MD / Baltimore - 2015-22

[Alison]

Beauregard was banded in 1998:

Beauregard adds band, backup group

Baltimore's oldest peregrine falcon has a new brood of chicks in his nest high atop the downtown skyline, and some new jewelry on his leg -- thanks to a lucky grab.Beauregard -- in residence on the former USF&G Building since 1983 -- and his mate of two springs, Artemis, hatched one male and three female chicks, or eyases, at the beginning of May.Their official caretaker, John Barber, said each of the eyases was given an identification band on May 20. And remarkably, after so many years of ruling over the 33rd-floor ledge without being caught, so was Beau.

There are several short pieces like this at the link below, mainly from 1992. Clicking on the title of each takes you to the complete article.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/keyword/beauregard

[Alison]

I am sharing a link about the male, Beauregard. It has no date, however I find it interesting.

http://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/images/BaltSun_Falcon.pdf

Thanks for the link, gemcitygemini! The date of the article was April 18, 1997.

Here is the rest of the article.

In all, scientists now count 170 breeding pairs from Maine to Georgia, and west to the Mississippi. "We're doing quite nicely," Koppie said.

Because the recovery has surpassed its goals in all eastern regions, except the southern Appalachians, the government may remove peregrines from the endangered species list. But in some places they continue to suffer some eggshell thinning blamed on pesticide residues, he said.

In Baltimore, in addition to poisons, roofing tar and traffic, the falcons must now cope with corporate boardroom decisions. USF&G has moved its operations from the downtown tower to Mount Washington. Legg Mason has leased the space and is gutting and renovating everything from the 20th to the 35th floor.

On the 33rd, only a small corner room was left to shield the nest from all the commotion.

Crews hired by USF&G have been gliding up and down the tower's granite facing on hanging platforms, recaulking the stone facing and dodging angry falcons.

"They'll fly by when we get near them, " said John Young, a supervisor for C.A. Lindman Inc.

In February, the birds buzzed within three feet of Young's men as they dangled more than 30 stories up. As required by their contract, the crews finished work near the bird's ledge before the eggs arrived, and the aerial assaults have subsided.

"They'll get more aggressive after the babies are born," Young said. "We'll come back and do some small granite repairs," but not until the young have flown off.

Peregrines are tenacious with a good nest site, Barber said. Historically, some cliff sites were occupied for 8 to 10 generations, with one bird or the other being replaced as needed.

Maryland's restored peregrines have preferred man-made aeries, such as nesting towers on the Eastern Shore, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. A pair on the Francis Scott Key Bridge produces eggs each year, but has never successfully fledged young. New birds have been spotted at Hart-Miller Island and the Route 301 Potomac River bridge to Virginia. None has adopted the species' traditional cliff-side aeries in western Maryland, which now suffer intrusions by rock climbers.

Baltimore's birds have provided Marylanders with a high-altitude soap opera for 19 years. It premiered in 1978 when a female named Scarlett was released by the Peregrine Fund and settled on the USF&G ledge.

Biologists released would-be mates for her, but the matches ended badly. Misha and Blue Meanie proved incompatible. Rhett was poisoned. Percy flew away. Ashley was shot, mended, then killed in traffic.

The fund brought Scarlett captive-bred babies, or eyases, which she raised for four years.

Beauregard, probably a wild tundra peregrine migrating through Baltimore, was drawn to the ledge by Scarlett's cries in July 1983, and began a 12-year record of reproductive successes.

When Scarlett died from an infection in 1984, Beauregard's calls attracted another female, Blythe, in four days. She had been born and banded in New Jersey.

In 1992, Blythe was found dead from unknown causes. But Beauregard's cries lured yet another female, Felicity.

Felicity produced four successful broods with Beauregard, but she vanished last spring, leaving five unhatched eggs in the ledge's gravel scrape.

Beauregard's cries soon drew Tara, a year-old bird born and banded on the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York. But she refused to care for Felicity's eggs. Four young died. One egg was infertile. "That was the first failure for the site in 17 nesting seasons," Barber said.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-04-18/news/1997108087_1_young-peregrines-beauregard-mates/2

[GCG]

As I waited for a peek to see how many eggs, I gave up, went on Facebook and lo and behold! A video and a 3rd egg! 

[GCG]

  I just watched Lady? lay her second egg. Exciting! This is the 1st time I have actually watched an egg while it is being laid. Videos are great, but to see it happen....what can I say. Many of you have seen this before. I can now say I know what you went through. I hope Mom now spends more time on the eggs. If I see a post on Facebook, I will share. 

[GCG]

Mama is sitting on one ??maybe?? two eggs. Thought I saw a second one when she hovered.

No, still only one egg.

I am sharing a link about the male, Beauregard. It has no date, however I find it interesting.


http://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/images/BaltSun_Falcon.pdf

[GCG]

Mama is sitting on one ??maybe?? two eggs. Thought I saw a second one when she hovered.

[GCG]

It's a big day in both our nests! Barb laid an egg in the Falcon nest at around 8:15 this morning and Audrey, the Osprey, laid her first egg this evening at around 6:15. It must have been the great weekend weather we've been having!

 Confirmed on Facebook by the Chesapeake Conservancy.

[carly]

They don't start incubation until that lay the third egg.  Unless it's cold down there the egg will be fine.

[GCG]

I have been observing this nest on and off today and I am becoming concerned about her disinterest in her egg. At times she looks as though she may sit on it, but only to walk away and hop onto the ledge. This site is beautiful and I am/was looking forward to watching it from the beginning to the end. The returning female was injured and this female replaced her. If she laid this egg and hasn't started to incubate, is there a chance she will do so and lay more eggs? 

[GCG]

Hmmm! Thank you RCF, Thank you as well, TPC for this information. Although I have ever heard this before, it would make perfect sense. Her reflection could cause her to react as though there is an intruder. Interesting.

[The Peregrine Chick]

One thing I have noticed is she keeps looking towards the window and probably sees her reflection. My guess is she doesn't seem to care for the falcon in the window.     

That's a likely guess RCF, some birds really don't like or are really suspicious of reflective surfaces, even small ones.

[RCF]

One thing I have noticed is she keeps looking towards the window and probably sees her reflection. My guess is she doesn't seem to care for the falcon in the window.   

[GCG]

Can someone explain her strange behavior? She seems so disinterested. 

  OK, she's back on the egg and the male is squawking in her direction from the ledge.

[GCG]

Can someone explain her strange behavior? She seems so disinterested. 

[GCG]

Very strange behavior. After watching this falcon for awhile, she moved around the nest, pushed the egg a short distance, hopped up on the ledge with her back turned toward the egg and occasionally looked at the egg. Is this normal?