Glasgow Peregrine Project history

Introduction
The Glasgow Peregrine Project brings together a series of conservation bodies in an exciting and imaginative initiative to bring one of the planet’s most dynamic species to the people of Glasgow and through the SOC Clyde Branch website, the world. The project is led by The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, University of Glasgow and the RSPB. Other organisations support the conservation effort, The Glasgow Natural History Society, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Glasgow City Council, Friends of Glasgow’s LNR’s and the Scottish Raptor Study Group. The fascinating life of the Peregrine pair are brought to the public through engagement events at a dedicated watchpoint and all social media platforms.

Thumbnail image courtesy of George Smith / Scottish Raptor Study Group

History
As a long-standing SOC and Central Scotland Raptor Study Group member, John Simpson the Clyde Area’s Local Bird Recorder, monitors peregrine sites in west Loch Lomond, continuing a study started by John Mitchell many decades ago. Like many Peregrine populations, the birds have undergone a long-term decline. In 2022 and for the first time, there were no active sites in the Loch Lomond area. With birds reported breeding in the city of Glasgow after years of absence, a study was instigated a study to identify all known nesting locations and to see if there is any immigration into the city from further afield. The food supply and nesting opportunities seemed plentiful, so are hill Peregrines moving in to exploit these resources?

With the sad passing of Iain Gibson later in 2022, I took over as SOC Clyde Area Local Recorder. The opportunity arose to bring all the city’s conservation bodies together with the aim of enhancing ornithological recording and the Glasgow Peregrine Project, a SOC led initiative, was born. The vision, conservation through collaboration, coordination, and cooperation. The project builds upon some excellent work by many enthusiasts with a long-
standing interest in the city’s peregrines. Many have submitted records for many decades. The female has a leg ring with the number L7. It has been established that she fledged from a nest on Norwich Cathedral in 2019, she has flown the 380 miles north to Glasgow. Many hours of raptor work have established that the birds are the only pair in the city. They tried to nest initially at Glasgow Cathedral in 2021 but failed. 2022 saw the birds take over an old Raven’s nest at Glasgow University and successfully produce three young. However, an early fledging young bird which grounded itself in these iconic surroundings, saw the involvement of Clarke Elsby, the
University’s building surveyor, who supervised the return of the chick to the nest area. Given that the Raven’s nest is in an inaccessible part of the Gilbert Scott Tower, Clarke took the initiative, and arranged for the provision of a new nest box which is supported by nest cams. It is likely that in time, the raven nest will disintegrate, and the birds will hopefully move into the Rolls Royce option provided by Clarke.

Rescued Peregrine chick © University of Glasgow.

John Simpson, Bob Doris MSP, Paul Baker and Kelvin Thomson. © John Simpson.

In late February 2023, last year’s nest was still very much in favour and looked the likely nest site for 2023. By March 19th, copulation at the University and Kelvingrove Museum with both adults making repeated visits into the Raven’s nest on the Gilbert Scott Tower. All was looking good for a 2023 breeding attempt. Their excited high-pitched calls echoed around the quadrangles and coupled with low flights around the University grounds, made for a memorable experience.

By April 3rd, breeding was well underway and coincided with a visit by Bob Doris MSP, the Scottish Government Species Champion for Peregrine Falcon. The visit was supported by John Simpson and Paul Baker from the SOC Clyde Branch, who just happens to work at the University, and Kelvin Thomson the SRSG Parliamentary Officer. Other key partners were invited, and the birds really performed for the assembled visitors. It gave the visit team the opportunity to discuss peregrine conservation issues both locally and nationally and allowed for the public to view the birds for the first time.

It was at this point the organised Peregrine Watches started. With no more than a couple of telescopes and willing volunteers which included the SOC Clyde Branch chairman Zul Bhatia, who drawing on decades of engagement experience, invited passers-by and those who picked up on the social media feeds to see the birds. What has been an unqualified success is the partnership with the RSPB. Senior Conservation Officer Toby Wilson, who is also a SOC Clyde Branch committee member, and Scott Shanks Conservation Officer who are both based in Glasgow have been simply superb in their support and delivery of the project. Their knowledge, patience, friendly and informative interaction have been the hallmark of our public engagement.

As we all enjoyed the summer sunshine more peregrine watches were organised and for each viewing, which are only two hours long, over three hundred people attended each event! Visitors to the city arrived from all over the world and joined many of the birders from Glasgow’s conservation groups.

SOC HQ were excellent in recognising the potential of the initiative and supplied promotion clothing and a banner stand to act as a rallying point for all the visitors. Glasgow Natural History Society approved a grant of £500, which was a lovely gesture, and this has been backed by pledges of more funds from other groups. However, John Simpson is determined to show that we can produce creative and imaginative public engagement projects that publicize the SOC, advance Clyde ornithology, and make a positive conservation impact at little or no cost.

We aim to make the Peregrine Watches free and accessible to all no matter your age or circumstance. The viewing area is an easy to find floorspace suitable for all standards of mobility, toilets are available within the Hunterian Art Gallery next door and there are innumerable cafés and eateries locally. Scopes are provided and guided walks into the university grounds give everyone the chance to see the birds a little closer and allow for photographic opportunities. The watches are conducted with friendly, informative enthusiasm and coupled with a pride in the city of Glasgow.

Most birders will have seen Peregrine Falcons before, but not like this! The watchpoint gives birders and visitors a wonderful vantage point to watch incubation and nest changeovers as well as prey being brought into the nest and chicks being fed by the parents. The adults would often protect the nest from Lesser Black-backed Gulls, chasing them and screaming their way up and down University Avenue toward a busy Byres Road with its many shops, bars and cafés.

Everyone who attended got to watch the birds develop over the weeks and in late June the birds produced three young which fledged as one of the watches was ongoing, much to the delight of those present. There is no other site in Scotland that allows you to view Peregrines in the nest in such accessible circumstances. Once those eyes go to the scopes, the most common word from visitors is WOW! The café culture and pedestrianised location works so well for all and with the help and active support from Glasgow University and the Hunterian Art Gallery, the watches have been an unqualified success and has greatly enhanced the City’s reputation.

The three chicks, two females and one male are the platform for the next phase of the project which is the study of post fledging success and dispersal of young from their natal area. This is a rarely studied aspect of their biology, and given the huge public involvement, it’s the pubic, more specifically the city’s photographers, that are making the greatest impact. Each date stamped picture with a time, date, and place provides the evidence of the bird’s presence and as I collate the returns, the management team would like to say thanks to the many photographers who submit images, particularly hanging on to capture images of leg rings to identify individuals and all those who report sightings and submit pictures and videos. Images, videos and sightings will always be acknowledged and should be forwarded to [email protected] , and all those who report sightings and submit pictures and videos.

The project will continue throughout the autumn and winter with several new raptor workers joining the Central Scotland team, all of whom will be briefed and commence monitoring the movements, hunting flights, roost sites and perches of each of the Peregrines. Prey range and availability will be assessed over this period too as other Peregrines are starting to appear in the city, probably from hill territories in the Clyde Area.

So, more updates to follow on this exciting project…