Visitors to Malham Cove will again be given the chance to see breeding Peregrine Falcons through an ongoing partnership between the RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
2013 nest update. Start of the season brought very cold winds and snow but the pair do seem to be favouring last years nest sight, signs are good of having eggs this year although we can’t be 100% sure yet.
The Malham Peregrine Watch (A Date With Nature) will be at Malham Cove from Wednesday to Saturday 1030am till 430pm until the 31st July 2013. Telescopes and information assistants will be provided to help visitors get the most of their visit.
2012 nest update, 16th May, 2 chicks spotted, 1 much smaller than the other, possibly a male & female, 7th June, Chicks Fledged, 1 day later than last year.
2011 nest update, 1st June, 3 chicks sighted on nest ledge, 7th June looks like 1 femal & 2 male chicks, 13th June 1st chick fledged other 2 still sat on ledge, 14th June all 3 chicks off the nest & doing circuits of the cove, 17th June Fledgling acrobatics around the cove.
2010 nest update, 1st May, 4 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 chicks in residence in the scrape nest
The Cove has hosted a pair of Peregrine Falcons since 1993 and for the last few years, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Yorkshire Dales National Park have run a special viewpoint, as part of the Society’s Aren’t birds brilliant! scheme. Last year, nearly 29,000 people flocked to Malham to watch the birds.
The Malham Peregrine Watch (A Date With Nature) will be at Malham Cove Saturday to Wednesday 10.30am - 4.30pm from the 30th March until the 31st July 2013.
Optical equipment (telescopes and binoculars) will be provided to help visitors get the most of their visit.
Peregrine Falcon at Malham Cove, © Joe Cuthbert.
The project is part of the RSPB's Aren't Birds Brilliant! Programme of events, which make rare and spectacular birds accessible for everyone to see. As well as the peregrines, visitors to Malham can expect to see green woodpeckers, little owls, redstarts and cliff-nesting house martins.
Peregrine Falcon at Malham Cove, © Joe Cuthbert.
FACTFILE
- RSPB Information Officers and a team of enthusiastic volunteers will be on with high-powered telescopes and binoculars to give visitors a close-up view of the stunning peregrine falcons nesting there.
- During the early summer, the area around Malham Cove becomes the peregrine's hunting and training ground and this gives everyone at the foot of the cliff a fantastic display of their speed and power. The peregrine is the largest British falcon and can reach speeds of around 180kph (112mph) when it 'stoops' after prey. These fantastic falcons are so fast that, to avoid injury on impact, they catch their prey mid-air with stunning displays of aerobatics.
- The best place to start your visit is at the Malham National Park Centre, where you can get updates about how the peregrines are getting on and check on the viewing times.
- An easy walk from the Malham National Park Centre to the foot of the Cove will give you a special opportunity to see these birds at close quarters. The Information Officers will also be able to point out other birds at the Cove, such as little owl or a laughing green woodpecker. Redstarts and large numbers of house martins also make the Cove their home. We look forward to welcoming you to the peregrine viewpoint!
"Peregrine chicks at malham Cove © RSPB
"Information Assistant at the Cove © RSPB
MALHAM PEREGRINE PODCAST
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Website also has 2 interesting Peregrine Podcasts from July 2009 & June 2011 Peregrine Podcast or you can follow the Malham Peregrines on Twitter www.twitter.com/malhamperegrine
Peregrine Falcon at Malham Cove, © Joe Cuthbert.
