Living in the Midwest, we all understand the vagaries of the weather, especially as we ride the annual winter-to-spring roller coaster. The ride is inevitable. And unwelcome.
However, a pleasant piece of inevitability has taken hold locally since 2018 with the annual return of Louise, a peregrine falcon who has been hatching babies on the ledge of the iconic downtown Rockford Register Star Tower.
Members of the Sinnissippi Audubon Society maintain the nesting space and the live Web cam allowing us to follow the candid, sometimes gross, and always revealing highlights of the life of the world’s fastest bird. And, the building’s new owners, Iconic Energy, generously continue to provide access to the ledge and the webcam.
No matter where we live, we Americans probably don’t take enough time to notice the amazing work of Mother Nature. Sometimes, it’s something as simple as an amazing bird raising a family high above street level as we humans go about our day.
Louise has become a local celebrity–the star of the best kind of reality show. She’s got talent. She’s fierce. And she understands the assignment, which presently means keeping five eggs warm.
However, what I appreciate most about Louise and the breeding, hatching and raising of her new babies is this: It’s Mother Nature at her best, free of politics, crime, social issues, economics, illness, war and all the other maladies we seem to be facing currently.
These are just beautiful birds, unaware of the maelstrom around them. It’s nature doing nature things. It’s pleasant. Calming. And it’s something we all need right about now.
Click hereto see what Rockford's favorite falcon is up to, via the Iconic Energy webcam.