An early Easter egg on campus
Published: 27/03/2024
Our resident peregrine falcons have laid their first egg of 2024!
The egg arrived on Tuesday 26 March at approximately 9 pm, a year to the day after the first egg of 2023 and just in time for Easter! The short video to the right shows the amazing moment captured on camera.
Once all of the eggs have been laid, Archie and P9 will take turns to incubate the eggs for around 29-32 days. Starting incubation like this ensures that all chicks hatch at a similar time, reducing the chance of size difference which would cause the larger chicks to outcompete the others for food.
About the falcons
NTU has been working in partnership with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust for the past two decades to protect the nest site on the ninth floor of the Newton building, City Campus. Since the falcons first nested on the Newton building 20 years ago, 45 chicks have fledged.
In 2021, NTU installed new cameras to ensure that viewers can watch the webcam live online at any time. Last year saw over one million views worldwide!
News of the first egg follows the successful fledging of three chicks last year from the nest box. Watch the video below for a recap of the 2023 breeding season and to see how the chicks grew.