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Finding the quarry

Peregrine falcons make their home on the steep walls of a Yorkshire quarry.

Amongst all the life that seems to be living in this quarry, high up on the walls are some very rare birds. One of the 90 different species of bird that live in this quarry is the peregrine falcon. They have made these inland cliffs their home for the past five years, noticed by some local volunteers and monitored ever since. Normally associated with rugged sea cliffs, it seems strange to see these birds in a location with so much human development and the noise of huge trucks to which they seem completely oblivious. When cameraman Gordon Buchanan arrives at the quarry, it seems uncertain whether the female is sitting on eggs or if the chicks have hatched. Following the male to see if he brings food back to the nest may be a way to solve this mystery. With other bird life living within the quarry the peregrines must protect their nest from potential predators. The male makes it clear to a nearby heron that he doesn't want him nearby and such fierce defence of his territory may point to chicks in his nest. Gordon needs to find a higher vantage point to solve the mystery of the chicks, and with a new camera position and a long lens, he's able to film conclusive proof that the eggs have hatched.

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4 minutes

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