Hospital birds on film
Ealing Hospital’s resident peregrine falcons have found their way onto film after an eventful year which saw the birth of three babies.
Ealing Wildlife Fund installed a camera on the roof with the support of Ealing Council and the hospital trust to follow the family’s progress until the young ones flew the nest in search of a home of their own.
The high-living family live on a top floor window ledge on the north-eastern corner of the building after falcons Freddy and Dusty decided to make it their home
Ealing Wildlife Group (EWG) have been keeping an eagle eye on developments with local vet Sean McCormack given special permission to access the building’s roof.
“Peregrines are highly territorial and mate for life so it is great they have settled here. Their nearest neighbours are in Southall with a further pair west in Brentford.”
Peregrines find tall buildings with largely inaccessible roof space an ideal home along with a ready supply of food in the shape of London’s pigeon and parakeet population.
Pippa Nightingale, CEO of LNWH Trust added: “It’s a pleasure having the peregrines on site. They are local celebrities now and you can often hear them calling to one another above the hospital entrance.
“We all hope they produce a new brood next year and I would like to thank Ealing Wildlife Group for their ongoing enthusiasm and support.”
EWG is involved in a number of local conservation projects which includes the proposed reintroduction of beavers to the UK with the group applying for a license for a controlled enclosure trail at Paradise Fields in North Greenford.