They are known as agile, powerful and fast pilots. But a young wandering falcon undermined the image of his species after an awkward fall from the cathedral tower.
Named the Noble X3C, the bird is one of four that hatched high in Salisbury Cathedral this spring and was days away from getting big enough to soar gracefully into Wiltshire’s sky.
But the chick realized the hard way that she wasn’t quite ready when she lost her footing and slipped from a stone barrel high above the cathedral lawn.
Noble X3C – the letters and number refer to the ring to identify his foot – fell or slid 68 meters down from the balcony of the south tower and about 100 meters in a garden opposite the western front of the cathedral.
Fortunately, the bird landed quietly and the surprised owner of the garden called the cathedral to report the accident. Werger contacted factory employee Gary Price, whose duties included caring for cathedral fabric and caring for falcons.
“We think it must have been blown away by a gust of wind and slipped gracefully or maybe fell to the ground,” Price said. “I put on my superhero cloak and went to help.”
Price collided with a worried bird. “He screamed and clapped a little.” So he borrowed a towel and placed it on the falcon’s head to soothe him. He then climbed the 332 steps back to the top of the tower to reunite her with her brother and two sisters.
The fall was filmed on a webcam focused on the balcony and proved to be a hit among many people who tuned in to watch the birds progress.
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The Noble X3C bounced again on Tuesday – three days after the crash – but this time managed to stay in the air.
Price watched with pride as the Noble X3C flew high above the cathedral with his parent. “In the next day or two, the other three must also fly around the spire. Their parents will teach them how to hunt and then leave.
The whole adventure is well scheduled. The cathedral launched a “meeting with nature” event on the theme of perigrin in the western meadow with a team of volunteers and RSPB specialists with telescopes and information about birds.
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