Peregrine falcon chick in dramatic rescue at Torness Power Station

The chick, nicknamed Percy, was eager to take flight but his inexperience saw him fall to the road within the power station grounds and unable to take flight again.

Peregrine falcons have been taking advantage of the safe environment at EDF’s power station, near Dunbar, to nest and raise chicks for years.

In total, 53 chicks have fledged from the rooftop site in the past 24 years.

This year, a returning pair of peregrines have made the power station their home to raise a brood of three chicks.

Peregrines usually lay their eggs in late March or April, and chicks hatch around 30 days later.

It takes a further five weeks for chicks to fledge, with their parents teaching them to fly and hunt for a further two months.

EDF Energy’s Clare Galloway said: “When some of our people came across the chick it was clearly struggling to take flight again.

“They could not leave it on the road as it was at risk from moving vehicles. After checking it was uninjured, they took it back to the rooftop nest site to reunite it with the rest of the family.”

Since then, the peregrine, nicknamed Percy, has been making great progress and all three chicks have been spotted feeding and taking flight.

According to the RSPB, peregrines are comparatively rare and recent estimates by the Scottish Raptor Study Group indicate that around a quarter of peregrine nests in southern and eastern parts of Scotland are subject to interference and killing.

The grounds of the power station offer a safe haven for the birds, and have previously attracted birds from as far away as London, an unusually long journey for a peregrine falcon.

Jamie McKenzie, acting station director, added: “We have a rich variety of wildlife at Torness and it is wonderful to see the peregrines return year after year.

“We are used to following their progress but rarely do they experience such drama. I am glad the chick seems to be doing well after its adventure.”