UND Tower - 2016 / Marv & Terminator

[Alison]

An update which belongs on the thread for 2014.

Since that thread is locked, I will post it here for the record.

You may remember that back in 2014, Marv and Terminator raised two chicks, Maya and Myra. They hatched on June 10, 2014, were banded on July 3 and fledged on July 21.

I just came across the information that one of the juvies was found dead on the roof of the US Bank building near the nest box on October 2, 2014.  I do not know whether this was Maya or Myra.

[Alison]

An update from July 13 on Marv and Terminator's four fledglings:

It seems timely to give an update on what is happening with the pair of Peregrines (Marv and Terminator) who own the nest box on the UND water tower. They raised four young this year and all have been flying for over two weeks. This is the most young that Terminator has fledged.

Dave Lambeth, Grand Forks, North Dakota

[Alison]

Marilyn the Peregrine takes first flights around Grand Forks

By Marilyn Hagerty

July 11, 2016 at 10:26 p.m.



Dear Tim Driscoll,

When I go to sleep at night, I wonder. When I wake up in the morning, I still wonder. I do worry about the baby peregrine falcon you named after me a month ago. You have been studying these birds for a long time.

I wondered if Marilyn had left the nest in the UND water tower? I wonder about her parents, Terminator and Marv. I have wondered if Marilyn gets along with her brothers. I remember their names are David, Clifton and Ali. They are named after David Lambeth, the dean of bird watchers here, along with the late Olympics runner Clifton Cushman and the late famous boxer Muhammad Ali.

I have been wishing Marilyn would stay here and go to UND. Just as I was worrying about Marilyn, a wonderful thing happened. David Lambeth showed up with pictures he had taken during the past week of Marilyn.

She is flitting around on the roofs of buildings at UND. She has a beautiful coat of feathers. A month ago when Cory Floden and Nathan Reitan scaled the water tower at UND, she had only little white fluffy feathers.

Dave Lambeth has discovered the little falcons are out every day—exploring. They had been sort of like teenagers waiting in the nest for their parents to bring them food. Within a month, they will be out of here.

The bird people know of a bird named Eve hatched here now living in Minneapolis. Smiley, who was around here several years ago, is known to be nesting in Winnipeg. Another of the peregrines born here several years ago has been spotted in Texas.

Well, I don't know what you think, Tim, but I sure hope Marilyn makes good decisions. They say she is no shrinking violet, and she sort of lords it over her brother hawks. All I have is the few white downy feathers taken a month ago when she was so very young.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/opinion/staff-columnists/4071914-marilyn-hagerty-marilyn-peregrine-takes-first-flights-around-grand

Marilyn is a beautiful juvie. I see from the photo that she is banded black/red C/82. I wish for her that all her flights will be safe ones, and the same for her three siblings.

[Alison]

An update on the chicks, from the Midwest Peregrine Society:

A lucky day for Dave as he was able to photograph his namesake, David. The four peregrine young on the UND water tower are now leaving the nest box and roaming the walkway around the tower. They will take their first flight any day. David is identified by the band on his left leg: the letter H on a black background, and numeral 83 on red.

Photos by Dave Lambeth.

 

[Alison]

Here is some updated information on today's banding of the four chicks:

There is one female chick (Marilyn) and three males.

Driscoll on Monday named the other three chicks—all males—David, Clifton and Ali.

David is named after local birder David Lambeth; Clifton after Clifton "Cliff" Cushman, the Central High School track star and Olympic athlete whose plane went down in 1966 over Vietnam; and Ali after Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight boxer and social activist who died last week.

But as the biggest—and, arguably, loudest—of the very vocal peregrine chicks, it was Marilyn who drew the most applause Monday afternoon when Driscoll announced her name.

The rest of the article, including a very short video of the banding:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/4053653-video-peregrine-falcon-chick-named-after-marilyn-hagerty-herald-writer-internet

[Alison]

The first update on today's banding, and the first view of a Grand Forks chick this year:

Peregrine falcon chick named after Marilyn Hagerty, Herald writer of internet fame

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/4053653-peregrine-falcon-chick-named-after-marilyn-hagerty-herald-writer-internet-fame

Photos by Eric Hylden, Grand Forks Herald. The photo on the left shows Tim Driscoll, peregrine chick Marilyn and Marilyn Hagerty's son, Bob Hagerty.

 

Photo by Brad Dokken, Grand Forks Herald.   

[Alison]

Marv and Terminator have four chicks again this year. The chicks will be banded on Monday at 1 p.m.

Worth a Look: Peregrine banding set for Monday below UND water tower

By Brad Dokken

There’s been a growing interest in Grand Forks’ peregrine falcon population since the first pair nested in 2008 atop the old Smiley water tower.

For good reason; Grand Forks’ contribution to the peregrine falcon recovery is just one of the success stories in the comeback of a species that once was on the brink of extinction.

Terminator, a female hatched in 2006 in Brandon, Man., is the matriarch of Grand Forks’ peregrine population, and she has produced chicks locally every year since 2008, making a smooth transition from the old Smiley tower, which was torn down in 2009, to the UND water tower the next year.

With help from Marv, her male companion for the past three years, Terminator has produced four chicks again this year.

Grand Forks raptor expert Tim Driscoll will band the chicks during a public banding event set for 1 p.m. Monday below the UND water tower.

The tower is adjacent to Starcher Hall, 10 Cornell St., on the UND campus.

Watching Driscoll band the peregrine chicks has become a popular attraction in recent years, and about 70 people attended last year’s session.

As in previous years, a couple of adventurous climbers will scale the 150-foot UND water tower to retrieve the chicks from the nest box for Driscoll to band and name. Naming the chicks is a popular practice because it’s easier to remember a name than a band number.

Once they’re banded, the chicks will be returned to the nest box.

“Malala,” one of the chicks Driscoll banded last year, was photographed and her band number confirmed this past winter on Padre Island in south Texas.

Grand Forks and Fargo have the only two known nesting peregrines in North Dakota.

There’s no charge to attend Monday’s banding event. For more information, contact Driscoll at (701) 772-1222.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/outdoors/wildlife/4052743-worth-look-peregrine-banding-set-monday-below-und-water-tower

[Alison]

May 27 2016

By Brad Dokken

Grand Forks Peregrines Have At Least Three Chicks

Grand Forks’ peregrine family appears to be flourishing.

Local raptor expert Tim Driscoll, who keeps close watch on the birds, said female Terminator and her mate, Marv, have at least three chicks.

Driscoll spent more than an hour waiting for a glimpse of the birds Thursday afternoon. That’s easier said than done, because the peregrine box is high atop the UND water tower.

“There may be four (chicks), but I am sure about three for now,” Driscoll said.

Terminator is the matriarch of Grand Forks peregrine population and has produced chicks every year since 2008, the first summer she nested in Grand Forks. She was dubbed Terminator in 2006 after being banded as a chick in Brandon, Man.

Driscoll banded Marv in 2013 in Fargo, and the bird has mated with Terminator since 2014. Peregrines don’t migrate together, but the pair somehow finds their way back to the UND water tower every year.

Driscoll says he will band the latest batch of chicks when they’re about 20 days old, which should be sometime around June 9 or June 10. Stay tuned.

[The Peregrine Chick]

News hot off the presses, folks down in Grand Forks saw Terminator feeding a chick/chicks for the first time yesterday afternoon so Terminator & Marv look to be on about the same schedule as Princess & Smiley.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Just heard again from my contact again and Marv and Terminator are incubating!!
Hatch they think after the Victoria Day weekend ...

[The Peregrine Chick]

Got a call into my contact in North Dakota for an update ... given when Terminator returned, I suspect they should have eggs by now, or at least be laying now.  Will let you all know when I hear something.

[Alison]

Thought I might add an alternate link to the most recent news article, since the Bismarck Tribune link shows only the first few lines of type and blocks the rest.

The Grand Forks Herald still shows the complete article, along with a couple of really nice photos of Marv and Terminator which were not there when I first read the article.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/outdoors/wildlife/3996670-terminator-returns-marv-and-und-competing-falcon-flees-canada

[RCF]

Return of matriarch peregrine falcon terminates possible love triangle

Grand Forks raptor expert Tim Driscoll on Monday said he has confirmed the identity of Terminator, the matriarch of Grand Forks’ contribution to the peregrine recovery, who was spotted back in town Thursday.

She also has been seen copulating with Marv, her male counterpart for the past two years.

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/return-of-matriarch-peregrine-falcon-terminates-possible-love-triangle/article_4f648584-97d7-5b4a-9f5a-15050ac96187.html

[The Peregrine Chick]

I was worried that I might have to rename this thread but it seems like Terminator has returned according to the folks in Grand Forks.  They are pretty confident that it is her based on her messed up leg band (colour mostly worn off), behaviour and Marv's welcome.  They will let us know when they confirm her identity but Tim said he'd be very surprised if it was anyone but Terminator.

No information on where Bristol might be now but we will keep our ears open of course!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Bittersweet after we lost Beau back to captivity.  I'm happy one of his offspring is now carrying on his genes.  Stay safe little girl   

Actually Beau's got a few kids adding/may add genes to the wild population: Bristol (West Wpg 2014) in Grand Forks so far this year and last year (yet to arrive this year) Annie (West Wpg 2010) in Fargo and Andamooka (West Wpg 2013) in Regina and the year before Juliet (West Wpg 2012) in Minneapolis though she didn't nest - I'm hoping she'll turn up in my annual report of Mb peregrine sightings across North America.  Beau has had 21 eggs laid, only 17 hatched, 15 made it to fledging, 2 maybe 3 we know died on migration, 4 we know have survived, that's a 25% survive to breeding age rate which is honestly pretty good - one chick from each nest that had a chick that fledged (excluding last year's chicks only because we usually don't get reports of chicks in their first year).

[carly]

We know who the new female is ... she is the first of our 2014 chicks to have been known to survive.  She is Bristol from West Winnipeg.  One of two female chicks from Beau's last and Beatrix's first nest and their only nest together.

Link to 2014 West Winnipeg board

Link to how Bristol got her name

Terminator usually arrives in the first week of April - will be interesting to see if a) T2 returns, b) Bristol hangs around and c) Marv and Bristol are compatible enough to decide to nest together.

Our first surprise of 2016 and it is a very nice surprise!


(I've put a question mark in the subject line until we know for sure who will be this year's resident female in Grand Forks)

Bittersweet after we lost Beau back to captivity.  I'm happy one of his offspring is now carrying on his genes.  Stay safe little girl 

[The Peregrine Chick]

We know who the new female is ... she is the first of our 2014 chicks to have been known to survive.  She is Bristol from West Winnipeg.  One of two female chicks from Beau's last and Beatrix's first nest and their only nest together.

Link to 2014 West Winnipeg board

Link to how Bristol got her name

Terminator usually arrives in the first week of April - will be interesting to see if a) T2 returns, b) Bristol hangs around and c) Marv and Bristol are compatible enough to decide to nest together.

Our first surprise of 2016 and it is a very nice surprise!


(I've put a question mark in the subject line until we know for sure who will be this year's resident female in Grand Forks)

[Alison]

There is an article in the Bismarck Tribune in North Dakota today on Marv's return and the new female at the nest.

http://archynewsy.com/und-water-tower-welcomes-new-peregrine-north-dakota-news-bismarck-tribune/

[Alison]

From the Grand Forks Herald today:

New female falcon in town may mean a Terminator turf war over Marv and the nest box

By Brad Dokken



The new female, above, and Marv, below. Photo by Dave Lambeth.

In a sure sign of spring, a male and female peregrine falcon have converged at a nest box on the UND water tower, but the female's identity is a mystery, and her presence could result in a turf war when and if Terminator—the female peregrine who has nested in Grand Forks since 2008—returns to the site.

Grand Forks raptor expert and licensed bander Tim Driscoll said the male is Marv, which he confirmed by the band number on the bird's leg. This will be Marv's third season of mating in Grand Forks.

Driscoll names the peregrines he bands, saying it's easier to remember the birds by name than by a band number. Grand Forks and Fargo have the only two confirmed peregrine nests in North Dakota.

Driscoll said the new female has a black-colored band on her leg, but he hasn't been able to get a get a look at the band number to learn more about her past. She may have been produced in Winnipeg, he said, because banders in the Manitoba capital traditionally use black leg bands.

Driscoll, by comparison, uses bands that are black and red.

Female peregrines are larger than males, he said, and the birds don't travel together during migration.

Marv returned on Monday to Grand Forks, Driscoll said—two days earlier than last year. In 2014, his first year in Grand Forks, Marv flew April 21 into town. Terminator, who was hatched in 2006 in Manitoba, traditionally hasn't shown up in Grand Forks until late March or early April, Driscoll said.

Feathers could fly

This will be Terminator's ninth year of nesting in Grand Forks if she returns, Driscoll said. And if she returns and the mysterious female still is here, feathers might fly—both figuratively and literally.

The anticipation of the drama that could unfold is part of the fascination, Driscoll said.

"We don't know if Terminator comes back, but if she does, the basic assumption would be there'd be a bit of a territorial fight," Driscoll said. "The assumption would be (Terminator) would win because she has more at stake because it's her nest box."

That's not a given, though, he conceded.

"To make it more complicated, she's got Marv, and maybe he won't take to this new lady," Driscoll said. "He's letting her sit in the box, but that doesn't mean he will mate with her. It's never this simple, but generally speaking, when there are territorial disputes, it's female-on-female and male-on-male."

In the meantime, Driscoll said he's going to keep trying to get a better look at the number on the new female's leg band, which is easier said than done.

Worst-case scenario, a new female is better than no female, he said, but Terminator is his sentimental favorite.

"It's better to have her here than no Terminator, but she's not even late yet, so I'm not too worried about that," Driscoll said. "If things hold, we expect her to show up in a couple of weeks.

"I hope we have a few more years of Terminator left."

http://www.grandforksherald.com/outdoors/wildlife/3982973-new-female-falcon-town-may-mean-terminator-turf-war-over-marv-and-nest-box

[Alison]

Thank you so much for the update, TPC! It is all very interesting information. I do hope someone will be able to read the new bird's band number. I also hope that Terminator will come home.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Was just talking to Tim down in Grand Forks about the "new" bird.  Thought is it is one of ours and likely a younger female as her feathers still show a bit brown - maybe old enough to breed, maybe not.  Not sure if she is passing through or likes the look of the place.  She and Marv had some interaction in the nestbox and overhead but "hi, who are you" kind of interactions rather than "hey sailor, got a light" kind of interactions.  Terminator doesn't usually return until the beginning of April according to Tim, so even if this female hangs out, she may get a rude greeting from T2 when/if she returns home.  Tim wasn't sure she was still around this morning ... he'll let us know if she is though.

Note, Marv and Smiley are related and Smiley is more than a little bit of a flirt, but when Princess returns, he stops flirting with other women immediately.  Maybe Marv is/will be the same way ... only time will tell.

And yes, I'm watching our cams in case the Grand Forks female is actually on her way here.  Not the first time we have had a Manitoba bird stop-over - Hurricane did the same thing first year she returned (2009) - hung out at the Smiley Tower (when it was still standing) with Roosevelt I believe for a day, maybe two, then a week later she was in Brandon with Zeus at the nestbox.  Juliet from West Winnipeg spent a summer west of Grand Forks at a large wetland complex and was photographed by Dave then too.  Dave is checking his photos for band numbers - new female has a black band but on the opposite leg from T2 so a) likely one of ours and b) easier to identify when/if T2 does return.  And Tim is keeping an eye on the nestbox to see if T2 should turn up or if new female gets comfy.

If I had to speculate wildly based on not much information, I'd wonder if this newcomer, if she is one of ours, is one of our West Winnipeg chicks just because neither Tim nor Dave remarked that the bird looked noticeably smaller than Terminator who is a large female.  Now that could just be that they didn't get a great look at her but she was in and out of the nestbox and they both know T2 rather well.  Our West Winnipeg chicks are just a bit bigger than the majority of our other chicks so that might be the reason it wasn't noticed.  Or not ...

Going to keep my fingers crossed that someone manages to get even a lousy photo of a band number ...

[GCG]

Thanks for sharing, Alison! Spring has sprung!

[Alison]

It seems that Marv has already arrived home in Grand Forks, his earliest return ever.

From Dave Lambeth on a birding list, post dated March 7, 2016:

Also earliest ever by at least 10 days: Marv, the male Peregrine Falcon was at the UND water tower. A female was also present, but it is not Terminator!

It is still very early, so there is plenty of time for Terminator to return home.