Hello and welcome to the first peregrine blog for 2013. We’ve had a very busy few weeks here at the Falls of Clyde from refurbishing the visitor centre to condemned caravans and mice chewed CCTV cables but somewhere in between we’ve managed to find time check in on our resident pair of Peregrine Falcons.  I’m Adam, the new Peregrine Ranger for this season and along with the ranger team and dedicated volunteers, I will be based at the peregrine watch point from 10am – 8am every day from now until July. I will also be bringing you regular updates on the peregrines’ progress on here and on Twitter –  @TheFallsOfClyde.

The watch site is similar to previous years but with a few shiny new additions. The biggest improvement is the new webcam, which will provide fantastic views of the birds which you can tune into from the comfort of your home, although nothing beats the real thing.  There is also a special photography area offering an open space to allow easy access for camera equipment, with clear views of the birds’ favourite perches and their preferred nest site.

The pair has spent all winter on the reserve, hunting in surrounding area and they are both yet again looking fit for the coming season. Die hard fans of the blog will remember that by the this time last year the falcon was were already sitting on two eggs, but it looks like the cold weather has delayed this year’s breeding by at least a week. Courtship and copulation were rife this weekend and we are hoping to have an egg very soon.

So now that you know the watch site is open and we are ‘eggspecting’, I hope to see you all there very soon.

Adam Murphy – Peregrine Ranger