[mou] Fun with the downtown Duluth peregrines

[MARTELL, Mark]

All peregrines in the Midwest are banded with a purple colored USFWS =
bird band. This identifies them at a glance as being Midwest in origin.  =
They are also banded with a black over green alpha-numeric band that is =
meant to be read with a spotting scope allowing identification of adults =
as nest sites.

Band information on midwest peregrines is available through a U of MN =
website at: http://www.midwestperegrine.umn.edu/

Bud Tordoff coordinates data tracking and the database although many =
banders from the cooperating states are involved.

Mark Martell
Director of Bird Conservation
Audubon Minnesota
2357 Ventura Drive #106
St. Paul, MN 55125
651-739-9332
651-731-1330 (FAX)


-----Original Message-----
From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On
Behalf Of Laura Erickson
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 4:31 PM
To: mnbird; mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Subject: [mou] Fun with the downtown Duluth peregrines


This morning when I got downtown about 8:30, two young falcons were =
sitting=20
forward enough to see in the box, and one adult was calling from the =
roof=20
of the adult bookstore across the street and down a bit from the nest.  =
I=20
went out to watch for almost an hour at 1:15.  Again there were two =
birds=20
visible in the box--the forward one has a green band on the left leg and =
a=20
pinkish or light purple one on the right.  Suddenly, about 10 minutes =
after=20
I got there, the adult male flew in, squawking and squawking.  That's =
when=20
the third baby sat up--there apparently are three young birds remaining, =

though I'll continue to watch for the fourth just in case.

Anyway, a few minutes later the mother flew in, too.  She mainly sat on =
a=20
taller roof, watching, as the male flew over and over the nest box.  =
When=20
he was forward of the box so the two babies inside could also see, all=20
three tracked him, their faces going back and forth like viewers of a=20
tennis match.  He called and flew over just about continuously for over =
45=20
minutes--occasionally landing briefly on the Superior Street corner of =
the=20
building where the forward baby could see him.  I wish I could have kept =

watching to see if he managed to entice one of the babies to fly with =
him,=20
but I had an appointment I couldn't miss.

More photos added to my Peregrine Gallery at=20
<http://www.birderblog.com/bird/Species/Hawks/PeregrineFalcon/PEFADuluthN=
estGallery.html>=20
Not the best lighting today for digiscoping.

If anyone can tell me the color banding system for these nestlings, I'd=20
appreciate it.  Also, people downtown are fascinated by these birds.  It =

would be great if a representative from Hawk Ridge or MOU or Duluth =
Audubon=20
could spend a few hours there each day with a scope to show people.  At=20
least 50 different people--maybe even 100--have looked at them through =
my=20
scope.  I do it as an ambassador for birds, but someone more closely =
tied=20
to one of the birding organizations could drum up a lot of support for=20
their organization right now.  But this is obviously a very narrow =
window=20
of opportunity.

Laura Erickson
Duluth, MN


Staff Ornithologist Binoculars.com
www.birderblog.com


There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of=20
birds.  There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains =
of=20
nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the =
winter.

                                 --Rachel Carson


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