Peregrine falcon in Worcester

[Donna]

She's back again

[jeanne]

 

[Donna]

http://youtu.be/bS5hCNn1tXE  Sticking this here as it's all connected


Never saw a Kestrel banding! 

[Donna]

Guess who? She's back - Bobbin returned to the perch 3pm Saturday. Not for long, she stayed about 20 minutes but also returned around 3pm today for 15 minutes. It was August last year when she visited again after breeding, this does seem a little early... from fb

Hmmm, wonder if her nest failed or never nested!!

[MAK]

Guess who? She's back - Bobbin returned to the perch 3pm Saturday. Not for long, she stayed about 20 minutes but also returned around 3pm today for 15 minutes. It was August last year when she visited again after breeding, this does seem a little early... from fb

Hmmm, wonder if her nest failed or never nested!!

I'm glad to see her just the same. 

[Kris G.]

Whilst our city kestrels have been successful this year with all four chicks fledging it sadly looks like Bobbin has not.
With information supplied it looks as if she may have had one chick but it hasn't survived & the nest has failed. We don’t know why or any further details at present but the tiercel has been spotted still around the site while Bobbin was in Worcester for a few days.
Natural causes or animal/human predation? We’d like to think natural or animal but peregrines have been persecuted in the area before. On the positive side Bobbin is as fit & healthy as ever so is her partner.
Many thanks again to Pete Walkden for updates & for keeping an eye on her...


             

[Carol P.]

Very sad.   

[Donna]

That explains why she was back so soon! 

[MAK]

  

[Donna]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-34772628

This is believed to be Bobbin's nest on the cliff!  Her mate and the nest of eyases have all deceased!!

POISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  How awful and painful and Horrific who ever did this!!  

Male found at bottom of cliff nest!!

We have delayed this for a while but now here's the Bobbin update & it's not good news.
For those new to the site 'Bobbin' (named in a Worcester News competion by local school children) female ringed 'T2' + BTO ring was born here in 2009. Out of the four chicks she was the one who has always returned & over wintered back in Worcester.
We've know of her nesting location some 25 miles North West of Worcester for three years now thanks to Pete who's kept us informed of her progress. This has never been disclosed as with all other rural sites for the bird’s protection, even more important here as the site has a recent history of persecution.
Sadly our fears for their safety became reality in early June when the Male was found dead below the nest. With no obvious signs of shooting or other injuries he was sent to Natural England for a toxicology report, this took some time the result was returned as we thought - poisoned by the pesticide diazinon. Both chicks were also dead in the nest, most likely poisoned too.
We still don't know if Bobbin survived, of course we all hope she has, a female was spotted flying around above the site shortly after the dead male was found but we don't have an ID. If she had retuned to Worcester there is also a good chance our new resident pair may have driven her off - only time will tell.
If anyone has information regarding the poisoning or sightings of a female peregrine white ring T2 please message us rather than post here.

[MAK]

Most likely pigeon fanciers behind this as it's very common over in England. I so hope Bobbin is alive and well. 

[Donna]

It's taken a while to collate information & clarify the current situation here so here's what is & isn't happening:
Peregrines;
As most of you who follow us here will know we have had a young pair in & around the city for over a year now. The male 2yr & female 3yr, both without rings but we know the age as both arrived with juvenile plumage. Also around over wintering last & this year has been an older female first spotted on a local church three miles north of the spire then moving into the city. Prior to this year she hasn’t presented any problems to the young pair - that changed 2016 as they both had full adult plumage & looked to have paired up. I spotted a couple of territorial battles between the two females & had reports of a few more involving all three of them. The net result of this was the older female triumphed & the young pair disappeared both at the same time. As you’ve probably guessed the over wintering female stayed around for a few weeks then left the city returning to her partner & breeding site.
So, for over five weeks we had not spotted a peregrine on the spire or cathedral, this is unusual as last year we had at least nine different transient birds around the cathedral for brief periods early in the year.
Kestrels;
Last year saw our city church kestrels lay five eggs, the first around the 14th of April, only two hatched though, both chicks fledged successfully. In 2013 six chicks fledged, this gradually reduced to two last year. We don’t know how old the kestrel’s are but it may be one or both have reached the end of their breeding age. Currently both have been on the window ledge & scrape with the female scratching a slight hollow. It may be egg laying has been delayed due to the colder than average weather with prevailing easterly winds & rain keeping the scrape damp. The female has been spotted roosting above the wire (cam2) so she’s not incubating on an alternative site. They could lay over the next week but in previous years the female has been lying on the scrape for a week before laying the first egg.
Outlook;
On a positive side we now have permission to install a new peregrine nest box on the spire. This will be higher than the two existing boxes sited on the tower top behind the parapets. These boxes were placed over the rain gullies when eggs were discovered by maintenance workers in 2007, 2008 & 2009 were our last successful breeding seasons.
The plan is to install a box with partial roof outside the middle window on the north or east elevation with new cameras & streaming video.
With the kestrels there is nothing more we can do, they’ve used this site for over 50 years which must be four or five generations.
Bobbin (T2);
Unfortunately no more news or sightings, she may not have survived the poisoning at Clee Hill but with access to the nest site refused we may never know.
Sorry we can’t bring you better news but that’s nature! If you spot any peregrines on the perches (cam 4 & 5) please post & let us know. Any sightings or updates we’ll post here...

[Carol P.]

So sad about Bobbin and her family. 

[Annette]

Awful   

[MAK]

I miss Bobbin-she was one of my favorite Peregrines.