Urban birdlife and where to go

If you visit the cathedral to look at the peregrines, keep an eye open for other birds and wildlife in the immediate area....there's usually plenty to be seen.
Grey wagtails are regularly present. Long tailed tits often flit through nearby trees and goldfinches can be heard and seen too along with blue tits, blackbirds, wrens, etc.
Overhead a range of birds may fly past. Herons, cormorants, gulls, mallards and canada geese are fairly frequent and swifts too in the summer, a species which falls prey to the falcons from time to time (we've found feathers under the tower to prove it).
Feral pigeons perch on and fly about the tower, unbothered by the presence of the peregrines. The falcons pay little attention to other bird species close to them, though they have been seen to chase crows and even overflying buzzards and sparrowhawks.
The most unusual bird seen during last summer's watch points was a honey buzzard which flew north one day - this is a very rare bird in the county!
Other wildlife observed from the Green has included banded demoiselle damselflies drifting up from the river, the invasive harlequin ladybird and various common butterflies passing through.

ACCESS: For folk who don't know Derby, the best place to see the birds is from Cathedral Green, a grassy open space situated between the cathedral and the River Derwent to the East. Access is via Full Street though there is very little on-street parking.... so the best plan might be to go to The Assembly Rooms multi-storey car park at the South end of Full Street.
Incidentally, if you drive up to the top floor you get a good view of the cathedral tower's south and east sides even though you cannot get 'on the open roof' so to speak. This is an excellent way for people with disabilities to see the birds, if walking onto Cathedral Green is not an option. Last year, one disabled couple sat in their car up there for three hours watching procedings!
Incidentally, major redevelopment of the green is planned to take place this summer and our access to it seems likely to be denied. Negotiations are underway to see if we can find a way to be able to use a part of the green...but it could well be that the whole area is fenced off, possibly at the end of May. Watch this blog for further updates on this. If there are no birds on the tower, check out the tall aerial mast on the new police HQ in Chester Green, NE of the cathedral. View from Fox Street (among others). Currently, this is the only other perching site we know of.