The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Today we have our 4th egg - see http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/pegcam.html

There is also a widescreen TV in the church showing 'amazing' images. The coffee shop also sells amazing cakes...

The Widescreen has been donated by Belton Garden Centre Thanks!!

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

I visited St. Wulfram's Church, Grantham for nearly 2 hours today (Sat - 12.15 -2.00pm.) Having parked in the nearby Watergate Car Park, I initially scanned the South-facing side of the Church and immediately spotted the male Peregrine perched at the end of the nesting ledge 'parapet', about 15-20 feet from the nesting tray area. He remained in that general area for the whole of my visit.

Inside the Church, the female could initially be seen on the screen to be sitting tight on her eggs. She later changed position close above the nest from time to time and I could catch glimpses of the eggs. She remained almost motionless for some periods, except for snapping at the occasional persistent bluebottle. On other occasions, she stared intently straight into the camera lens and it felt quite surreal to have this magnificent predator fixing me with a steely glare, seemingly only 2 or 3 feet away. As Andrew indicated in his post, the (Sharp) widescreen TV gives pictures of great clarity and definition.

There were no birders around during my visit but plenty of people stopped for a chat both inside and outside the Church, including the Assistant Priest, the Reverend June..

The Coffee Shop inside the Church is a great boon for a relaxing snack with a good selection of cakes including a delicious Coffee Cream cake topped with Walnuts.(opening hours : 10.00 - 4.00pm on Wed, Thu, Fri and 10.00 - 1.00pm Sat.)

A very pleasant and interesting visit - highly recommended. Many thanks to all the organisers.

Freddy

I arrived at St. Wulfram's Church, Grantham at c 11.00am today (Sun). The webcam inside the Church showed the female still sitting tight on her 4 eggs......none hatched as yet, according to the Church staff. I sat outside the Church in the sun on a wall hoping the male Peregrine would arrive with a prey item, but the only action was provided by a couple of Holly Blues circling a nearby Holly bush.

At 12.00, I was going to return to view the webcam again but found the Church door bolted and barred. I'm glad I had arrived earlier for the initial webcam viewing.

Freddy

The 'staff' at St. James, Louth, should take note of St Wulfram's volunteers. Here, they seem openly gleeful that for a second year, the pegs have failed to breed on the tower, thereby ensuring their takings from tower visits.

The TV at the coffee shop linked to the pegcam has been off every time we have called in, because "nothing's happening".

Geoff

Today, the church would have been locked because of the St George's Day parade which would have involved setting up between 11-12 O'clock(?), and involves squeezing 1000's of cubs, scouts, brownies and guides into the church.....

Hope this helps....

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Thanks for the explanatory info, Andrew. In fact, an old lady came up to me soon after 12.00 as I was leaving and started talking about " the big parade ".

Freddy

It's all very well for me to sit at home gawping at Peregrine webcams, but it's even better to get out and see the birds 'in the flesh'....hence my arriving at St.Wulfram's Church, Grantham this morning (Sat) at c.12.40. Initially, I gawped at the Church webcam to get an uptodate sitrep : both adults away and the 3 chicks and the infertile egg in the nesting tray. (the plan is to remove the egg soon when the chicks are being ringed and to send it away for scientific analysis.) The lack of action at the nest meant I could enjoy some church refreshments before beginning outside 'tower-watching' and waiting.

I had several views of the adults circling the tower or just flying overhead before one flew in at c.1.40 with a Feral Pigeon. It sat on a gargoyle near the nesting ledge and proceded to pluck the prey. The feathers flew everywhere in the strong breeze and the perfect and perfectly- severed head landed on a grassy patch about 8 yards from the Main Door......to be viewed by intrigued members of the public before and after viewing the webcam.

It wasn't until some 25 minutes later that the falcon arrived at the nesting tray to feed the chicks, to the delight of the dozen or so people whom I had forewarned of the coming spectacle...plenty of Ooohs and Ahhhs there. The falcon departed with the Pigeon carcase after about 20 minutes, and dashing outside (just avoiding the Pigeon head on the grass), I saw her circle the tower with the carcase, disappear behind the tower and reappear minus it before returning to her chicks.

Before leaving, I walked around the outside walls of the Church looking for carcases and I must have found c.10, some easily recognisable including Feral Pigeon, Blackbird and even Starling......admittedly, not necessarily Peregrine prey. I also did a Sp Fly check of the cemetery area but nothing to report. A very enjoyable couple of hours, what with the church snack, the webcam, chatting to the interested members of the public and..... seeing the Peregrines in 'the flesh' : all highly recommended.

Freddy