Peregrine falcons hatched and now dispatched

Four peregrine falcon chicks born in April have left their church spire home.

The siblings have all flown the nest from a scrape at St Mary's Church in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.

Their early adventures were captured on a webcam installed three years ago to livestream the birds of prey that use the spire.

Steven Bruce, from the Academy of Physical Medicine, who arranged for the cameras to be fitted, said all four had "followed a perfect plan" and had "hatched beautifully and grown up beautifully".

Bruce's company sponsors, maintains, refurbishes and cleans the cameras that face both into the nest and outwards.

He said this year's births were the most successful since the cameras were installed in 2023. Last year, four eggs were laid but only two birds made it to adulthood.

Birds have made the spire their home since a nesting box was fitted to the 13th Century building in 2015.

This year's young residents – Eurus, Boreas, Zephyrus and Notus, named after the Greek deities of the winds – are now about two months old.

"They've followed a perfect plan, they've hatched beautifully, they've grown beautifully [and] they've now been ringed as well," Bruce said.

Footage from the church tower is broadcast live on YouTube.

"We've got hundreds and hundreds of people watching these birds – it's quite addictive," he added

He said it was "great" to see them fly off but watching the footage could be "brutal" at times as it showed nature in all its glory.

Paul Mockford, who cleans out the nesting box, said the last bird to fly off had been on the ground and had worried a few people, but it had since flown off and was fine.

"It's nice to finally have a fully successful group," he said, adding that he hoped they would be "matched after being hatched and dispatched".

Mick Large, who captured images of the birds, said: "I feel that it's a privilege not only to see them but to be able to photograph them.

"You get to the point where you feel protective seeing them develop from eggs to young birds.

"Having these birds on our doorstep is fantastic and brings the local community together."

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