Miscellaneous peregrines

[AlisonL]

Popular power plant peregrines are no snow birds

Peregrine falcons lingering along the lakeshore have birders and biologists wondering if the part-time residents will again remain in Michigan for the winter.

“Peregrine falcons are migratory birds,” said Nik Kalejs, senior wildlife biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “Typically, they follow other bird species southward when the weather turns colder. These West Michigan birds stuck around last season and seem to want to remain in the area this year, too.”

Last winter, a pair of peregrines remained all season at the J.H. Campbell Complex in Port Sheldon Township, where an artificial nest placed by employees 200-feet up on an emissions stack has been attracting the birds seasonally for eight years. The nest yielded two peregrine chicks this year, with one of the juveniles sharing the territory with its parents well into the fall, another unusual behavior for the highly territorial species.

Tom Kalkman assisted with placing identification leg bands on the chicks as part of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program to collect data on the reproductive success, migration routes, and health of the species.

“They’re magnificent birds,” said Kalkman, a Casnovia resident and lab technician at Campbell. “It’s fascinating to think of the fastest animal on the planet residing here in West Michigan — and not wanting to head south for the winter. Obviously, they’re remaining for a reason.”

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/x1671986077/Popular-power-plant-peregrines-are-no-snow-birds

[AlisonL]

Hampton, Virginia

HAMPTON — The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The conditions were ideal for take-off on a Florida-bound flight path.

By the time Edward Clark, president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, arrived at Grandview Nature Preserve in Hampton with a rare peregrine falcon Tuesday, a crowd of more than 30 people had gathered to see the release.

The falcon was nursed back to health by staff at the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro after being picked up injured in Accomack County last month. He wasted no time in flying back into the wild, going north before getting his bearings and heading south for warmer climes.

Clark, who drove from the snowy Shenandoah Valley to release the bird, said conditions were ideal for flight. "It's nice and balmy down here," he said.

He addressed onlookers and then drove deeper into the preserve for the release.

"We might get a bit out of these backyards in case it lands in these backyards and a cat jumps on it. We don't want to have to replace someone's cat," Clark said.

Clark said the peregrine falcon, the fastest animal on Earth, could get back to Accomack County faster than he could drive there.

"But I suspect this bird has Florida on the brain, which is not an altogether bad idea."

When the falcon was picked up, he was underweight, missing some feathers on its left wing and had an eye injury.

The bird was treated at the wildlife center and given flight exercises in one of the center's outdoor flight pens.

"It was generally given supportive care and it healed. In the wild it does not have the luxury of getting better on its own," Clark said.

There are only about 20 known breeding pairs of peregrines in Virginia — in the Hampton Roads and Richmond areas and on the Eastern Shore.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_falcon_1223dec23,0,5725682.story

There is also a video of the release at the above link.

[Caerann]

Thank you for posting the article on the Michigan birds, Allison. The article touches on a question I had posted under the general topics section of the forum and now your post demonstrates another set of parents sharing territory with their offspring. Very interesting!     

[Dot]

Has anyone heard if SW in Cleveland has found a new mate.  I was unable to find anything on Google - but know you all know more than any search engine.

[AlisonL]

Has anyone heard if SW in Cleveland has found a new mate.  I was unable to find anything on Google - but know you all know more than any search engine.

SW does have a new mate, Dot. He has been there since the tragic loss of Buckeye, and I think he was probably the one who engaged in a territorial battle with Buckeye.

He is Ranger, B/92, from the Eastlake nest not far from Cleveland, so he is almost a local peregrine. He is very young, having been born in 2008, but he definitely wants SW, the nest and the territory. She appears to be accepting him; she has allowed him to share her food, and he has helped defend the territory. I think it is probably good for SW that she has not had to be alone.

[AlisonL]

More photos of SW and Ranger: the third pic is of SW in a stoop, the fourth is of Ranger.

Many more photos, and a lot more information, may be found on this thread. At the bottom of this page is a very short video of SW and Ranger bonding.

http://www.falconcam-cmnh.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?48519.20

Photos by Chad and Chris.

[kittenface]

Red wing is up again

http://rwgllc.qwestoffice.net/webcam.html

[kittenface]

Someone is back at Sherco

[kittenface]

Caerann
They don't give to much information at Lincoln  here is all I can find as far as who is who its their information
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/webcam/peregrine/history.asp

[Caerann]

Thanks for the tip, Kittenface.     I looked back 5 years to 2005 to find out the male there has been 19/K and the female A/*Y. Hopefully there will be an update as to whether or not this is currently the same pair.

[Diane]

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/local/Webcam_offers_eye_on_peregrines_89516667.html

Coming soon...a new cam!  Just what we need!  More cams!   

http://www.rdrn.fanweb.ca/rdrn_home_page.htm

[kittenface]

Multifood ?
http://www.thefalconsat33.com/default.htm

[Nora in IA]

If anyone watches Syracuse, NY and this hasn't been posted yet.............

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Changes to the internet connection of the "Falcon-Cam" perched on top of the State Tower Building will force some frequent bird-watchers to update the link in their favorites tab.

The camera provides a bird's eye view of peregrine falcon nests, but if you haven't updated the link in your browser, you won't be able to see the images. Falcon-Cam is still active, but you'll have to use this new link to get there: http://www.wvtc.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=555

   

[Linda M]

An article about the nest at Lincoln http://www.omaha.com/article/20100421/NEWS01/100429901 indicates that there are now four eggs:

Capitol falcons produce eggs

By David Hendee
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
« Metro/Region

LINCOLN --- A pair of peregrine falcons has produced eggs in a nest box outside the 18th floor of the State Capitol for the sixth consecutive year.

FalconCam, a video camera mounted atop the capitol provides streaming video of the nest box and may be viewed at OutdoorNebraska.org. Streaming video also is available on a television in the capitol rotunda at the peregrine falcon display.

After observing mating and apparent egg-laying via the webcam, Joel Jorgensen, nongame bird manager with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, checked the nest box Monday and counted four eggs. The pair had four eggs each of the last two years. The eggs are expected to hatch about the second week of May.

In 2005, the pair raised one chick that was named Pioneer via a contest. In 2006, Willa, Bess and Sterling, named for Nebraskans Willa Cather, Bess Streeter Aldrich and J. Sterling Morton, fledged. In 2007, Boreas, Notus, Eurus, and Zephyrus, named for the four wind gods from Greek mythology, fledged. The pair laid eggs in 2008 but was unsuccessful in raising young. Last year, Nemaha, Niobrara, Calamus, and Platte, named for Nebraska rivers, fledged. If the pair raises young again this year, the naming contest will be renewed.

Another falcon pair has produced eggs in a nest on Omaha's Woodmen Tower. See video of the Omaha falcons and their nest at www.woodmen.org/falcons.

[Caerann]

Hey thanks for that info on Lincoln, Linda! I was going to ask if anyone had info on the number of eggs because their website didn't have that and here I found the answer I was seeking!   

Much obliged,