PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — There’s egg-cellent news for the new Peregrine Falcon nesting on top of the Cathedral of Learning in Oakland.

According to the National Aviary, Hope laid her first egg there at 9:32 a.m. Sunday.

Hope had previously been nesting at the Tarentum Bridge. However, the National Aviary says she was not having much success in that location.

So, when the older Dorothy disappeared last year, Hope took over the Cathedral of Learning nest in November.

Dorothy had made her home in that nest for 12 years. She welcomed one chick last spring, but due to health concerns and possible developmental delays, the young bird died in July at an emergency animal clinic.

The National Aviary says Dorothy likely succumbed to old age. They say “she was almost 17-years-old, which is very old for a wild Peregrine.”

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So, the National Aviary says since the opportunity arose for Hope “to switch territories and mates, she did so.”

Experts say Peregrine Falcons usually lay their eggs during the latter half of March, but there’s no cause for concern in Hope’s case.

In a press release, Robert Mulvihill, ornithologist at the National Aviary, said: “Though this is on the early side for Peregrine egg laying, there’s no reason for concern. It actually is a sign that the female is in good condition, with the extra nutritional resources needed for egg formation. In general, earlier nesting is a sign of age and experience in birds, and it can be advantageous because it leaves them extra time for re-nesting in the event that their first nesting attempt fails for any reason.”

According to the National Aviary, Peregrine Falcons usually lay three to five eggs in a “clutch,” and the incubation period lasts about 30 days, so the eggs are expected to hatch by mid-April.

For more information, on the Peregrine Falcons, visit the National Aviary’s website here.