NE / Omaha - Woodmen Tower - 2009-21

[burdi]

From Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery, an update on Hunter as he settles in to his new home at the Teton Raptor Center in Wyoming:

An update on Hunter (H57) the peregrine falcon that hatched at the Woodmen Tower this year.

Hunter is making himself at home in Wyoming. The good folks at the Teton Raptor Center even invited him to attend their staff meeting this week!

For those who are not familiar with his story, Hunter suffers from vision issues and is not able to be released back into the wild. He will be serving as an education bird for the Teton Raptor Center and helping to educate people about the importance of birds of prey.

It’s nice to see Hunter being treated so well; I feel he stands a very good chance of a long and happy life at Teton Raptor Center.

[The Peregrine Chick]

What a beautiful little juvie he is:

 

Princess and Trey did good work - can see it even a couple of generations down the line 

[Alison]

From Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery, an update on Hunter as he settles in to his new home at the Teton Raptor Center in Wyoming:

An update on Hunter (H57) the peregrine falcon that hatched at the Woodmen Tower this year.

Hunter is making himself at home in Wyoming. The good folks at the Teton Raptor Center even invited him to attend their staff meeting this week!

For those who are not familiar with his story, Hunter suffers from vision issues and is not able to be released back into the wild. He will be serving as an education bird for the Teton Raptor Center and helping to educate people about the importance of birds of prey.

What a beautiful little juvie he is:

 

[burdi]

I hope everything will go well for Hunter in his new home, and that he will have a long, safe and happy life as an education ambassador.

I hope so too, Alison, and I have a feeling things will go well for Hunter!

[Alison]

Little Hunter willl not be staying at Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery after all.

Today it was announced that he has been relocated to the Teton Raptor Center.

We're excited to announce that Hunter, the non-releasable peregrine falcon who hatched at the Woodmen Tower this year, has reached his new home at the Teton Raptor Center!

Hunter is currently getting acclimated to his new home in gorgeous western Wyoming. He will be an education bird, helping people learn more about raptors and the dangers they face.

 

I hope everything will go well for Hunter in his new home, and that he will have a long, safe and happy life as an education ambassador.

[Alison]

It sounds as if Hunter may not be leaving Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery. I came across this note:

Hunter will remain in our care and will likely become an education bird.

Meanwhile, here is Hunter's older sister (born in 2015) in her new residence at Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Woodland Refuge.

[Alison]

We now have an update from Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery on Hunter, the little male from the Woodmen nest, and unfortunately, it is not an encouraging one.

Hunter was thoroughly evaluated. Unfortunately he has permanent vision changes in his left eye. These changes will make it extremely difficult for his survival. He will not be releasable. We will work with USFWS permitted organizations to place him.

He may not be able to go back to the wild, but he will be able to make a difference by helping to educate the public about the importance of birds of prey like himself.

Photos of Hunter from Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery.

 

The fact that both Hunter and his sister Charlotte from last year have vision problems may be coincidence, but since they are both offspring of Mintaka and Charity, I wonder if there could be a possible genetic factor.

[Alison]

There is an update on one of last year's Woodmen chicks, Charlotte, banded black/red B/85.

She had been found injured after fledging last year, and taken to Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery. After spending time in rehab, an attempt was made to release her on the roof of the Woodmen building. Sadly, she was unable to take flight, and the attempt failed.

She has been deemed non-releasable, and will be a permanent resident at Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery's new addition.

Rescued birds settling in at new $2 million digs at Fontenelle Forest

June 21 2016

Charlotte the falcon can’t see well.

Someone found her on the street one day, far below her home atop the Woodmen Tower. A neurological disorder makes it difficult for her to navigate and find food.

So Charlotte has joined several other birds of prey like her — rescues, unable to survive in the wild — at Fontenelle Forest’s new Raptor Woodland Refuge, which opens to the public July 16.

The $2 million expansion is the Bellevue forest’s biggest project in more than a decade, said Joe Vavak, spokesman for Fontenelle Forest.

The refuge has the capacity to house up to two dozen birds. Visitors will be able to tour the raptor refuge and see the birds living in “mews,” or treehouses. Several are housed high in the treetops and accessible to guests via a suspended walkway.

While it is not the life Charlotte should have had, at least she will be safe and well cared for.

http://www.omaha.com/living/rescued-birds-settling-in-at-new-million-digs-at-fontenelle/article_4580d32d-bc2b-5739-bb02-b194129f325b.html

[Alison]

A contest was held to name the chicks, and the chicks have now received their names.

[Alison]

The little male, banded black/red H/57, is now named Hunter.

Today he is going to the veterinary optometrist to have his eyesight checked. I hope everything goes well for this handsome little fledgling.

[Alison]

The little male chick from the Woodmen nest was returned to the nest after being cared for by Fontenelle Forest Recovery.

However, not too long afterwards a chick was once again missing from the nest. It turned out to be the little male once again. He was not seen for a little over two days. He was found on the sidewalk and taken back to Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery for further care.

A Woodmen Tower peregrine falcon update: One of the chicks (banded H57) is currently in our care after being found on the sidewalk last night. He is otherwise healthy, but may have an issue with his eyesight that is effecting his ability to fledge and find his own food. We've made an appointment with a special veterinary optometrist to check his vision and will post an update when new information is available.

Back in rehab for the second time, he still looks too young to fledge:

     

[Alison]

One of the four Woodmen chicks fell from the nest and was taken to Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Recovery yesterday.

Fortunately, it seems that the little guy is okay.

The male chick from the Woodmen Tower is doing well and will return to its home later this afternoon. He appears to be unscathed from his adventure and will be back in the nest very soon.

It is now being posted on the Fontenelle Forest site that another chick has fallen from the nest.

When I checked the Woodmen site a few minutes ago, there were three chicks in the nest. One parent was perched on the other nest box; looked like Charity.

I hope someone in Omaha is watching over the chicks in case there is one on the ground. They are not yet ready to fledge.

[Alison]

Updating this thread a little bit:

Charity and Mintaka incubated four eggs. All four hatched, and there are now four beautiful big chicks. The chicks, three females and one male, were banded on May 27. Charity was taken inside with the chicks, and they took the opportunity to band her also. She now has a silver band on the right leg, and black over red 48/U on the left.

[RCF]

These two also have an Easter egg!!

[The Peregrine Chick]

She looks like Trey's family ...