Birdwatchers are thrilled by the return of peregrine falcons to an inner city nest in Sheffield, where a pair has laid three eggs in the past week – with a potential fourth expected tonight.

The birds are using an artificial platform at St George’s Church on Mappin Street, which was installed in 2012 by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Bird Study Group to create an urban nesting space.

Currently a university lecture theatre, the church has since seen 34 chicks fledge successfully, with 40,000 viewers tuning into a 24-hour livestream of the nest every year to watch them grow.

Chris Greenwood, a trustee at the Sheffield Bird Study Group, which champions avian conservation in the city, said the first egg of the year was laid on 17 March by a female who has been nesting at the site since 2020.

He said: “It’s fantastic to have such an iconic species in such an accessible place for humans to appreciate.

“There’s an opportunity to come down and look in person with a pair of binoculars, or watch them on the webcams, and I think that’s a great way of engaging people with nature.”

Mr Greenwood said the church’s height makes the spot an ideal nesting place for peregrines, which historically live on cliffs that allow them to dive-bomb their prey at speeds of over 180 mph.  

He said: “For them to be successful, there’s obviously a good amount of prey [in the area].

“I’ve seen the current female go out from the platform and be back with a pigeon in about two minutes, which is phenomenal. So there’s plenty here for them.”

The eggs are expected to hatch by the end of April, after which experts from the group will scale the church to ring the chicks and record their measurements, aiding scientific research into these birds.

In the meantime, 18-year-old Zoology student Freya Dunbar-Simms, who chose to study at the University of Sheffield after spotting the peregrines during an open day last year, has been enlisted to help monitor the nest.

Ms Dunbar-Simms will be watching the live cameras around the clock to record key moments in the birds’ lives, such as when the eggs hatch and what the chicks are fed. 

She said: “I’ll also be coming down whenever I can after lectures to watch them in person.

“I think it’s just so important to help protect them and research them, so it’s great to be able to get involved.”

Although the peregrines go largely unnoticed by hundreds of students who attend lectures at the church every weekday, the noisy birds have caught the attention of some eagle-eyed enthusiasts.

Min Tayza, a 21-year-old who recently joined the University of Sheffield Birdwatching Society, said he was amazed to see a peregrine for the first time. 

He said: “What a lifer! I just started birdwatching and I’ve already seen a peregrine falcon. 

“It’s a superlative, and I see it as one of my first 20 birds. It’s crazy.”

Sheffield Bird Study Group said anyone who wants to help monitor the nest over the breeding season can get in touch with them via their website here.