24th April 2011
A pair of peregrines nesting on the Hawk and Owl Trust’s new platform on Norwich Cathedral have today (Sunday 24th April) celebrated Easter with their first egg. The female peregrine laid the beautiful russet coloured ‘Easter’ egg on this morning whilst the congregation celebrated Easter Sunday in the cathedral below.
Everyone from the Hawk and Owl Trust and Norwich Cathedral is delighted with the success that came only nine weeks after the nesting platform was installed high up on the Cathedral spire.
The egg is a wonderful surprise because the female peregrine is very young and still in her juvenile plumage so it was by no means certain that she would be old enough to breed this year. The platform, installed by the Hawk and Owl Trust in February, is obviously to their liking and now that she has laid one egg there is the possibility of up to three more.
"The eggs are usually laid two or three days apart so we are watching with bated breath to see what happens next" said Nigel Middleton– Hawk and Owl Trust Conservation Officer for the Eastern Region "The female will do most of the incubating whilst the male catches food for her. Once all the eggs are laid, incubation should take about four weeks, so we will be hoping for chicks at the beginning of June."
Anyone who would like to follow the unfolding drama on the platform can watch developments via webcam on the Hawk and Owl Trust and Cathedral websites HYPERLINK "http://www.hawkandowl.org" www.hawkandowl.org or HYPERLINK "http://www.Cathedral.org.uk" www.Cathedral.org.uk. Visitors are also welcome to the Cathedral where the Hawk and Owl Trust is running a watchpoint tomorrow - Bank Holiday Monday 25th April from 10am until 2.30pm. Please note that there is no parking for visitors at the Cathedral so please use Bishopgate car park or other city parking.
These magnificent birds, the largest falcon resident in the UK, are making a comeback after the effects of organochlorine pesticide poisoning in the 1960s. There are now thought to be 1500 pairs in the UK and although their natural habitat is cliff ledges, over the last decade several have started to breed on human structures in our cities.
The project has been generously supported by Archant, ContiTech UK, iCode Systems, Larking Gowen, M+A Partners, LVS-Imas Ltd, Opticron, SIMM Conveyor Services Ltd, WildSounds and in memory of the late Mr. Ray Rogers of Norwich.
-ENDS-
Press enquiries: Leanne Thomas 01328 856788. mob. 0771 2241920
Notes to editors:
1. Permission MUST first be obtained from the Cathedral Estates Office before any filming or sound recording takes place at the Cathedral.
2. Hawk and Owl Trust
Founded in 1969 to help save the peregrine, the Hawk and Owl Trust is a national charity which now works for the conservation and appreciation of all wild birds of prey and their habitats – both in its nature reserves (such as Sculthorpe Moor Community Nature Reserve near Fakenham) and in partnership with others. Working with other organisations, farmers, foresters and landowners, the Trust researches, restores and manages nesting, roosting and feeding habitats and encourages greater understanding and appreciation of these very special birds. www.hawkandowl.org
