‘Textbook’ season for Salisbury Cathedral Peregrine’s as live stream is shut down

It marks the end of another successful season of Peregrine hatching

Author: Aaron HarperPublished 17th Jul 2023

This year’s season of Peregrine hatching has been described as “textbook” as the season comes to a close.

As a result, the live stream on the Cathedral website is to be shut down this week.

Rex, Rose and Lily have fledged and now embark on what is considered the toughest phase of their lives.

Clerk of Works at Salisbury Cathedral, Gary Price, said: “So far it looks to have been a textbook year. The chicks have pretty much stuck to their schedule.”

Over the last few weeks, the chicks have honed their hunting skills with their parents around the Cathedral and will now start venturing away from their birthplace.

It’s run like ‘clockwork’

In May, the young trio were ringed with tracking and ID tags, allowing for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) to ensure the species is monitored and given every chance to thrive.

They have since fledged the nest with great success.

“No-one crash landed when they fledged. The parents have been efficient and calm,” Gary explained, adding: “We were sad when the fourth egg didn’t hatch, but other than that everything has gone like clockwork.”

RSPB data suggests that the average life span is between five and six years, although sadly less than a third of youngsters reach breeding age.

Males tend to stay close to where they fledge, meaning we may see more of Rex than his sisters.

News of other Cathedral Peregrines

There is positive news however, as a chick born at the Cathedral continues to raise her own chicks.

Flo, who was born in 2021, recently nested at the Shredded Wheat Silos in Welwyn Garden City.

Her, and her pair of chicks, were spotted earlier this month – good news on many fronts for the Peregrine species!

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