PLANET CASE STUDY

Environmental Stewardship

Peregrine falcons return to Mountsorrel Quarry

“We are delighted to know we have peregrine chicks at the quarry again this year. It is a privilege to see these beautiful birds flying around the rock faces and makes working here even more rewarding.”

Trevor Warren, works manager at the quarry

Mountsorrel Quarry sits at the heart of Charnwood’s historic granite quarrying communities. A nationally significant quarry, it supplies vital building materials to major construction projects locally and throughout the UK.

Ecological surveys of the site are regularly carried out by both the quarry team and specialist external consultants – not just to check on current species, but also to discuss planned enhancements.

Following the results of an ecological survey in 2021, it was confirmed that peregrine falcons are nesting within the walls at our Mountsorrel Quarry. The chicks were being fed by both parents, who could be seen hunting in and around the quarry on a regular basis.

Peregrine falcons have been sighted at the quarry since at least 1989, successfully raising chicks and boosting the peregrine population. The quarry has provided the birds with sanctuary over the years, and is also home to at least 14 other species of birds.

In the UK, the birds are usually found in the uplands of the north and west and rocky seacoasts. There numbers decreased dramatically in the 1960s due to human persecution and the impact of pesticides in the food chain. Improved legislation and protection have helped the birds to recover, however they remain a schedule 1 listed species under The Wildlife and Countryside Act.