Latest news with #ChrisGreenwood
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Peregrine falcons return to city nesting spot
Birdwatchers have expressed delight at the return of a pair of peregrine falcons to an inner city nest in Sheffield where four eggs have been laid in the past week. The birds use an artificial platform at St George's Church on Mappin Street, which was installed in 2012 by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Bird Study Group to create an urban nesting space. The first egg of the year was laid on 17 March by a female who has been nesting at the site since 2020. The church, currently used as a university lecture hall, has seen 34 chicks fledge successfully, with 40,000 viewers tuning into a 24-hour livestream of the nest every year to watch them grow. Chris Greenwood, a trustee at the Sheffield Bird Study Group said: "It's fantastic to have such an iconic species in such an accessible place for humans to appreciate. "There's an opportunity to come down and look in person with a pair of binoculars, or watch them on the webcams, and I think that's a great way of engaging people with nature." The peregrine population in the UK hit a low point in the 1960s due to human persecution and the impact of pesticides in the food chain, according to the RSPB. However, improved legislation and protection has helped the birds to recover and they have now expanded into many urban areas. While peregrines historically live on cliffs , the church's height makes the spot an ideal nesting place. Eighteen-year-old zoology student Freya Dunbar-Simms, who chose to study at the University of Sheffield after spotting the peregrines during an open day last year, has been enlisted to help monitor the nest. She said: "I'll be coming down whenever I can after lectures to watch them in person. "I think it's just so important to help protect them and research them, so it's great to be able to get involved." The eggs are expected to hatch by the end of April, after which experts from the group will scale the church to ring the chicks and record their measurements, aiding scientific research into the birds. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Sheffield Bird Study Group Sheffield Peregrines University welcomes three new Peregrine chicks Conservation group launches birds of prey project
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Peregrine falcons return to Sheffield city centre nest
Birdwatchers have expressed delight at the return of a pair of peregrine falcons to an inner city nest in Sheffield where four eggs have been laid in the past birds use an artificial platform at St George's Church on Mappin Street, which was installed in 2012 by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Bird Study Group to create an urban nesting first egg of the year was laid on 17 March by a female who has been nesting at the site since church, currently used as a university lecture hall, has seen 34 chicks fledge successfully, with 40,000 viewers tuning into a 24-hour livestream of the nest every year to watch them grow. Chris Greenwood, a trustee at the Sheffield Bird Study Group said: "It's fantastic to have such an iconic species in such an accessible place for humans to appreciate."There's an opportunity to come down and look in person with a pair of binoculars, or watch them on the webcams, and I think that's a great way of engaging people with nature." The peregrine population in the UK hit a low point in the 1960s due to human persecution and the impact of pesticides in the food chain, according to the improved legislation and protection has helped the birds to recover and they have now expanded into many urban peregrines historically live on cliffs , the church's height makes the spot an ideal nesting zoology student Freya Dunbar-Simms, who chose to study at the University of Sheffield after spotting the peregrines during an open day last year, has been enlisted to help monitor the said: "I'll be coming down whenever I can after lectures to watch them in person."I think it's just so important to help protect them and research them, so it's great to be able to get involved."The eggs are expected to hatch by the end of April, after which experts from the group will scale the church to ring the chicks and record their measurements, aiding scientific research into the birds. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Scottish film locations featured in One Day, Avengers surge in popularity
Travellers have visited heritage attractions across Scotland in record numbers after the sites featured in major movie productions. Data compiled by the Moffat Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) revealed a 3.9 per cent increase in visitors to attractions in 2024, with a total of 49,708,483. Edinburgh Castle, a prominent backdrop in Netflix 's version of One Day, maintained its position as Scotland 's most frequented paid attraction. Visitor numbers climbed by four per cent to an impressive 1,981,152. Other historical sites also witnessed significant growth. Culloden Visitor Centre saw a remarkable 42.8 per cent increase in visitors, reaching 374,443, while Stirling Castle experienced a 14.8 per cent rise, welcoming 594,938 visitors, with both attractions charging for admission. The free admission St Giles' Cathedral, which featured in Avengers: Infinity War, Frankenstein and Fast & Furious 9, saw visitor numbers rise 18.3 per cent increase, to 1,742,147 in 2024. Chris Greenwood, senior research fellow at the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: 'Heritage and culture are a major attraction among our international visitors with castles, heritage centres and historic sites all performing well. 'Many of Scotland's heritage sites are used as filming locations which encourages visitors to undertake 'set-jetting' trips to experience their favourite film and television productions, such as Outlander. 'Growth in free attractions demonstrates the ongoing cost-consciousness among domestic visitors. 'Domestic audiences have been increasingly looking for free attractions and activities, shorter lengths of breaks and things closer to home.' The National Museum of Scotland remained the number one free attraction with numbers increasing 5.9 per cent to 2,314,974. Among other free attractions The Burrell Collection in Glasgow recorded 555,888 visits, an increase of 11.6 per cent, while the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh saw an 8.9 per cent increase to 1,999,196. Michael Golding, chief executive of the ASVA, said: 'The success of Scottish attractions is underpinned by a resolute commitment to providing high-quality experiences that captivate and inspire visitors. 'The continued rise in visitor numbers, particularly at heritage sites and filming locations, highlights the power of authentic and immersive storytelling in attracting visitors.' The overall number of visitors to paid-for attractions increased 2.4 per cent to 17,849,139. There were 31,859,344 visits to free attractions in 2024, up 4.8 per cent on the previous year. Scotland's business minister Richard Lochhead MSP said: 'These figures hammer home the strength and breadth of Scotland's tourism sector. 'I'm pleased that so many of the country's much-loved attractions continue to attract more and more people through their doors. 'This is testament to the dedication of the thousands of people that work hard to create memorable experiences and showcase the best of Scotland's history and culture to people worldwide. 'We will continue to work hand in hand with the sector to continue this upwards trend. In the Scottish Budget, we've allocated an additional £2 million to VisitScotland to help spearhead growth, benefiting attractions and businesses.'
