This morning we had the privilege of joining Jean on
her visit to York Minster to ring this year’s brood of four healthy Peregrine
chicks. Having been checked in by security and the Minsters own Police,
and armed with our risk assessments and rings, we climbed the 130 steps up the
spiral staircase inside the bell tower before moving over various ledges above
the city streets below, where we had an amazing birds eye (Peregrines eye) view
over the city. We quickly set about ringing the four chicks (two males and
two females), and most importantly added darvics (orange colour-rings with three black
letters), whilst the adults flew overhead keeping a beady eye on us.
Hopefully
these colour-rings will allow local birdwatchers and visitors alike to find
about more about these amazing birds – how long they live, where they will
disperse to and where they may set up a territory of their own. Great
scientific data but also great to be able to further engage the Peregrines
story with more visitors to York and the Minster. We are extremely lucky here
in York to have world class-built heritage, such as the Minster and the Roman
Walls, but also the internationally important Lower Derwent Valley which partly
falls within the city boundaries at Wheldrake. What other city can boast
such a claim, something we are working hard at to make these links and their
benefits, more widely acknowledged. Many thanks as always to Jean for all
her great work and for the help, interest and enthusiasm from the Minster staff.
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