Winchester Cathedral's new female peregrine named Mel

Mel was first seen at Winchester Cathedral at the end of last month

A recently-arrived female peregrine falcon that has begun nesting on Winchester Cathedral has been named.

Winnie, the previous falcon was a familiar sight over the city but died earlier this month, probably in an encounter with the new bird.

She has been named Mel after 19th Century writer Melesina Trench who is buried in the cathedral.

The new younger bird has been seen mating with Winnie's former partner, William.

Nothing is known about Mel's age or background as she is not ringed

Winnie reared at least 27 chicks during her time in Winchester. She first nested on the old police headquarters building 2011 before moving to the cathedral nesting site in 2017.

She was found dead after the arrival of the new, younger female.

Keith Betton of the Hampshire Ornithological Society said it was the "natural course of events", ensuring healthy young adults replace the older birds.

Nothing is known about Mel's age or background as she is not ringed.

It is hoped William and Mel could rear chicks later in the spring

Mr Betton said Winnie's former partner William had been seen mating with Mel and the pair have been performing "preliminary activities" before nesting in the gully on the north side of the cathedral.

He said he would expect Mel to lay eggs before the end of March.

There would be a 30-day incubation period before they hatched. Any fledglings would be ringed.

The peregrines' nest tray on a gully under the cathedral's rose window is monitored by webcams which attract viewers from around the world.

The cathedral announced she would be called Mel, after the Irish writer, poet and diarist who is buried in the cathedral's north transept.

She was an 18th Century social campaigner involved in issues such child labour laws, prison reform and the abolition of slavery.

Winnie had been a familiar sight in the skies over Winchester since 2011

William is named after William Walker, a diver who famously saved the cathedral in the early 20th Century.

The peregrine falcon is the fastest flying bird and can regularly reach speeds of more than 100mph.

Numbers have recovered in recent decades, with 1,750 breeding pairs recorded in 2014.

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