WI / Oak Creek - 2009-14

[The Peregrine Chick]

2014 NESTING SEASON

From Greg at WE Energies ...

During the early winter, I saw the adult male at this site perched at the entrance to the old nest box on the north plant. This box has been closed off, and the webcam was moved to the new nest box inside the chimney where peregrines successfully nested last year. Though early in the nesting season, I have not yet seen any sign of activity at the new nest box. I make an effort to clean the artificial turf-covered nest box decks each fall so if a falcon starts spending time there, I will begin to notice small bits of white down stuck on the deck that result from the falcon's preening. So far, I’ve not seen any down on the deck nor have I seen any falcons from the webcam.  The first egg was laid was here on March 26 last year.

[The Peregrine Chick]

2013 NESTING SEASON

Nesting peregrine falcon in Oak Creek delivers a Mother's Day gift
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - 5 May 2013

Mother's Day arrived a week early for a peregrine falcon nesting at the Oak Creek Power Plant, and the family already has its own Internet reality show.

A live camera focused on the nest Sunday morning revealed three white fuzzy chicks, clustered in a nest of pebbles beside one egg that has not hatched. The mother falcon started feeding the babies breakfast around 10:10 a.m. They appear to have healthy appetites.

The 3 female and 1 male chicks were named Wendelle, Baroness, Ariel & Melvin at banding

[The Peregrine Chick]

In the end, Scott was identified as the male at this site and he and Atlanta had four eggs of which three hatched, were banded and fledged.  There are 2 females (Emm & Leeah) and 1 male (Eric).

[kittenface]

They are just adorable aren't they?

[The Peregrine Chick]

They changed the angle of the camera

This is the really cute stage ....

[Kinderchick]

Much better view now that the chicks have hatched.

[kittenface]

They changed the angle of the camera

[Alison]

There is at least one chick at this nest:

 

The female at this nest, Atlanta, is now 14 years old. So far she has raised 38 chicks, 36 of them at this nest. She was born in 1996 at the Pulliam Plant in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Her band is black/red, L/*C.  The male is not yet identified this year.

[Alison]

Back again:

[Alison]

One in the nest box today:

[Alison]

2010 NESTING SEASON

The falcons haven't been around for a while, since a pair of Great Horned Owls is raising two owlets in the other Oak Creek nest, but one falcon paid a visit today. The falcons will not nest until the GHOs have left the second nest.

[Alison]

One adult relaxing at Oak Creek today:

[Alison]

Are those rocks inside the nest box?  why?

I've also seen the chicks use rocks to lean against and rest their heads on, like a pillow.

This is not the only nest box with a few rocks - in addition to both Oak Creek nests, the Port Washington and Valley Power nests also have rocks, and the Salt Lake City nest has at least one.

[bcbird]

Oh, of course.... like on the ventilation cap of the nest ledge that Vesper perched.  Thanks, TPC.

[The Peregrine Chick]

The rocks are for sitting on - peregrines, even young ones like to "perch" and since this nestbox is a split-level - front is high, nest part is sunken, the rocks give them a comfy (relatively speaking) place to perch their toes on ...