Wild peregrine falcons thrive in new habitat at UK’s newly inaugurated Battersea Power Station

The peregrine falcon, which is the fastest bird in the world, are the dominant species of falcon in London. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station)
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The peregrine falcon, which is the fastest bird in the world, are the dominant species of falcon in London. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station)
The peregrine falcon, which is the fastest bird in the world, are the dominant species of falcon in London. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station)
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The peregrine falcon, which is the fastest bird in the world, are the dominant species of falcon in London. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station)
The peregrine falcon, which is the fastest bird in the world, are the dominant species of falcon in London. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station)
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The peregrine falcon, which is the fastest bird in the world, are the dominant species of falcon in London. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station)
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Updated 21 October 2022

Wild peregrine falcons thrive in new habitat at UK’s newly inaugurated Battersea Power Station

Wild peregrine falcons thrive in new habitat at UK’s newly inaugurated Battersea Power Station
  • The falcons, which are protected under British wildlife laws, are back in their preferred location after 9 years in a custom-built temporary nest while building work took place

LONDON: One of London’s most recognizable buildings, Battersea Power Station, is a favorite spot for peregrine falcons, which have bred 22 chicks there in the past 10 years.

“The peregrine falcon is a highly territorial and adaptable species, as demonstrated at Battersea Power Station, a major construction site since 2013,” David Morrison, a peregrine falcon urban consultant, told Arab News. “The birds have adapted to the changing landscape, and adjusted to all aspects of the works.”

Morrison, who also looks after other birds, including black redstarts was hired by BPS in 2000 to monitor the falcons, the fastest bird in the world, when they were first spotted nesting at the site. The developer working there at the time had to halt construction work until their chicks had hatched and left the nest, as their habitats are protected by UK law.




One of the UK capital’s most iconic buildings, the Battersea Power Station, officially opened on Oct. 14 as a public attraction celebrating the building’s illustrious past as a power station. (Supplied/John Sturrock)

“Peregrine falcons and black redstarts are Schedule 1 species and, as such, it is a criminal offense to disturb them while they are breeding,” said Morrison, who is a Schedule 1 license holder and regularly works with governing bodies to assist in breeding and management efforts.

“Adults and young at or near their nests fall under the highest protection given by UK Wildlife laws.”

Peregrine falcons are the dominant species of falcon in London as they are large, extremely fast and very aggressive, he added, and their numbers are at an all-time high. A national survey conducted in 2014 identified 1,505 breeding pairs in the UK, and the current figure is estimated to exceed 2,000 pairs.

 

 

At least 45 of those breeding pairs are in the English capital. Morrison monitors and assists 16 of them at various locations, including the Houses of Parliament, which is also undergoing construction and refurbishment work, and the Tate Modern art gallery.

“They prefer elaborate buildings with ledges and niches, especially for fledgling juveniles, with sufficient height to provide a buffer from any disturbance below,” he said.

Between 2013 and July this year, the falcons at BPS — which officially opened on Oct. 14 as a public attraction celebrating the building’s illustrious past as a power station — were housed in a temporary, purpose-built tower with a nesting box, where they thrived and fledged 20 juveniles.




In the UK, peregrine falcons are strictly protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and the Nature Conservation Acts and it is a criminal offense to disturb them while they are breeding. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station) 

“The Tower and the nest box offered breeding stability, a proper egg ‘scrape’ where eggs could not roll and, above all, protection from the elements, removing the risk of being washed out or flooded,” Morrison said.

“Their new permanent nest, integrated into the northeast wash tower of the power station, also offers complete protection (and) the pair have already shown that they favor it considerably.”

A “recovery plan” is also in place to help juvenile birds that get stuck on the ground during the crucial fledging phase.

Sarah Banham, head of communities and sustainability at the Battersea Power Station Development Company, said when developers began construction work in 2014 on the decommissioned Grade II listed coal-fired power station, which had been empty since the 1980s, they understood that to refurbish the site and get it ready for occupation, they had to move the peregrines safely.




The peregrine falcons, which have bred 22 chicks in the last 10 years, have been moved to their permanent location — a custom-built penthouse overlooking the River Thames. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station) 

“We built this new riverside penthouse for the peregrine falcons … It’s got a riverside terrace with a balcony so they can look out across the river, they have two front doors, and they’ve got the brickwork inside. I mean, it’s incredible,” she said.

Their new permanent habitat is easy to clean, to avoid contamination, she said, and there are plans to track the chicks that are born there next year after they leave the nest to see where they go.

The nesting site provides ideal hunting grounds for the birds as they can swoop down over the River Thames, or hunt from perches on chimneys or construction cranes in search of the other birds that are their prey, which can include sparrows, hawks and kestrels, though they live mainly on pigeons.

 

 

Banham said the falcons bond in pairs and there are only ever two adults in a nest at a time. When one dies, another bird will move in.

“Since I’ve been on the project, which is 16 years, we’ve had two females here and then I think the last male left about three years ago, so we’ve got a new, younger male who’s very good at hunting and they are now bonded,” she said.

The young father has a particular fondness for hunting the wild green parakeets that live in nearby Battersea Park, she added.




Their new permanent nest, integrated into the northeast wash tower of the power station, also offers complete protection. (Supplied/Battersea Power Station) 

 


Sudan’s speciality ‘bittersweet’ Ramadan drink

In Sudan, the brew is so identified with Ramadan that even the US embassy took to Twitter to promote its staff making it.
In Sudan, the brew is so identified with Ramadan that even the US embassy took to Twitter to promote its staff making it.
Updated 26 March 2023

Sudan’s speciality ‘bittersweet’ Ramadan drink

In Sudan, the brew is so identified with Ramadan that even the US embassy took to Twitter to promote its staff making it.
  • In Sudan, the arduously made “helo-murr,” which means “bittersweet,” is a drink synonymous with Ramadan
  • It can be found on almost every table across the northeast African country at the end of the day’s fast

OM ESHR, Sudan: As generations of Sudanese have done before her, Wissal Abdel Ghany crouched next to a fire to prepare a traditional drink, a thirst-quenching favorite enjoyed during the fasting month of Ramadan.
In Sudan, the arduously made “helo-murr,” which means “bittersweet,” is a drink synonymous with the Islamic holy month.
It can be found on almost every table across the northeast African country at the end of the day’s fast.
“Without it, our table feels empty,” said Abdel Ghany, wearing a bright orange headscarf.
She sat in a small room in the village of Om Eshr, on the outskirts of the capital Khartoum, which teemed with a small force of women busily scraping and spreading a mixture before serving the beverage in clear glasses.
The drink has satisfied thirsty fasters for decades and recipes are “inherited from our mothers and grandmothers,” the 43-year-old said.
Corn is harvested and left to dry in the sun before being ground and mixed with spices such as fenugreek, cumin or even hibiscus — Sudan’s other essential Ramadan beverage.
This mixture is then soaked in sugar and water for several days.
Abdel Ghany spread a layer of the thick brown paste over a grill plate above the coals of a wood fire, cooking it into a thin, leather-colored film.
The resulting crepe-like layer is then peeled away and stored — ready to be soaked in the final step to create the beloved drink.
Served as cold as possible, the drink is one of many ways that fasting Sudanese cool off, a significant challenge in one of the world’s hottest countries.
The daytime fasting month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Observant Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, after which they traditionally gather with family and friends to break their fast.
In Sudan, the brew is so identified with Ramadan that even the US embassy took to Twitter to promote its staff making it, with diplomats wielding wooden spoons over embers and sipping the amber liquid.
Abdel Ghany said preparing the drink is a collective effort, bringing “together our sisters and friends.”
“We make it together to share among ourselves,” she said.
In Sudan’s cities, she added, some people don’t make it themselves.
“But they still have to offer it for dinner, so they buy it ready-made,” she said.
For Abdel Ghany, the preparation of helo-murr and the holy month cannot be separated.
“All it takes is a whiff of the scent coming out of a home to know that Ramadan is here,” she said.


London’s Victoria & Albert Museum hosts ‘open iftar’ for hundreds

London’s Victoria & Albert Museum hosts ‘open iftar’ for hundreds
Updated 26 March 2023

London’s Victoria & Albert Museum hosts ‘open iftar’ for hundreds

London’s Victoria & Albert Museum hosts ‘open iftar’ for hundreds

DUBAI: More than 500 people flocked to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on Friday for an ‘Open Iftar’ event organized by the Ramadan Tent Project charity.

“Ramadan 2023 marks 10 phenomenal years of the Ramadan Tent Project and our signature Open Iftar events. Over the past nine years, our humble tent on a patch of green grew and grew, before it traveled to landmark locations,” the project said.

Similar events will take place this year at Shakespeare’s Globe theater, Wembley Stadium, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium and the Royal Albert Hall.

“The theme to mark our 10-year anniversary is ‘Belonging’. For the past decade we’ve connected and convened over half a million people from all backgrounds. Our passion in bridging between different communities is rooted in sharing our authentic selves with the world. 

“True belonging shouldn’t require you to change who you are – rather, it’s to celebrate who you are,” read an additional statement on the website.

Since 2013, the Open Iftar events have hosted more than 500,000 people across the UK at some of the country’s most iconic cultural spaces including Trafalgar Square, the BALTIC Museum, Bradford’s Centenary Square and Coventry Cathedral.
 


Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad strikes again with second custom look for Taylor Swift on ‘Eras’ tour 

Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad strikes again with second custom look for Taylor Swift on ‘Eras’ tour 
Updated 26 March 2023

Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad strikes again with second custom look for Taylor Swift on ‘Eras’ tour 

Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad strikes again with second custom look for Taylor Swift on ‘Eras’ tour 

DUBAI: After revealing that he designed US pop sensation Taylor Swift’s showstopping ballgown for the “The Eras Tour” just last week, Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad is back with yet another unique look for her latest stop in Las Vegas.  

The 33-year-old wore a shimmering dark blue outfit, with embellishment and fringe detailing, paired with knee-high boots. 

“@TaylorSwift wore for The Eras Tour Las Vegas Opening Night a custom #ZMCouture midnight blue crystal embellished bodysuit, overflowing with richly beaded fringes and a matching garter,” posted the label’s official Instagram account, sharing a picture of the glittering outfit.  

The Grammy Award-winning singer -- who kicked off her first trek in more than four years at Glendale, Arizona's State Farm Stadium last weekend -- belted out her top hits at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday in a three-hour show  that ran through hits from every era of her 17-year career. 

At the Glendale concert, Swift donned a custom-made gown by Murad in a peachy hue with starburst sequin work across the length of the creation.


Fashion lovers show off race-day attire at Dubai World Cup

Fashion lovers show off race-day attire at Dubai World Cup
Updated 26 March 2023

Fashion lovers show off race-day attire at Dubai World Cup

Fashion lovers show off race-day attire at Dubai World Cup
  • Saudi Arabia-based influencer Tamaraah Al-Gabbani paid tribute to the Kingdom’s upcoming smart city NEOM with an attention-grabbing headpiece
  • Tunisian model Rym Saidi showed off a red ensemble by Italian label Fendi

DUBAI: Fashion lovers from across the Middle East and beyond descended on the Dubai World Cup on Saturday to take in the horse races and show off their race-day attire.

Saudi Arabia-based influencer Tamaraah Al-Gabbani paid tribute to the Kingdom’s upcoming smart city NEOM with an attention-grabbing headpiece that was inspired by the architecture of the project.

She also showed off a dress by celebrity-loved Lebanese label Azzi & Osta.

“I have attended the #DubaiWorldCup for the majority of my life and I’m so happy to be back again. My hat this year is a heartfelt ode to Saudi Arabia’s project @discoverneom The Line and sustainability. Nazgul Nejmi, my hat designer has always been inspired by the architecture of exceptional developments, and given this year’s emphasis on being the year of sustainability, what better example than Neom’s The Line,” Al-Gabbani posted on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Tunisian model Rym Saidi showed off a red ensemble by Fendi, which celebrity stylist Cedric Haddad paired with a Virginie.O headpiece.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rym Saidi (@rymsaidi)


Georgina Rodriguez stars in advert for Saudi fragrance brand Laverne

Georgina Rodriguez stars in advert for Saudi fragrance brand Laverne
Updated 26 March 2023

Georgina Rodriguez stars in advert for Saudi fragrance brand Laverne

Georgina Rodriguez stars in advert for Saudi fragrance brand Laverne

DUBAI: Argentine model, and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-time partner, Georgina Rodriguez has collaborated with Saudi perfume label Laverne on a new campaign — and she answers candid questions about her time in the Kingdom in the new clip.

 Riyadh-based Rodriguez says “I feel very safe in this country and really appreciate its family values” in the stylish video posted on social media on Saturday.  

“I felt very happy to be able to connect with this heaven on Earth. The power and magic that is in the Saudi desert is incredible,” she said when asked her thoughts on visiting the country’s desert region earlier this year.

The model went on to share her excitement about experiencing Ramadan in Saudi Arabia in the advert that is promoting the label’s latest scent, Blue Laverne.

Laverne ships across the GCC.

On Thursday, the model was announced as the ambassador for Arab brand Amara Lenses, available in the Gulf region.