Bath falcon chick draws attention

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Bath falcon chick draws attention

Bird enthusiasts have had a rare opportunity to observe a peregrine falcon chick which has hatched high above the rooftops of Bath.

The parents of the young female bird of prey have been living in the city for the past eight years.

Now, thanks to a specially made box put in St John's Church spire, they have started breeding.

The chick has been officially ringed by workers from the British Trust for Ornothology (BTO).

Ed Drewitt from the BTO says the ring on the bird, whose tag is AP, will allow them to keep an eye on her.

"The colouring allows us to know who this bird is from a distance. We can look at her through some binoculars or a telescope," he said.

It is thanks to constant monitoring, says Ed, that a new twist has been revealed in the life of AP.

"It is a complete soap opera because colouring in birds for the last three years now, we know that one of the chicks that hatched in 2007 has stayed on and it's actually paired up with the breeding female.

"So the chick... is actually the offspring of its mum and also one of its half-brothers."

The next peregrine watch is due to be held on Wednesday 3rd June from 1800 BST.

People who are interested should gather at Bath cricket ground car park. You can find more details on the Hawk and Owl Trust website.