Falcon Cam 2024 Kicks Off with the Same Pair and a New Camera
The female falcon sits perched on the ledge of the parapet while the male rests in the nest box. Photo taken on 2/26/24.
The wait is over—the Richmond Falcon Cam is live for the 2024 season, and due to some technology updates, the stream is sure to be sharper than ever in 2024! The Falcon Cam comes to you thanks to our partners at Comcast Business, who have generously provided the internet connection that powers the camera since 2017.
As you may recall, the previous camera malfunctioned last year after nearly 10 years of operation. During the off season, we replaced the old equipment with a brand new 4K camera, providing viewers with Ultra-High Definition video as well as infrared technology, which provides a clear look inside the nest box at night. A new microphone was also installed, allowing those tuning in to hear the birds as well as see them.
We’re also happy to report that we’ve been seeing 95/AK (the resident female) and her mate, 59/BM (the resident male) on an almost daily basis throughout February. This pair is entering their fourth nesting season together, having successfully fledged four chicks at this site on an annual basis since 2021. We’ve been seeing lots of courtship behavior, including head bowing and energetic “ee-chipping” vocalizations from the male. Meanwhile, the female has been spending a lot of time perching near the nest box, a good indication that she is developing eggs! Last year, 95/AK laid her first egg of the season during the overnight hours of March 19. We expect her to follow a similar schedule this year, so we hope to see an egg laid sometime within the third week of March.
As always, we invite you to follow along with us as we cover the events of what will hopefully be another successful season! And remember, if you want to receive falcon updates directly to your inbox, you can join our subscriber list on out our Falcon Cam homepage. This page also includes links to our FAQs as well as archived posts that outline the events of previous seasons.