Latest news with #ChrisDobbs
BBC News
15-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Worcester cathedral livestream shut down as last chick falls ill
The parents of the final surviving peregrine chick born in a nest on top of Worcester Cathedral have stopped feeding birds Peter and Peggy had produced four eggs, with the first hatching on Easter Sunday. However, two chicks died last week, with the fourth failing to remaining chick became sick on Thursday, not calling for food and acting lethargically, which the parents noticed and made no attempt to feed - they will not normally feed ill chicks.A post on peregrine falcons in Worcester stated that it had been decided to shut down the livestream. The post said avian flu could be the cause of the bird's sudden sickness as it displayed three to four symptoms."No interest was shown when the adult female landed with prey and proceeded to eat it the box. "This would also explain why the chick stumbled backwards onto the ledge yesterday. "If by any chance there is a recovery we will restart, but highly unlikely," the Facebook post update comes days after the bird was reported to be doing fit and healthy."What tends to happen is, as the chicks get lower in number, one chick will get fed really well," Chris Dobbs, a wildlife expert at the cathedral previously in the nest has been livestreamed on YouTube, in a repeat of last year when nearly 500,000 people tuned in from across the world."A sad end to this year's season but looking for positive results next year," the post said. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Final Worcester Cathedral peregrine chick healthy and well
The final surviving peregrine chick born in a nest on top of Worcester Cathedral is said to be fit and named Peter and Peggy, had produced four eggs, with the first hatching on Easter Sunday. However, two chicks died last week, after the fourth had failed to first chick that died was taken away by one of the adult birds, which are now putting all their efforts into making sure the one left survives."What tends to happen is, as the chicks get lower in number, one chick will get fed really well," Chris Dobbs, a wildlife expert at the cathedral, said, "He or she gets all the food, rather than it shared between three or four, which we've had been the case in past years."Once you get one on its own, as long as it stays healthy, that's going to grow like mad now and get rather large."Progress in the nest has been livestreamed on YouTube, in a repeat of last year when nearly 500,000 people tuned in from across the Dobbs said the slightly smaller chick of the remaining two got "shoved into the side of the ledge outside the box" on Friday."It was obviously out there on its own, the mother wasn't feeding it and it started looking particularly ill," he explained."Research does show that birds sort of know when other birds are ill, either as adults or as chicks, particularly, and they react to them slightly differently."We're just a bit privileged being able to see what's happening on the camera this year - we're seeing a bit of reality and the law of the jungle, I'm afraid." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Second Worcester Cathedral peregrine chick dies
A second peregrine chick born at a nesting site at Worcester Cathedral, which has featured on a webcam, has died. Parents Peter and Peggy produced four eggs at the cathedral, with the first hatching on Easter Sunday, but one did not hatch and there is now only a single bird left. The latest death followed "chick bullying" of the smaller of the two remaining chicks, the Peregrine Falcons in Worcester group said on with the first chick who died this week, the second one has been recovered and will be taken to a laboratory for tests. Chris Dobbs, a wildlife expert at the cathedral, said the first chick could not be assessed as its mother had probably removed it herself.A 24-hour livestream of the nest box received nearly 500,000 views from across the world last year. 'Pretty cruel world' Mr Dobbs said the "slightly smaller" chick of the remaining two got "shoved into the side of the ledge outside the box".After being shoved off the ledge again on Friday morning, he said "it was obviously out there on its own, the mother wasn't feeding it and it started looking particularly ill". The remaining chick, however, is thought to be healthy."It's being fed like mad at the moment, so hopefully success this year will be that one chick surviving to the end," Mr Dobbs added that the latest death had not really come as a shock."I've seen it happen with other species and other birds, other nests, it's a pretty cruel world and it's the law of the jungle," he said. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
