Cathedral sees first falcon chicks in four years

Peregrine falcon chicks have hatched at the top of a cathedral for the first time in four years.

A new pair of peregrine falcons chose the west tower of Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire as their nesting site this year.

The eggs were laid between 19 and 24 April - and the last egg hatched at about 12:45 BST on Wednesday.

Liberty Wells, outreach and conservation ranger at the Hawk and Owl Trust, said: "Sadly, the first chick to hatch did not survive, but the second chick appears to be doing better than the third and smallest."

"At this stage, they remain extremely vulnerable, and we are continuing to monitor them closely," she added.

The cathedral saw its first pair of birds nest at the site in 2019 - with two chicks hatching a year later.

However, it said there had not been a resident pair of peregrines since 2021 until this year, where a new pair have began using the cathedral as a nesting site and laid three eggs.

If it all goes well, Ms Wells said the surviving chicks were expected to fledge about 35 to 42 days after hatching.

Most recognisable for its yellow talons and beak, the peregrine is a species of large crow-sized falcon.

The bird can travel at more than 200 mph (320 km/h) and there are thought to be about 1,769 breeding pairs in the United Kingdom.

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