Peregrine Falcon Eggs Hatch Atop Transamerica Building
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A penthouse view isn't buying one Baltimore family any privacy—they're on camera 24-7.
Alex Demetrick reports, you're invited to look all you want.
The Transamerica building is Baltimore's tallest and up near the top on the 33rd floor, a Peregrine falcon is now mother to three babies.
It's a nesting site falcons have been using since 1977 and thanks to a specially mounted camera, live video is streaming onto the Chesapeake Conservancy's website.
"Three eggs and they hatched over the last couple of days. In fact the third egg hatched last night," said Joel Dunn, Chesapeake Conservancy.
The first hatched May 18th, keeping that chick with the rest of the eggs took effort.
"This is the first clutch of eggs she's ever raised. She was a little rough with the first baby, but she's getting the hang of things now," Dunn said.
Like the camera trained on an osprey nest on the Eastern Shore, the birds are used by the Conservancy to draw people in, and build support for programs designed to protect the Chesapeake and its wildlife.
According to Transamerica's Communication Chief, the falcons have an international company watching.
"Our colleagues around the world are watching this. Transamerica is part of aegon and so we have colleagues in the Netherlands and of course Spain, and different parts of Europe and Asia," said Gregory Tucker, Transamerica.
The Transamerica falcons pretty much have Baltimore all to themselves. The next nearest Peregrine falcons nest way out on the key bridge.
"A building mimics a cliff for them. It gives them a high perch to be able to look for prey and swoop out and get them," said Dunn.
And considering Peregrine falcons nearly became extinct in the 1950's and 60's because of DDT poisoning, their comeback is an on-going success story.
"Within two months' time they'll fledge from the nest and go out and find their own place to reproduce the story," said Dunn.
The young falcon family might want to get an agent. So far they logged 200,000 views and counting.
