Good news from the Newton nest – Archie and P9’s 2026 chick is thriving!

Published: 22/05/2026

We’re delighted to share a positive update from NTU’s resident peregrine falcons, who make their home on top of the Newton building. This spring, Archie and P9 welcomed one healthy chick – and he’s already thriving, growing stronger each day under their care.

The first (and only) chick of the season was spotted early on the morning of Tuesday 29 April, having hatched overnight. While four eggs were laid this year – on 21, 24, 27 and 30 March – only one successfully hatched. Although the remaining eggs were sadly not viable, all the parents' attention has been focused on this chick, who is doing very well.

A major milestone came on Wednesday 20 May, when the chick was professionally ringed by the Birklands Ringing Group. In a lovely NTU connection, the ringer himself is a School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences (ARES) alumnus, and our partners Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust were also in attendance to observe and oversee the ringing. We’re pleased to confirm that the chick is a healthy boy!

The process was quick and carefully managed, with Archie and P9 keeping a close watch nearby, and with them and their chick quickly settling back to normality afterwards.

Now back in the nest, the chick will remain there a little while longer as he continues to develop and is just beginning to test out his new tail feathers as fledging stage approaches.

While this season has brought one chick rather than a larger brood, he’s off to a strong start and has every chance of a successful journey ahead. You can continue to follow his progress live via the nest camera as he grows, explores, and prepares for his first flights.