Petition launched to save peregrine falcons

Petition launched to save peregrine falcons

A petition has been launched to help stop a peregrine falcon nest box from being taken down from the tallest building in Sussex – the aptly named Sussex Heights in Brighton.

Sussex Heights has been home to a number of breeding pairs of peregrine falcons since the mid 1990s and a nest box was put there in 1998 and has been used yearly by the birds ever since.

At the time of writing 672 people have added their names to the petition, which was started one week ago in response to news that maintenance work could mean the removal of the nesting box.

via Brighton News, Reviews and Comment: Petition launched to save peregrine falcons.

Argus report

Falcons could be evicted from their Brighton home
By Ruth Lumley »

A peregrine falcon nest box could be removed from the tallest building in Sussex so maintenance work can take place.

But residents living in Sussex Heights, Brighton, are upset and claim they have never been consulted about the plans.

A petition has been set up to save the nesting box which was put onto the roof of the building by Graham Roberts from the Sussex Ornithological Society in 1998 to help protect the nests.

Sussex Heights has been home to a number of breeding pairs of urban peregrine falcons since the mid-1990s. There has only been one year when they have not nested on Sussex Heights.

Resident Allan Sayers said the board of directors from Sussex Heights Ltd claimed they had discussed the situation with the residents but he says no discussions have taken place.

The nest box, which has a webcam, allows an insight into the life of the peregrine falcons and how they bring up their young. Last year it was watched 125,000 times.

via The Argus
Petition at PetitionStop

Slightly different story in print:
argus

BBC south east today interview

Peregrine Falcons investigation by BBC from Tom Coady on Vimeo.

Katherine Downes, journalist of BBC South East Today looking at the story of the Sussex Heights Peregrines – that their nestbox may be removed while maintenance work is carried out on the roof. This means the peregrines may be forced to nest elsewhere this year, and residents are angry about that.

BBC version:

South East Today 20100120 1827 from Tom Coady on Vimeo.

Youtube version

Hilton dishonours its promises

Background: on February 26 the hotel met local councillors and officials where

“It was made very clear to the hotel that loading (where possible and practical) should take place within the loading hall, and at the very least, within the loading bay doors. The hotel have agreed to make this point much clearer on their code of conduct so production crews can be reasonably without doubt of what is expected of them. The hotel have been (and agreed to continue) actively monitoring this situation.”

Less than a fortnight later the Hilton is back on form:

RIMG0150RIMG0152RIMG0147RIMG0149

Local champion, John Clinton, who took these pictures wrote:

“I cannot express adequately how angry I was to-day over the chaos in St. Margarets Place.  The whole street was gridlocked with vehicles, lorries, vans and cars parked on both sides of the street, the pavement and with more vehicles attempting to enter the street.  What is the point of having meetings with you and the council, to make false promises and even to suggest more meetings when the problem is within your control.  Pedestrians have to walk in the street to avoid vehicles and those in wheelchairs, yes there are some in Sussex Heights, have to run the gauntlet of vehicles parked , moving and dodge exhibition personnel moving goods on trolleys.  It is intolerable.  Parking attendants have no control issuing one or two tickets to vehicles that are too big for the council to move and remain where they are for the duration blocking the street.The so called security personnel, evident in their red jerseys perform no function of value.  Their sole duty they say is to ensure vehicles back into the halls in safety.  Nothing else, their words.   The Code of Conduct, if they read it is dismissed.  It cannot be in your interests, the interests of the vehicle drivers, the companies that send them here and the  council to be party to this chaos.  The mismanagement of resources is staggering.  I would have thought The adverse publicity this generates for someone in the hospitality business to be of major concern.   Is it worth it?   Even as I write, the time is 9 o’clock in the evening vehicles are parked on the street loading and clattering around.It is you and you alone who can control thesee excesses.  Only by taking control, appointing strong management issued with a meaningful and robust policy can things improve.  The cost?  Not much!  You employ the security personnel, teach them what is required in controlling vehicle movements, not to allow more vehicles than the halls can accommodate, be sensitive to residents needs and to clear up after them.  Who pays?  The exhibition organisers, they already do!  The benefits?  Well you can see those yourself?”

I have to doff my cap to John who is single handedly taking on the arrogant management of the hotel that has a track record of bad neighbourliness.

Another resident writes:

To date the residents have followed every reasonable means ofattempting to bring the problem to your attention, to seek dialogueand and a mutually satisfactory solution. However, the initiative hasbeen entirely one-way and in return we receive platitudes,obfuscation, meetings and patronising condescention that achievesabsolutely nothing. Tactically, it is an interesting position in thatthe Metropole continues to do whatever it likes, offers mixedapologies after the fact and totally ignores the problem. As I havesaid before, this is a not-so-subtle form of corporate bullying anddoes nothing to  promote the integrity of the organise you represent.


IMGP0948IMGP0942IMGP0949IMGP0951IMGP0944