Three Eggs Hatched
All three eggs have hatched. The first hatched at approximately 6:50 pm on Wed, May 17 while the male was on incubation duty. This marks the 37th hatchling sired by this male and the first by this female, who is most likely a first time breeder.
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/5-17-2017_firstchick_2-400x225.jpg)
Adult male with first hatched chick
The second egg most likely hatched during the early morning hours of May 18. This chick was first visible at 5:37 this morning, when the female stood up from her brooding upon the arrival of the male, revealing that she had also been sitting on a dead yellow-billed cuckoo delivered by the male sometime during the night. The cuckoo was removed by the male.
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/5-18-2017malewithcuckoo3-400x225.jpg)
Adult male with cuckoo and two chicks
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/5-18-2017_2chicks_2-400x225.jpg)
Adult male with two chicks
The two chicks were seen being fed by the female at approximately 6:17 a.m.
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/5-18-2017femalefeedingchicks-400x225.jpg)
Female feeding two chicks
They were joined two hours later by their third sibling, which first began breaking free of its eggshell at 8:12 a.m. with the female at the nest.
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/falcon-hatching-e1495126637727-400x204.png)
Pip visible in third egg with hatched chicks on either side.
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/5-18-2017_thirdchick_1-400x225.jpg)
Third chick hatching
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/5-18-2017_thirdchick_2-400x225.jpg)
Hatched third chick
![](https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/051817_Day1_1-400x225.jpg)
Adult male with the three chicks.