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Peregrines and Ravens on Bolton Town Hall
I decided to visit Bolton town centre this morning to have a look at the Peregrines, which this past week appear to have settled on the nest tray on the Town Hall clock tower after all! (Not bothered by the clock chiming). Viewed through the telescope from Upper Bark St car park (about 1/4 mile away but on a slight rise so you can see the tray better than if you stand on Victoria Square) both Peregrines were on the nest tray and at one point appeared to be making a scrape in the gravel in the tray. Just after this, a Raven appeared and landed high up on the clock tower, by the two finials on the NE corner at the base of the dome. Both Peregrines took off and attacked it, but the Raven was tucked in between the finials. (On the photo of the clock tower, the nest is between the two finials at the base of the dome on the LH side) When I focused the scope on the finials I was amazed to see a substantial nest wedged between them (photo taken from the edge of Victoria Square on Oxford St). It's not possible to see into the nest (other than from a helicopter!) so we shall just have to wait and see if they have young. Eventually the Peregrines returned to the nest tray, and one was visible on the edge of the tray from Victoria Square when I left. Sorry about the poor quality of the photo as taken through the scope from Bark St into the sun.
In this area, Ravens have been proven to be dominant over Peregrines - I wrote it up for British Birds a couple of years ago - which is unusual, to say the least. Therefore it's a good thing we have the trays on Bolton Parish Church as well, in case the competition is too much for them. But at present the betting is on the Town Hall tray! Chris - it will be too late to put a camera up this year, unless you can do it from an adjoining overlooking building (??Paderborn House)
Judith Smith Saturday 29 March 2008
By the time you read this article a decision will have been made by the peregrines on which nest tray to use and if there are no eggs in the Parish Church trays, these will be removed and access will once be gained to the roof of the tower. However, if there are eggs then no access will be allowed until the chicks have fledged sometime towards the end of June early July.
On the website there is a photograph of a peregrine on the church, taken on the 2 February 2008.
Stephen J Mort |
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Peregrine falcon on the Town Hall
Photo: Judith Smith 29/03/2008 |
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Raven’s nest on the Town Hall
Photo: Judith Smith 29/03/2008 |
