The Peregrine Falcons - May 2013

This year the full clutch of 4 eggs was completed on 1st April. After an incubation period of a month, the chicks hatched over a period of several days between 2nd-5th May. All 4 hatched successfully. Initially the chicks were small, fairly inactive balls of white down. The male has been very busy supplying the brood and the adult female with lots of food. Over the past couple of weeks the chicks have grown enormously, looking bigger almost every day. Although still white and downy at 2 weeks old, their wing and tail feathers will soon begin to sprout.

The chicks are usually ringed at about 3 weeks old. This is due to take place very soon.

You may have noticed that the adult male is also ringed. He has a black ring with number 15 inscribed. He was ringed as a chick from The Sussex Ornithological Society's nestbox on Chichester Cathedral in May 2005 and has bred at Sussex Heights since 2009.

• Watch Sussex Heights Live Web Cam
• More Info about Peregrine Falcons at Sussex Heights
• Further information on the Chichester Cathedral's Peregrines