Where are they now?: Blaze

He was named in honor of blaze orange worn by Wisconsin hunters, but Blaze the peregrine falcon prefers camouflage when he’s on the hunt. The young adult was recently spotted in Glendale, blending into his surroundings.

Blaze (middle) was one of three chicks born at the Valley Power Plant in Milwaukee in 2020. Our customers voted to name him and his siblings, Brandy and Hoppy, after some of our favorite things about Wisconsin. 

Paul Sparks spotted Blaze in May at Kletzsch Park in Glendale and reached out to our peregrine falcon expert, Greg Septon. Sparks sent us these pictures and gave us permission to share them. 

Sightings like this one are always exciting, because after our peregrine falcon chicks leave the nest, we never know if we’ll see them again. Septon was able to make the identification thanks to the small bands we attached to Blaze’s legs while he was still a nestling. 

Peregrine falcon program

We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) are honored to be a part of a statewide effort to restore the peregrine falcon population. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources added peregrine falcons to the state’s endangered species list in the 1970s.

Since our first successful nest in the mid-’90s, 421 peregrine falcons have hatched at our facilities. The falcons are drawn to tall structures along Lake Michigan or major rivers, which make many of the We Energies and WPS facilities ideal nesting sites.

This program is another way We Energies and WPS are building a bright, sustainable future. From helping endangered animals and restoring natural habitats, to building new solar facilities and reducing carbon emissions, we are committed to a cleaner future.

Don’t let a balloon blunder leave your neighborhood in the dark

Whether you’re celebrating Dad or grads this weekend, there is one party staple that could turn your backyard bash into a blackout — a balloon.

Every year, thousands of our customers lose power in balloon-related outages. Over 20,000 We Energies customers lost power in 2020 due to balloons coming into contact with our power lines and other equipment. 

Not only can balloons knock out power, the short circuit from the balloon also can cause power lines to fall to the ground, creating a dangerous situation. 

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or graduation, or just hosting a summer get-together, follow these steps to keep your family safe and the power on:

• When possible, keep balloons inside. 
• Never release balloons outside.
• Make sure all balloons are tied securely to a weight that’s heavy enough to keep them from flying away.
• When you’re done with balloons, let the air out and throw them in the trash.
• Never try to retrieve a balloon that has become entangled in a power line. 

If you spot a balloon stuck in our equipment, give us a call at 800-662-4797. 

Bye bye, birdies: We Energies peregrine falcon chicks begin to leave the nest

Two sets of our peregrine falcon parents are officially empty nesters. The chicks born this spring at our power plants in Oak Creek and Milwaukee have learned to fly.

“Fauci” was the first chick to spread his wings at the Oak Creek Power Plant nest box, followed by his brothers “Checkers” and “Beaker.” Over at the Valley Power Plant nest box, “Kizzmekia” was the first to leave. All of the baby falcons were named in honor of the heroes and helpers of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The fledglings will spend the next few weeks learning how to hunt prey and mastering their flying skills. After that, they’ll head off in separate directions to start their own lives. 

There’s still plenty of action on our live nest box cameras. The chicks born at the Port Washington Generating Station are younger and will likely stick around for at least another week.

This year’s class of chicks brings the total number of peregrines hatched, named and banded at We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) power plants to 421 since our recovery efforts began in the mid-1990s.

Peregrine falcon program

We Energies and WPS are honored to be a part of a statewide effort to restore the peregrine falcon population. The Department of Natural Resources added peregrine falcons to Wisconsin’s endangered species list in the 1970s.

This program is another way We Energies and WPS are building a bright, sustainable future. From helping endangered animals and restoring natural habitats, to building new solar facilities and reducing carbon emissions, we are committed to a cleaner future.

Introducing Fauci, Energizer and Courage: Peregrine falcon chicks officially named and banded

They grow up so quickly! The We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) peregrine falcon chicks are moving on to the next stage of their lives. Thousands of people voted to name the baby birds in honor of the heroes and helpers of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the 11 chicks born at our power plants have been given their names and their identification bands. 

Oak Creek Power Plant 

From left to right: 

• Fauci, in honor of health care workers
• Checkers, in honor of grocery store workers
• Beaker, in honor of scientists

Port Washington Power Plant

From left to right: 

• Cheers, in honor of restaurant and bar workers
• Hugs, in honor of parents and guardians
• Harvest, in honor of farmers

Valley Power Plant in Milwaukee

From left to right: 

• Kizzmekia, in honor of vaccinators
• Sparkle, in honor of cleaning crews
• Energizer, in honor of utility workers

Weston Power Plant in Rothschild

From left to right: 

• Courage, in honor of everyone making sacrifices
• Siren, in honor of first responders

About the bandings:

During the banding, our peregrine falcon manager gently places a towel over the chick’s head to calm it down. He then carefully attaches a small metal band to each leg. The bands allow people to contact us and let us know if they’ve spotted one of our peregrines in the wild.

This year’s chicks are just starting to leave the nest. Make sure to tune into our live nest box cameras before they say goodbye!

Peregrine falcon program

We Energies and WPS are honored to be a part of a statewide effort to restore the peregrine falcon population. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources added peregrine falcons to the state’s endangered species list in the 1970s.

Since our first successful nest in the mid-’90s, 421 peregrine falcons have hatched at our facilities. The falcons are drawn to tall structures along Lake Michigan or major rivers, which make many of the We Energies and WPS facilities ideal nesting sites.

This program is another way We Energies and WPS are building a bright, sustainable future. From helping endangered animals and restoring natural habitats, to building new solar facilities and reducing carbon emissions, we are committed to a cleaner future.