I had the privilege to help make it happen and to be with Paul Loader when we ringed the Peregrines at Chichester Cathedral….some days dreams do come true….!!!
All the words and Photos below are Paul Loader’s I hope you enjoy…!!
A day to remember
For the last 20 odd years I have had a fascination, some would say obsession, with Chichester Cathedral and the peregrine falcons that live there. Yesterday I got to fulfill a life-long dream of being present while the chicks were ringed
I hope you enjoy my photos, as for a long time I have wanted to capture close-ups of these magnificent birds that would be almost impossible to recreate once they have fledged. At only just over 3 weeks old it’s easy to see how very soon these birds will be kings (or in their case queens) of the sky.
The procedure itself was performed very quickly and confidently by Graham Roberts and Jon Franklin who did a fantastic job of applying 2 identification rings, which in no way cause harm to the birds but are crucial for identification purposes later in their life. They also measure the feather growth length and leg measurement as well as weighing the birds which is crucial to help sex them (as females are always much bigger than the males) before quickly returning them to the nest.
Special thanks go to my good friends Janet & David Shaw without whom this wonderful experience would never have been possible, and also to Graham & Jon for allowing me to tag along and take pics and of course to Chichester Cathedral for allowing me access upstairs to see the birds up close and personal.
It certainly is a day I will never forget
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- Chichester Peregrines
