MAY 2025
1 May – the first changeover is at 4:25. The male walks to the ledge at 7:45, has a preen, then returns to the eggs. The female takes over at 8:10. The male arrives with Little Grebe prey at 10:35 and she flies out. He follows with the meal, but she is back five minutes later. The male returns at 13:05 and there is another changeover. He walks to the ledge at 15:25 but quickly returns to the eggs. He looks out again briefly at 16:45 and flies out at 17:00 and is replaced by the female five minutes later. She takes a short flight at 19:40 but is quickly back on the eggs and remains until midnight.
2 May – the male takes over at 4:45. The female returns at 8:25 but the male is reluctant to leave. He does not return until 14:45, over six hours later. He walks to the platform at 19:20 and flies out as the female arrives to replace him. She remains until midnight.
3 May – the male arrives at 4:35 for the first changeover. The female is back at 9:00. She flies out at 15:10 but returns after five minutes. The male flies in at 15:40 and takes over. He leaves at 19:45 and the female remains until midnight.
4 May – the male arrives at 5:05 for the first changeover. He walks to the ledge and looks out briefly at 7:45, then returns to the eggs. The female, sporting a full crop, replaces him five minutes later. The male is back at 12:40 and is replaced by the female at 16:25. He returns at 18:45 carrying the remains of a previous pigeon meal. The female flies out and the male feeds on the pigeon, then follows with the scraps. He is back a few minutes later to resume incubation. He looks out from the platform at 20:45, then returns to the eggs and remains incubating until midnight.
5 May – the male flies out at 1:50 but quickly returns to the eggs. The female arrives at 4:05 and takes over. The male is back with fresh Feral Pigeon prey at 7:25 but the female ignores him, and he flies off. He returns at 11:10 and takes over incubation. He flies out at 13:00 and the female incubates until 15:20 when the male is back. The next changeover is at 18:45. The male flies in with fresh wader prey at 19:15 but the female ignores him again and he flies off. He is back at 20:20 with the same meal and takes it into the box but she ignores him and he leaves.
6 May – the male flies in for the first change at 4:45. He leaves at 6:55 and the female returns five minutes later. The male is back briefly at 9:45. The next changeover is at 11:30. He flies out at 13:10 and the female immediately returns. He is back at 14:05 with Grey Wagtail prey and the female takes the meal whilst he incubates the eggs. When she leaves the eggs, it can clearly be seen that at least one is pipped. She resumes incubation at 14:40 after a brief chase with a Stock Dove. At 18:10, a second egg could clearly be seen as having pipped. At 18:30, the first pipped egg hatches and a small wet chick can just be seen but it is sheltered closely by the female. The male lands at 20:40 but quickly flies off. At 21:30 the second pipped egg was clearly seen but there was no sign of hatching before midnight.
7 May – the female remains tight on the eggs and chick through the night, and the second egg appears to hatch at 4:05. It wasn’t until she leaves the scrape at 4:50, on the arrival of the male, the second chick can be seen. The male eats the shell, an activity that the female normally does, as he incubates. He looks out from the platform at 6:20, then flies out and the female returns to the scrape. He is back at 7:30 with fresh Feral Pigeon prey and she feeds the chicks for the first time, stashes the remains, then incubates. He is back at 11:40 and picks up the stashed pigeon and flies off with it. The female flies out at 11:50 and the male flies in. He leaves when the female returns with the meal a few minutes later and stashes it after feeding. The female leaves with the stashed meal at 13:30 and the male returns for his second incubation stint, but the female is back just 30 minutes later. She flies out at 16:50 and he tries to take over, but she returns immediately with a meal for the chicks; he quickly leaves. After feeding, she stashes the meal in the box and resumes incubation. The male arrives at 18:35 and the female makes another feed from the stashed meal at 18:40 as he watches. She flies out with the remains a few minutes later and the male resumes incubation. She returns with the meal after ten minutes and he leaves. She immediately flies out again and quickly returns. He flies in with food at 19:25 and she takes it from him and flies out but quickly returns. The male lands on the ledge at 19:35 for 15 minutes and the female sits tight in the scrape until midnight.
8 May – the female sits tight until the male lands at 4:45. She flies out and he takes over. She returns with pigeon prey, feeds the chicks then stashes the remains and continues incubation. The male lands at 7:05, snatches the stashed pigeon and flies off. He is back with the remains at 7:25 but the female ignores him and he leaves. He flies into the box at 8:15 but the female will not let him incubate so he returns to the ledge, then flies off. The female rushes to the ledge and flies out at 9:30 as the male arrives with the stashed pigeon meal. The female returns quickly carrying her own meal for the chicks. The male leaves before he has the opportunity to feed the chicks. She takes the remains away a few minutes later but is soon back meaning the stash site cannot be too far away. The male lands on the ledge at 12:00 but leaves after five minutes. She feeds on the pigeon left by the male ten minutes later, then flies out with the remains but is soon back. He returns with a morsel at 13:00, goes into the box but leaves after five minutes. hHe is back at 14:20 and the female flies out. He incubates for a few moments before being disturbed by the female arriving with a meal and he flies off. She stashes the meal in the box then resumes incubation. The male arrives with his offering of a meal at 17:10 and feeds on it. The female snatches it from him and flies out which allows him to feed the chicks on the stashed meal. He flies off with the remains at 17:25 and the female resumes incubation. The male is back with food at 18:30 and she flies out with it. He incubates but is immediately forced out by the female returning with the meal for the chicks. She stashes the meal then sits tight for the rest of the evening.
9 May – the male lands at 4:25 and the female feeds the chicks with scraps in the box. She flies out ten minutes later and the male takes the opportunity to incubate. However, the female is soon back, and he is quickly displaced. He brings in more scraps at 5:15 and the female feeds the chicks. The male returns briefly at 6:45 and again at 8:50 but the female does not give up incubation. The reason becomes clear when at 9:05 a third chick emerges from an egg, more than two days after the second. The male arrives an hour later and the female leaves to allow him to incubate until she returns at 10:40. She flies out at 11:55. The male lands with fresh Feral Pigeon prey which the female quickly arrives to snatch from him. He flies off and she feeds the chicks. She stashes the meal then resumes incubation. The next feed is at 15:50. The male flies in at 17:40 and grabs the stashed pigeon. The female flies out and allows him to feed the chicks. The female is back ten minutes later and takes over the feeding. The next feed is at 19:30 and all three chicks are well fed, then again at 20:15 when the male brings a meal in. She sits tight on the chicks for the rest of the evening.
10 May – the female sits tight until 4:30 when the male takes over incubation. She flies out but is quickly back and forces the male from the scrape. She fetches some stashed scraps and feeds the chicks at 5:20. The male returns to incubate at 7:40 and the female flies out. He walks to the ledge at 10:00, then returns to the scrape. The female flies in five minutes later and feeds the chicks on more scraps, and the male leaves. She takes a short flight at 12:40 looking for the male and a meal, and quickly returns to the chicks. She flies out again at 13:20 and returns five minutes later with the first proper meal of the day. She then stashes it and resumes incubation. The male flies in at 17:00 and tries to steal the stashed meal, but the female snatches it from him and feeds the chicks. The next feed is at 19:00 and the male lands briefly ten minutes later. The male then flies in with prey at 20:50 and the female takes it from him. She flies out with the remains five minutes later, then returns to the chicks and sits tight for the rest of the evening.
11 May – the male flies in at 4:15 and takes over from the female. She is back 15 minutes later carrying scraps from a previous meal and feeds the chicks; the male leaves. She retrieves the meal at 5:10 and feeds the chicks, then flies out with the remains but quickly returns. The male lands with the scraps at 5:20 and again at 5:40 but quickly leaves. He is back at 6:55 but the female refuses to move, so he sits on the ledge and flies off ten minutes later. He returns with the remains of a meal at 8:30 and she grabs it from him and feeds the chicks; he flies off. She leaves with the leftovers at 11:00 then returns to the chicks. She checks from the ledge 40 minutes later, then returns to the scrape. She flies out at 13:20 and the male arrives to look after the chicks. The female is back with scraps at 14:15 and feeds the chicks. The male brings in an escaped yellow budgerigar at 14:40. There is not much meat on it but she feeds the chicks. The male brings in a Greenfinch meal at 16:35 and the female feeds the chicks. He is back again at 18:05 with Blackcap prey. She flies off with the meal and he follows. She returns with the meal five minutes later and feeds the chicks. She takes a short flight at 19:05. The male brings a fresh Feral Pigeon meal in 30 minutes later and the female feeds herself then flies out with the remains. She is back with the chicks at 19:50 and sits tight for the rest of the evening.
12 May – the female sits tight on the chicks from the previous evening until she flies out briefly at 4:45. She finds some scraps at 5:25 and feeds the chicks. The male arrives at 6:15 with fresh Feral Pigeon prey and she feeds the chicks. She flies out with the remains but is quickly back. The male arrives at 9:45 and the female walks to the ledge. She returns to the scrape and calls to the male, with the chicks begging for food. He finds some scraps in the box which the female snatches from him and feeds the chicks. He finds more scraps the sits on the ledge before leaving a few minutes later. He is back at 9:55 with freshly-plucked Feral Pigeon which he takes into the box. The female ignores him and carries on feeding, so he flies out. She leaves at 12:50 and returns a few minutes later with freshly-plucked Feral Pigeon for the chicks. She flies out briefly at 15:05. When she returns, she stands over the chicks rather than incubate as the temperature is quite high. She leaves again at 15:35 and the male returns with scraps and feeds the chicks. The female is back five minutes later, snatches the meal and he leaves. She stashes the meal and shelters the chicks. At 17:55, she finds some stashed food and feeds the chicks. She leaves with the remains at 18:10 but quickly returns to protect the chicks. The male arrives with scraps from a previous meal at 18:55 and she feeds the chicks. He snatches other stashed scraps and flies out with them. She leaves with the remains ten minutes later but quickly returns. He lands with more scraps at 19:25 but quickly leaves. She remains tight on the chicks for the rest of the evening.
13 May – the female pays a quick visit to the ledge at 2:20. She flies out at 4:50 but is soon back. The male arrives a few moments later with Blackcap prey. He is back at 6:45 with fresh Feral Pigeon prey which she feeds to the chicks, then stashes by a column. The male is back at 8:35, sees the stashed meal and presents it to the female who feeds the chicks. He leaves and she flies out with the remains after ten minutes, quickly returning to the scrape. She sits tight in the scrape until 12:10 when she takes a short flight. She is off ten minutes later and returns with another Feral Pigeon meal. She stashes it off site then returns to the chicks. She takes a short flight at 14:25 and looks out from the platform 15 minutes later. The male arrives at 15:15 and the female leaves but is quickly back with a stashed meal; he leaves. She stashes the remains by a column after 15 minutes. She retrieves the meal at 18:00 and feeds the chicks, then incubates them until flying out at 19:50. She quickly returns to the scrape and remains for the rest of the evening.
14 May – the female incubates the chicks until the male arrives at 4:35. He soon flies out and she returns to the scrape. She leaves at 5:00 but quickly returns, then looks out from the platform at 5:15. The male flies in with some pigeon remains ten minutes later and she feeds the chicks, then resumes incubation after stashing the remains off site. She flies out at 7:45 but is soon back in the scrape. The male lands on the ledge for a few moments at 7:50. She looks out from the platform briefly at 8:30, the leaves 15 minutes later but quickly returns. She flies out at 9:00 and returns with scraps from a previous pigeon, feeds the chicks then stashes the remains by a column. The male lands in the box at 11:20 and this causes the female to recover the stashed pigeon and feed the chicks. The male flies out. She flies off with the scraps 15 minutes later and quickly returns. The male lands at 12:40 but the female will not allow him to incubate, and he leaves. She flies out at 13:05 but quickly returns. She is off again at 14:00, 14:40 and 14:55 but is soon back each time. She flies out at 15:25 and the male lands in the box at 15:45 but the female is soon behind him carrying scraps of food; he leaves. She then incubates until 16:50 when she leaves. The male manages to incubate the chicks at 17:05 until he flies out at 19:35 and is replaced by the female carrying more food scraps. She feeds the chicks, then incubates until leaving at 20:15 for five minutes. She remains tight on the chicks for the rest of the evening.
15 May – the female remains tight on the chicks until 4:50 when the male arrives with fresh Little Grebe prey. She feeds the chicks then flies off with the remains, then returns to the scrape. She flies out at 6:25 and returns with the male carrying the Grebe remains. She grabs the meal and feeds the chicks, and he flies off. She leaves with the remains ten minutes later and quickly returns. At 8:05, she flies out and returns with freshly plucked Feral Pigeon prey. She stashed the remains by a column after ten minutes and incubates the chicks. She grabs the stashed pigeon at 10:00 and feeds the chicks and flies out with the remains after ten minutes, then returns to the scrape. She flies out at 11:10 and is replaced by the male he tries to incubate the chicks but is interrupted by the returning female; he flies out. The male returns with a small meal item at 12:05 then leaves. She leaves with scraps after ten minutes and quickly returns. The male brings in a small item a few minutes later but the female refuses to leave the chicks. He tries to feed them whilst still being incubated so the female turns her back on him. He eats the meal, then flies out. She feeds the chicks from stashed pigeon at 15:40. She flies out at 18:05 but quickly returns and again at 18:40 when she returns with the Grebe remains. She stashes the remnants at 19:00. The male arrives with a small scrap at 19:10 and the female snatches it from him. She feeds the chicks, and he sits on the ledge until 20:00 when he flies out. She incubates for the rest of the evening.
18 May – the female shelters the chicks until 1:35 when she incubates fully. The chicks are at a size where it is becoming difficult to incubate them all effectively. She walks to the ledge at 4:40 and flies out, and the male arrives five minutes later. She quickly returns and he leaves allowing her to resume incubation. She flies out again at 5:45 returning after a few minutes. She is off again at 6:25 and quickly returns with freshly plucked Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks. She flies off with the remains at 6:45 and quickly returns. She takes a flight at 9:40 for ten minutes. The male arrives at 10:00 with another Feral Pigeon meal and she feeds the chicks. She leaves with the remains after 15 minutes and quickly returns to incubate. The lack of space during incubation now means that the unviable egg is pushed out the scrape. The female flies out again at 13:45 and returns with the stashed pigeon and feeds them for 15 minutes. She flies out at 16:05 for five minutes. The male arrives a few minutes later but the female sends him off. She soon follows but is quickly back with the chicks. She is off again briefly at 16:35, 17:05, 17:10 and 17:15 when she returns with Lesser Whitethroat prey and feeds the chicks. She looks out from the platform calling at 18:30, then returns to the scrape, and again ten minutes later and at 19:35 and 20:05 before flying out at 20:10. She returns at 20:35 without food and incubates the chicks. She flies out at 23:00 for 15 minutes then returns for the rest of the evening.
20 May – the female remains tight on the chicks until flying off at 4:45. She returns after ten minutes until leaving at 5:35. The male arrives at 5:55 and drags the discarded egg back close to the scrape, showing the strength of desire to keep incubating. He flies out at 6:00 when the female returns. One of the chicks is already strong enough to climb out of the scrape but soon walks back to its siblings. She covers the chicks and ignores the male’s attempt to include the egg. She moves to the ledge then flies out briefly at 6:40 and again at 7:30. She leaves five minutes later and returns at 8:20 with Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks for 15 minutes, stashes the remains and returns to incubation. The male flies in with the stashed meal at 8:50 and the female feeds the chicks again, stashing the remains at 9:05. She leaves at 11:35 but quickly returns. The male is back at 12:10, finds the stashed remains and gives it to the female to feed the chicks. She then shelters them. She flies out briefly at 12:30 and 12:45. She leaves ten minutes later returning at 13:05 but is off again at 13:35 leaving the chicks to huddle together until she is back with fresh Feral Pigeon prey at 15:40. She leaves with the remains at 16:10. The male flies in but the female is soon back in the scrape. She collects the remains at 17:00 for another feed. She is off again at 19:15 and the male flies in at 19:50 to shelter the chicks. She is back a few minutes later with fresh Feral Pigeon prey; he leaves. She shelters the chicks after feeding at 20:35, remaining until midnight.
21 May – the female looks out from the platform at 00:10, then flies out. She returns to shelter the chicks ten minutes later. The male arrives at 4:30 and the female moves to the ledge and flies off. The male searches for scraps, then sits on the ledge. He leaves after ten minutes and the female returns at 5:10 until leaving ten minutes later. The chicks huddle together. The male flies in at 6:45, checks for scraps but cannot find any so moves to the ledge. The female flies in five minutes later and the male leaves and she follows a few minutes later. She lands briefly at 7:50 returning at 8:05. She is off again at 8:15 and soon returns with fresh Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks. The male lands with Pied Wagtail prey which the female accepts and he leaves. She flies out with the pigeon remains after 15 minutes. She returns at 9:00 but sees something in the skies and immediately flies out. The male returns with the pigeon remains at 9:15 and the female soon arrives to take it from him. He leaves as she feeds the chicks then shelters them. She starts searching for more food at 13:25 and soon flies out. She is back briefly at 14:10 as the siblings huddle together in the scrape. The male flies in at 16:10 and is quickly followed by the female. He leaves and she shelters the chicks until flying out at 16:45. She is back after five minutes but is off again at 17:05. She returns at 20:10, over three hours later, with very fresh Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks who are all now large and strong enough to be able to leave the scrape. They are well fed and the female leaves with the remains at 20:40. The male makes a brief visit to the box, but the female returns to incubate. He is back with the pigeon remains at 21:00 and she feeds the chicks for ten minutes, then flies out to stash the meal and quickly returns to shelter the chicks.
22 May – the female takes a short flight at 3:55. She finds some scraps at 4:35 and feeds the chicks. The largest of the brood is very inquisitive and starts to wander around the box under the female’s watchful eye and it soon returns to the scrape. She looks out from the platform at 4:45 and flies out 30 minutes later. She returns at 6:15 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks. She leaves with the remains at 6:40 but the male quickly returns with it. He soon leaves and she quickly returns. The male is back at 8:50 and temporarily shelters the chicks but the female soon sees him off. She looks out from the platform briefly at 9:20 and flies out 15 minutes later. She returns and tries to feed some of the old, stale plover remains to the chicks, then shelters them. They are beginning to show some pin feathers in their wings – a sure sign of rapid growth. She takes another flight at 11:45 and is back at 12:10. She is off again at 13:40. The male lands with scraps ten minutes later and the female arrives to take it from him. He leaves and she feeds the chicks. She leaves at 15:10 and returns at 16:00 with the pigeon remains, quickly followed by the male with Reed Bunting prey. She feeds the chicks whilst he feeds himself. He flies out at 16:10 and she soon follows. She is back sheltering the chicks at 16:35, then leaves at 17:50. She returns at 19:05 with pigeon remains for the chicks and then shelters them after feeding. She looks out from the platform at 19:45, then returns to the scrape. She sits on the ledge at 20:00 and the male flies in. He looks for scraps, then flies out and she follows at 20:15. She is back an hour later and stands over the chicks for the rest of the evening.
23 May – the female moves to the ledge at 1:50 and flies out. She returns an hour later and watches the sky from the ledge, then returns to the chicks at 3:25. She is back on the ledge at 4:50 and flies off returning at 6:20 carrying fresh small item of prey which she feeds to the chicks. It does not last long, and she moves back to the ledge and looks out whilst the chicks are bathed in the morning sunlight. She returns to them at 6:45 but moves back to the ledge after 30 minutes and flies out at 7:25. She is back at 9:00 carrying more fresh Feral Pigeon prey. She leaves with the remains 15 minutes later and quickly returns. She flies out at 11:10 and the largest of the chicks decides to go walkabout and is quickly followed by a second! They return to the scrape and huddle together. The female is back at 11:55 but moves to the platform at 12:20 and flies out. The largest chick goes walkabout again, exploring the box. It returns to huddle with its siblings. The female returns at 14:25 carrying part-eaten Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks. The meal does not last long, and she flies out at 15:00. She is back at 16:40 with yet another fresh Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks. She stashes the remains by a column and shelters the chicks. She retrieves the remains an hour later and feeds the chicks again. The male arrives at 18:15 with yet another Feral Pigeon meal. The female grabs it from him, and he flies off with the female following no doubt to stash the meal off site. She is back at 18:50 and resumes feeding the chicks from the previous pigeon. She flies out with the remains at 19:20 and quickly returns to the scrape and shelters the chicks for the rest of the evening.
24 May – the female sits in the box but away from the chicks, then flies out at 00:15. She is back with them 20 minutes later. The male arrives at 4:40 and they swap. He moves to the ledge five minutes later and flies off at 5:30. The female returns at 6:05 and sits on the ledge, then flies off at 6:35. The chicks huddle together and the growth in their pin feathers can be seen clearly. She is back at 6:50 carrying a small item of prey which she feeds to the chicks. There is nothing left at 7:10 and she leaves. The male flies in at 8:00 with fresh Feral Pigeon prey and the female is quickly behind and grabs it from him. The chicks have finished feeding after 15 minutes and she flies out to stash the pigeon remains. She returns at 9:25 but sits on the ledge after ten minutes and leaves at 9:50. The male flies in at 11:30 carrying fresh Grey Wagtail prey. The female arrives and grabs it from him and feeds the chicks. There is nothing left 15 minutes later and the female flies out. It is noticeable how long the chicks are being left now that they have grown well and have plenty of downy feathers. The female is back to check on them at 14:00 but quickly leaves. The male lands at 14:05 but is quickly replaced by the female carrying the remains of a part-eaten pigeon meal. She flies off with the remains at 14:25 and returns to the box a few minutes later. She shelters them until two go walkabout at 15:45 and she ushers them back into the scrape. She looks for food scraps at 16:05, then returns to the chicks. She flies out at 17:15. Both adults fly in at 18:10, the female with Pied Wagtail prey and she feeds the chicks, then they leave. The female returns with more scraps a few minutes later, then sits on the ledge until flying off at 18:45. She returns at 19:10 with part-eaten pigeon, then shelters the chicks after feeding. At 20:50 the male replaces her and she sits on the ledge. He flies out at 21:00 and she moves back into the box at 21:20 and remains with the chicks for the rest of the evening.
25 May – the female remains in the box with the chicks but pays a quick visit to the ledge at 2:20. She moves to the ledge two hours later and flies off at 4:55. She returns at 6:05 with fresh Feral Pigeon prey but quickly leaves with it. She lands briefly with the meal at 6:30 then flies in at 6:45 and shelters the chicks. The male lands briefly at 7:10 and the female leaves. She returns 15 minutes later with fresh Feral Pigeon prey and feeds the chicks. She leaves with the remains 20 minutes later. The male lands at 7:55 and looks for scraps to feed the chicks, then sits in the back of the box whilst they huddle together. The female takes over at 8:20 and the male flies out. She leaves an hour later and returns with the remains of an earlier pigeon at 10:25. She feeds the chicks and leaves with the remnants after 20 minutes. She is back with them at 11:05 and feeds them scraps from the box. She looks out from the ledge at 12:00, then returns to cover the chicks before flying out 30 minutes later. The male lands with Coal Tit prey at 12:40 and the female arrives to take it from him. It doesn’t last long but she remains in the box until leaving at 14:35. The male is back with another Feral Pigeon meal at 16:10 and the female arrives to take it from him and feed the chicks. He watches from the ledge for ten minutes. The female flies off at 16:30, lands briefly at 18:55 and the male arrives at 19:10 and stands over the chicks but quickly moves to the ledge where he remains until the female returns at 21:10. She looks out from the platform at 21:30 for an hour, then returns to the chicks.
27 May – the female remains with the chicks in the box until she moves to the ledge at 4:10. The male lands briefly at 4:20 and she flies off at 5:30. The male returns at 6:40 with fresh Feral Pigeon prey and the female takes it from him; he flies off. She feeds the chicks, and the larger one goes walkabout. They are all back in the scrape snoozing at 7:25 and she flies out but is back with them at 8:00. She looks out from the platform 30 minutes later, then returns to the chicks. She leaves at 9:10 and is back to check on them at 11:20 but flies out after 15 minutes. The male flies in at 11:50 and looks for scraps to feed the chicks but cannot find anything so sits on the ledge until 12:10. The female flies in with fresh Feral Pigeon prey at 12:35 and feeds the chicks until leaving with the remains at 12:55. She quickly returns but the chicks are well spread and two are using the opposite corner of the box. She stands over the scrape and the two chicks soon join her for shelter. The larger one goes walkabout and settles down in the opposite corner and is soon joined by its siblings; the female shelters them all until flying out at 14:55. She is back at 17:05 and looks for scraps and flies out ten minutes later. The chicks are getting ever more mobile and inquisitive. The female is back at 18:05 carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey. She feeds the chicks then flies out with the remains at 18:30. The siblings huddle in their new favourite position in the box. She returns ten minutes later with the pigeon remains and gives the chicks another feed, then leaves at 18:50. The male arrives with scraps at 19:15 but the female lands and forces him out and she shelters the chicks for the rest of the evening.
28 May – the female stands over the chicks until she flies out at 4:15. The male lands 15 minutes later but leaves when the female returns at 4:50. She quickly flies off and the chicks remain huddled in the box. She is back 7:35 for five minutes and the male arrives at 8:05 carrying fresh Feral Pigeon prey. The female lands and takes it from him and feeds the chicks; he leaves. There is nothing left when they finish feeding at 8:40. They remain huddled together until a wet and bedraggled female returns at 10:45 – the weather is rather inclement. After 30 minutes, they settle down again and the female briefly joins them in the corner, then moves to the ledge and flies off at 11:30. She arrives an hour later carrying fresh Feral Pigeon prey. They have finished after 20 minutes and the female leaves. The chicks go walkabout for ten minutes then return to the corner of the box. The male arrives with some scraps at 13:40 and feeds the chicks. He flies off at 14:10 and they settle down again. The female is back ten minutes later but the chicks all but ignore her and she sits in the box and flies out at 15:15. She is back at 18:00 with another Feral Pigeon meal and feeds the chicks. She leaves at 18:25 and the chicks have a short stroll then huddle together in the corner. The male flies in with the remains at 20:15 and the female lands to relieve him and feed the chicks. He flies off and she remains with the chicks after feeding until 23:55 when she flies out.
29 May – the three chicks were colour-ringed under licence this morning. All three looked healthy and were a good weight, especially X6F at just under 900 grams. DNA swabs were also taken and this will confirm the sexes of each chick.
29 May – the female returns at 1:45 and sits in the back of the box opposite the chicks. She moves to the ledge at 4:30 and the male arrives in the box 20 minutes later, checks for food then leaves. The female follows at 4:55. She returns three hours later carrying very fresh Feral Pigeon prey which she plucks and feeds to the chicks. She flies out with the remains at 8:25. However, the male picks it up from the stash almost immediately and returns to the chicks. They are well fed and ignore the offer and so he leaves as they huddle in the corner. The female is back at 8:50 and the male arrives with some scraps which she she takes and feeds to them. She remains in the box sheltering the chicks until she leaves at 10:25. At 10:40, the chicks were removed under licence to be colour-ringed. DNA swabs were taken, and the chicks were weighed. They were returned 30 minutes later and at no time did the adults visit or the juveniles become distressed, indeed they settled down very quickly. In less than 40 seconds they were huddled together as usual. The female returns at 11:30 and shelters them from the very strong and cool winds. The male lands at 13:30 and sits on the ledge. The female flies out at 14:40 and ten minutes later the male goes into the box to shelter the chicks. They split and he returns to the ledge but leaves when the female returns at 15:25. She flies out at 16:35 but is back after 20 minutes carrying fresh Feral Pigeon prey. She feeds the chicks then stashes the remains by a column and flies off. The male flies in and sits on the ledge until he flies off at 18:40. The female returns at 19:30 and takes the stashed pigeon to feed the chicks. She finishes off the meal and the male returns at 20:25 and sits on the ledge until they both fly off at 20:40. The siblings huddle together and are joined by the female at 22:20.
30 May – the female stays with the chicks until 2:55 when she moves to the ledge, then flies off at 4:35. At 6:25, the male lands carrying fresh Feral Pigeon prey. The female arrives and takes it from him to feed the chicks. She leaves with the remains at 6:40 and the chicks go walkabout. She returns at 6:55 and feeds them scraps from the box and then they fall asleep around the box. She finds more scraps at 8:50 and feeds again. She flies off at 9:35 and they huddle together. She is back with pigeon remains at 12:10 and feeds the chicks. It does not last long, and she moves to the ledge ten minutes later then returns to the box until flying out at 12:50. X6F is already doing proper wing stretching and flapping. The male arrives at 16:15 carrying fresh Feral Pigeon prey that has been colour-dyed pink, most probably used in a display. He feeds the chicks whilst the female looks on from within the box. He flies out with the remains after ten minutes and the female feeds them the scraps, then leaves five minutes later as the siblings settle in the corner. The female is back at 17:45 looking for more scraps but soon leaves. At 18:25, she returns with another pink colour-dyed pigeon and feeds the chicks. She leaves with the remains at 19:05. The male returns with the meal at 20:45, then moves to the ledge after ten minutes. The female flies in at 21:50 and finds some scraps left by the male who flies off. She feeds the chicks and they quickly settle down for the evening and she remains in the box until midnight.
31 May – the female moves from the box to the ledge at 2:15, then flies off at 4:30. The chicks become active at 6:15, with K6F the first to wander around the box. They were back huddled ten minutes later. They were up and about at 7:00 then lying on the platform. X7F manages to squeeze itself through the gaps between the central columns – it is not the first chick to do this, other broods have also displayed this action and lying with their heads between columns. The female is back at 7:35 and the chicks look to be fed but she has nothing. She checks for scraps, then leaves. She returns a few minutes later with the remains of a pink-dyed pigeon. She leaves at 8:15 but returns at 8:40 with very fresh Feral Pigeon prey. They have finished feeding at 9:25 and she leaves. The chicks huddle together in the box. The male arrives 15 minutes later with scraps and feeds the chicks for five minutes, then sits on the ledge. He leaves at 9:50 and the female returns at 10:20 and finds scraps to feed the chicks. They sleep until the female returns with fresh Feral Pigeon prey at 13:50. They eat the whole meal and fall asleep. The female remains in the box dozing until flying out at 15:50. The chicks huddle together at 16:15. The male arrives at 18:05 carrying freshly plucked Feral Pigeon and the female is quickly behind to snatch it from him to feed the chicks. They have finished at 18:30 and she feeds on the remains. The siblings move to corner of the box at 19:00 and the female remains until 22:40 when she flies out.