Join us for a short walk to look for our fabulous Leeds Peregrine Falcons - the fastest animal on the planet! This is the second year that these amazing wild birds have had success breeding on the Parkinson Tower at the University of Leeds. Four youngsters are currently on the nesting ledge and are expected to fledge any day now.
The walk will begin in the vicinity of the University of Leeds and will last for about an hour. We'll explore the neighbourhood and seek out the Falcons. With luck, we should have some good views, although of course they are wild birds and we can't guarantee success. The walk will be led by Paul (@leedsbirder) and Les (@uolperegrine) who have followed the Peregrines for several years and will relay some stories about watching, ringing and even rescuing one of the birds once they had fledged! We know the birds favoured perches and have telescopes that you will be able to view the Falcons with. You are welcome to bring your own optics and cameras if you wish, but it's not necessary if you don't have any.
The walk is free to attend but we will be collecting donations for two important bird of prey charities: the fabulous Ryedale Wildlife Rehabilitation run by the tireless Jean Thorpe who rescues and rehabilitates injured birds of prey, and Birders Against Wildlife Crime, who campaign against the illegal persecution of birds of prey in this country. The suggested donation is a minimum of £5 per person - but please dig deep! North Yorkshire is sadly the worst county in the country for raptor persecution and we need to do something about it! In the uplands our Peregrines, Hen Harriers and other birds of prey are illegally shot or poisoned by gamekeepers. Last year, with your help, we raised an incredible £180.
Children are welcome on the walk, but note that there may be periods of waiting around for Peregrine action (and there may be views of Peregrines eating prey) so it may not suit young kids. There are some busy roads in the vicinity so caution is required at all times and your safety is your responsibility. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. No dogs. Parking is possible both on the street and paid for at the University - it is your responsibility to park safely and legally. Alternatively it is about 20 minutes walk from Leeds train station - a much better way to travel! Please arrive in good time!
We are aiming to time the walks for the period immediately after the young birds have fledged to maximise the opportunities to get good views of the stunning juveniles. But if they fledge early or late, we may have to rearrange or postpone the walks at short notice. So please be prepared for this to happen, and check your email before setting off for the walk.
Places are strictly limited and *must* be booked in advance.
If you would like to come along, please email:
...and include the following details:
- your full name
- mobile phone number
- number of places you would like to book (max 4)
- the day you would like to book.
We are currently advertising the following dates, but as noted above, there may be last minute changes depending on the birds and the weather!:
- Sunday 9th June, 1400 (FULLY BOOKED)
- Monday 10th June, 1830 (FULLY BOOKED)
- Tuesday 11th June, 1830 (FULLY BOOKED)
We will give you directions to the meeting point and confirm your place on the walk.
Paul and Les