A CARETAKER has spoken about how he rescued and babysat a peregrine falcon.

Simon Wootton discovered the bird of prey perched outside a student accommodation block at the Bognor Regis campus of the University of Chichester

The bird, which is renowned for its distinctive blue-grey feathers and black moustache, can reach speeds of more than 200 miles-per-hour while hunting.

Simon said: “I found the falcon sat on the stone steps outside a student block, with a number of people inside staring through the door not wanting to go near it.

“Not sure of what I should do in that situation, I noticed the bird had a ring on its leg, and a short lead, so assumed it was tame.

“I pulled my sleeve over my hand, put it on the ground in front of the bird and, fortunately, rather than ripping it off, it jumped on.

“I then found myself with a falcon - I thought, where do you go from here?”

After securing it firmly to his arm, Simon sat with the bird for nearly an hour before university staff could make contact with specialists from Brent Lodge Bird and Wildlife Trust.

The sanctuary, located at Sidlesham near Chichester, treats more than 3,000 creatures each year which have been found injured or lost across the south coast.

Simon added: “Obviously the bird was a bit of a strange sight, and got loads of attention, but I was surprised by how many people thought she was mine, and that I had just popped out for a coffee.

“Once we had made arrangements, I took her to Brent Lodge, but I cannot say I was not sad to see her go, as she was very friendly considering we had just met.

“I rang back the next day to see how she was getting on, and was told they had found the owner and she had been collected.”

Just days after his first ornithological experience, Simon was asked to help a wounded pigeon found again at the University campus.

“That story didn’t end so happily,” he said, “and it would have been more convenient if it had happened a few days earlier, as I had a very hungry falcon.”

For more visit www.chi.ac.uk.