A PAIR of peregrine falcons are enjoying a birds eye view of Canterbury after taking up residence on Canterbury Cathedral.

The falcons have been roosting on Bell Harry Tower since before Christmas and birdwatchers are hoping they will now nest there.

The RSPB is already in talks with Cathedral authorities and the city council to see if a safe nesting site can be provided for the birds on the Norman building, home of the Church of England.

The three organisations are also discussing whether a webcam could be fitted so the public could watch the nesting peregrines live.

Dan Parkinson, the RSPB’s Aren’t Birds Brilliant! officer, said it was early days in the discussions.

He said: "We would need to install a nestbox in a place that was suitable both for the birds and for the Cathedral, and there is also no way of telling if the birds roosting on the Cathedral are ready to breed yet."

Canterbury Cathedral is not alone in providing a perfect urban nesting site for the world’s fastest bird.

Peregrines have nested on Exeter, Derby, Salisbury and Chichester Cathedrals in the past. Last summer a webcam at Derby Cathedral filmed a pair of birds as they successfully reared four chicks and there has been a webcam at Chichester Cathedral since 2004.

Chris Robinson, Cathedral press officer, said: "We will do our best to support the RSPB and city council in finding a suitable nest site."

* SEE THE KENTISH GAZETTE (THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1) FOR THE FULL STORY.