Peregrine falcons nesting in town's tallest building

One of the tallest buildings in Kent is home to a pair of peregrine falcons, with a new nesting box for them to lay eggs in.

The birds of prey, which often live along rocky coastlines, are now nesting on the roof of Arlington House in Margate.

"They see this huge building as a giant cliff face," says Thanet environmentalist Nik Mitchell.

"The peregrines use the high vantage point to swoop down on their prey of pigeons and other small birds before bringing them back up top to devour."

Mitchell first noticed the birds of prey swooping overhead when he was attending an outdoor music concert at nearby Dreamland.

He gained special permission from the 18-storey building's leaseholders, Freshwater Group of Companies, to have access to the roof space where he saw evidence that the peregrines had made it their home.

"There were feathers from smaller birds everywhere, which were clearly their dinner," Mitchell said.

"Unfortunately there were also eggs which had not survived full gestation due to it being too exposed and damp up there."

The environmentalist from Ramsgate has built a sheltered nesting box specifically designed for the peregrines to lay eggs and raise young.

He said the box had a gravel base to help drainage and keep the chill off the eggs and had an open front to prevent other birds making it their home.

"I've also made the box in a Brutalist design to to complement Arlington's," added Mitchell.

It is hoped that the nesting box provides suitable conditions for the birds to raise a family with access to the building's roof limited from March until late summer.

"These birds are very territorial so if they are successful and chicks survive to adulthood, I'll have to put up nesting boxes for them in other tall buildings in the area," Mitchell said.

According to the RSPB, peregrines are the UK's largest falcon and can reach dive speeds of 200mph (321 km/h) when hunting.

They were at a low point in the 1960s due to human persecution and the impact of pesticides in the food chain but improved legislation and protection has helped the birds to recover and they have now expanded into many urban areas.

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