Peregrine chicks grow and fly the nest at church

Three peregrine falcon chicks have successfully fledged after their parents' first set of eggs was destroyed.

The male peregrines were born in June at St Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire, which has been home to a mating pair of falcons since 2022.

It looked as though no offspring would survive this year when someone crushed the first clutch in April, but a second set of eggs hatched out.

The cathedral, which has a webcam trained on the nest, said: "Thank you to everyone who tuned in and supported Alban, Boudica and the chicks. We can't wait to do it all again next year!"

St Albans Cathedral also thanked the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, which has partnered with the church to support the birds of prey.

Lea Ellis, engagement manager at the trust, said: "We're delighted to see the wonderful comeback these birds have made, demonstrating just how resilient they are."

The nesting platform at St Albans has been livestreamed by cameras on the cathedral's website.

In April, viewers watched as an unknown person stood on eggs that had been recently laid.

Earlier this month, Hertfordshire Police said an investigation into the destroyed eggs was ongoing.

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