Rochdale Town Hall falcon webcam temporarily offline as new camera planned

Nature lovers hoping to check in on the falcons at Rochdale Town Hall may have noticed that the popular live webcam is currently unavailable.

The camera has temporarily gone offline because of technical problems, but plans are already in place for a new camera to be installed.

The replacement will allow residents and wildlife enthusiasts to continue following the lives of the birds from Rochdale Town Hall, giving people a close-up view without disturbing them.

The webcam has provided an unusual window into urban wildlife in the heart of Rochdale, allowing viewers to observe the falcons from their phones and computers and helping to build interest in the birds living alongside the town centre.

Falcons and other birds of prey have increasingly made use of tall urban buildings, which can provide high nesting and roosting locations similar in some respects to the cliffs and elevated sites they use in the wild.

The temporary loss of the camera does not mean the birds themselves have disappeared; it is the webcam equipment that is affected.

A further update is expected within the next few days, including more information about the replacement camera and when viewers will once again be able to watch the falcons live.

Rochdale Daily will update readers when the new webcam is available.