A Couple of Hours with the St Albans Peregrine Falcons

16th June 2024

There had been a female Peregrine Falcon hanging around St Albans Cathedral for 3-4 years so in 2022 a nesting platform was installed in a gulley on the roof. That year the female attracted a male and they raised one young, three in 2023 and three this year. The 2022 chick has subsequently been seen at Winterton-on-Sea Church on the 14th April 2024.

I looked at the St Albans Cathedral live webcam of the Peregrine Falcons this morning and saw that all three chicks had left the nest so time for a visit to see what they were up to. The adults had two favourite perches, one on the pitch of the nave roof....................

....................and the other on the window ledge of one of the south-facing windows on the bell tower.

The adults were present for some of the time but would then leave the site for long periods and each time returning without food for the chicks, which had either been well-fed in the morning or had a stash of food up there.

When we arrived one of the juveniles was sitting on the parapet just above the nest area, but then dropped down out of sight and did not re-appear all the time we were there

Well, a good first visit of the year and I am sure there will be more visits to come. Thanks to Kevin Garrett and Barry Trevis for the historical information. Also good to bump into Lynne and her husband Chris and to meet Michael Barrett.