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
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This is the talented climbing and ringing team who worked hard to bring us the ringing experience from one of the most iconic locations in the UK. The Glasgow Peregrine Project team and indebted to all involved.
From the left:
Pendrich Height Services Ltd climbing supervisors,
John Simpson, George Smith, Paul Baker, Clarke Elsby, Sophie Bennett and Tim Chamberlain. (© Karyn Elsby) |
Cool, calm and chicks collected: Sophie Bennett
(courtesy of Tim Chamberlain.) |
The climbers must possess the highest category of climbing qualifications known as IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association). The entire operation is supervised to ensure the safety of the birds, the climbing team and to ensure the physical integrity of the Gilbert Scott Tower with all its preservation orders.
After the ringing was completed, the female parent was straight back to the nest to ensure her chicks were all there. They all settled down quickly and within thirty minutes, the male brought in a pigeon for his voracious family.
The four chicks - three males and one female - competed for food and exercised their wing muscles. Their ringing details are shown here and form the basis for the fledging and post breeding dispersal study to come.
After the ringing was completed, the female parent was straight back to the nest to ensure her chicks were all there. They all settled down quickly and within thirty minutes, the male brought in a pigeon for his voracious family.
The four chicks - three males and one female - competed for food and exercised their wing muscles. Their ringing details are shown here and form the basis for the fledging and post breeding dispersal study to come.
(courtesy of George Smith)
The media coverage of the birds has been exceptional and with a BBC Online piece achieving over 1.4K reactions and great thanks goes to Kevin McCormick (SOC) for facilitating this. The peregrines also featured on BBC Springwatch and this incredibly popular programme brought the life of the birds to the nation’s viewers with two excellent pieces by Megan McCubbin and Libby Penman.
A real highlight was the production of a short film (above) about the project by the super talented Stephen Magee of the RSPB. The film is posted here courtesy of the RSPB.
The film was a great support to the public watches which were conducted again from just outside the University Library and Hunterian Art Gallery. On each of the days, hundreds of people from all over the world attended and got exceptional views of the birds nesting, bringing in prey items and flying over the crowds, calling and parading the odd pigeon. The team would like to thank Zul Bhatia, Emma Davies and Peter Wakeford who staffed the watchpoint and engaged so effectively with the public.
By the first week in June, the brood made the exciting transition from chicks to fledglings. Throughout this period the team is on tenterhooks and standby, ready to react to any grounded bird. The fledglings have got to make their first, particularly dynamic flight, by launching off the tower and try their best to perch on one of the many rooftops, chimneys and weathervanes.
This year we had a repeat of 2023 with two chicks ending up in the quadrangles of the University. The protocol for a grounded chick sees the University security team:
This year Paul Baker arrived with his landing net and accompanied by Clarke Elsby and John Simpson caught the chicks. This is an opportunity to give the young bird a health check to ensure no broken bones or injuries, and this is done by licenced, experienced and trained persons. No one else, unless under the most extreme of circumstances, should pick up grounded birds. Always follow the protocol above.
After the health check, the long climb back up the tower begins. Given the impregnable nature of the nest site, the chicks are put into a purpose-built nest box arranged for by Clarke and built by Andy and painted by Russell from the UoG. The birds enjoy the best of lives courtesy of the University of Glasgow.
The film was a great support to the public watches which were conducted again from just outside the University Library and Hunterian Art Gallery. On each of the days, hundreds of people from all over the world attended and got exceptional views of the birds nesting, bringing in prey items and flying over the crowds, calling and parading the odd pigeon. The team would like to thank Zul Bhatia, Emma Davies and Peter Wakeford who staffed the watchpoint and engaged so effectively with the public.
By the first week in June, the brood made the exciting transition from chicks to fledglings. Throughout this period the team is on tenterhooks and standby, ready to react to any grounded bird. The fledglings have got to make their first, particularly dynamic flight, by launching off the tower and try their best to perch on one of the many rooftops, chimneys and weathervanes.
This year we had a repeat of 2023 with two chicks ending up in the quadrangles of the University. The protocol for a grounded chick sees the University security team:
- secure the area
- cordon to protect the chick
- UoG Security Team will call one of the project team to respond to the incident.
This year Paul Baker arrived with his landing net and accompanied by Clarke Elsby and John Simpson caught the chicks. This is an opportunity to give the young bird a health check to ensure no broken bones or injuries, and this is done by licenced, experienced and trained persons. No one else, unless under the most extreme of circumstances, should pick up grounded birds. Always follow the protocol above.
After the health check, the long climb back up the tower begins. Given the impregnable nature of the nest site, the chicks are put into a purpose-built nest box arranged for by Clarke and built by Andy and painted by Russell from the UoG. The birds enjoy the best of lives courtesy of the University of Glasgow.
Andy and Russell ( © John Simpson)
During this period the birds entertain the crowds at close range and many of the city’s photographers get their pictures. Pictures themselves are excellent in supporting conservation. They give an exact time, date and place for each individual and allows for tracking of movements, mortality as not all young peregrines will survive and those photographers who spend time trying to get a ring picture are truly appreciated.
Z66 (© Brian Gallagher)
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Z66 on Kelvingrove Museum (© John Simpson)
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This year the birds moved and dispersed earlier than 2023. The Kelvingrove Museum and Art Galleries is an important and favoured location for the young birds. Kelvingrove is around 350 metres from the Gilbert Scott Tower, so relatively close. The adults move around the city centre, ranging over to Gartnavel Hospital, Finnieston Cran but more often, George Square and the City Chambers. The birds catch one of the many pigeons and return to the safety of the City Chambers to pluck and eat their prey.
The work assessing the population and distribution of pigeons within the city continues and the work is showing that there is more capacity for additional pairs of peregrines to exploit this resource.
The raptor work monitoring how the young birds disperse started in early July. It is not fully understood how the birds disperse or what the mortality rate is in juvenile or immature peregrines. The data shows that three birds have made it toward the end of the month but Z46 seems to have disappeared, died or dispersed very early. Z46 was one of the grounded young birds and is pictured below.
The raptor work monitoring how the young birds disperse started in early July. It is not fully understood how the birds disperse or what the mortality rate is in juvenile or immature peregrines. The data shows that three birds have made it toward the end of the month but Z46 seems to have disappeared, died or dispersed very early. Z46 was one of the grounded young birds and is pictured below.
Z46 returned safely to the tower (© John Simpson)
The dispersal study is conducted by members of The SOC and the Scottish Raptor Study Group but is open to all to contribute. Most people will be surprised to learn that the work is conducted throughout the day and night and continues from last winter. The pictures below show the roosting behaviour of the birds and utilises a Thermal Imaging Device which provides excellent pictures and video of the activities of the birds even in pitch black conditions.
Thermal image of peregrine pair mid-winter (© John Simpson)