As early Sunday afternoon rolled along, the skies went from overcast, to partly cloudy, partly sunny to clear skies and bright sun!  Later in the afternoon, was able to finally get back and check for an update, and WOW…..a piece broken shell was sitting next tot he female…right on schedule….FIRST EGG HATCHES!!  Then, just after 7 PM, the female rose up and departed as the male landed at right edge of nest box.  This was a memorable moment, with first looks at the first hatchling….a little white fuzz ball.

Condition At Hatching

The peregrine falcon eyases are semialtricial, nidicolous; covered with off-white (prepenne) down. Semi altricial means: Covered with down, incapable of departing from the nest, and fed by the parents. In species like the peregrine falcon we speak of semialtricial 2, hatch with the eyes closed.  The bill and feet pinkish to pale gray with eyes closed. They weigh about 35–40 g. If eyes open with food-begging first day, they are slitlike. The eyases obtain 2 downy plumages.

Literature cited:

Veldhuis, Froona, Eyases growth and development                                                                                                                                                                                                                                http://falcoperegrinus-froona.blogspot.com/2008/04/eyases-growth-and-development.html