NY / Buffalo - U of Buffalo - 2010-16

[Alison]

Despite the fact that none of their five eggs hatched, Yankee and Dixie have not given up. They have started a second clutch. Today, Dixie laid her third egg.

Yankee and Dixie have been staying very close together at the nest site, and have been switching incubating duties frequently.

[burdi]

The four overdue eggs were removed this morning and will be sent for testing, as explained on Peregrine Place.

[burdi]

This was posted yesterday at 3:04pm on Peregrine Place:

NEWS ALERT: UB The DEC has just informed me that it is accepted that the eggs are no longer viable and they will be removed from the box.and sent to a lab for analysis. It is being planned for tomorrow if everything else is completed today.

Our DEC had to coordinate with UB, the head Wildlife Mgr, get permission from the Albany DEC and the USFWS in Cortland. Nothing could be done before that.

Of course this is very sad for us but at least the birds will no longer have to keep incubating non-viable eggs. The nest box will be checked to try and determine the cause of this year’s problems. I will post any information as it come in.

On a good note for our Peregrine watchers, we have the great Statler cam to follow and I think there is a crack in one egg which I’ve seen to the left.

Peregrine Place: https://www.facebook.com/PeregrinePlaceWNY/

[burdi]

Dixie finally went back to the eggs. I didn't see exactly when she moved, but around 3:30 am.
 
At 4:14 am she went to the front (where she had been throughout the evening), then back on the eggs about 4:30 am, and soon off again.

Most of the time I could not see her head, and the view was too grainy to see if she was panting or not.

At 5:30 am she was still standing near the front of the box.

Now it is light again, and I can clearly see her panting while back on the eggs at 5:45 am.

[burdi]

It's dark now and Dixie is sitting towards the edge of the box ... but she's not incubating.  Poor birds.  

I've had no problem watching this live cam with IE, but only the first two views work:

http://www.buffalo.edu/falconcam.html

[burdi]

These 5 eggs are due to hatch soon; however, there are concerns that Yankee and Dixie are not looking well.

The following message was posted on Peregrine Place about an hour ago:

UB - The concerns about the UB nest are valid but there is no way we can diagnose from the cam. Dixie is still panting, getting up and down, mouth open, and generally very fidgety. There are still five eggs and I don't see any pips yet. If you see anything happening with the eggs, please post your news and text me because I may not be at the laptop.
There are two diseases peregrines can get if they eat a diseased pigeon. I won't go into details here because it's just a possibility though both are fatal.
These eggs should be hatching, so again, please let us know as soon as you see hatching action. There is a fluffy little white feather and I was hoping for a hatch but it must be from a prey item.
Now her leg is sticking out oddly and her mouth is wide open and she's panting. For those who can, please watch this cam as much as you can for the time being and keep us posted. Connie, Joyce and I are searching for the answers and we will share anything we learn. Dixie especially does not seem well.
PLEASE, LET'S NOT HAVE EVERYONE DISCUSSING THE POSSIBLITIES ON THIS PAGE. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING SERIOUS TO ADD, fb- TEXT ME. Hatching will begin soon and we will know more.

Link to Peregrine Place on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/PeregrinePlaceWNY/

[Alison]

2016 NESTING SEASON

The resident male at this nest continues to be Yankee, banded black/black 32/Y, and the resident female continues to be Dixie, who is unbanded.

The first egg was laid on March 23, and the second on March 25. After that, the birds were on the eggs pretty much full time.

Now, they have five eggs! Well done, Dixie and Yankee!

 

 

http://www.buffalo.edu/falconcam.html

This site works, at least for me, only in IE, and just barely.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Cade is not a particularly unusual name for peregrines, particularly in the US - Tom Cade founded the Peregrine Fund in 1970.
We even named one of our male peregrines after Dr Cade - he is/was a brother of Beatrix our West Winnipeg female.

As for moving BB, the USFWS may have been under intense scrutiny and pressure to "do something" with her given her very protective nature.  They may have preferred to leave her alone but that may not have been an option.  We were getting close to having to "do something" about Jules in West Winnipeg and then she didn't return the next spring.  We had one trick left in our book that we hoped would work to push her to a safe nestsite, but we never got the chance to see if it would have worked with her.  It has however ensured that Beau (2014) and Beatrix (2014 & 2015) and Ty (2015) never took a second look at Jules' favourite nestsite.

And who knows what BB will do next spring ... Beau has taken to his new digs and his new lady friend like a dream, so maybe BB and Cade will likewise find their groove yet.

[Alison]

The renovation work on the heating plant has been completed, but the cams are still down. There are plans to install a third cam for the 2016 season, which will show the whole ledge.

Yankee and Dixie have both been seen at the nest.

BB is now in Arizona. She is an education bird at Arizona's Raptor Experience. Why she was sent to Arizona, I don't know. She has been renamed Defiant, and she has a male companion named Cade. I have no idea where he is from.

BB laid an egg in the gravel in August. She has been provided with a nest tray, but so far she has not shown interest in it.

As far as her supposed "aggression" is concerned, this is a quote from Arizona's Raptor Experience:

Visitors were absolutely amazed at her gentle, quiet, attentive, peaceful behavior today (10-31-2015).

Cade (left) and BB/Defiant (right). Photo by Arizona's Raptor Experience.



https://www.facebook.com/arizonasraptorexperience/?fref=photo

[Jazzerkins]

I do not understand why this site is removing not only the adults but the chicks as well.  If it was just one bird that was being aggressive, I could possibly understand, but not what they continue to do.  It is very upsetting.

[Alison]

Updating a bit:

On May 26, DEC biologists removed three healthy chicks (two females, one male) from the nest box. The chicks were placed with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, Hawk Creek Wildlife Center in East Aurora, where they were fostered to a tiercel named Blaze, who is a permanent resident at Hawk Creek.

A fourth egg was removed from the nest, but there was no sign of the fifth egg. There is no way to tell whether the egg did not hatch, or whether a fourth chick hatched and did not survive.

The chicks' parents, Yankee and Dixie, have continued to be seen at their nest.

This is Blaze at Hawk Creek with the three young peregrines. Photo by Tanya Lowe.

[The Peregrine Chick]

There was another bird that was going to be removed for the same reason a number of years ago - I think in Minnesota somewhere - it was attacking people on the ground at quite a distance from the nestsite.  I think in the end the pair moved or she didn't return or something and they never did follow through.  I just don't quite remember which means now I'm going to have to hunt up the bird.    

It was suggested that we might try to remove Jules because of where she was nesting and because she was so aggressive - the latter compounding the problem caused by the former.  I opted to try to get her to move and when we couldn't get that didn't get much pick-up, we moved her chicks when we could without injuring them knowing she would follow.  It was a risky move worth trying but it was still a compromise.  In the end, we did manage to get a barrier installed so she couldn't nest in her preferred location and that was the year Beatrix took over.

It would be interesting to know exactly how aggressive BB is/was.  If she was a risk to people working or living nearby, she could very well have been injured by someone trying to protect themselves - remember there was a workman (in Alberta?) who was using a broom to keep the peregrines away from him.  Something like that could have gone very wrong and the peregrine would have been the inevitable loser.  And yes, DEC has a duty to protect wildlife, but wildlife will almost always come second to human safety, even if it is just normal, natural behaviour.  This is speculation on my part, but faced with orders to "do something", taking her out of circulation may have been the best compromise they could come up with.  Re-releasing her makes me suspect that they weren't thrilled with the idea of removing her either and hoped that in a new location with a new mate she would be a bit mellower - I can't imagine that the captive facility wouldn't have been able to release her without DEC's approval.  Too bad it seems not to have worked, but captivity may be better than a more permanent removal ...  

And yes, it was a possibility that she could have been less aggressive in her new situation.  Just as every bird is an individual, so too is every pair. Joli is aggressive but much less so with Hart than she was with Cowboy.  Cowboy was an assassin but fortunately, he was in place where he didn't cause too too many problems (he wasn't problem-free however) and he wasn't interested in random passersby so everyone could live with him.  T-Rex was like Cowboy and that never changed, fortunately, he had the pick of the territories so he only beat on the Project when we had to get close to his nests.  Princess is a great protector, but she learned how to pick her battles from Trey and she has taught Ivy and Smiley.

just my two cents ...  

[Kinderchick]

This is not the first time that the Buffalo peregrines have been interfered with.

Some time back, the former resident female, BB, was removed from the nest (again without any advance notice) and put into captivity. This was allegedly done because she was "aggressive". She had been there for years, and suddenly she was gone...

Removed because she was "aggressive"?!
Holy smokes!
Isn't that the nature of PF's?
What on earth IS wrong with Buffalo?!

[allikat]

I read through all of this and I am as equally disturbed about the treatment of these Falcons.
Can someone of authority not contact Buffalo and stand up for the right of the peregrine falcon?

[Alison]

That is very disappointing. Do you know who the resident pair are, Alison?

It is way beyond disappointing. The resident pair are Yankee and his mate Dixie. Yankee is Canadian, from the Niagara Gorge nest. He is banded black/black 42/Y on the right leg, with a silver band on the left. Dixie is unbanded. She replaced the former resident female BB after BB was forcibly removed from the nest by the DEC.

[Alison]

This is not the first time that the Buffalo peregrines have been interfered with.

Some time back, the former resident female, BB, was removed from the nest (again without any advance notice) and put into captivity. This was allegedly done because she was "aggressive". She had been there for years, and suddenly she was gone.

She was kept in captivity for some time. However, the place where she was being cared for felt she should be released, and this was done. During her absence, her mate, Yankee, had found a new mate, Dixie.

BB did return to Buffalo, but not to her original nest. She found a new mate, Felker (a son of Madame X and Surge at the Hamilton nest), and they raised chicks last year at the Richardson Building.

Apparently they were not wanted there, so the DEC struck again. They removed BB a second time and shoved her back into captivity. For the rest of her life.

The people at the DEC are supposed to be there to protect the peregrines. They are not supposed to be the people from whom the birds need protection.

What is wrong with Buffalo?

[Kinderchick]

That is very disappointing. Do you know who the resident pair are, Alison?

[Alison]

Incubation has continued at the nest, with very few glimpses of the eggs.

But when I checked the site yesterday, I found the cam gone. No advance notice, just gone. This was in its place:

Restoration work to start at MacKay Heating Plant

Restoration work at MacKay Heating Plant, which provides heat to UB’s South Campus, will begin next month.

The 84-year-old tower, which last underwent serious renovation in 1973, will undergo repairs to ensure its structural integrity, prevent water damage and ensure its long-term viability as a peregrine falcon nest site.

It is necessary to repair the tower in late spring and summer, when the heating needs of South Campus are minimal.

To prepare for the project, the university shut off the live video feed of the falcon nest in the tower. The camera will remain off for the duration of the work, which is expected to be finished in September. At that time, UB officials will reactivate the live video feed.

UB officials are working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and local wildlife rehabilitators to ensure the safety of the falcons. Several eggs currently are in the nesting box.

Because the work may interrupt the adult falcons’ ability to care for the chicks, DEC wildlife biologists will remove the chicks two weeks after they hatch, expected to be in the middle of May. The chicks will be placed with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, Hawk Creek Wildlife Center in East Aurora, and eventually released into the wild.

The tower will remain open to the adult falcons during construction. They are expected to remain in the area, protecting their territory.

International Chimney Corp. of Williamsville was awarded the contract after submitting a bid of $263,000. The work, scheduled from May to September, includes structural repairs to the masonry, painting the window frames and a new liner for the chimney stack.

A pair of peregrine falcons began nesting at MacKay tower in 2009. Since then, 22 chicks have hatched there. While not considered endangered by the federal government since 1999, they are listed as endangered by the DEC.

In addition to UB, there are eight peregrine falcon nests in the Buffalo Niagara region. They are at the Buffalo Central Terminal, Statler City, the Buffalo Outer Harbor, the Richardson Olmstead Complex, the North Grand Island Bridge, the South Grand Island Bridge, the New York Power Authority reservoir and the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.

Additional information on peregrine falcons is available on DEC’s website.

http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/featured-stories.host.html/content/shared/university/news/ub-reporter-articles/stories/2015/04/mackay_rehab.detail.html

I have followed this nest for more than a dozen years, and I am totally disgusted at this treatment of the resident peregrines.
 

[Alison]

Yankee and Dixie now have five eggs! Congratulations to them!

[Alison]

March 26; the second egg.

 

Later in the day, the rain turned to snow. The eggs have been incubated pretty much full time, because of the cold weather.

[Alison]

March 24: first egg.

 

[Alison]

2015 NESTING SEASON

The resident male at this nest is Yankee, a Canadian bird from the Niagara Gorge nest. He is banded black/black 42/Y. His bands are also reversed, with the silver band on his left left and the black band on his right leg.

The resident female is Dixie, who is unbanded.

Buffalo has had a long and hard winter. Despite snow and cold, the birds have continued to visit the nest.

January 1

 

February 23 and March 2

 

http://www.buffalo.edu/falconcam.html

[RCF]

2014 NESTING SEASON

Two chicks have hatched so far today, two eggs to go.  



Short Video - http://youtu.be/CikW4vH5aiU

[RCF]

Three chicks have hatched since yesterday....one egg left to hatch.  I caught a feeding this morning.  

http://youtu.be/gRlzL9iT-0w

[The Peregrine Chick]

South Campus advised to use caution as female falcon may turn aggressive when eggs hatch
Cory Nealon / University of Buffalo



BUFFALO, N.Y. – Bird lovers can exhale.  Yankee, the male peregrine falcon nesting at South Campus, has found a new mate. What’s more, the female – bird enthusiasts named her “Dixie” – has produced four eggs.

“The University at Buffalo is delighted that Yankee has found a new partner,” said Ryan McPherson, UB’s chief sustainability officer. “These falcons and their offspring will allow UB to continue to support state wildlife officials in their effort to rebuild New York’s peregrine population.”

The pairing ends weeks of speculation about the fate of Yankee who along with a previous mate named BB became celebrities of sort after UB officials in 2010 installed a live video feed of their nest atop MacKay Tower.  Last month, state Department of Environmental Conservation biologists placed BB in a permanent care facility after she exhibited unusually aggressive behavior by repeatedly swooping down on people on and near the South Campus. At the time, biologists predicted Yankee would find a new mate or be displaced by another pair of peregrine falcons.

Dixie arrived after BB’s departure and laid her first egg April 3. Three eggs followed. They are expected to start hatching around May 12.  While Dixie has not displayed the aggressive behavior that BB did, McPherson nonetheless advised people on and near the South Campus to use caution when going on rooftops or walking near the tower. Peregrine falcons – protective by nature, especially when caring for eggs and fledglings – are known to swoop down on people but seldom cause injury.

Threatened by pesticides, peregrine falcons were considered an endangered species by the federal government until 1999 when recovery efforts prompted their removal from the list. Because they are still listed as endangered in New York, the state and partners such as UB are working to boost their numbers. Since 2010, 15 fledglings have hatched at UB.

source: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2013/04/054.html

[The Peregrine Chick]

2013 NESTING SEASON

State officials to place peregrine falcon in permanent care facility
Cory Nealon / University of Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. – State wildlife officials today safely captured a female peregrine falcon that had been nesting in MacKay Tower on the University at Buffalo’s South Campus. The capture came after the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), determined it was in the best interest of the falcon, as well as UB and the surrounding community, to place the bird in a federally-permitted facility for permanent care.

Since 2010, the falcon has exhibited aggressive behavior by swooping down on people working on rooftops, as well as pedestrians on and near South Campus. The incidents occurred during late spring and early summer when the bird had newly hatched chicks. Two such incidents - one in which a UB employee suffered lacerations to the head - were reported this month, marking the first time the falcon exhibited the behavior before May. The potential for more incidents led DEC officials to decide to relocate the falcon.

“This type of behavior among peregrine falcons is unprecedented,” said Mark Kandel, DEC regional wildlife manager, who led the capture effort. “By placing the bird with a rehabilitator, we will have prevented it from potentially harming someone and vice versa.”  The male falcon will likely find another mate and remain in MacKay Tower or it could be displaced by another pair of peregrine falcons, Kandel said.

Threatened by pesticides, peregrine falcons were considered an endangered species by the federal government until 1999 when recovery efforts prompted their removal from the list. They are still listed as endangered by New York, which works to boost the state’s population of the bird. The effort is working, especially in Western New York which has seven nesting pairs, up from one 20 years ago, Kandel said.

UB supports the state’s effort. For example, university officials installed a nesting box that the falcons used to rear some of the 15 birds that they produced. UB also featured the nest on a web cam to promote understanding of the birds, a practice it plans to continue after the male finds a new mate or a new pair moves in.

Editors note: A previous version of this article stated the bird would be placed in a rehabilitation facility, which could imply that it will be released. The bird will be placed in permanent care facility.

source: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2013/03/017.html

[Kinderchick]

How cute is that chick?! 

[Alison]

An article on the Buffalo banding:

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/05/25/1061766/falcon-chicks-get-tagged.html

[Alison]

A little more info on the female at this nest, BB, from a 2009 report:

We have report that our BB (Born 2007 at Whittier Apartments in Detroit; b/g N/58) was located on 4-22-2009 forming a pair bond and later nesting at the MacKay Tower, University of Buffalo South Campus, New York - she produced 4 offspring.

http://macombaudubon.net/Falcon_Page_2009.htm

[Alison]

The chicks were banded today, and they are three boys, named Harry, Ron and Herman.

More information and a great photo album of the banding on Sage's blog:

http://pefas.blogspot.com/

[Alison]

All three chicks are now out on the ledge:

 

[Alison]

thanks for posting this Alison, its amazing to see how low a "lip" is necessary to keep the chicks safely off the ledge at this age - most other boxes have much deeper wells for the nesting areas ...

That's a good thought, TPC! I'm afraid the lip on the nest box wasn't enough to keep the chicks off the ledge for long . . .

 
                                                                                   When a parent arrived with food, all three went back into the nest box
But not for long . . .
 

[The Peregrine Chick]

One of the chicks really likes to stretch:

thanks for posting this Alison, its amazing to see how low a "lip" is necessary to keep the chicks safely off the ledge at this age - most other boxes have much deeper wells for the nesting areas ...

[Kinderchick]

Funny, seeing the photos of the one chick stretching.

[Alison]

One of the chicks really likes to stretch:

 

They are all being well fed:

 

[Alison]

I really like this cam, and the falcons are beautiful:

[The Peregrine Chick]

1730 hrs (Wpg) - Mom (BB) is feeding the chicks.  Great images & very nice streaming!

[Kinderchick]

Oh, Alison, your photos are beautiful!

[allikat]

Look at those little cuties, man they are so sweet! 
 Hear we go again, I want one!   

[Alison]

She is a beauty:



The brand new chicks (pics from the website):

[Alison]

2010 NESTING SEASON

At the University of Buffalo nest site, three chicks hatched today! There is a webcam:

http://www.buffalo.edu/webcam/falconcam.html

Pics to come.

[Alison]

I like this photo of the peregrine at UB incubating her eggs:



It's from a very short article which I can't access right now.

[carly]

2010 NESTING SEASON

UB Cam is here and a territorial fight already - with one egg lost but the fourth laid...quite the soap opera!

Story of eggs and fight here: http://pefas.blogspot.com/

UB Cam here - nice one, really close up with the eggs!!!:

http://www.buffalo.edu/webcam/falconcam.html