PEREGRINE falcons nesting in Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are a real crowd puller – and that’s official.

A free Falcon Watch has been run for the last six years by the RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) during the summer so people can follow the magnificent birds through high-powered telescopes – and it has just had its 100,000th visitor.

Alison Wright from Otley said: “What a fantastic surprise to be the 100,000th visitor to this. My father was secretary to the local RSPB Group and so it is really pleasing to be able to continue the family interest in birds by visiting such a spectacular place as Malham and seeing the peregrines”

Alison was presented with a goody bag of presents – including a pair of binoculars, a gift voucher and a number of bird books by RSPB Information Officer Dave Freer as a memento of her visit.

Matthew Capper, RSPB People Engagement Officer said: “The Malham Peregrine Project is a great way to connect people with nature and we are pleased to have been able to give so many people the chance to see these amazing creatures up close and to learn about their spectacular lifestyles in such an awe-inspiring setting.”

Ian Court, the YDNPA’s Wildlife Conservation Officer, said: “I suspect a large proportion of those 100,000 visitors had no idea that they were likely to see the fastest creature on the planet when they set out from Malham village for a walk to the cove. I wonder how many people’s days 'we made' giving them that fantastic surprise?”

There was more good news from the Cove as only an hour before the 100,000th visitor arrived; the wardens had their first sighting of four chicks as they begin to move about on the nesting ledge. The chicks are expected to become more mobile over the coming weeks and should be showing well for visitors as they begin to explore the nesting ledge.