FalconCam 2013

May 30, 2013 • 9:13 am

Matthew Cobb, who, like pastrami, is on a roll, called my attention to a live FalconCam in Sheffield. The nest of peregrines is atop, of all places, St. George’s Church, and the chicks are well along. But they’re still at that awkward age when they have down. Here’s a screenshot:

Picture 1

If you love peregrines as much as I do, you’ll want to check in from time to time.

I love the “trigger warning” at the top of the page:

Picture 2

Here’s the information supplied by the website:

A nest platform was placed atop St George’s Church in early 2010. In 2012 it was finally confirmed that the pair of peregrines using the platform had bred successfully for the first time.

Phil Riley, Energy Manager in the University’s Department of Estates and Facilities Management, recently installed this webcam near the nest. The webcam not only acts as a security camera to ensure the nest is not tampered with, but will allow the University to make high quality images of these beautiful wild birds available to the public.

Peregrine Falcons have previously been an endangered species, but their population has steadily increased since the 1970s because of better legal protection and control of pesticides. The birds are usually found around the sea coast but have recently been seen in more built up areas.

Professor Wood from the University’s Department of Hispanic Studies and Chair of the Sheffield Bird Study Group: “Peregrines are one of the most spectacular species in Britain, traditionally associated with remote sea cliffs and inaccessible sites, and to be able to see them in urban Sheffield is an absolute privilege. I know they have brought a great deal of pleasure to local residents around St George’s and beyond, as well as to me personally.”

Phil Riley said: “The success has been a University-wide effort. I worked closely with Professor Wood, Jim Lonsdale and other colleagues in the University’s Department of Estates and Facilities Management to ensure a suitable nest box was constructed and appropriately located. I am delighted that all our hard work has been rewarded.”

6 thoughts on “FalconCam 2013”

  1. Yay. Been watching this for the last couple of weeks as I also live in Sheffield and studied at the university.
    You’ll also be pleased to know that St. Georges church is no longer used as such, it’s a university lecture theatre now.

    Here’s the live feed; http://efm.dept.shef.ac.uk/peregrine/

    Here’s some other live webcams across the UK including some Peregrines nesting at Nottingham University and in the centre of Derby.
    http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/webcams

  2. I love them when they’re still in the fuzzy (downy) stage! I think this is also when they also can’t thermoregulate so the parents put out the mombrella (and dadbrella, but that’s not as cool sounding) during rain storms.

    I keep up with a few webcams from MNBound Eagles and the Raptor Resource Center. And yes, they will rip apart bunnies and squirrels and ducks, not just fish (which deserve to be ripped to shreds)

  3. I loose a handful of chickens or other fowl a year to falcons, probably peregrines, who kill them in the yard and eat them on the spot (too heavy to carry away). I say probably peregrines because I “caught” two of them over the past 4 years. Both times I found them trapped in the covered section of the coop, where they likely entered pursuing the chickens and were then unable to find the entrance again and escape. After catching them (with thick gloves) and making sure they didn’t get hurt trying to escape through the fence, of course I let them go. Beautiful birds. Next time I hope I have my camera handy.

    1. “I lose…”, of course. Big fingers, small screen, three glasses of wine with dinner. Apologies.

  5. As you were so kind to highlight the Sheffield Peregrines on your website I thought you might like to see a video of a well attended and very good talk on the birds in the St. Georges lecture theatre.

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