THE PEREGRINE FALCON (F.p.peregrinus) IN SUSSEX

The first 50 years of comprehensive Sussex peregrine records, 1904-54, were recorded in the literature of John Walpole-Bond. Walpole-Bond primarily concentrated his efforts on breeding peregrines inhabiting the coastal chalk cliffs between Brighton and Eastbourne, peregrines were seen and no doubt bred inland but the birds were apparently heavily persecuted during this period and records of success are scarce. Between 1954 and 1957 evidence shows that, although peregrines were observed, confirmed breeding was rarely recorded and it would seem that the one documented success for 1957 (AEG) was the last authenticated breeding record for the county until 1990. Between 1957-1989 no breeding attempts were recorded in the county and initially very few sightings were either, although they gradually increased over the period, particularly in the 1980’s; the 30-year absence of breeding has been attributed to the direct effects of organo-chlorine chemicals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sussex Peregrine Study was originally established by Bart Atfield and Jon Franklin. Together with a small group of dedicated enthusiasts, Sussex Peregrine Study has been monitoring the peregrine population since the late 1980’s.

Since 1990 when the first new productive nesting site was recorded, Sussex Peregrine Study has documented the post pesticide recovery of breeding pairs in Sussex, collecting data on territory occupation and reproductive statistics. In the 13 years to 2003 all the available ancestral territories documented by John Walpole-Bond became reoccupied, and as the population in the area continues to grow, Sussex Peregine Study has recorded unprecedented expansion into inland sites that was never achieved in the previous 100 years.