From the Bank of the West folks ...
FARGO, ND – June 19, 2013 – Fargo’s peregrine falcons are nesting again atop the Bank of the West building downtown. This year Miracle and her new mate are raising four youngsters, which are now a month old. On Friday, June 21, the eyeasses (falcon chicks) will be banded in the sixth floor conference room of the Bank of the West building, 520 Main Ave., Fargo. Midwest Peregrine Society, Audubon Dakota and Bank of the West will host the annual banding, which starts at 10:00 a.m. It is open to the public and members of the media by RSVP no later than June 20th.
Peregrine falcons are the world’s fastest animal, capable of dive speeds greater than 220 mph. They have seen a steady recovery since being listed as an endangered species nearly three decades ago.
“The bank has watched our peregrine falcons raise 32 youngsters since their first nest here in 2001,” said Scott Green, branch area manager at Bank of the West. “This year we have a full nest, which has surprised and delighted everyone at the bank as well as the falcon-watchers. Being able to give Miracle and her brood a home makes us proud, but more than that, being part of a species’ recovery is a unique honor.”
Thousands of followers have been watching the eyeasses grow via a new pan-tilt-zoom webcam provided by Bank of the West, Red River Commodities, AM Vets Post 7 and members of the Fargo Falcon Project Fund. Viewers can watch the falcons from the tower-top camera here: https://new.livestream.com/AudubonDakota/events/2079350?cat=event&query=audu
The new FalconCam is helping the project team better study the birds’ mating and parental behavior with 360-degree views, clarity up to a mile away, plus audio, all new features at this site. The FalconCam has received thousands of hits from viewers in all 50 states and over a dozen countries.
“The real story of Peregrine Falcon recovery success is one of partnerships and communities,” said Marshall Johnson, Executive Director for Audubon Dakota. “Communities like Fargo have rallied around this project and that has been the true game changer for raptor recovery. In short, collaboration between farmers, conservationists, communities and policy-makers have brought iconic species like the Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon back from the brink of North American extinction”
On Friday, certified bander Tim Driscoll will band the four young peregrine falcons with federal United States Fish & Wildlife Service identification bands. Additionally, blood samples will be taken to monitor the genetics and possible contaminants in the birds. This event is open to the public and the media by RSVP. For more information about Fargo’s Peregrine Falcons, go to: http://dk.audubon.org/fargo-peregrine-falcon-projectfalconcam.
