“Checkers” the peregrine falcon is checking things out Milwaukee’s Molson Coors nest box.
Checkers was born at the We Energies Oak Creek Power Plant in 2021. He was recently spotted on the brewery’s nest box camera and identified thanks to the band placed on his leg. The combination of colors, letters and numbers on the tags helps identify all falcons born at Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) and We Energies power plants.
After a peregrine falcon leaves the nest, sightings in the wild can be rare, but Checkers must like the spotlight. This is the second time that Checkers has been spotted in the Milwaukee area. Last year, he was identified in a nest box at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.
Greg Septon, the WPS and We Energies peregrine falcon manager, suspects he may be staying close to home to find his own opportunity to nest.
Peregrine falcon program
Two more WPS and We Energies peregrine falcons have been spotted recently in the wild. Read more about sightings of Trapper and Birdie Blair.
A total of 453 peregrine falcons have been born at WPS and We Energies power plants since the program began in 1992. That means 20% of all peregrine falcons born in Wisconsin during that time hatched at WPS or We Energies facilities, helping the endangered species escape possible extinction.
Coming soon
The countdown is on to the arrival of a new group of chicks. Watch for updates later this month as WPS and We Energies continue helping peregrine falcons nest and raise their young at power plants across Wisconsin.
The peregrine falcon program is just one way WPS and We Energies 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.