THEY’RE used to high-fliers at the University of Birmingham – but two in particular are reaching new heights. They’re living at the top of the 110 metre-tall tower known locally as ‘Old Joe’.

A pair of peregrine falcons have been nesting on the iconic Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower – the tallest freestanding tower of its type in the UK – every year since 2013.

And, starting today, birders and wildlife lovers worldwide will be able to watch the birdies thanks to a nestbox livestream on both the university website and YouTube, offering up close and personal coverage.

The stream will run whilst the falcons are nesting, and there are high hopes for a new generation because the Old Joe box currently contains four eggs lovingly cared for by the falcons.

During the nesting season, maintenance work on the clock at the top of the campanile takes a four-month break to allow the birds – one of only 1,800 pairs estimated to live in the UK – some peace and quiet.

In the wild, peregrines favour high vantage points such as cliffs and rocky outcrops, where they can settle into a sheltered spot on the rocks and make a depression in the gravel, so Old Joe is the perfect choice for the urban Birmingham birds.

“The livestream will give people a chance to see peregrine falcon behaviour up close, from hunting and eating their prey, to nesting, incubating their eggs and hopefully the successful hatching and fledging of chicks,” says Zoe Hurley, Head of Sustainability.

“It is wonderful that people will be able to learn more about these beautiful and protected birds, without disturbing them.”

You can learn more about the Brummie birds on the University of Birmingham website.

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