Two new falcons at the We Energies Port Washington Generating Station have laid their first eggs, marking the start of a new chapter for the nest box.
The proud parents-to-be are an unbanded female falcon and Hamm’s Solo, a male falcon born at the Molson Coors Brewery site in Milwaukee in 2023. The new birds take the place of Brinn and Beasley, the former falcons who nested at the site for more than a decade and produced 22 chicks together. Peregrine falcon expert Greg Septon believes both Brinn and Beasley died of bird flu.
The new female falcon will likely lay one or two more eggs in the coming days. Both falcons will take turns incubating their eggs.
So far, a total of 12 eggs have been laid at all four nest sites: Oak Creek Power Plant (4), Weston Power Plant (4), Valley Power Plant (2) and Port Washington Generating Station (2).
If all goes well, the eggs laid in Oak Creek should hatch around the end of April and at the rest of the nest sites in the weeks to follow.
Peregrine falcon program
We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) began installing peregrine falcon nest boxes on power plants in the early 1990s. So far, 453 peregrine falcons have hatched at We Energies and WPS facilities — that’s 20% of all peregrine falcons born in Wisconsin.
This program is another way We Energies and WPS are building a bright, sustainable future. From helping endangered animals and restoring natural habitats, to building new solar facilities and reducing carbon emissions, we are committed to a cleaner future.