New Falcon Chicks Atop San Jose City Hall Welcomed
SAN JOSE (KCBS) -- Another season of falcon viewing has begun at San Jose City Hall, and on computer screens around the world, after falcon webcams caught peregrine falcon eggs hatching over the Easter weekend.
Clara the falcon is once again the proud parent of four peregrine chicks, three of which hatched on Easter Sunday. However, close falcon watchers may notice a new face on the nest cam.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
"Fernando the Rocket is the new bird up there," said Glen Stewart with the Predatory Bird Research Group at UC Santa Cruz.
He said that Fernando, also known as "Nando", chased away Clara's old mate after her eggs were already laid.
"We weren't really sure how it was all going to turn out, but he fit in just perfectly," said Stewart.
Now that the eggs have hatched, the city is sponsoring the annual falcon naming contest. Michelle McGurk, spokesperson for Mayor Chuck Reed, said the competition is open to San Jose school children ages five to 18.
"Part of the reason that we take such pride in having falcons here, and want kids around San Jose to get so involved is that it really shows what can happen through conservation and hard work," said McGurk.
In the 1970's there were only two pairs of peregrine falcons nesting in California. Since then, the birds have been taken off the endangered species list.
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