Tuesday 14 February 2012
Popular peregrine family is set to shine in high definition
One of the peregrines on the university's Newton building
Following the popularity of a webcam featuring one of the UK's most successful urban peregrine nests, the trials and tribulations of a long-established family of these fascinating falcons is set to be streamed across the internet in high definition for the first time.
Last year, the webcam hosted by Nottingham Trent University was viewed more than 250,000 times in just a few months as the pair once again raised a successful brood of chicks. The camera provided the public with their first glimpse of life in the nest, which sits almost 40m high on Nottingham Trent University's iconic Newton building.
The nest site has been closely monitored by experts from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust for over a decade and following on from the huge popularity of the webcam launched last year, the University has installed a new high definition camera which will provide an even better view of the birds' activities. As well as providing higher-quality images, the new camera has a zoom function which will allow the monitoring team to track the adult birds as they move across the city and infrared sensors will ensure the best possible viewing round the clock.
Grant Anderson, the Environmental Manager at Nottingham Trent University, said: "We are delighted that the falcons keep returning each year. It has been a superb partnership between the University and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust ensuring they are safely protected whilst they visit us. I'm delighted that the public can again enjoy online what will hopefully be another successful brood."
The new camera will go live on Valentine's Day, traditionally the start of National Nestbox Week, and the adult peregrines have already been seen in and around their nesting platform, suggesting that it won't be long before the new webcam is popular with viewers across Nottingham and beyond."
Peregrine courtship involves some impressive aerial acrobatics with the male completing a high speed 'loop the loops' after making a mock dive at the female. One of the most acrobatic manoeuvres sees the female roll over whilst flying to allow the male to pass her a 'gift bird' in mid-air.
Erin McDaid of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said: "When we launched the camera last year we expected it to be popular but we were taken aback by the sheer volume of viewers and the wonderful level of feedback we received. We had people from far and wide keeping an eye on the nest as the chicks developed and we even had one school teacher who found that when her class were viewing the chicks on camera the children remained absolutely silent for fear of waking the chicks!"
As well as the new camera, experts from Nottingham Trent University and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust will be providing more information about the activities in the nest through a regular blog.
Grant Anderson added: "By working with the Wildlife Trust again this year we hope to provide people with much more information about what people are actually viewing in the nest through a regular commentary on the birds' behaviour and we also hope to answer many of the questions raised by the viewing public. We very much hope that the improvements to both the camera and the information we plan to provide will make the webcam project even more popular and a more effective educational resource."
Over the past five years 16 peregrine chicks have been raised at the nest site but until last year the exact location of the nest had been kept something of a secret due to the threat posed by egg collectors and disturbance. However, following improvements to the security of the site and the installation of a high quality camera to provide 24hr surveillance, the location was made public.
In addition to the popularity of the webcam, the Wildlife Trust's Wildlife in the City Team and volunteers from Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers also held a number of successful Peregrine Watch at street level. It is anticipated that more events will take place in the Spring.
View the special peregrine cameras.
Notes to editors:
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, a Registered Charity, manages over 70 Nature Reserves throughout the County of Nottinghamshire. It advises Local Authorities, community groups and landowners on nature conservation issues, and makes a major input into decision making on planning matters and other issues.
The Trust is part of a nation-wide network of local Trusts which work to protect wildlife in town and country - The Wildlife Trusts. The Wildlife Trusts now has almost 800,000 supporters.
Wildlife in the City is a three-year partnership with Nottingham City Council, which aims to reconnect urban communities with local green spaces. The project will focus on ten key sites around the city, encouraging residents to get outdoors to engage with and learn more about the wildlife on their doorstep. For further details visit the Wildlife in the City website.
Nottingham Trent University is one of the largest and most popular Universities in the UK. It is also ranked amongst the UK's greenest universities in the Green League for its environmental commitment. Current and future threats to the environment are a major concern of students and staff and the University seeks to develop positive solutions for these environmental challenges through its curricula, research, the way it works and how it manages its resources.
