They may seem unusual names for peregrine chicks, but the public has spoken.
The peregrine chicks at Salisbury Cathedral have been named. By the public.
Earlier this week, Salisbury Cathedral’s Clerk of Works, Gary Price drew the winning names for the four chicks that hatched on the tower at Salisbury this year and said hello to Lorraine, Joe, Wilbur and Norman.
Click here to take a look at all the live peregrine webcams.
The chicks, which are around three weeks old, have been weighed, measured and fitted with a small metal ring by Nigel Jones from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), assisted by Tommy Saunders. Each has a ring on their right leg (used for tracking and record-keeping) and a larger orange plastic Darvic ring bearing their unique ID on their left leg.
Ringing is an important part of the Cathedral’s peregrine project, because it provides the BTO and Salisbury Cathedral with information about the lives of these amazing birds.
The four chicks are three males and one female, weighed in at 570g, 610g, 650g and 830g.
Two of the chicks – a male and a female – Lorraine and Joe were named after members of the Cathedral’s Works Yard team to mark the recent completion of Salisbury’s major repair programme which has seen the exterior of the cathedral free from scaffold after 38 years of restoration.
The other two peregrine chicks – Norman and Wilbur – were named by the public and drawn via a link on the Cathedral’s social media channels earlier today by Gary Price.
The Salisbury chicks will remain on the south side of the tower for a few more weeks, as their fluffy white down is replaced by juvenile plumage, and they begin to strengthen their wings ready to fly the nest. Occasionally a fledging gets grounded after its first flight and is carried back up the tower to have another try.
Once fledged, the juveniles will stay around the Cathedral for at least a month, learning survival and hunting skills from their parents before striking out on their own.
When fledging starts in early June, the South Wiltshire RSPB Group will set up a free peregrine-themed A Date with Nature experience outside the Cathedral. A team of South Wilts RSPB volunteers, armed with telescopes and information, will be on hand, offering visitors the opportunity to watch the peregrines close-up, and sharing their expert knowledge.
A Date with Nature runs outside the Cloister entrance at Salisbury Cathedral from Monday 10 June to Saturday 6 July, Monday to Saturday, excluding 17-20 June. Further details at www.salisburycathedral.org.uk
