Latest news with #peregrine
BBC News
02-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Ely Cathedral's first peregrine chicks in four years die
Two peregrine chicks which were the first to hatch at the top of a cathedral in four years have died. A pair of peregrine falcons had chosen the west tower of Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire as their nesting site this eggs were laid between 19 and 24 April - and the last egg hatched at about 12:45 BST on Wednesday.A spokesperson for the Hawk and Owl Trust said in a social media post it was "saddened to share that both peregrine chicks died" over the weekend. "Chick mortality is, unfortunately, common in the first weeks of life due to natural vulnerabilities - limited temperature regulation, weak immune systems, and potential food issues all play a role," said the spokesperson. "The adult falcon's behaviour also suggests she may be a first-time parent."The younger chick died on Saturday morning, while the remaining chick died overnight on Saturday. The cathedral saw its first pair of birds nest at the site in 2019 - with two chicks hatching a year it said there had not been a resident pair of peregrines since 2021. This year, a new pair began using the cathedral as a nesting site and laid three trust added it would continue to monitor the adults, which have remained in the area. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Worcester Cathedral last remaining peregrine falcon chick dies
The final surviving peregrine chick born in a nest on top of Worcester Cathedral has birds Peter and Peggy produced four eggs at the cathedral this spring, with the first hatching on Easter Sunday - but two chicks died last week and the fourth egg failed to remaining chick became sick and died at about 20:30 BST on Thursday, a post on Peregrine Falcons in Worcester confirmed.A 24-hour livestream of the nest was shut down on Thursday after the bird became ill and started acting lethargically, with its parents stopping feeding it. On Facebook on Friday, Peregrine Falcons in Worcester posted that they had initially thought, before it fell ill, that the last chick had managed to avoid an unknown illness which it said had "caused the demise of the other two"."Cause is unknown [for the last chick] and open to speculation until we receive results back from the lab; as stated this could take some time," the post went on to say."As feared the chick died around 20:30 last night; it has been recovered and will shortly be sent to the lab, joining its sibling for analysis."Both adult birds appeared to be fit and healthy and would be closely monitored, they of people have been watching progress in the nest box on the livestream on YouTube, with nearly 500,000 people tuning in from across the world in nesting pair, also known as Mr and Mrs P, have had three successful years producing and fledging four healthy chicks from 2022 at the cathedral. 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.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Worcester Cathedral livestream peregrine chick dies
Livestream cathedral peregrine chick dies 9 minutes ago Share Save Caroline Gall BBC News, West Midlands Share Save Worcester Cathedral A 24-hour livestream can be seen above the nest A peregrine chick recently born at a nesting site at Worcester Cathedral has died overnight. Parents Peter and Peggy produced four eggs at the cathedral, with the first hatching on Easter Sunday. The chick died overnight, according to officials, who said they were unsure of the cause as the livestream had gone down at the same time due to a network outage. The remaining birds - now just two after one other did not hatch - seem fine and continue to be monitored, a post on Peregrine Falcons in Worcester stated. Worcester Cathedral The first egg to hatch was captured on Easter Sunday The nesting pair - also known as Mr and Mrs P - have had three very successful years producing and fledging four healthy chicks in 2022, 2023 and 2024 at the cathedral, the group said. "This year for the first time the fourth egg did not hatch, which is not unusual. "It is also not unusual for some chicks not to survive, they are wild birds after all. "It is very sad for this to have happened, after we have become accustomed to such successful breeding by the pair." The 24-hour livestream of the nest box received nearly 500,000 views from across the globe in 2024. "We are hopeful the two remaining chicks will continue to thrive and fledge successfully in the coming weeks," the post added. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
