April 30th - 2012
Caught another shift change in Don Mills, with Kendal coming in to spell off Quest.
Meg Langley Grainger
April 30th - 2012
Must have caught a shift change because for a second the eggs at the King Street West nest site were uncovered.
Meg Langley Grainger
Taken from :New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife
C. David Jenkins, Chief
Endangered and Nongame Species Program
Peregrine Falcon
Research and Management Program in New Jersey, 2011
“We plan to continue the investigation of contaminants in unhatched, salvaged eggs, as well as the close monitoring of nesting pairs to detect problems. New research suggests the high levels of brominated fire-retardant chemicals (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) found in peregrines may affect adult peregrine nesting behavior and nest success, which certainly bears watching in NJ.”
The entire report is here: http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/downloads/cwnj_124.pdf
Of particular interest to CPF was the number of nest failures and eggs that failed to hatch. Last season Peregrine nests suffered a similar fate with many addled or unhatched eggs in southern Ontario, as well as complete nest failures. This season we are observing the same thing already. Its very important to continue monitoring incase this becomes a trend. To that end we thought the above passage from the report was very significant.
We are delighted to report that the new King Street camera is now LIVE!! Many thanks to all those that were involved in making this happen.
A huge thank you to Dundee Reality for their support with an internet connection that has allow us to get the live updated colour images from the camera to the CPF web site, and to Peregrine Protection Inc. and their support installing the new colour camera. And again a big thank you to the Solar window washing group for getting us to the nest ledge that allow us to access the ledge to do the camera install. Last but certainly not least, the kind support of the 4XEM group for their support with the new colour IP cameras and to Matt MacGillivray, the CPF web master that spent more than a few hours programming and setting up the new IP cameras and getting them up and running!
It appears that this very timely event may have been just in the nick of time, as it appears that we may have just had a hatch??? Stay tuned, as we are watching very closely now that we are no longer blind.
The big question now remain, HAS THERE BEEN A HATCH????????????????
Many Thanks to Matt and Mark to finally get the King St nest camera up and running! Right now, it appears they are still in incubation stage. Keep watching as we don’t have an exact date of an expected hatch.
From the April 2012 New York State Conservationist. An article on the importance of banding by DEC biologist Barbara Allen Loucks
I wasn’t expecting the blow to the back of my head. The adult female peregrine falcon took advantage of my back being turned and hit me hard in my helmet with her feet. I was entering the doorway going inside the top of the Kodak Tower in downtown Rochester, and had to stop for an instant, momentarily dizzy. We had just finished putting her young back in the nest box after banding, and she was demonstrating her displeasure at our intrusion.
Peregrine falcons are notoriously aggressive around their eyries (or nest sites) during the breeding season, and the longtime resident female here had a reputation for being particularly unfriendly at our annual visits. As “wing man” for my colleague Mike Allen, I protected his shoulders and back with a broom and served as a target while he grabbed the young out of the nest box. We both wore eye protection. As an added precaution, another person stood behind me, trying to defend me from the swiftly diving adult female which would suddenly disappear and reappear, “kakking” loudly at times. We worked quickly to bring the young inside the building, and returned them to the waiting adults about a half hour later. Fortunately, adult males rarely attack, so we didn’t have to ward him off as well.
Not too long ago, there wasn’t a single peregrine pair nesting in New York State. The thinning of eggshells caused by DDT residues in their largely avian prey had eliminated this amazing raptor as a breeding bird from the entire east coast by the early 1960s. But through the release of captive-bred birds from The Peregrine Fund, active restoration programs were successful in reestablishing breeding populations (see “Back from the Brink” in the April 2005 Conservationist). In fact, in 2010, of 76 territorial peregrine pairs in New York, 54 successfully raised 144 young-the largest population in the eastern U.S.! Biologists banded 75 of these young. Since the species started nesting in the state again in 1983, hundreds of peregrine falcon chicks have been banded.
I am fortunate to be part of a small group of DEC biologists who bands peregrines from NYC to Buffalo. The banding enables us to gather information-such as mortality (how, when and where they die), movements, dispersal and longevity-about the population. The vast majority of young peregrines are banded in the southeastern part of the state, particularly the New York City area. Christopher Nadareski of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a key cooperator with DEC. Sometimes, we get lucky and an adult female will refuse to leave the nest box. When this happens, we take the opportunity to capture and band her as well.
For safety and other reasons, we focus our banding efforts on the more easily reached peregrine nests on urban bridges and buildings, rather than nests located on cliff sites which are difficult to access. The perfect time to band the young is when they are about three weeks old. Their legs are then large enough to determine if the smaller male band (size 6) or larger female band (size 7a) is appropriate. Also, the birds are half-feathered and can’t fly, which makes them less likely to try to evade capture.
Unlike most hawks and eagles, peregrines do not build large stick nests, but instead lay their brown eggs in shallow depressions (called scrapes) that the birds form in whatever substrate is available. On a cliff it could be dirt and small pebbles. On a bridge girder or building ledge, it could have rough debris or be quite bare. At the urban sites, biologists often place nest boxes that generally consist of a shallow tray about three feet square, a roof, three sides, and several inches of pea-sized gravel. These artificial nests help increase productivity by protecting the eggs from damage, such as rolling off the ledge.
On some bridges, temporary lane closures are necessary to allow biologists to climb above or below roadways to reach nests. At the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in NYC, biologists and MTA Bridges and Tunnels employees (outfitted with safety harnesses, helmets and goggles) climb a series of ladders inside one of the two bridge towers, exiting at a point 693 feet above the water. It’s exhilarating and unnerving at the same time, and you are rewarded with a commanding view of Staten Island, Brooklyn, New York Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean that few people are privileged to see.
At some sites, we need special equipment to reach the nest. For instance, in Albany, peregrines nest underneath one of the bridges over the Hudson River, so DEC biologist Nancy Heaslip works with the New York State Department of Transportation to use their snooper (a special truck with a bucket that goes over the side of the bridge) to reach the young peregrines. Across the state, DEC biologist Connie Adams once took advantage of the Darling Construction Company’s offer to use their cherry picker to access a nest underneath the North Grand Island Bridge on the Niagara River. The picker was already on a barge being used for bridge cleaning.
During banding, every effort is made to minimize stress on the falcons (both young and adults), including trying to limit the time it takes to band them to a half hour or less. In most instances, the one to five young can be banded right at the nest box; occasionally, however, they have to be momentarily removed to a nearby location. Biologists check the health of all young, including inspecting their eyes, ears, throats, feathers and general condition. We attach two metal leg bands: a silver-colored U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service band is placed on the right leg, and a two-toned band with alphanumeric codes is placed on the left leg. Recent color bands used on NY-raised peregrines (and others in the northeast) are black and green or black and red. In addition, any unhatched eggs are collected for later analysis, and any desiccated prey remains are quickly checked and collected. If the box needs repairs after the nesting season, that is also noted. Interestingly, one NY study (C. Nadareski, pers. comm.) documented that the remains of more than 120 different species of birds, as well as an occasional bat, have been collected from the various nest sites over the years.
The workers who assist biologists during the banding process often feel a special connection to the project and gain a deeper understanding of the value of their efforts to help protect this species. During maintenance and renovation work, workers avoid unnecessary disturbance of nesting birds. Some facilities have installed webcams so that everyone can be involved. These sites are very popular and generally can be viewed from early spring through midsummer. Viewers can follow the nesting process from egg laying through the young birds leaving (fledging) the nest. Many people contact DEC to say how much they appreciate these armchair opportunities to observe peregrine falcons across the state. (See a listing of webcam sites.)
Through our banding program, we’ve discovered that peregrine falcons hatched in NY have traveled to and successfully raised young in various places scattered between Massachusetts and Wisconsin, and from Ontario to Washington, D.C. as well. Released birds have nested as far west as Nebraska, and been seen as far south as Texas. One female peregrine from NYC was found dead in Atlantic City-it was 13+ years old.
In the years I’ve been banding peregrines, I’ve seen their population make great strides. They are graceful and powerful birds, and I never tire of watching them. It’s amazing to see a peregrine tuck in its wings, go into a steep dive-peregrines can reach speeds of more than 200 mph-and then snatch a bird in midair. It’s something you never forget.
Each time we visit a site, I get a thrill by what we’re doing and am excited at what we see. But I always keep in mind to stay alert; after all, I am the unwanted guest in their home.
Barbara Allen Loucks is DEC’s endangered raptor specialist.
For whatever reason, all of the 4 eggs that were produced here this year are gone. The adults have consumed the eggs. After 4 weeks of hard incubation this seems really wierd to me. I thought it was the cold weather but knowing that at least one other nest site has young ones, it makes me wonder. However, perhaps it’s not too late for another clutch!
We are now able to get to the Lift Bridge as the roads are open again. Yesterday, Bill and I spent some time there checking out the goings on. All is really pretty quiet. Cirrus and Mackenzie appear to be still in incubation mode. We saw a shift change with Cirrus taking over nest duties. Mackenzie was standing guard from the face of the Hamilton Tower. Even if there is a hatch, it will be a few days before we will be able to see the little white heads.
Bruce Massey stopped in at the Canada Square nest site to check in on Haven and Stormin’ and their progress this year. A few weeks ago when Bruce attended, Haven was incubating 3 eggs on the west side of the building on the ledge just south of the original nest ledge. Today, Bruce stayed on the site for about an hour and was able to see Haven get up and reposition herself at which time he could only see two eggs in the scrape. Bruce was also able to see the shards of the third egg that obviously was not viable. We will continue to watch the pair as progress towards a hatch continues. Check back soon as there are pictures to come!!
I concluded my whirlwind afternoon tour at the William Osler Hospital to check in on Chessie and Hurricane as they have been thinking spring lately. When I arrived, I found Chessie on the southeast corner of the building preening the day away and there was no sign of Hurricane. It was a mere 5 minutes later when he came rushing around from the west, flew in to the ledge and mated with Chessie. Seconds later he was gone! Chessie went right back to preening and so I headed up to the monitor for a peek at what is happening in the tray. They certainly have been expanding on the scrape and making it just so for the potential eggs that she might still lay this year but sadly they have not arrived as of yet. Back in the parking lot, Chessie was still on the southeast corner and in roars Hurricane again, this time into the tray. Chessie ran, and I mean RAN down the ledge over to the tray with much excitement and vocalization as Hurricane had just brought in a treat. The food was handed off to her and Hurricane beat a hasty retreat as she gobbled away!! I will continue to check in on the pair regularly as the spring progresses and the weather warms. Eggs are certainly not out of the question and it won’t be for lack of interest as the pair are courting, mating, scraping and bowing on a daily basis now.
