Derby Cathedral Peregrine Falcons

The peregrine falcons nesting high up on the East side of Derby Cathedral now have a healthy brood of four chicks and can be seen live on the webcams at http://www.derby.gov.uk/apps/peregrines/webcam.asp
A good time to see them is early morning around 9am when they are being fed by the parent birds and the sun is shining on the nesting platform.
Breakfast consists of a variety of birds killed by the devastating aerial manoeuvres of the falcons, against which most birds have no defence. Although we have a surfeit  of feral pigeons here in Derby City Centre they form only a small part of the menu.

During the long weeks of incubating the eggs, the birds have been unmoved by the striking of the cathedral clock which booms out at regular intervals just behind them in the bell tower.

Sadly three of the four peregrine falcon chicks hatched out at Nottingham Trent University have not survived due to extreme weather conditions. They hatched out some time before the Derby chicks.
The one remaining chick is thriving however.