PETS & ANIMALS

Berkeley holds watch party Tuesday as peregrine falcon hatchlings expected

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Berkeley holds watch party as peregrine falcon hatchlings expected

A huge screen in Berkeley is streaming Annie the peregrine falcon as all four chicks are expected to be hatched by the end of the day.

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Tuesday is a big day for Annie and Lou, a pair of famous peregrine falcons at UC Berkeley.

The first of Annie's four hatchlings came Monday afternoon and experts are predicting all four chicks will be hatched by the end of the day Tuesday.

A huge screen set up at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive is streaming the falcons during an all-day watch party.

Until 6 p.m. those stopping by at the corner of Oxford and Addison Street will witness real-time footage from three "Falcon Cams" installed in the eyrie.

LAST YEAR: Annie the Falcon's chicks hatch atop UC Berkeley Campanile

Annie and Lou have gained a worldwide following, with many tuning in to an online public feed.

Cal Falcons, the group of scientists monitoring the duo, have documented their lives -- Regularly posting photos, commentary, even memes about them.

Experts say Annie is in her seventh breeding season at this location.

"Every time it's exciting. Every time, you don't know what's going to happen," Jan Ambrosini of Cal Falcons said. "You don't know if they're all gonna hatch, so you know there's a bit of suspense as we wait and see it happen."

Anyone interested in seeing the hatching in progress can come out to watch on the big screen.

VIDEO: Case Closed? Mystery of Cal's missing peregrine falcon 'Annie' may now finally be solved

Annie has lived with her mate Grinnell on UC Berkeley's Campanile since 2016. She may have flew to see her young on San Francisco's Alcatraz Island.

"It's fun to see them on the camera," Berkeley resident Denise Yip said. "Just to see each different birds personalities, different quirks, and to see the babies. One of the hatchlings come out. I actually don't know if another has come out overnight so that'll be exciting to see."

Annie has lived in the Bay Area since 2016, back when her partner was Grinnel.

In March of last year, Annie suddenly flew the coop with experts fearing she was hurt, dead or perhaps she abandoned her territory.

But after several days, Annie returned.

Here we are a year later, waiting to potentially welcome three more chicks, with a total of four hatchlings.