21 Mar 2024
For the third year in succession a pair of peregrine falcons who have made St Albans Cathedral their home are breeding again.
The birds, one of only five breeding pairs in the county, have been sighted on and around the Cathedral since early spring.
After last year’s success with a webcam to capture their nesting tray, the public will once again be able to access a live feed from the Cathedral’s website.
Heidi Mansell, engagement manager at Herts and Middlesex Trust said: “The nesting tray which contains shingle to replicate the peregrine falcons’ natural cliff-top nesting habitat was purposely installed high up on the Cathedral, to an area that the birds were known to be favouring in March 2022. The shingle provides the correct substrate for the Peregrines to be able to make their shallow nest ‘scrape’, simulating the birds natural nesting sites and providing them with a safe place to lay their eggs.
“The Trust is working with communities to inspire everyone to connect with and take action for local wildlife – being able to see these amazing birds in action gives everyone a chance to see the wonders of nature – in their homes and at our Peregrine Watch sessions, which we run in collaboration with the St Albans Local RSPB Group, in the Cathedral grounds.
“It’s been wonderful that since the tray’s installation, we’ve all been on a journey where we have seen four chicks successfully fledge the nest. There has been so much interest in the birds, it’s great to know that we’ll be able to get a close up view of their antics once again and I’m hopeful that we will see more chicks in 2024.”
Barry Trevis, who has been studying breeding peregrine falcons across Hertfordshire to help ensure the species’ safety, said: “Numbers of peregrine falcons fell through the first half of the 20th century to critical levels in the 1960s but today they are protected by law as a Schedule 1 listed species of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.
“It is now an offence to disturb the birds in any way, and this protection has had a positive effect on their numbers, which have slowly increased to a point where the national breeding population is now considered to be in excess of 1,700 pairs.
“The webcam is an excellent tool in helping us to monitor the breeding success of these birds at St Albans Cathedral. Should they be successful, we will look to ring the chicks which can help provide information on the birds, giving us valuable insights to their survival rates and movements.”
Canon Will Gibbs added: “This is wonderful news and yet another expression of our core commitment to the environment and all creation and to the Cathedral and its grounds being a place of welcome for humans and animals alike.”
The webcam is live from today here: https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/peregrine-live-cam
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and the St Albans Local RSPB Group are organising Peregrine Watch within the grounds of the Cathedral over weekends throughout spring and summer enabling the community to find out more about these magnificent birds and get a close up view through telescopes and binoculars, which will be provided. A schedule of these events will be published online at https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/events
