Falcon cameras set to delight bird lovers

A Peregrine Falcon providing a spectactular sight at Rochdale Town Hall

Bird lovers can again enjoy a bird’s eye view of peregrine falcons nesting at Rochdale Town Hall’s world famous clock tower. 

Footage of the beautiful birds will be live-streamed on the council website; providing spectacular images of the falcons from the top of the Grade I-listed building. 

http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/features/Pages/peregrine-falcons-in-rochdale.aspx

In 2017 thousands of people from around the UK and beyond followed the dramatic fortunes of the birds on the specially designed webcam. 

To add further interest, there will another ‘name the chick’ competition involving schools across the borough. 

Four young falcons hatched last year and judges chose from hundreds of suggestions to name the chicks ‘Millennium Falcon’, ‘Freddie’, ‘El Superfasto’ and ‘Perrie’. All the birds survived – despite a life-threatening fall from the next box for one of the young birds - and are reported to be thriving. 

Falcons have nested at Rochdale Town Hall for more than a decade and are regularly seen soaring above the town centre as they hunt for food. 

In a further boost, the council’s award-winning Revealing the Roch project has been praised for renaturalisng the river and helping to bring a range of wildlife back to Rochdale town centre. 

Judith Smith, of the Manchester Raptor Group, said: “This is wonderful initiative by the council and I am enthralled that for the second year running nature lovers will be able to follow the fortunes of the falcons. 

“Last year we had plenty of drama, including one chick falling out of the nest. It survived to tell the tale and I am sure there will be plenty more thrills, but hopefully not spills, this time around.”