Four falcon babies born at the Sheraton
The queen of the peregrine falcon nest at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel has much to celebrate this Mother’s Day.
Four seemingly healthy chicks, belonging to parents Lily and Ossie, hatched last weekend — the most babies born at one time since 2010.
“We couldn’t believe it,” Patricia Baker, a monitor with the Hamilton Community Peregrine Project’s Falconwatch, said Wednesday. “We just said, ‘here we go again.’ ”
While the couple — who have had offspring at the Hamilton hotel since 2015 — laid eggs near the end of the nest ledge last year, no babies hatched.
This spring, peregrine watchers spotted the eggs for the first time last month.
On the evening of May 3, they spied momma Lily bringing food back to the nest and tearing it apart before one fluffy white head peeked out.
By Sunday, all four chicks had hatched and were arguing with one another over food.
Before Lily and Ossie took up residence at the Sheraton, the space was used by Madame X and Surge. But in January 2015, Surge was found injured near the waterfront and died about two months later when efforts to bring him back to health failed.
Shortly after, Madame X flew the coop, leaving open the Sheraton for Lily and Ossie to check in.
Over the years, close to 60 chicks have been born at the Sheraton.
Now, the watchers are kicking it into high gear as they prepare for the babies’ bandings and health checks, which are tentatively scheduled to take place May 24. At that point, the chicks will likely be named as well.
Baker said the Hamilton Community Peregrine Project is looking for volunteers to help track the movements of the chicks as they make their first flights.
Those interested in volunteering or watching the baby falcons on camera can visit falcons.hamiltonnature.org.