I like February. Not for its weather but because it’s the time when peregrine falcons begin to court and claim territory in Pennsylvania.
After months of inactivity peregrine pairs are hanging out together and making their claims quite obvious. Last Friday Dorothy and E2 did this by perching at the highest point at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. “This is ours!”
Yesterday Steve Gosser found a banded pair of peregrines at Presque Isle State Park’s Gull Point. Though one of the falcons flew away, this one stayed close enough for Steve to get some great photos.
Gull Point is only 1.75 miles as the peregrine flies from downtown Erie where an urban pair would feel comfortable nesting, and not far from lakeshore bluffs if they prefer a pastoral setting.
I bet this Lake Erie pair is on territory. Where will they nest? Is anyone monitoring peregrines in Erie?
(photo by Steve Gosser)
I am right with you, Kate! Let the season begin.
Hi Kate, I’m sorry about this being off topic. Back in October, you wrote about the gas drilling in Wyoming and the impact on our forests and habitats. If you look on Google Earth, and look about 3 miles to the Northwest of Marienville, Forest county, you will see what has happened there because of gas drilling. It looks like the aerial photo of Wyoming but in a forest. Thousands of trees had to have been cut down just for the access roads and the uninterupted distance between cleared areas is only about 800 to 1200 feet. Its too bad a study wasn’t done in a control area before the drillers arrived and then after. DOUG
Kate, looking at the Ohio DNR website, it appears that this particular falcon was banded in Ohio. Take a look at FAQ #2: http://ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/falcons/faq.aspx
Another great PEFA pic by Steve G.! 🙂
Are there are shots good enough for band #s for ID?
I blew my pictures up to look at the bands but unfortunately it wasn’t quite clear enough to read any numbers. This bird which let me get the closest had a Blue / green band on the left leg and a purplish band on the right. The other bird that was keeping more of a distance from me also had a blue / green band on the left but had a silver band on the right leg. Both Peregrines stayed out at the point the whole time I was there but would occasionally move between pieces of driftwood. The closest bird would let me get very close by walking very slowly and several times I was within 10-15 yards and he would never move!!
Doug, The satellite map is indeed disturbing. It breaks my heart.