30/05/18 - York Minster Peregrines

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.