Excitement has been brewing at the foot of Norwich Cathedral as the first of the peregrine chicks began hatching this afternoon despite the cold conditions.
Early this morning, the first signs of 'pipping' were spotted, as the young falcons begin to break their way through the shell of their egg.
The parents have been busy incubating for the past month, and now the team at the Hawk and Owl Trust expect all four chicks to hatch over the course of the coming days.
Martin Lippiatt, of the Hawk and Owl Trust, said: 'This morning at around 7.10am we had the first signs of hatching.
'The chicks inside are now fully developed and have started using their little beaks to peck a hole in the egg, which shows the parents they are ready to hatch. 'Once the hole is big enough the parents help pull the shell apart. They do tend to hatch over the course of three to four days. Over the last few years that has been the case. 'Now they will develop very quickly and will fledge by the middle of June, so between now and then they grow to full sized adults.'
To watch the live feed of the nest visit www.hawkandowl.org
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