THE Wye Valley peregrine falcons have successfully fledged four youngsters on the Coldwell Rocks near Symonds Yat, attracting nearly 50,000 visitors.
Peregrine's have been breeding continually at Coldwell Rocks for 22 years, since 1984 when the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds set up a 24-hour surveillance station after egg thieves abseiled down the cliffs and stole the eggs in 1983.
Denis Jackson who runs the RSPB's viewing platform at Yat Rock said: "Peregrines have anything from two to five youngsters. Five would be exceptional, but four is pretty good."
It's estimated there are now between seven and nine pairs of resident peregrines within the boundaries of the Wye Valley AONB, from The Doward to Chepstow.
That's up from a breeding population of zero in the 1960s and 1970s largely as a result of persecution, egg collectors and the impact of pesticides like DDT.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article