The 4 Derby chicklets are doing very well indeed. They are growing like they should and look very healthy. The parents bring in fresh prey, no left-overs here, but fresh caught birds are served for breakfast, supper and dinner.
They are 17 - 14 days old and comparing their appearence it's all going on schedule. The older ones are already showing dark spots along the edges of the wings, indicating the growth of the flight feathers underneath the covering of down. The down on the head also begins to take on a "rougher" texture around this time.
The youngest one is about 14 days old now and just entering the "hunchback" phase, during which they are often seen in a hunchbackposture, with their feet splayed out in front of them and their head angled forward.
All of them have their second down and are able to maintain there bodytemperature on 40 C without the warmth of a parents. That's why they are alone for long periods. The parents enjoy some tim eoff now. They chicks however do lay in a chickpile to save energy in thermoregulating. The parents seem to be away, but they are always very near. Out of the webcamangle, but I'm sure people in Derby can see them very close to the nestsite watching out for intruders, dangers and other things that might be able to harm their chicklets. So things are going fine with these 4 beautiful peregrine falcons eyases. And what a treasure this is, 4 new peregrines, they are still and again endangered. We should do everything to protect these so very, very special creatures. I do hope these 4 will too enlighten us all and show us how majestic animal spirit is. You only have to watch this peregrine family to feel what I mean.
More pics of today:
http://falcoperegrinus-froona.blogspot.com/2008/05/derby-cathedral-peregrine-project_20.html
To read more about the Derby peregrine project visit the Derby Pages.
And watch the webcams, it's great to watch the 4 chicklets.
http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.com/
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