Presence of nesting Peregrines means no flags will fly above Yorkshire church at least until September

 

                                    

THE presence of a pair of nesting Peregrine Falcons means that no flag of St George is flying aloft the minster in Beverley, East Yorkshire today.

Because of the risk of disturbances to the birds - which are legally protected - no flags will be flying before the end of the nesting season in September.

Most residents have welcomed the arrival of the impressive raptors and enjoy watching them as they come and go with prey to feed their chicks.

A further benefit is that they deter feral pigeons whose droppings are said to cause damage to the stonework of the minster.

However, their presence has dismayed pigeon fanciers who fear that their birds, some of them valuable, could fall victim.

There have also been protests about the discarded remains of Golden Plover and other avian prey littering the lawns of the minster.