The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Friday May 20, 2005
kimmarie from Buffalo Falcons reports: Greetings from Buffalo, NY

SAD NEWS TO SHARE

We have sad news to share with all of you. Yesterday in the late afternoon it became apparent that the youngest chick had died. He was removed from the nest by one of the parents late last night or early this morning.

It is most likely that because he was so much smaller and younger than his siblings he was unable to compete for food, became weaker and eventually died. While this is a sad event, it is a part of Nature while we celebrate the successes we must also be prepared to understand they may be losses. The remaining four chicks are eating, growing and becoming more active with each passing day.

If you were watching the cam this morning you noticed that the two older chicks were active, moving around and exploring the nest. There will be times when they wander out of the camera’s range.

I would like to remind all of you that if you are in the Downtown Buffalo area, you can visit the Statler Building and view the falcon family on a closed circuit monitor, located in the lobby.

I hope you enjoy watching our falcon family grow during the coming weeks.

Thank you on behalf of Buffalo Audubon and the Buffalo Peregrine Falcons for your support!

Monday May 10, 2005
The Buffalo Audubon Falcon Cam has announced that there are 5 eggs in the nest at the moment. Since the eggs were laid between Sunday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 13, they are expected to hatch at any time now.

Thursday April 28, 2005
From: The Falcon Forum
There is now a second pair of peregrines in Buffalo. They are located about two miles from the established pair.

Tuesday April 5, 2005
From: The Buffalo Peregrine Falcon Cam
The first egg for this nest site was laid on either this past Saturday (the 2nd) or this past Sunday (the 3rd). Click here for an image recorded by the Buffalo Audubon FalconCam.

Thursday June 20, 2002
Jim Landau reports:  On Tuesday, June 18 the first of the three chicks became bona fide fledgling. It has been seen on the roof of the Statler. This morning, Thursday, June 20, another made its way out, and was seen on the corner of the roof of the building directly north of the Statler Towers on Franklin St. The third youngster is spending a lot of time on the end of the perch at the nest window, as if wondering where everyone went.

The next few days will be crucial for the three as they test and strengthen their wings and skills. If you are around the Statler you might want to keep an eye out for them. If found on the street or sidewalk, please let Statler security know, who will contact Mark Kandel at the DEC. Or let him know directly at 851-7010.

Monday June 3, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  This morning, at the invitation of Mark Kandel and Mike Allen of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, I participated in the banding of the Buffalo peregrine chicks.  While all four eggs hatched, one chick died within the first couple of days after hatching.  The other three survived, and today appeared to be both strong and healthy.  They are slightly over three weeks old, but already approaching full size.  Making them seem all the bigger is the fact that all three turned out to be females.

The banding process began with Mark Kandel reaching into the back of the peregrine nest from an access room inside the Statler Building.  The adult female was unusually aggressive, and actually struck him on the hand as he collected her chicks.  An interesting note about this female: her band number was recently confirmed, and it was determined that she hatched on a cliff along the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick in 1998!  A rare example of a cliff-raised bird coming to nest in a city.  It is thought that she has been the resident female here since 1999, which also means that she nested as a second year bird in her first season in Buffalo.

But back to the story of the chicks:  once inside, they were taken down the elevator to be banded inside the small storefront area occupied by the peregrine project again this year (featuring posters and monitors broadcasting live video from the camera upstairs).  Local media, members of the Buffalo Ornithological Society and Buffalo Audubon Society, and other members of the public were able to watch the banding from up close this year.  Each of the three chicks was given an anodized black US Fish & Wildlife Service band on the right leg, and a black/red visual identification band on the left leg.  They were actually rather quiet and calm throughout the procedure.  Aside from a few lice (common on peregrine chicks, but not really a health concern) they were in perfect condition.

Roughly 45 minutes after they were taken out of the nest, the chicks were returned, and both adults checked on them shortly thereafter.  They will continue to be monitored at the television monitors on site, and can be watched via the Buffalo Audubon Society Webcam.  It will likely be close to three weeks before they consider taking flight for the first time. For more information on the banding see the Buffalo News article.

Sunday May 19, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  By early last week all four chicks had hatched.  Their progress can be watched on the Buffalo Audubon Society Webcam.

Saturday May 11, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Checking out the Buffalo Audubon Society Webcam this afternoon, it is apparent that two chicks have already hatched, and two additional eggs remain in the nest.

May 10, 2003
ErniePigden reports: Was just watching the Buffalo webcam. The female moved and there were two chicks and still 2 eggs.

April 30, 2003
ErniePigden reports: The Buffalo webcam is up and running this season. There are 4 eggs on the scrape.

Saturday April 13, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Jim Landau notified us that on Thursday April 11 a fourth egg was seen in the nest.  Presumably this will be the last egg, and incubation will now become the sole focus of the peregrines for the next few weeks.  Assuming a standard incubation period of 33-35 days from the onset of full incubation, we can expect a hatch around May 12-14.

Thursday April 11, 2002
Jim Landau reports:  On our way to the Buffalo Ornithological Society meeting last evening Wednesday (4/10), Karen & I stopped by the Statler to check on the nest cam.  We were lucky to see a changing of the guard, as the male flew in. The female got up, flew out and the male settled down - but not before we got good looks at (now) 3 eggs in the box.

Wednesday April 10, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  The Buffalo Audubon Society has set up a website featuring a webcam mounted above the Buffalo peregrine nest - click here to access the site for the latest views.  Also, Jim Landau has alerted us that the first egg was discovered via the webcam on April 5 at 6:47 am.

Monday February 4, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Once again, it appears that Buffalo's peregrines have decided to stay in town for the winter.  There have been a few reports of them over the past couple of months, the most recent by William Broderick on January 27, reporting both on the Buffalo City Hall.  Of note, at least two merlins are wintering on the University of Buffalo campus yet again.

Wednesday June 27, 2001
Mark Kandel reports:  We had two chicks this year, a male and a female. The male left the nest on June 20. This was about five days too soon. He managed to fly about alright for a day.  On the 21st he was found on the ground across the street from Statler Towers. He was retrieved and appeared to be uninjured. He was released on the roof of the Statler. After about an hour on the roof he flew off and out of site. He was picked up in the street about two hours later about a block away. This time he was taken to a rehabilitator, Messinger Woods, where he was kept for three days until he was taking food on his own. 

He was released again on the roof of the Statler at 8:15 Tuesday morning, June 26 (the day after the young female left the nest). He immediately flew off and landed on the Federal building about two blocks away. He appeared to be flying very confidently. His parents and sibling sat on the Liberty Building where they could see both the Statler and Federal Buildings. Bill Burch stayed and watched the birds all morning. All four birds stayed put until 1:25 when the two adults and Juv. female flew over to the Federal building. At that point Bill lost sight of all four birds but they appeared to be reunited.

Friday June 8, 2001
Mark Kandel reports:  We banded the Buffalo birds on Tuesday June 5.  There was one male and one female and two unhatched eggs.  The eggs were collected and will be sent to our state wildlife pathologist, Ward Stone.  Mike Allen from DEC region 8 helped me band along with Sarah Lazazzero, seasonal technician and Dustin Harris, McKinly HS Intern. 

Marcel Gahbauer comments:  As in the past, the activity at the nest can be watched live on a monitor in the US Air office on the ground floor of the Statler Building.  Photos from this week's Buffalo banding have been placed in the photo gallery (see link near the top left of this page).

Wednesday March 21, 2001
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  We have received periodic reports through the winter indicating that the peregrines remain on territory in downtown Buffalo.  Of note was a recent event mentioned by David Suggs on the Western New York Dial-a-bird service.  On March 15, a Snowy Owl was spotted on a ledge of the Statler Building as it was harassed persistently by the resident peregrines.  Apparently the repeated attacks effectively trapped the owl on the building; it was not reported how the situation resolved itself.

The aggressiveness of the peregrines is probably related to the fact that the breeding season is about to begin.  Last year they had already laid an egg by March 28; thus there could well be similar news again within the next week.

Thursday December 28, 2000
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Through the Western New York Dial-a-bird service, David Suggs reports that two peregrines were seen roosting near the nest site on the Statler Building in downtown Buffalo on December 23.  Presumably this is the local pair overwintering here. 

Wednesday May 31, 2000
Mark Kandel reports:  The ages of the Buffalo chicks at banding were 18 - 21 days.  The first chick hatched on May 5 and the fourth on May 8. We had three females and one male.  Present at the banding were, Mike Allen, Mark Kandel  Rick Stevens, Sarah Lazzazero of NYSDEC, Bill Burch of Buffalo Ornithological Society, Pat Meyer of Nightwing Communications, Mark Nash and Paul Grieve of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, a Buffalo News reporter and TV Channel 4.

Monday May 8, 2000
Jim Landau reports:  Bill Burch has reported on the Western NY Dial-a-Bird hotline that "as of May 8, three of the four eggs in the PEREGRINE FALCON nest on the Statler Building in Buffalo had hatched. The   adults are bringing food to the young and the video monitor  is in operation and can be seen in the first floor office of US Airways.

Monday March 28, 2000
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  The Buffalo peregrines are again nesting very early in the season.  We received a report from Mark Kandel more than a week ago that there was already at least one egg in the nest, at the same location on the Statler building as last year.

Friday June 18, 1999
Mark Kandel reports:  Toxicology reveiled nothing remarkable about the female found dead earlier this spring. Ward's diagnosis is " the peregrine died of multiple wounds inflicted by a bird(s) of prey - most likely another peregrine falcon defending territory. A peregrinicide."

Friday June 4, 1999
Mark Kandel reports:  All three chicks have successfully fledged (between Sat. May 29 and Mon. May 31). We have been keeping track of the three chicks all week and they are doing well so far. They have been hanging around on roof tops adjacent to the Statler Towers. The places they have been using include Convention Towers, Olympic Towers and The Chase Building.

Jim Landau reports:  The three Buffalo chicks are now fledglings! According to Bill Burch of the Buffalo Ornithological Society, the young male took off from the nest platform on Sunday, May 30. The first female left the next day, Memorial Day, May 31 & the second female on Tuesday, June 1. All apparently took off from the nest early in the morning. They have been seen daily sitting on adjacent rooftops to the Buffalo Convention Center, where the nest box is located. On Wednesday, June 2 they received a thorough soaking from many heavy downpours throughout the day. Thursday, June 3 they were treated to strong gusting winds all day. Life lessons, to be sure.

Friday May 14, 1999
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Today Mark Nash and I were fortunate enough to be invited to attend the banding of the Buffalo peregrines, conducted by Chris Nadareski of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and Mark Kandel of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).  Also present were Barbara Loucks from the Endangered Species Unit of the DEC, Bill Burch of the Buffalo Ornithological Society, Rick Stevens from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and John Wichrowski of Channel 2 News in Buffalo.

The roughly three-week-old chicks were taken directly from the back of the nest box to a makeshift banding table in the maintenance room of the Statler Hotel.   The three chicks were all in good health, and handled the situation very well - although they were lively and feisty, they were rather quiet for the most part, and did not appear to be overly stressed by the banding.

The two females and one male each received a black US Fish and Wildlife band on their right leg, and a black over red band (with a unique two character code) on their left leg.  Following the banding of each bird, Chris and Mark examined it for lice, and for overall health.

Observers in the street and in the levels of the Statler building below the nest reported that both adults flew back and forth while the chicks were inside being banded.  Upon the completion of the banding, we returned to the street ourselves, and watched both adults visit the nest box in the next little while.  All in all it was a thoroughly successful banding today, and we are glad to have been a part of it.   Eight photos from the banding have been put up in the Buffalo Gallery.

Friday April 30, 1999
Mark Kandel reports:  The female that nested in this same box last year was found dead on a nearby roof top on April 5. Her injuries suggest that she was killed by another raptor. We are assuming she was killed by the pair currently occupying the nest box.

However, there is also good news.  Two of the eggs had hatched by April 23 (see Photo Gallery), and as of today we have three chicks and one unhatched egg.   It is likely that the new female laid all of these eggs, as I had a brief look at the female on the nest on March 23, and her leg band colours did not match with last year's female, who may have gotten killed when she tried to reclaim her former nest site. 

Tuesday March 23, 1999
Mark Kandel reports: The Buffalo peregrines are ahead of schedule. On Monday March 22 there were three eggs in the nest. We installed the camera on that day. We had not expected to find eggs so soon. The female stayed on the eggs as the hole was drilled in the box and the camera mounted. We did have to flush her briefly to remove a panel from inside the box to complete the installation. She and the male returned after about five minutes. She took about 15 minutes to settle back in and resume incubating.  We plan to have the monitor set up for the public tomorrow. For now the monitor will be in the Statler Towers in the window of the US Airways ticket office on West Genesee Street. Funding for the camera and installation came from the Buffalo Ornithological Society.

Friday February 19, 1999
Mark Nash reports: Today I visited Buffalo to meet with Mark Kandel of the New York Department of Conservation and Bill Burch of the Buffalo Ornithological Society.  We discussed the possibility of installing a video camera overlooking last year's nest site, and the logistics associated with this.  All parties are interested in pursuing this project, and we hope to have more information available soon.

Return to the News Page

Return to the Sightings Menu

© Canadian Peregrine Foundation