eat. She flies out with the remains after 10 minutes returning quickly to continue incubation. The male is back at 10:20 with what appears to be the remains of the previous meal. Again, he tries to tempt the female into allowing him to feed the chicks. Once more, she refuses and so he flies off with the prey! He returns with it at 11:00 and tries yet again but is refused so he flies off with his prey. Half an hour later, he tries again and the female grabs the prey from him and he sits on the ledge. He goes into the box 10 minutes later as she finishes feeding and watches closely. When they are full, he removes the remaining prey and takes it to the platform to eat, then flies out. He brings in another Starling at 13:20 and this time the female does not him get off the ledge but quickly grabs the food from him. She feeds the chicks whilst he sits watching before flying off. When they have finished eating, the female flies out to stash the remains. The male flies in to cover the chicks but is soon pushed out by the arrival of the female and he flies off. He returns at 14:50 with a fresh prey item which he takes into the box. He tries to feed but the female grabs it from him and he sits on the ledge as she feeds the chicks. She stashes the remains by a column 10 minutes later and the male comes in and retrieves it and eats it on the platform until there is nothing left. He sits on the ledge with a full crop and falls asleep before flying out at 15:35. A few minutes later, the female runs to the ledge looks out and starts calling. She then flies off and the male flies in to cover the chicks. She is back to take over 20 minutes later and he flies off. She is on the platform looking out again at 17:35 and flies off, the male taking over duties 5 minutes later. He picks up a scrap of food on the way and tries to feed it to the chicks but it is mainly bone and unsuitable. After a few minutes, the female is back and pushes the male out and takes the bone from him and eats it. She then finds a few scraps of meat and feeds that to the chicks whilst the male sits on the ledge. She then flies out and he goes into the box and covers the chicks. She returns, wet and bedraggled, with a large item of plucked prey at 19:25 and feeds the chicks whilst the male looks on from the ledge. He makes a couple of quick trips into the box but soon retreats. He makes a third trip and stands over the young as the female feeds them, watching intently. But the female has had enough and after a few minutes stretches out her wings to force him out. Unperturbed, he is back a few moments later but one look from the female and he scurries out. He can’t take no for an answer and is back again. She stashes the remains in the corner of the box at 19:40 and settles down on the chicks. He flies out 5 minutes later. 

8 May – the male arrives at 4:55 with an offering for the female. He takes it into the box and she grabs it from him and feeds the chicks. At 5:05 he wanders into the box to see if he could ‘help’ but soon returned to the ledge. She flies off to stash the remains and the male goes and covers the chicks. There is steady rain all morning. She returns quickly and replaces the male who leaves. At 11:10, the female walks to the ledge, looks out and then flies out but returns quickly to continue incubation. No doubt she was looking for the male. The male arrives rather bedraggled at 11:30 with another Starling which he reluctantly gives to the female – he was looking to feed the chicks again. He sits on the ledge watch them being fed, then flies off. The female stashes the remains by the column and returns to the chicks. She retrieves the stash at 14:35 and feeds the chicks and finishes off what little remains. The male is back at 14:55 looking even more bedraggled and wet. He goes into the box and looks around for prey and finds a few scraps on the platform that he eats before flying off. The female goes to the platform to stretch her wings at 15:15 and returns to the chicks. There is a changeover at 16:00. At 16:35, the female brings in a large Feral Pigeon which she plucks on the platform, the male watching from the ledge. She drags it to the chicks and begins to feed them and the male picks up a couple of scraps. At 16:50 he enters the box and stands over the chicks as the female feeds them wanting to participate. She will not let him and he returns to the ledge. Five minutes later, she stashes the remains by the column. The male flies off at 17:00. Thirty minutes later, he returns and snatches the stash and feeds on it on the platform, the female looking on. The female snatches it back from him at 17:45 but he has fed well. She takes it back to the chicks and feeds them. They are soon full and she flies off with it, the male watching her go. He then covers the chicks but the female is soon back and he returns to the ledge, then flies out. The female goes walkabout in the box at 18:30, then settles down. She flies out briefly on the male’s arrival at 20:10 and sits on the ledge whilst he goes into the box. However, he does a U-turn and sits on the ledge opposite the female. She flies off again and this time, he does cover the chicks. She returns a few minutes later with a plucked item of prey presumably from a stash. The male moves back to the ledge and flies out. She stashes the remains by the column and settles down on the chicks. The male is back at 20:40 and snatches the stash and eats it on the platform, flying off 10 minutes later. 

7 May – the female hardly moves during the evening and enjoys a good sleep. The male arrives at 5:15 to take over incubation as the female flies out. The chicks are already begging to be fed but he has nothing. They peck at his beak as he stands over them. After a few minutes he walks to the platform then returns to cover the chicks. The female is back at 5:23 and pushes the male out. Again, the chicks peck at her beak but she has nothing for them. She shuffles down on them. The male arrives with his favourite item of prey, a Starling,  at 6:00. He wants to feed the chicks but the female refuses so he takes the prey away and turns his back on the female. He tries for a second time and again turns his back. The female has lost patience and grabs the prey from him and he walks to the ledge, looks out then flies off. When she has finished feeding, she stashes the prey by the column. The male is back at 7:25 and walks into the box calling. He notices the stashed prey and picks it up and walks to the platform. He returns with it in the hope of feeding the chicks but again is refused so he turns his back. There is a lot of calling between the pair. He rips a small piece off in readiness by once again, the female grabs the prey from him and feeds the chicks. He moves to the ledge and looks on. The female flies off with the remains when they have finished. The male walks towards the chicks checking for stashed food on the way but there is none so he settles down on the chicks. No sooner has he done so than the female returns and ousts him. He flies off at 7:40. He makes a brief stop at 8:35 and returns with another Starling at 9:25. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. She takes the remains to the platform 10 minutes later, then resumes incubation. The male comes into the box at 11:00 and picks at some scraps around the female. He is looking to replace her but she is not moving so he returns to the ledge and flies out. At 12:20, the female leaves the chicks and moves to the platform and looks out. A few moments later she flies off but is soon back. She walks into the box, looks around, then back to the platform looking out – probably searching for the male. She makes another short flight then returns to the chicks. At 12:35, the male arrives with a large pigeon. The female runs towards him and snatches it from him and feeds the chicks. He flies off 10 minutes later and she puts the remains of the meal on the platform. He is back at 13:25 and tucks into the remains, flying off with it 10 minutes later. He is back on the ledge at 14:20 with a full crop and falls asleep. At 16:00, the female leaves the scrape and flies off as the male goes to cover the chicks. As the chicks have grown stronger, it is noticeable the female is allowing the male to incubate for longer periods. She returns at 17:40 with a very large, freshly-plucked item of prey. She feeds it to the chicks whilst the male sits on the ledge preening. She flies off with the remains at 17:50 and is swiftly followed by the male. She is soon back and covers the drowsy chicks. The male is back at 18:10 with the remains of the pigeon and picks at it. He flies off with it 10 minutes later but returns with it after 30 minutes and takes it to the female. He is reluctant to give it to the female, seemingly wanting to feed the chicks himself, but she wrestles it from him and he moves back to the ledge before flying off. When she has finished feeding, the female stashes the remains by the column and returns to the chicks and settles down for the night.

6 May – another comfortable night for the female with plenty of sleep. The male arrives at 3:35, a little earlier than normal. He sits on the ledge and falls asleep until 5:00 when he walks into the box looking to take over incubation but the female will not relinquish and he returns to the ledge. He tries again at 5:25 with the same result. Both he and the female fall asleep. They waken at 6:00 and the male flies off. He is back 30 minutes later and tries to remove the female from the scrape. but instead picks up a few scraps left around which are immediately commandeered by the female and feeds it to the chicks. Five minutes later, she walks to the platform and the male flies out. After checking for food around the box, she settles back down on the chicks. The male is back and takes a short hunting flight at 6:45 and is off at 6:50. He returns at 7:10 with a fresh item of prey, a Starling – one of his favourite catches in 2018. The female plucks it further and feeds it to the chicks. The male flies out and the female stashes the remains beside a column at 7:20 before continuing incubation. The male is back on the ledge napping at 8:30. Despite there still being plenty left on the Starling, the male brings in the remains of a pigeon at 9:55 which the female takes from him and feeds to the chicks. Whilst she is doing this, he sneaks in and takes the Starling and flies off with it! She removes the remains band the male flies in to cover the chicks but before he is able, the female is back and forces him out. He goes to the ledge and naps. At 11:00, the female gets up and goes to the ledge and the male takes over incubation. She has a scratch and a preen but moments later forces the male from the chicks. He returns to the ledge. At 11:05, the male starts calling loudly and looking up. The female leaves the scrape and flies out and the male watches her go and the action above him. A few minutes later he goes to the chicks. The action would suggest that there is an intruder in the territory. The female is gone for quite a while returning at 12:05 with an item of prey which she stashes by a column. The pair the swap places and as the male walks past the stash he picks it up, takes it to the platform and tucks in, flying off with it 10 minutes later. He returns briefly with it at 12:50 but is soon off again. He is back with a full crop at 14:20 and finds a few scraps on the platform that he picks at. The female grabs them from him and he goes to cover the chicks but she forces him back onto the ledge. At 14:25, she searches the box for some food but there is none – the male watches from the ledge as she returns to incubation. He flies off after 5 minutes returning with a Starling a few minutes later which he gives to the female and moves back to the ledge. She feeds the chicks then flies off with the remains when they are full. Once again, the male tries to cover the chicks but the female is back quickly and forces him out. He flies off at 14:55. He is back at 16:10 and goes into the box but the female remains on the chicks, so he settles on the ledge, flying off after 5 minutes. He returns at 16:30 and the female flies out so he moves to the scrape. She is back with prey at 18:20 and feeds the chicks whilst the male sits on the ledge. She leaves with the remains 10 minutes later and the male covers the chicks. She is back a few minutes later and he flies off. He brings in prey at 18:50 (a Starling) and eats it on the platform, settling down when he has finished and falling asleep. He remains on the ledge until 21:40 then flies off. 

5 May – the female sleeps comfortably through the night. The male arrives at 4:55 and replaces the female who flies off. She returns 5 minutes later with an item of prey that had obviously been previously stashed and feeds the chicks whilst he moves to the ledge. When she finished feeding, she takes the remains and flies out leaving the male to cover the chicks. She is soon back, pushes him from the chicks and he flies off. A Woodpigeon makes a 5 minute visit at 6:00 – it hasn’t been seen for a few days. It flies out as the male approaches and the male hits the pigeon. Feathers float around like confetti and he gives chase but arrives without his prey. He takes off again and 40 minutes later, returns with a large item of freshly-plucked prey! The female takes it from him and feeds the chick for a few minutes before stashing it by the column. The male returns at 7:25, spies the stash, snatches it and flies off. He is back with it 10 minutes later, calls to the female but she does not respond so he eats it, flying off with the remains 10 minutes later. He is back with a full crop at 8:10, enters the box to see the female then returns to the ledge. He takes what looks to be a short hunting flight at 8:45 and a few moments later flies off at speed. He returns 15 minutes later but is off again after a further 5 minutes. He flies in at 9:10 with freshly plucked prey. The female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. She flies off with the remains 10 minutes later and he covers the chicks but she is back soon after to continue incubation and he flies off. He is back briefly at 11:00 and at 12:30 he flies into the box and replaces the female who moves to the ledge. She has a scratch, preen and stretch before flying off. Just 5 minutes later, she is back with an item of prey that must have been previously stashed as it is pre-plucked, and feeds the chicks. The male is back on the edge falling asleep at 13:00. Half an hour later he walks up to the female and there is a scrap left over from the previous meal lying by her head. He takes hold of it whilst she calls to him and he starts to pick at it until he runs off and finishes it on the platform, later flying off. He returns at 15:10 with an item of prey, fairly fresh as he is still plucking it. The female does not look interested and initially he tries to stash it, then flies off with it. He flies into the box and walks to the female at 15:40. There is soft chipping between the pair and he watches the chicks wriggling beneath the female. He is wanting to incubate them and after a few minutes the female walks to the platform but returns immediately and he sits back on the ledge falling asleep at 16:20. He flies off 20 minutes later and returns at 16:40 with a large item of plucked prey. He takes it into the box and shows the female but walks off with it a few moments later. He stands on the platform with it before taking it away at 16:55. He is back with it at 17:15 and this time the female takes it from him and feeds the chicks. She flies off with the remains to stash it 10 minutes later. The male goes to cover the chicks but is soon displaced by the returning female. He falls asleep on the ledge at 17:55 and is still there when the female flies off at 19:10 so he goes to cover the chicks. She is back at 19:25 and the male goes to the ledge before flying off. This is probably the longest she has allowed him to be with the chicks unattended. 

Peregrine Art?

4 May – the female sat tight on the chicks through the night. The male arrives at 4:15 and immediately goes into the box. There is brief contact with the female before he moves to the ledge and falls asleep. At 4:50 the male walks into the box again and there is calling between the pair. After a few minutes he returns to the ledge. He is in the box with the female again at 5:10 – it appears he may be wanting to take over incubation. Not getting his way, he flies off. He is back at 6:10 with a plucked item of prey. The female meets him on the platform and relives him of it and goes and feeds the chicks. The male returns to the ledge for a few minutes before flying off. At 6:25, she finishes feeding and takes the remains and stashes it by the column, then continues to incubate. The male is back briefly at 6:30 and returns at 7:50 looking well-fed; goes to the stash and takes the prey to the calling female, then sits on the ledge. She feeds the chicks and after a few minutes he takes a short flight. On his return, the female flies out with the prey remains and he takes over incubation but she is soon back and he returns to the ledge before flying off. He is back with the prey at 8:40 and takes it to the female, then returns to the ledge. As the chicks seem full and do not beg for a meal, she takes the prey and flies off with it. He goes into the box and incubates the chicks but the female is soon back and takes over. He flies off returning at 10:00 and goes into the box but the female refuses to let him take over. He tries again a few moments later, then returns to the ledge. He flies off 5 minutes later and is not back until 11:35, when he attempts to take over incubation but one poke from the female was enough for him to retreat and leave. He is back again at 12:10 and this time the female allows him to take over and she flies out but before he has settled down, she returns with a stashed item of prey that she feeds to the chicks. He sits on the platform for 10 minutes then flies off returning at 12:50 looking for items stashed by the columns but there is nothing – the female finished what was left after feeding the chicks. He sits on the ledge and falls asleep until 13:30 when he walks around the box looking for prey again then flies off. He returns at 15:10 and enters the box but is quickly back on the ledge but 5 minutes later, the female leaves the chicks and goes to the ledge, stretches and flaps her wings whilst the male takes over in the scrape. She soon flies off and he does his best but simply cannot cover the young  fully. The female is back at 15:50 and the male moves to the ledge for 10 minutes before he flies out. He returns at 17:00, walks up to the female and there is some chatting before he flies off. He is back at 17:35 with an item of prey which the female takes from him and she feeds the chicks. Their calls can be heard clearly now and they are getting stronger. When she has finished feeding, she flies out with the remains and knocks the male from the ledge in doing so. He is back quickly to cover the chicks but is pushed out by the female before he can settle properly and he flies off. He returns to the ledge for 20 minutes at 18:40 and the female settles down for the night. 

3 May – the female sits tight for most of the night catching up on some well-deserved sleep only waking at 4:20 when she produces a rather large pellet. The male arrives at 4:40 and ventures into the box for a few moments before returning to the ledge. There is calling between the pair and they settle down. He flies off at 5:15 just as it is getting light and returns 20 minutes later and replaces the female who flies off. She is back 5 minutes later with a full plucked item of prey. The male sits on the ledge watching as she feeds the chicks for a few minutes before leaving. After feeding, she resumes incubation but is rather restless and fidgety. At 7:40, she can be seen to remove part of a shell from beneath her and a few minutes later there is a view of a freshly emerged chick (number 3). She proceeds to eat part of the shell. The male returns at 10:10 and calls to the female and makes a quick visit to the box before sitting on the ledge. He then flies off and is back 10 minutes later with a fully-plucked item of prey. After taking a few pieces for himself he takes it into the box bot does not give it to the female. It seems he wants to feed the chicks, so takes the prey away, has one look over his shoulder and flies off with it. The female just settles back down in the scrape calling loudly! This happened a number of times in 2018, until the female eventually relented and allowed him to feed the brood. He is back with the prey at 10:50 but sits on the ledge with it and falls asleep! He wakens at 11:30 and starts to eat the prey. He then takes it to the female again but would not release it to her but stands on it picking small pieces off. She will not let him feed the chicks so he takes the prey away again. He stands on the platform eating the meal. He tries for a third time unsuccessfully to feed the chicks. The female leaves the scrape walks towards him to relieve him of the prey but he flies off with it and she returns to incubate. He flies in at 12:10 with a full crop and no prey and dozes on the ledge. Forty minutes later he walks into the box and takes over incubation when the female flies out. Looks like she is going to have to get her own meal! The hungry chicks are begging to be fed but he tries his best to cover them. The female is back at 12:55 but without food. She takes over from the male and he falls asleep on the ledge before flying off at 13:40. He eventually returns with prey at 16:10 and the female is quickly off the scrape and snatches the meal from him. He flies off and she feeds the chicks. After 10 minutes they are full and fall asleep. She stashes the remains and resumes incubation. The male arrives at 16:55, notices the stashed prey, walks over and removes it from behind the column and flies off with it. However, he is back with it 10 minutes later but the chicks are full and the female refuses it so he flies off with it. The male is back at 18:10 and goes into the box and checks the female probably looking for a changeover, but the female refuses. He moves to the ledge where he begins to doze. He takes a quick flight at 18:40, then flies off at 18:55. At 19:35, the female checks both columns for stashed prey but there is nothing available so she returns to incubation. She sleeps well though to midnight. 

2 May – as per the previous evening, just before midnight, the female can obviously feel an egg begin to hatch as she finds a hole in the bottom and starts to turn it over and remove some of the shell then settles down and continues incubation. She removes more of the shell at 00:30 and the final piece comes away at 3:30. Just 5 minutes later, she steps back to reveal both chicks. She continues incubation whilst nibbling away at the shell. The male arrives at 4:15 and walks towards the female who moves to the ledge and stretches her wings. However, he is reluctant to move closer to the chicks and after a few minutes, the female resumes incubation and he goes back to the ledge flying off at 5:25. He returns at 6:00 and makes a brief visit to the box before returning to the ledge and flying off. The female goes to the edge at 6:40 and flies out just as the male flies in. He goes to the calling chicks and eggs and after a quick preen settles down and incubates. It takes him quite some time to get both chicks under his wings as well as the eggs but he eventually succeeds. The female is back at 7:00 and takes over. She continues to nibble at the discarded shell. The male flies in with some fully-plucked prey and the female relieves him of it and takes it to feed the chicks. Both are well-fed until the fall asleep exhausted. During the feed, the male watches from the ledge but flies off quickly at 7:50. He is soon followed by the female who takes her meal with her, probably to a regular stash. She returns as few moments later to continue incubation. At 10:15, the female sits on the platform calling for the male but returns to the scrape when he fails to arrive. He eventually lands with prey at 11:55 and the female takes it from him and the chicks have their second meal. They have finished 5 minutes later and the female flies off with the remains. The male, who has been sitting on the ledge throughout takes over incubation. The female is briefly back with the prey but is soon off again. The male does his best to incubate the chicks but not particularly well. They tend to stick out from beneath him. She replaces him at 12:05 and they are secure again and he sits on the ledge watching and preening. At 13:45, he walks into the box and there is an exchange of calls between the pair before he returns to the ledge. He may have been trying to take over incubation but she would not let him. He flies off at 13:55, returning with prey at 15:35. The female takes it from him to feed the chicks but on this occasion, only the larger, first-born gets fed properly as the smaller one keeps falling over and missing the cue. After 10 minutes, she flies off with the prey and the male takes over incubation. But the female is soon back with the item of prey which she then stashes by the column before removing the male from the scrape. On his way out he notices the stashed prey and snatches it whilst the female is not looking and flies off. She continues to do vigorous shuffling throughout the afternoon, hopefully trying to stimulate another hatching. He is back at 17:05 with most of the prey still intact and sits on the ledge. He walks into the box with it at 17:50 and the female takes it from him without moving out of the scrape. As she drags it towards the chicks, the larger of the two tries to bite at it. They are both fed well. After 5 minutes she flies out with it and the male who was waiting on the ledge, takes over incubation, this time much quicker and more successfully. But just as he’s settled down, the female is back, moves him out and he flies off making a brief stop on the platform at 19:20.  The female remains in the scrape for the rest of the evening and continues to shuffle the eggs regularly throughout.

1 May – the male arrives at 5:10 and starts walking to the scrape to relieve the female. However, he stops in his tracks on the platform when there is an exchange of calls and he flies off. He returns again at 6:50 and this time there is a changeover and the female flies off. He goes to cover the eggs and does his usual grunting and chipping. The female is back 3 hours later and resumes incubation. She looks well-fed and has a full crop. The male returns at 12:00 with a large, fully-plucked item of prey. The female is not interested and so he flies off with it. He flies in with it again 50 minutes later but she is still not interested. The female is becoming rather agitated and constantly shuffling about on the eggs, moving stones and playing with feathers. The male is back at 13:30 and restricts his approach to the platform before moving to the ledge. He makes a brief visit to the scrape at 15:45 but soon returns to the ledge, when the female does not relinquish the eggs. The female begins to be extra vigorous in shuffling the eggs at 16:35 and at 16:50 she can be seen to remove a section of egg. Somewhere under her feathers is a newly-hatched egg. She eats part of the egg to recover some of the calcium from it – recycling. She settles down 5 minutes later. Hopefully the young has had time to dry out. The first sighting of the new arrival is at 17:25. At the same time, the female starts calling to the male and he flies off. He returns 15 minutes later with said item of prey and starts to eat it on the ledge. He remains on the ledge after he has finished his meal and falls asleep at 18:00 before flying off at 20:00. The female continues to shuffle the eggs as she is incubating the chick – they must be very resilient. She settles down again at 22:00 but just before midnight, she can obviously feel an egg begin to hatch as she finds a hole in the bottom and starts to turn it over and remove some of the shell before settling back down and continuing incubation. She removes more of the shell at 00:30 and the final piece comes away at 3:30. Just 5 minutes later, she steps back to reveal both chicks.

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