'Fastest bird' breed on One YMCA building in Watford

The pair of peregrine falcons successfully bred on YMCA’s Charter House Hostel in Watford.

This is the first time chicks have been ringed in this location as specialist access support was required due to the peregrines nesting in an inaccessible area, with a wide void between the main roof and nesting ledge.

Rope access specialists, Urban Rope Access, were brought in to support the ringing efforts.

The team used ladders and ropes to cross the gap, secure the chicks, and rig a pulley system to safely deliver them to the licensed ringers waiting on the main roof.

Local birdwatcher David Denham spotted the two peregrines in Watford last year and Barry Trevis, a Herts Bird Ringer, contacted YMCA who were supportive of their plans to record the birds’ breeding progress and ring their chicks.

Mother peregrine with her chicks

Ringing birds allows experts to monitor survival and the dispersal and movements of the birds.

The pair were observed mating on the YMCA building in March 2021 and successfully hatched four chicks, with Barry ringing them three weeks later.

By mid-June the chicks were learning how to fly and have now fledged the nest completely. They will remain in the area until autumn when it is likely they will disperse, pair-up with other peregrines and eventually establish their own nest sites.

The original adult pair is likely to remain at the site and breed there in succeeding years.

The peregrine pair with their chicks

Barry Trevis said: “From my initial contact with One YMCA, the building managers have been extremely helpful in allowing access for me to identify the nesting site and monitor the peregrines’ breeding progress.

“This was helped by the installation of a webcam on the roof from which the development of the chicks could be recorded and observed remotely.

“To fit rings to the young birds’ legs, access to their isolated nest ledge needed to be organised in an effective way, to reduce disturbance for this specially protected species.

“It is hoped the ringed juvenile birds will be observed and reported from their own nest sites elsewhere when they become mature enough to breed themselves.”

A juvenile peregrine

Director of Urban Rope Access Calum Mallory said: “We were delighted to be asked to assist the ringing of the peregrine falcons.

“I have a keen interest in conservation so it was fantastic that Urban Rope Access could help in this way.

“The key to accessing the peregrines was careful planning and being as quick and undisruptive as possible while maintaining the highest of safety standards.

“The job went perfectly, and I’m thrilled to hear all of the birds have now successfully fledged.”

Head of marketing of One YMCA Donna Lawrie said: “At One YMCA we believe everyone should have a safe place to live and we can now apply this to the peregrine falcons.

“In our hostels and shared housing, we are used to seeing positive move-on and our youth work supports young people to a greater level of independence, so it was very interesting to be able to see the peregrine falcon family succeeding in the same way on the webcam donated by Express Telephony. We are looking forward to them returning again next year.”