Mississippi River Peregrine Falcons: Great News for Cliff Nesting Falcons

Tuesdays must be the lucky day to find falcons on the river cliffs. On 4/8/08 we located two adult falcons defending Pepin Heights cliff just south of Lake City, MN. On 4/15/08, I spent the entire day surveying river cliffs and was most pleased to find two adult falcons defending a small cliff just north of the town of Minneiska, MN.

It appears that falcons are now taking to smaller or secondary cliffs. However, the one constant is that all cliffs with falcons tower directly over open water. Will this change when all cliffs directly facing water are occupied?

The following is a list of cliff sites with falcons on territory.

1. West Bluff near Maiden Rock, WI: Historic eyrie with falcons back for the third time.
2. Maiden Rock: The matriarch of river cliffs. Purchased and managed by the West Wisconsin Land Trust.
3. Maassen’s Bluff: Four miles north of Alma, WI.
4. 12 Mile Bluff: On the south end of the town of Alma, WI.
5. Castle Rock: Across the river from Winona, MN.
6. Lynxville, WI cliffs: The falcons are back on Larson’s Bluff.
7. Lock and Dam 9: This is the third year for this small cliff to attract falcons. It’s interesting to note that in 2006 there was an adult male paired with an immature female. 2007 an adult male paired with an immature female. 2008 adult female, immature male.
8. Fountain City: Two adults taking to the nest box mounted to the cliff in 2006.
9. John Latsch: Adult falcons present. Bandings carried out by Raptor Center.
10. Queen’s Bluff: South of Winona, MN Bandings carried out by Raptor Center.
11. Homer cliff near Homer, MN: Two adult falcons defending
12. Great Spirit Bluff: South of Dresbach, MN.
13. Leo’s Bluff, Waukon Jnct, IA: The two adult falcons at this cliff have moved to a new cliff just upstream from Leo’s Bluff. This is the third time the falcons have moved upstream. Dan Berger jokes that this is the result of global warming.
14. Pepin Heights 1: We confirmed falcons on this cliff on 4/8/08. On 4/15/08 I saw them carry out a food transfer. The winds were too strong to attempt to read bands on the top of the cliff. I even got a creepy feeling while standing on the top of this bluff being buffeted by 30+ winds.
15. Hussen’s Bluff near Minneiska, MN: I confirmed two adult falcons on this small cliff yesterday morning. I met with the land owner who is excited about his falcons.

Cliffs that have had some falcon activity

1. Twin Bluffs: Near Nelson, WI. Two falcons were present on early visits to the cliff but on 4/8/08 no falcons were observed. This same day, two falcons were observed at the Wabasha Bridge. The owners of this cliff have asked us to install a nest box on the cliff wall.
2. Trempealeau, WI: Falcons were observed several times in 2007. We have not seen falcon activity as of this writing in 2008.
3. Brownsville, MN: There are two cliffs south of Brownville that have in past years attracted single falcons.
4. Alma Marina cliff: This is a historic cliff nest site for the peregrine falcons. Dan Berger working with Fred and Fran Hamerstrom trapped an adult female falcon below this cliff in the early 50’s. We’ve seen falcons at this cliff several times over the years however, last year and, this year, Great Horned Owls are nesting in the one prominent eyrie.
5. Goose Island cliff: We have had falcons visit this cliff off and on over the last few years. The land owner who lives near the base of this cliff will let us know if falcons are seen once again.
6. Hastings cliff: Falcons have nested in the nest box mounted to the small cliff and also on a nearby bridge. I have not heard what site the Hasting falcons are using this season.

Bob Anderson
Director, Raptor Resource Project

River Report: 3/26/2007

We started out the morning at the base of Leo’s Bluff near Waukon Junction, IA. We quickly located two adult falcons. The adult male is un-banded. The adult female is: b/g 66/A, a 2005 HY falcon from St. Louis, MO. Her right leg had what looks to Dave Kester and I to be a plain aluminum band. Last season on 5/17/06 we were shocked to find the shell fragments of three recently hatched eggs and one intact pipped egg. Both adult falcons were missing! I had a strange feeling about this loss and wanted to see who showed up this season. I am now more then ever convinced something killed both adults at or around 5/15/07.

I located an adult falcon on the Lansing, IA power plant cliff. It was perched about 20’ from the new nest box. The next few days will tell us just where the falcons choose to lay their eggs.

I worked my way upstream, spending time at each potential cliff nest site. From Lansing, IA north, we saw no falcons until Great Spirit Bluff near Dresbach, MN. Saw two falcons at Queen’s Bluff. Was disappointed to not find any falcons at the Homer, MN cliff where on 3/20/07 Amy Ries saw two falcons.

Found two adult falcons defending Castle Rock cliff across the river from Winona, MN. I did not see any falcons but have had reports from two people seeing one falcon at the Fountain City cliff nest box. Found two adult falcons defending Maassen’s Bluff. It made my day to find one adult falcon defending Twin Bluffs near Nelson, WI. Found two adult falcons at Maiden Rock. The adult female has a purple band on right leg. Was very pleased to find two adult falcons defending West Bluff! How great to have falcons back at this historical cliff after success in 2005 and no falcons in 2006.

Two adult falcons at the Red Wing Grain stack house nest box. Was able to read the band number on the adult female falcon at Horizon Milling in Lake City, MN. She is the resident falcon 29/A. Could make out the letter K on the adult male indicating he is very probably the resident male K/U. This pair is on their second egg as of this writing.

Over the last week or so only one falcon has been seen at the Lynxville, WI cliff. However, just this evening, Dave Kester reports finding two falcons on site. We now need to keep watch on the lock and dam #9 cliff north of Prairie Du Chene, WI.

We'll keep everyone posted! Let us know if you see falcons along the river between roughly Red Wing and LaCrosse.

Bob Anderson
Raptor Resource Project
http://www.raptorresource.org