Rare visitor and, uncommon resident.

Prior to 2008 when they began roosting at Southgate House (now known as Vista Tower) in the Town Centre, Peregrines were rare visitors, with two records: one seen flying north near Stevenage on 27 February 2000 and, one seen on 9 January 2007. 

Between 19 September 2008, and 29 January 2009, an escaped juvenile bird, with a jess on one leg roosted regularly on the lettering on the north side of Southgate House in the Town Centre, favoring the letters, “E” and, “O” of, “Southgate”. In 2011 a bird was also seen to roost on the lettering of, “Southgate” from 23 February to 28 March. What appeared to be the same bird (with a tether on its left leg) was seen roosting on the letter, “E” of Southgate from 29 October to 23 November 2011. A male was also seen on the letter, “E” of Southgate on 24 October 2013 and, one was seen over St George’s Way and roosting on the lettering on 6 January 2014.

Between 19 May 2014 and 12 November 2015 birds roosted on the lettering and, roof of Southgate House until renovation works began on the building, with two seen together at intervals from 14 January to 9 May 2015 and, again on 30 October and 8 November 2015. One was seen flying nearby on 3 December 2015 and, one circled around the building on 14 December 2016. These birds may have indicated nesting somewhere in North Hertfordshire.

After Southgate House was renovated and, renamed, Vista Tower in 2017 and, the pronounced lettering on which the birds had roosted was removed, mostly single birds have been seen roosting on the roof and, on the lighting on the north side of the building mainly during the autumn and winter, with spring records from 27 and 28 April and, 20 May 2020 and, summer records from 19 July 2018, 13 and 23 August 2019, 7 and 19 August 2020, 20 August 2020 (when two were seen), 5 and 26 August 2021, 29 June 2022, 10 August 2022, between 10 and 27 July 2023 and 28 July 2023 (when two were seen), between 9 and 24 August 2023. The most recent record is of one on 28 March 2024.

Remains and feathers found beneath Vista Tower since November 2022 have indicated the following prey: Teal (Anas crecca), Quail (Coturnix coturnix), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricana), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Jack Snipe (Lymnocrytes minimus), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), Redshank (Tringa tetanus), Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia), Collared Dove (Steptopelia decaocto), Swift (Apus, apus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major), Magpie (Pica pica), Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), House Martin (Delichon urbicum), Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Turdus merula), Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris), Redwing (Turdus iliacus), Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos), Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus).

They have also been seen roosting on the former Telephone Exchange in Bedwell where they were first recoded on 24 November 2017, when a male and female were seen. They were recorded there on six dates in 2018, on 2 January 2019, 4 November 2020, three dates during January 2021 and on four dates during September and October 2021. A juvenile bird that had been ringed at Hemel Hempstead in 2021 was seen there plucking a Feral Pigeon on 3 May 2022. The latest record is of one on 5 February 2023.

Other records are from: Argyle Way (one on 25 February 2015); Asda Supermarket (single birds on 20 November 2019 and 19 January 2021 and two on 18 July 2023); Bedwell Crescent (one over on 22 November 2022); Chells Manor (one seen catching a Pigeon off Gresley Way on 5 October 2017 and one flying over with a live Starling on 16 April 2022); Fairlands Valley Lakes (single birds on 11 May 2010, 5 September 2018, 21 September 2020, 19 July 2021, 1 November 2021, 9 and 21 January 2022, 14 March 2022, 9 September 2022, 11 February 2023, 1 and 12 November 2023, 5 April 2024 and 15 May 2024); Glaxo Site (one near on 28 and 29 November 2012 and one on 3 May 2022); Great Ashby (one circling towards on 19 August 2021); Hampson Park (one on 3 April 2023); Leisure Park (one over on 20 February 2017); Martins Wood (one over on 15 April 2020); Norton Green Tip (an adult on 27 December 2008, one on 31 August 2013, one hunting Pigeons in a field next to the Tip on 15 March 2015, single birds on 29 April 2018 and 21 March 2020); Old Town (three over the A602 on 14 August 2019: Stanley Road (single birds over on 26 June 2020 and 11 July 2021); a Stevenage Garden (single birds over on 27 January and 5 February 2021 and 22 November 2021); Town Centre Gardens (one on 19 November 2021); Watery Grove (one on 4 April 2019); Weston Road Cemetery (two over April 2020); single birds at unrecorded locations on 3 April 2012, 29 December 2016 and 25 October 2022.

Local breeding was confirmed in 2017, 2019, 2020 and, 2022 at Little Wymondley.