Latest news with #Peregrines
Glasgow Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Inside rare bird's life nesting in Glasgow University tower
The Glasgow Peregrine Project watches over and helps nurture the family that has been nesting at the site since 2022. The project recently announced that the happy couple Bonnie and Clyde had two chicks, Jack and Victor; however, they've experienced a recent tragedy. Unfortunately, one of the chicks, Jack, contracted Bird Flu and had to be put to sleep to ease his suffering. The remaining chick, mum, and dad are doing well, though, and the team say they're 'carrying on with their usual antics'. John Simpson, 62, from the Glasgow Peregrine Project (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Mack rebuild 'at risk' from 02 ABC plan says Glasgow School of Art Bonnie and Clyde are the only pair of Peregrines in the city. They are part of a population of only 1,000 across the country, with numbers dropping in the West Coast especially. Local recorder for The Scottish Ornithologists' Club, John Simpson, helped establish the project, which is run alongside the University and several other conservation groups, including the RSPB. John's been studying Peregrines for over 45 years and has a real passion for the birds and helping spread awareness and engagement. Speaking about the project, John, 62, said: "It's the bizarrest thing on the planet, these peregrines sitting at the top of the tower, it's like something out of Batman. "And then their view! It's like the tea towel of Glasgow, all the landmarks are laid out in front of them. "We always joke that it's the most prestigious address in the city. You're in the penthouse suite. "Gilbert Scott Tower, University of Glasgow, you're in the West End, you know, it would cost you a fortune to get a house up there. "And there we have the city's apex predator nesting, it's phenomenal." Pictured at left is Clyde, right, Victor (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Plans for O2 ABC site recommended to councillors despite 'negative impact' John explains that peregrines are at the top of the city's food chain and will feast on "public enemy number one, the pigeon," among other things. They can get a bit of bad press for their diet, but John hopes that people coming to see the raptors will have their opinions changed. He explained: "If it were lions or tigers or leopards, they wouldn't be getting the same bad press for some reason or other. But this is our apex predator in the city. "This is a remarkable opportunity to get people engaged in looking at ecology and the breeding biology of these birds." Mum, Bonnie and Dad, Clyde, have had a few chicks every year, and when two male chicks were born in April, their names came very quickly. John said: "The mum's named after Bonnie Scotland and the dad, River Clyde. "So when we were ringing the chick and found out it was two males, someone shouted out 'Jack and Victor', and we thought - perfect, bang on... two lads living up Osprey Heights." Inside rare bird's life nesting in Glasgow University tower (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Glasgow university graduate 'set to join Love Island line up' Caring for the birds is no easy task. With each venture up to their nest via abseil costing the project £2,500, they keep their visits as few as possible. They did rush to try to help Jack, and an emergency abseil took place in an attempt to save him. Now the solo chick in the nest, Victor, is getting plenty of attention from Bonnie and Clyde and has started flying around the campus. He'll be there for a few months while he grows into an adult, and people have been flocking to see the trio. The project runs regular watches (Image: Colin Mearns) They run weekly peregrine watches on Saturday from 10am - 12noon, and also provide scopes and binoculars to view the peregrines. The watches are located outside of the Hunterian Art Gallery and are free for anyone who wants to catch a glimpse of the rare birds. You can follow the project on social media to see regular updates from the nest and beyond, and find out more on their website, here.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Macomb County Peregrine Falcons: Experts hope to protect ‘threatened' species
The Brief Three Peregrine Falcons have made Macomb County their new home, and experts are hoping to keep them protected. Danielle Durham with the Michigan Hawking Club says they hope to ensure the falcons stay off the endangered species list. Now they've been reclassified as 'threatened.' SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A trio of Peregrine Falcons have decided to make downtown Mt. Clemens their home, and researchers are keeping a close eye on them. Big picture view Experts like master falconer Danielle Durham with the Michigan Hawking Club tell FOX 2 they hope to ensure the falcons stay off the endangered species list. "Peregrines in and of themselves are just awesome birds," Durham said. "They are the fastest animal on the planet. I don't just mean the fastest bird. They are the fastest animal on the planet." Recently, a few falcons have made a home in downtown Mt. Clemens, high atop the old Macomb County building, and their three babies were banded over Memorial Day weekend. "It was fun. It was quick," said Durham. "They don't turn the air-conditioning on in the weekends, so it was a little warm. But yeah, we were able to band three healthy chicks, two females and a male." Local perspective Durham was one of the officials who banded Monarch, Warthog, and Czwig. She says the club paid for them and put different color bands that can be seen with a spotting scope. "It's not like a radio transmitter where you don't see where it is," she said. "But bird watching is such a big thing that most people, and with social media, most people will post 'Hey, I found this bird and it has this band. Who is it? Can you help me?" That way, they're tracked. Durham told FOX 2 over a year ago they were considered endangered, almost gone from the Great Lakes region. But now they've been reclassified as 'threatened.' "Threatened means the population isn't where they'd like it to be," she said. "They might be really uncommon, really rare to see. They're not reproducing the way they should be." So the goal is to get that population up and get them thriving in the wild and in cities. "They help keep all the animals in check. They eat birds, which is great for the city because we have lots of pigeons and small birds like that they can eat. So they're pivotal in the food chain," she said. What you can do If you would like to see them, there's a live webcam. You can view it by tapping here. You can also learn more about the Peregrine Falcons of Macomb County by clicking the link here. The Source FOX 2 spoke with master falconer Danielle Durham of the Michigan Hawking Club and used details from the Macomb County website for information in this report.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Peregrine falcon chicks to be seen soon at Torrey Pines State Beach
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Visitors at San Diego's Torrey Pines State Beach can see two active Peregrine falcon nests on the cliffs this spring, and soon, there will be babies. Peregrine falcons have returned to Torrey Pines State Beach for their annual nesting season. Dredging to take place in Oceanside Harbor through Memorial Day The state park said that the Peregrine falcon chicks had yet to hatch as of April 2, but it noted that the parents were displaying behaviors that showed they were awaiting the arrival of chicks. Peregrine falcons begin nesting in San Diego County around February and lay three to four eggs at a time, which take around 29 to 32 days to hatch, according to the US Forest Service. Once hatched, the chicks, known as eyases, stay in the nest for 35 to 42 days before taking off on their first flight, which is typically by June or July. Sea Cliff Park in Del Mar closing for over a year due to bluff stabilization work The US Forest Service says Peregrines are one of San Diego County's scarcest breeding birds, with a population of about 15 pairs. Peregrine falcons are the fastest birds in the world, reaching speeds over 240 mph when diving for prey. The birds of prey were once endangered from the widespread use of pesticides like DDT. Now, Peregrine falcons are thriving in coastal regions, urban landscapes, and remote wilderness areas. Sick sea lion rescued from busy road near Carlsbad beaches Visitors at Torrey Pines State Beach, which is located north of La Jolla and south of Del Mar in San Diego County, are encouraged to bring binoculars to view the falcon nests that are up in the cliffs. The birds should be observed from a distance as too much disturbance from human activities can force falcons to abandon their eggs or chicks. The falcons return to the area every year as it is an ideal habitat for them, with cliffs for nesting and an abundant food supply, including shorebirds and small mammals, according to the Forest Service. Birdwatchers in San Diego County can also watch Golden Eagles year-round at the Ramona grasslands area near the Ramona airport and Prairie Falcons in the San Diego River Gorge near the San Diego Country Estates and Cedar Creek Falls. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Telegraph
14-03-2025
- Telegraph
Royal Navy uses drones in drugs bust for first time
The Royal Navy has used drones in a drugs bust for the first time. Sailors and Royal Marines onboard HMS Lancaster located the drug smugglers after the new Peregrine remote-controlled mini-helicopters were launched from the warship's flight deck and operators spotted suspicious activity in the northern Arabian Sea. After the drones fed back intelligence from what they could detect from two boats side by side in the dead of night, the Wildcat helicopter was launched for closer inspection. When the crew arrived at the scene they could clearly see packages being transferred from a small fast boat onto a dhow, which transpired to be a total of £5.4m class A drugs. The Peregrine, which is three metres long, can conduct sorties of up to five hours at ranges well over the horizon. As the first remotely piloted helicopter operated by the Navy, the Peregrine scours hundreds of square miles of ocean on every flight, feeding data, live radar picture and imagery directly into displays monitored in the warship's operations room. A Navy source told The Telegraph the drones had become a game-changer for drug busts. 'The Royal Navy is at the forefront of embracing autonomous technology,' she said. 'This drug haul is a great demonstration of how using crewed aircraft and uncrewed systems will enhance our operational capabilities.' As the transfer continued, HMS Lancaster charged down on the scene at full speed, leading to the smugglers attempting to get rid of their illegal haul by dumping the packages overboard. The crew of the warship's seaboat fished the packages out of the water then ferried them back for testing on board. They were found to contain 340kg of heroin and 83kg of methamphetamine. Commander Sam Stephens, HMS Lancaster's Commanding Officer, said the success was an outstanding team effort and underscored the usefulness of the new Peregrines, which were only introduced on operations at the end of 2024. He said: 'I am extremely proud of my whole team for their professionalism and dedication in achieving this success. 'We have removed £5.4m of class A substances from the black market and disrupted those who threaten our interests.' Able Seaman Tom Urie described the drugs bust as 'hugely rewarding', while Wildcat pilot Lieutenant Commander Rachel Rychtanek, who is on exchange with the Navy from the US Coast Guard, said: 'This success has strengthened allied partnerships and signifies the importance of upholding international law.' HMS Lancaster was operating as part of the international Combined Task Force 150 which is committed to clamping down on illegal activity in the Middle East region. The frigate operates out of Bahrain where she has been based for more than two years.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Royal Navy uses drones in drugs bust for first time
The Royal Navy has used drones in a drugs bust for the first time. Sailors and Royal Marines onboard HMS Lancaster located the drug smugglers after the new Peregrine remote-controlled mini-helicopters were launched from the warship's flight deck and operators spotted suspicious activity in the northern Arabian Sea. After the drones fed back intelligence from what they could detect from two boats side by side in the dead of night, the Wildcat helicopter was launched for closer inspection. When the crew arrived at the scene they could clearly see packages being transferred from a small fast boat onto a dhow, which transpired to be a total of £5.4m class A drugs. The Peregrine, which is three metres long, can conduct sorties of up to five hours at ranges well over the horizon. As the first remotely piloted helicopter operated by the Navy, the Peregrine scours hundreds of square miles of ocean on every flight, feeding data, live radar picture and imagery directly into displays monitored in the warship's operations room. A Navy source told The Telegraph the drones had become a game-changer for drug busts. 'The Royal Navy is at the forefront of embracing autonomous technology,' she said. 'This drug haul is a great demonstration of how using crewed aircraft and uncrewed systems will enhance our operational capabilities.' As the transfer continued, HMS Lancaster charged down on the scene at full speed, leading to the smugglers attempting to get rid of their illegal haul by dumping the packages overboard. The crew of the warship's seaboat fished the packages out of the water then ferried them back for testing on board. They were found to contain 340kg of heroin and 83kg of methamphetamine. Commander Sam Stephens, HMS Lancaster's Commanding Officer, said the success was an outstanding team effort and underscored the usefulness of the new Peregrines, which were only introduced on operations at the end of 2024. He said: 'I am extremely proud of my whole team for their professionalism and dedication in achieving this success. 'We have removed £5.4m of class A substances from the black market and disrupted those who threaten our interests.' Able Seaman Tom Urie described the drugs bust as 'hugely rewarding', while Wildcat pilot Lieutenant Commander Rachel Rychtanek, who is on exchange with the Navy from the US Coast Guard, said: 'This success has strengthened allied partnerships and signifies the importance of upholding international law.' HMS Lancaster was operating as part of the international Combined Task Force 150 which is committed to clamping down on illegal activity in the Middle East region. The frigate operates out of Bahrain where she has been based for more than two years. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
