First chick for Norwich peregrines

Wednesday 2nd May 2012

A peregrine egg has hatched 75 metres above the streets of Norwich on a nesting platform built on the city's cathedral.

Observers watching the charity-built platform on a webcam spotted fragments of egg shell as the first sign of the arrival.

It hatched on the Hawk And Owl Trust platform on Norwich Cathedral's spire in the early hours of May 2.

A trust spokesman said: "The hatching has come as a great relief to the conservation team at the Hawk And Owl Trust, who erected the platform in time for the breeding season last year. Last season their hopes were dashed when the single egg laid proved unsuccessful.

"The first egg this year was laid on March 22, the second on March 24, the third on the 27 and the fourth on the 30. The female did not start to incubate the eggs fully until after the third egg had been laid so the eggs should all hatch at about the same time."

The platform was created in 2011 by volunteers from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service who worked with the cathedral's works foreman to install the platform through a window in the spire. The platform had to be painted to match the cathedral's stone.

View the webcam at http://www.hawkandowl.org/TrustAtWork/Conservation/Urbanperegrines/norwichperegrineplatformLive12.htm.

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