Just had a juv bird fly past my office window (Peter House) and land on the roof of the derelict office building opposite. I couldn't quite read the ring on its leg, but it was red and think it had a number 7 on it. It pranced about on the roof picking at stones and other muck, running from side to side, before perching on the concrete and jumping off 15 minutes later.

Lovely to watch it so close and always handy having a pair of office binoculars so my colleagues got to enjoy the sight too!

That's good news.

I suppose that the mirror glass is just a man made problem that the birds have to face for choosing the City Centre.

Were they in "wilder" habitat there would be other dangers facing them that are missing at the top of the CIS.

Good to see that the Co-op accept returns....

The juvenile was successfully reunited with its parents today. They found her within 5 minutes of us leaving the roof and Adrian spent about 2 hours monitoring them. The male dropped off some prey, so all is well.
Apparently the "mirror glass" is a film applied to many of the buildings in that area to minimise bomb blast damage after the explosion a few years ago. Doesn't help the Peregrines though.

The Crown Plaza Hotel is not very tall though and the bird must have been flying at low level to have collided with it. The CIS stands alone in that area as a tall building and between it and the hotel in question there is nothing of particular problem structure wise which might create unexpected turbulance etc. and the bird would have basically have to have flown cross a large and empty car park. I cannot understand quite why it would have struck it other than inexperience and perhaps the illusion created by mirrored or atleast highly reflective windows

Yesterday, I got a call from the CIS building manager who informed me that one of our young peregrines had flown into a window and died. Of course I was gutted. I went to pick up the body of the bird and it seems to me that the neck was broken so hopefully the bird did not suffer. It's a cruel and tragic fate for the bird to have died on its maiden flight. I have arranged for the dead bird to be sent to the 'Birds of Prey Monitoring Sheme' so the bird's demise will at least be useful to good science.

On a more happy note, the sibling bird fledged yesterday afternoon. It took to the air joined by its parents and shortly went back into the nest tray after doing one or two fancy manoeuvres (information provided by RSPB volunteers). Today the young peregrine spent most of the day on the lower roof of the CIS building ...in excess of 6 hours it made several false starts at flying and just before 8.00pm it shot off towards the centre of Manchester with confidence and no hesitation. I was not able to relocate it. Let's hope it survives!

Saw what I think was the male approach and then circle the nesting area a few times before drifting off towards the triangle area at 12.40pm

Great views this early evening of two Peregrines chasing in vain, a pigeon. l parked up near the CIS and there the battle was already on. They all flew and dipped and twisted as the Peregrines tea and the pigeons life was at stake.

All three ended up heading in the direction of Collyhurst/Monsall. The Raptors returned but not with their tea.

What news folks, after the earlier "will they won't they" posts its all gone quiet!

I am able to confirm that the female bird has one alloy ring so it may well be the case that we have the same pair.

Peregrines having a bit of a "domestic" this afternoon.

At one point the female almost knocked her mate out of the sky. This was followed by much screeching. I'm not much good at Peregrine-speak but it seemed to be something like "Have you seen the state of this place? We've got those ringers coming round soon!"

Steve

Graham Smith wrote:

---

belive me wedensday is the day for ringing inside info

---

Graham...a date has not been set yet.

In order not to create any confusion it has not been decided what day the peregrines will be ringed. The steeplejack will be doing a risk assessment on Tuesday. After that it is all subject to the availability of those concerned and of course the weather.

-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Saturday 22nd of May 2010 10:03:27 PM

-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Saturday 22nd of May 2010 10:04:14 PM

Sad news

the female kestrel at the town hall was the target of a successful peregrine kill. I estimate the kill took place about four days ago. It is ironic but not unexpected that since I have been watching and photographing both families over recent years that their paths would cross. The kestrels had moved and nested in the Piccadilly basin area when peregrines arrived in Manchester. They were most probably disturbed by metro-link works and other building activity and forced back to the Town Hall. The female did her bit for kestrel populations and I was honoured to rescue release two of her young. Of course I am gutted but that is nature.

I did a stint of volunteering today at the RSPB stand and saw the Peregrines perched on the CIS tower throughout the day, seeing both birds together on one occasion and then three on another, one of which was apparently one of last years young. It was strange to see three Peregrines flying in formation though.

Highlight though was seeing one eating prey on a balcony of the Premier Inn!

Sorry if that appeared to be a negative comment, Ian, actually I'm very pleased that the nest site is in a position such that it's safe to let the whole world know of its exact location.

(I hope the CIS let their window cleaners know!)

Be fair Neil, their breeding location last season (and those previous to that) was kept a pretty decent secret. For whatever reason their move to the CIS this year and it's widespread publication (including on this forum) has little bearing on their safety as I really think they're quite safe on the CIS building

Pair circled, then landed on, CIS building 20.00 hrs tonight. 1 bird landed on the lower ne part of the building, the other on the east-facing S.

They appear to have abandoned the usual nest tray and are now sitting in the nest box at the CIS buillding (north side).

Good views this evening of bird on cathedral, sadly really crap light. I think the bird winked at me

Thanks for your text Rob...very much appreciated. I heard from RSPB that the birds were 'at it' last week. I saw the female drive the male off her favourite perch on the town hall tower earlier this week.

I'm keeping fingers crossed for the Bolton bird.

-- Edited by Adrian Dancy on Friday 12th of March 2010 08:17:15 PM

They seem to have become much more visible again, and have started to show some interest in the nest site.

Best places to look for them at the moment are on the north side of the Town Hall (right at the top) or on the "E" of Arndale.

Adult sat on Bloom Street chimney for about an hour this morning in the rain

1 swooping down on pigeons over Chorlton St car park

edited to cover my male dominated ignorance!

-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Wednesday 1st of July 2009 08:12:13 PM

Rach wrote:

---

I've just noticed how late it is having spent an awful long time looking at Binoculars !

---

she's hooked!


-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Wednesday 1st of July 2009 07:46:22 PM