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WATCH: Stream gives bird’s-eye view of famous falcons Henry and Poppy
The Cromer peregrine falcons with their 2020 clutch of eggs. Picture: Cromer Peregrine Project - Credit: Archant
Nothing to watch on Netflix? No problem. You’re just a few clicks away from being able to watch a live-stream of two of Norfolk’s most famous residents.
A webcam set up at the top of Cromer Church’s tower is giving a ‘bird’s eye view’ into the nest of a pair of peregrine falcons which have been living there since early last year.
Chris Skipper, from the Cromer Peregrine Project, said the video feed was proving popular.
Mr Skipper said: “It only went online on Sunday [April 12] and in the first week it already had 30,000 views, so we’re really happy with that.
“People love it - especially at the moment, with everyone on lockdown. Instead of just doing nothing, they can now log in and watch the peregrines. I’ve even had people from Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia message me to say how good it is to see them online. It’s a feel-good story after all the bad news that’s around.”
Mr Skipper said the birds had been unofficially named Henry - after famous Cromer lifeboatman Henry Blogg - and Poppy - for the area’s poetic nickname, Poppyland.
A common sight on the live-stream currently is Poppy brooding - sitting on her three eggs, laid in the last week of March, to keep them warm.
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Mr Skipper said the eggs should hatch around May 2.
He said there were actually three webcams up at the top of the church’s 160ft-tall tower, two which looked into the peregrines’ box and another that could be moved around remotely.
After the falcons took up residency on the tower volunteers installed a box for them, and soon three chicks were hatched.
Project founding member Eddie Anderson said Cromer had “possibly one of the most accessible breeding peregrine pairs in the country”.
He said: “They’ve ignored the carnival, they’ve ignored the New Year fireworks and just got on with their lives and, for me, although what has happened is unfortunate, having these birds on our doorstep is a dream come true.”
All three survived their early months but sadly one died around the start of the year after flying into power lines near Holt. The other two have flown away to start their adult lives, leaving Poppy and Henry to work on their second Cromer clutch. Peregrines can reach speeds of more than 200mph during their hunting dive, called a stoop, making them the fastest members of the animal kingdom.