Belle And Stewart Are Proud Falcon Parents Again

Belle and Stewart, the endangered peregrine falcons nesting atop the Washington Mutual Tower, have welcomed their first two newborns of the year Sunday night and Monday.

The first arrived at 11:33 p.m. on April 29 and the second emerged in the early morning hours on April 30. Two others were expected to hatch Monday afternoon.

The newborns, called eyasses, will remain in the nest for about six weeks as they develop and prepare to take their first flight. Stewart and Belle, named after nearby downtown streets, have been nesting and raising their young atop the 55-story tower since 1995.

You Can Keep Tabs On The Falcons' Progress

A video camera installed near their nest allows researchers and enthusiasts to monitor and study the falcons.

The public can view the falcon family live via a color television monitor inside Washington Mutual's Tower Financial Center at 1201 Third Avenue. A second monitor is placed in a financial center window near Third Avenue and University Street for after-hours and weekend viewing.

The falcons can also be seen on the Falcon Research Group's Web site at www.frg.org. Updates on the birds' activities are available through the Seattle Peregrine Hotline at (206) 654-4423.

Washington Mutual will host a "Hatching Party" on Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Tower Financial Center. The public is welcome to stop by for cookies and coffee.