It's the fair at Saint Job

As every year for decades, the fair took place over the last two weekends in Saint Job. The entire square is occupied by carousels, each more festive than the next! From duck fishing to bumper cars, from giant trampolines to pipe shooting, from dutchies to candy floss, everyone laughs, shouts and paws every afternoon.

What a disturbance for the falcon family! Well not at all! The juvenile falcons, which are now a week away from fledging, are standing quietly “at the window” of their nest. They are preening, sleeping, scanning the sky, watching the square... But they seem totally insensitive to what is happening on the pavement. And yet, the nest is only 30 m high! It is one of the lowest nests in Brussels.

Regularly, the parents come to feed their 3 juvenile falcons. Either they arrive directly with a freshly captured prey in full flight, or they help themselves from one of their reserves. There are several on the church. The most frequently used are the putlog holes located just below the nest.

When they are not hunting or feeding the falcons, the Peregrine parents land at the top of the bell tower, right next to the weathervane. From there, they take in all of Uccle and, beyond, the south of Brussels.

The attached videos were made by filming with a smartphone through a telescope. Truthful!

If you have the opportunity to go to Place Saint Job, don’t forget your binoculars! And if you want to see, live, what happens in the nest, stop in front of the window of the Espace photo store located just opposite the church. A screen is connected to live streaming which is broadcast on the site www.peregrinefalcons.be.

And if you don't have the opportunity to go to Saint Job, join us this Wednesday, May 31 at ULB on the Solbosch campus. A temporary observation post will be organized from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the bottom of Avenue Paul Héger. Fledging is imminent for the exceptional family of 5 falcon chicks!

Blog 28052023 video 1. The female eats a greenfinch on the cross that adorns the top of the bell tower (DV video).

Blog 28052023 video 2. Concisely cleaning the beak is essential for a Peregrine Falcon (video DV).

Blog 28052023 video 3. The male comes to perch at the very top of the steeple. Standing on one leg (DV video).

Blog 28052023 video 4. The female comes to the nest at full speed, prey in the talons (DV video).

Blog 28052023 video 5. After feeding her falcons, the female preens her plumage (DV video).

Blog 28052023 photo 1. How does it work? Digiscoping consists of filming (classically with a smartphone) through a telescope (Photo Eric At Choum).