Not abstract nor cubist, just awe inspiring
It's started. Our Aren't birds brilliant! Tate peregrine watch is underway. The birds are using the Tate Modern's chimney again as their favourite daytime perch. The female and male sit there watching us, watching them.
From the ground they're a couple of grey smudges, sitting about 90 metres up on the front face of the chimney on some ledges created by raised brickwork. It's not quite the top. If it gets too windy or too hot they'll hop around the side to seek shelter.
The female's a bit bigger than the male, about a third bigger and heavier. It's this extra weight that gives her the advantage when diving on prey.
There are a variety of top speeds quoted for peregrines but everyone's agreed they are the world's fastest living creatures. They can achieve speeds of 200 mph when diving or "stooping" on prey, but a speedy 160 mph is more usual. It's no surprise to discover that the impact of being snatched from the air by a bird travelling at that sort of speed is enough to instantly kill the prey.
So what's so interesting and important about these birds? Well pardon my language but they're just bloody stunning! They remind me there was a time when people didn't have such an impact on the planet and shared it more equitably with creatures like this. The fascination and awe is more than the mere sight of their pointy wings, hooked yellow beak and yellow feet ending in sharp talons. It's not just about their grey banded feathers and powerful muscles. Nor is it the special baffles in their nostrils that allow them to breathe when diving at top speed or the fact they can spot lunch (usually a pigeon) a mile and half away. They embody raw power but in a casual way that only a wild creature at the top of the food chain can.
Peregrines are now amber listed, which means we're worried about their future but not as much as some other species. We almost wiped them out through using the pesticide DDT and a Ministry of Defence policy of shooting them to protect messenger pigeons during the war years. DDT got in to the food chain and affected peregrine's eggs, which hit breeding success. After a serious low in the 1960's the population has steadily increased but London and the Southeast were struggling. Our history with the peregrine dates backs hundreds of years. They were prized hunting birds, kept by Royalty and you'll often see peregrine imagery in coats of arms.
Traditionally they nested on ledges on cliff faces. Then they colonised the steep sides of our old quarries. Now, more and more of them are moving in to urban settings. They are protected by law and in fact our Tate peregrines forced the organisers of a classical concert to postpone a planned firework extravangaza because it would have disturbed them on their nest!
Come and visit us outside the Tate Modern, next to the Millennium Bridge on the southbank, any day until 14 September from noon until 7 pm to find out more about peregrines and our Birds of Prey campaign. The birds, Misty and Bert, are regular visitors to the chimney, but even if they're not there we have some video footage of peregrines with their chicks. We can't guarantee you'll see Misty or Bert in the flesh, or should that be feathers. They are wild birds and I'm delighted to say we now have six breeding pairs of them in Greater London. We want to find out more about them all so if you've been lucky enough to have encountered them, come and tell us.
On Friday 8 August at 1 pm you'll also have the chance to meet David Lindo, the Urban Birder and presenter on BBC1's The One Show. He's been fascinated by peregrines since an early age and will be on hand to chat and explain just what it is about birds that hooked his interest.