Salisbury Cathedral's peregrine falcon chicks take next step as they are ringed
They should take flight soon
The peregrine falcon chicks born at Salisbury Cathedral this year have been ringed today (Monday 23rd May) which will make it easier for them to be tracked.
There are four of them, two boys and two girls, now have two rings around their legs.
One is a small metal BTO ring for tracking and record-keeping, while the is a larger orange plastic so-called 'Darvic ring' bearing a unique two-letter ID that means anyone with sharp eyes, binoculars or a telescope can identify the falcons.
Ringing is an important part of the Cathedral’s peregrine project because it helps them to learn more about the birds, where they go and what they do.
It was undertaken by Nigel Jones from the British Trust for Ornithology, assisted by Phil Sheldrake, the Cathedral’s Nature Conservation Adviser.
Phil Sheldrake said:
“This year’s pair have been model parents and have done well to raise four healthy chicks. We had to wait for the final hatchling to appear, but they all seem to be progressing well. Feeding four chicks is a big undertaking and both parents are constantly out hunting to feed themselves and their youngsters.”
The 2022 Salisbury chicks are expected to remain on the South Tower balcony until June, when they are expected to fledge.
They will stay around the Cathedral for at least month after that, learning survival and hunting skills from their parents before striking out on their own.
Gary Price, Clerk of Works, who manages the nesting site for the Cathedral said:
“It’s great to have the chicks on the Tower again. They have already provided hours of interest for staff and webcam watchers alike this year, and they are part of the Cathedral commitment to the environment. Along with their nestbox we have installed bat boxes, swift boxes, insect boxes and we have committed to no-mow May the creation of wildlife corridors across the Close.”
THOUSANDS KEEPING WATCH
The Cathedral have been running their livestream cameras from the nestbox once again, with people all over the world tuning in.
In total, the three cameras have racked up nearly 325,000 page views this year.
There will also be a competition to help name these chicks, details of that will be released soon.
You can keep an eye on the birds by going to the Cathedral's website.