The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Having revisited the Lincoln Cathedral (real, as opposed to webcam) Peregrines last Saturday and then revisited the (real) Grantham Peregrines on Tuesday, I felt it was time to visit the (real) Nottingham Trent University (NTU) Peregrines. Having regularly watched the full-screen NTU webcam since early May - but with an empty nesting tray for a week or so now and with only occasional views of the birds - I particularly wanted to see the juveniles in the flesh/feathers and to visit their nest site building area : the Newton Building on South Sherwood Street in the very centre of Nottingham.

The building with the large plate-glass windows and the internal metal barriers you can see on the left of the webcam screen at

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/ecoweb/ntu_doing/f ... 103295.cfm

is 'The Cornerhouse', an enormous complex (speciality services,cinemas, restaurants,etc.) and I arrived there at the corner of Burton Road at c.11.00 today (Thu). It was an excellent initial observation point at ground level and I immediately picked out the tiercel at one end and two of the four juveniles at the other end of the Newton Building. The tiercel soon disappeared but later returned with a prey item (pigeon) and, on landing on a ledge, he was immediately 'mugged' by the two juveniles. I stayed there watching for a time, saw the tiercel go and return, and the juveniles take short flights across the front of the building, before they returned to pick at the pigeon carcase again.

I then entered 'The Cornerhouse' itself for a higher observation point and by using the triple flights of escalators I reached the top floor (clearly visible on the webcam). Watching from there (until c.12.45) I was able to pick out the webcam camera and the nesting ledge area. The original two juveniles were later joined by the other two and all four continued to pick at the pigeon carcase on the ledge one level higher than the nest site......with the tiercel perched at the other end of the building.

It was now time for me to pick at something, too, and staying in 'The Cornerhouse' I was able to enjoy a fine 'fritto misto' at the Ristorante Bella Italia.....buon appetito.

Freddy