Falcon livestream captures arrival of first egg

A 24-hour livestream of a pair of nesting adult peregrine falcons in a cathedral has captured the arrival of the first egg.

"Peter" and "Peggy", as the birds of prey have been named by Worcester Cathedral followers, laid their first egg on Wednesday.

The moment was captured on a YouTube livestream, and it is hoped more eggs will follow and they will hatch next month.

Falcons had not nested in the cathedral for more than 10 years before a pair arrived in 2022, when they produced four chicks.

The same pair returned to the nest box, built by the Cathedral's works team, in 2023 and 2024 and fledged more chicks successfully.

Last year the 24-hour livestream received nearly 500,000 views from across the globe.

Experts said peregrines tend to lay their first eggs in late March, with the chicks hatching in late April or early May.

Peregrines have been a familiar sight in Worcester for hundreds of years. They are depicted in the cathedral's great west window as well as parts of the stonework.

The birds are the fastest creatures on Earth, reaching speeds of up to 200mph in a dive while hunting.

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