Working with rare raptors
As a bird specialist and tree safety expert, my work includes facilitating tech and safety for monitoring some special rare raptors here in the UK.
RSPB Loch Garten live camera screenshot.
Working in bird conservation provides the perfect mix of working in fabulous forests, playing a key role in taking responsibility for team safety and managing all kinds of technical climbing challenges. And of course at times sharing cherished moments with some of the truly amazing wildlife living alongside us here in the UK.
Study of our wildlife is key to understand the many factors required to inform vital conservation management and over the last decade I’ve assisted on projects for both golden and white tailed eagles, hobby and peregrine falcon, goshawk, hen harrier, osprey, and barn owl, plus many other more common species too.
“Technical competence is paramount when performing rope access techniques in your working environment”
One part of these studies requires taking measurements of the young birds in the nest before they are fully grown. Accessing these nests can involve using technical industrial and arborist equipment since the birds may have chosen a site more than 30m up in a tree or part the way down a sheer cliff. Only highly skilled and trained rope access personnel carrying the appropriate licences are allowed to do this as a safe and smooth minimises approach reduces the risk to both the climber, and to the very birds we are all so passionate about. Often hard and physical, work at height when the sun is shining is incredibly rewarding and altogether a very pleasant job. Inclement weather can make the task pretty tough and its then all the training is so critical as complex rigging and manoeuvres combined with managing risk takes your full concentration.
Cleaning the famous Loch Garten osprey nest camera.
I enjoy working with other specialists and experts in the field and the responsibility of looking after their safety. The preparation for these jobs often begins long before going into the field, with small mountains of paperwork work behind the scenes for arranging access, completing detailed risk assessments and method statements, as well as procuring and maintaining the appropriate equipment for each job.
One of the specialists I really value working with is Wildlife Windows. If you don’t already know, Wildlife Windows are the masterminds behind so many of the best live wildlife cams in the UK such as at Loch Garten, so it’s been a treat to join them on several of their more northerly jobs. From assisting with eagle camera installs to cleaning the iconic Loch Garten osprey camera (above), the many and varied jobs take you to all kinds of wild corners including the SSSI Scots pine forests in the heart of Scotland.
Rope access techniques are used in a wide range of repair, maintenance, installation and inspection and are perfect for safe access of buildings and cliffs as well as large trees. In 2024 I took a team to assist with the access for the Glasgow Peregrine Project and we look forward to returning later this spring.
“His professionalism ensured the safety of the team and the peregrine chicks. All of us on the Glasgow Peregrine Project team are indebted to Tim for all his efforts.”
Our role was to abseil off the University of Glasgow’s tower to collect the large chicks for a short journey up the sheer side of the building to a safe ledge where peregrine expert George Smith could carry out ringing, and taking DNA swabs to establish genetic fingerprinting as an aid to preventing bird crime. We watched the proceedings whilst taking in the tremendous views (see Sophie below) and soon as they were done, we abseiled back down the face to return four fine young falcons to their nest. It really is such a privilege to work so closely with these amazing birds, with all the work is carried out under the appropriate licenses for these protected birds of prey.
Taking a breather between abseils from probably the best viewpoint in Glasgow!
Hobby monitoring in Wareham Forest FE
Three healthy chicks safely back in their nest.
One species closest to my heart is the fabulous falcon is the Hobby. Each year, with the Dorset Raptor Study Group (DRSG) we monitor sites across the county, focussing in particular on areas of heath and forest mosaics full of diverse wildlife from incredible arachnids to beautiful birds, all managed by Forestry England (FE). Working in partnership with the forest managers allows us to help in the conservation of specialist species like Hobby with our data informing forest management, thereby allowing this wonderful species to thrive in the bogland and forests it calls home. As one of our rarer falcons, understanding its population status and habitat needs are key to ensuring we provide the best possible protection for this amazing species.
“We are lucky to have some incredibly dedicated volunteers that give up a huge amount of their own time to help monitor many of the forests rare raptors.”
The bogs and mires are so biodiverse thanks to the wonderful regenerative conservation work at Wareham Forest, extensive re-wetting of the bogs and lowland mires which in turn creates habitat for the many dragonflies and insects that Hobby are so fond of feeding on. Watching Hobby hunting dragonflies, themselves expert fliers, is really something to behold and I could talk to you for hours about all the moments observed over the years including sheer stoops from 1000m up, flying in flying ant swarms and contour flights over the bogland complex.
Wareham Forest FE tree and heath complex with mires rich in dragonfly species.
Like all falcons, Hobbies don’t build their own nest, instead choosing the old, or recently vacated nest of other species such as carrion crows and ravens on their return from from central Africa every Spring. Often the used crow nests fall apart in winter storms and so before the birds return, we install artificial nests in the exact same spot. Partly this is a way to assist the monitoring of a highly elusive species and this can help us gather huge amounts of data from live cameras that allow us to analyse prey items, energy budgets and interesting behaviours throughout the breeding.
In late summer, we climb up to each nest to collect the chicks for ringing and taking biometrics. Using a wealth of expertise and knowledge, this is all conducted under special licence as Hobby are a Schedule 1 protected species (the same as golden eagles and barn owls). We are further specially trained and licensed by the BTO to handle birds with great care.
Clear communication is essential for safety
Plantation pine trees can reach up to over 30m.
To minimise time on site, often one of us will remain at height at the nest, sending the birds down in a special bag on a rope to the person blow, to take the biometrics (wing length, weight, approximate age), and fit each bird with both a unique light metal ring, and a 2-code letter Darvic ring. Unlike the totally unique metal ring, the Darvic can be read from a distance as shown by photographer Mark Wright and also on our live cameras. Our work on this species has featured on TV and for several years we have managed to share a live stream from a wild nest cam, see some of the previous years’ live camera action here.
Dorset Live Hobby nest cam with Wildlife Windows and DRSG
Now it is mid-April and the first Hobbies have already arrived and so the cycle begins once more. In the meantime, my other big passion is for ravens. Ravens are among our earliest breeders in the year and in Dorset, ravens are nearly ready to fly the nest already! Here in Scotland they are a little later with chicks around two weeks old. This species is fascinating and ravens teach me something new every day, they deserve a blog all of their own so look out for this coming soon. Thanks for reading and do get in contact if you have any questions or are interested engaging with our expertise.
Young ravens in their nest high in a Scots pine.
Scots pine tree, Dorset.
