Live video of Peregrine falcons on Rijksmuseum roof streaming online again; New egg laid

The live-streaming cameras showing the peregrine falcon nest on the roof of the Rijksmuseum was turned back on after the discovery of a new egg on Friday. The red speckled egg was first spotted exactly 14 days after the previous clutch was lost in the same nest, said bird protection group Vogelbescherming Nederland.

"What a Good Friday this is," the organization said. The egg was laid at about 1 a.m.

The only two peregrine falcons seen near the Rijksmuseum nest box lately are a female identified as V, and a male identified as BTR. The two had exhibited some courtship behavior recently, like the male providing prey, and some communication. However, V has not really slept in the nest, but mostly on the grid outside of it.

"No strange peregrine falcons have been seen near the box in the past two weeks, let's hope it goes well now." Once all the eggs are laid, the female will likely handle the brooding, while the male will hunt and bring food to the box.

Vogelbescherming Nederland had shut off the springtime cameras after the last egg of the previous clutch cracked without a chick inside. The eggs were eaten by V after they broke, and were not viable, the organization said at the time.

The webcams are part of a project called Beleef de Lente, or Experience the Spring. The livestreams draw several hundred viewers per day. The cameras on the Rijksmuseum were first switched on last year. Other cameras feature the barn owl, tawny owl, storks, blackbirds, and the coal tit.