Salisbury’s peregrines lay fourth egg on Mothering Sunday

Yesterday (27th March 2022), on Mothering Sunday, Salisbury Cathedral’s peregrines laid their fourth egg.

The new egg was first spotted by the Cathedral’s Deputy Head Guide Tricia Glass, who regularly photographs the peregrine pair from her roof.

The new egg was first spotted by the Cathedral’s Deputy Head Guide Tricia Glass, who regularly photographs the peregrine pair from her roof.

According to the Cathedral, peregrines typically lay between two and five eggs so another could be spotted soon. 

After the final egg is laid, the falcons will start incubation for around a month. Shortly after that, the eggs will be ready to hatch.

Keen peregrine watchers might even be able to spot the brood patch on the mother’s breast – a featherless area where the skin thickens. This allows extra blood flow and helps to transfer body heat from the mother to the growing embryos in the eggs.

Don’t forget there’s still time to enter Salisbury Cathedral’s ‘Name the Parents’ competition and be in with a chance of winning two tickets to the Flower Festival on a day of your choice.

The winning entry will be selected at 2pm on 1st April 2022 and will be contacted by email.

To keep up to date with Salisbury Cathedral’s falcons, watch the Live Peregrine Webcam here.

By Adele Bouchard