[A] viewpoint will open at Malham Cove on Thursday for people to watch Peregrine Falcons nesting in the wild.
The opening will mark the start of the 16th year of the hugely popular Malham Peregrine Project, a partnership between the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) and the RSPB.
The free public viewpoint is at the base of the Cove, where Information Assistants and a team of volunteers will be on hand to show people the birds through telescopes.
It will be open from 10:30 to 16:30 five days a week, from Thursday to Monday (closed Tues and Wed), from 29 March ‘til 30 July.
RSPB Area Manager Anthony Hills said: “We’re really excited about being back for the 16th year in a row. The viewpoint gives visitors an opportunity to see the fastest animal on the planet up close! Project staff and volunteers will be on hand with telescopes so we are hoping lots of people will come to see these impressive birds, as well as some of the other special wildlife that lives at Malham Cove.”
YDNPA’s Wildlife Conservation Officer Ian Court added: “During the course of the season we are hoping to welcome our 250,000th visitor to the viewpoint – a major milestone. When peregrines returned to Yorkshire and nested at the Cove in 1993, it was a huge moment for the National Park. These are spectacular birds to watch and a big draw.
“From a peregrines’ perspective, the Cove is a great place to nest. It provides a safe place to lay eggs and raise chicks, with a superb vantage point from which to spot prey. We look forward to welcoming people to the viewpoint and will all hope for another successful season.
“Please note that we have climbing restrictions in place for the season that have been agreed with the British Mountaineering Council. We have fenced off a small area of the top of the Cove to prevent unintentional disturbance; visitors can play their part by adhering to any on-site signage.”
There will be a weekly update on the Malham peregrines throughout the season on the Nature in the Dales Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/natureinthedales/
Follow the project on Twitter for regular updates: www.twitter.com/malhamperegrine
Information can also be found on the Park Authority website: http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/things-to-see-and-do/what-to-do-to-enjoy-wildlife/peregrine-falcons-at-malham-cove
MALHAM PEREGRINE FALCON FACT FILE
Malham Cove is one of the most successful peregrine nest sites in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with at least 59 young raised since a pair first nested in 1993.
The peregrine is the largest British breeding falcon. It is 38-48 cm long, and its wingspan is 95-110 cm. The female is considerably larger than the male. The upper parts are dark blue-grey, and the under parts are pale with fine, dark bars. The head has a black ‘hood’ with black moustache-like markings on the face. Juvenile birds are browner and heavily streaked below
Peregrines typically pair for several years and may live up to 10 years old – the oldest known wild peregrine was 17 years.
Both adult birds tend the young, which take their first flight after 5 or 6 weeks
Peregrines feed on medium sized birds, predominately pigeons, which they catch in high-speed aerial stoops – although more often than not they fail to make a kill.
When they go into their famous aerial stoop, peregrines have been recorded reaching speeds over 200 miles an hour, making them the fastest animal on the planet.
Peregrine numbers crashed in the 1960s due to the impact of pesticides and they have historically been persecuted by humans. Due to the ban on the use of certain pesticides and better legal protection, peregrines have now increased in numbers, to about 1,300 breeding pairs in the UK, although they do still suffer from persecution in parts of the country.
