Paul Wheatley: "The first egg has hatched of the Peregrine Falcons that nest on the Parkinson Building at the University of Leeds. Hot on the heels of hatching seen in urban Peregrine nests in Wakefield and Sheffield over the last few days, the first signs of hatching at Leeds were seen last night. Throughout the morning the tiny pips in the egg gradually got bigger, glimpsed when the adult birds interrupted the incubation of their eggs. This afternoon the first egg hatched and two more eggs already showed signs of hatching. The video shows the Tiercel, or male Peregrine, moving off the eggs to make way for the Falcon, or female bird, to take over in keeping the eggs and chick warm. Last year, the eggs failed to hatch, so Peregrine watchers have been excited to see the birds progress a little closer to breeding success. In nearby Bradford, a new project is installing nest boxes at different locations, with hope that Peregrines will use them to nest in 2025."
