Like watching live streamed videos of animals while you're at work? The Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife and Louisville Gas and Electric have launched a webcam for the public to viewa pair of peregrine falcons which are nesting at LG&E's Mill Creek power plant.There's not a lot of action in the nesting box right now, but there are five eggs which are expected to hatch sometime this week. Here are some archived videos.Peregrine falcons historically nest on cliffs...but these days, any tall structures will do. So they're commonly found on the cooling towers of power plants, and LG&E and the Division of Fish and Wildlife have installed nesting boxes on many of them. The birds used to be on the federal endangered species list, but was removed in 1999. But peregrine falcons are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty. From 1997-2011, there were 197 peregrine falcons hatched in Kentucky.From LG&E's press release: “We are excited about this project because it gives us a chance to bring the outdoors into everyday classrooms, homes and lives. This web camera provides an opportunity to follow the lives of these birds from an egg until they take to the skies,” said KDFWR Nongame Branch Coordinator Sunni Carr. Two falcons, known as a nesting pair, are currently occupying the nest box, installed at Mill Creek about seven years ago. The female falcon has laid five eggs since Feb. 21, and the eggs are expected to begin hatching some time during the last week of March. The female, who has not been banded, has been at Mill Creek since 2006. The male, identified by his leg bands, was born in Cincinnati and likely has been at Mill Creek since 2007. Since 2007, 19 young have hatched from the nest box at Mill Creek.So, keep an eye on the webcamover the next few days. Right now, it's just possible to see one of the two falcons sitting in the box, incubating the eggs, but there should be more action over the next few days as the eggs begin to hatch.
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