Nesting Peregrine Falcons to hatch any day now – Watch online

Peregrine Falcons are an endangered species due to ingesting DDT and other similar pesticides. With assistance from companies such as We Energies, this bird of prey is making a comeback, proving: if you build it – they will come, even if it takes a decade.

Longtime employee Greg Labonte built a nest on top of the Southern most stack at the Presque Isle Powerplant ten years ago and a decade later, this New Haven beauty showed up. She’s been a regular for the past 3 years, with eggs ready to hatch any day now.

“They went on the endangered species list and it became apparent that the Peregrine Falcons nest at high locations, we realized, we have high locations, we have stacks, so we started putting the nest boxes on our stacks at various power plants and that is how the program began,” said Mike Boyer, Administrative Services Manager, We Engergies.

Presque Isle updates their public viewing site every hour. You can follow the progress online with photo updates round the clock. We Energies has six nesting sites in total and four have live streaming of the nesting moms to be.

“Yes, the falcon camera has just launched again on We Energies website and it is fun to follow them and watch the parent leave the nest to go and get food. It’s not often you get to see these powerful endangered birds up close. They are a lot louder and larger than we had anticipated,” said Erica McCone, We Engergies, Chemicla Lab Supervisor.

When hunting, these birds can swoop in going as fast as 200 miles per hour. The current nesting activity is a huge milestone for We Energies as the next chick to spread her wings at one of their sites will be the company’s 200th Peregrine.

Interestingly enough, approximately 20 percent of Wisconsin’s peregrine population has come from We Energies Power plants.

You can watch We Energies nesting Peregrine’s online at: http://www.we-energies.com/environmental/protect_wildlife.htm.