Drone will find perfect nesting place for rare falcons at Media City

15.04.2022 - 17:33 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A drone is to be flown above Salford Quays to pinpoint the best place to install a nesting tray for peregrine falcons. It is hoped the move will help a pair who have tried to breed since 2017 have a family.

As reported in the Manchester Evening News their haunt is two tower blocks which bookend the BBC Studios - The Holiday Inn, known as The White Tower, and one opposite, known as The Blue Tower, which houses offices.

Their nest has been on the ledge of the Blue Tower on a far corner. Since 2019, the Manchester Raptor Group has been lobbying land and property giants Peel, who own both buildings for permission to install a device on one of the blocks to give them shelter which they believe would ensure the falcons were able to raise a family.

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But, although Peel has acknowledged it would be a 'fantastic project', bosses have far not been able to give the go-ahead. Both blocks are scheduled to have major works carried out on them in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy to replace cladding.

Work has started on the Holiday In, with scaffolding currently erected on one side. No work has commenced on the second tower. The Raptor Group had hoped a nesting tray, which they have had built would be in place by the end of February this year in time for the early spring breeding season. But issues with getting access to the outside of the towers meant the deadline was missed.

Judith Smith of the Manchester Raptor Group, and formerly Bird Recorder for Greater Manchester from 1992 to 2011, and Roy Ridings, regular falcon watcher at Salford Quays have been lobbying Peel to find a suitable location for the tray to be fitted. In August last year Peel