MN / Rochester - Mayo Clinic - 2014-19

[Alison]

March 28, 2019

From the site:

The adult peregrine falcons are named Hattie and Orton, (the resident pair since 2016).  Hattie is four years old and is named in honor of Hattie Damon Mayo, the wife of Dr. William J. Mayo.  Her name means "keeper of the hearth and ruler of her household."   Orton is a 5-year-old male.  He fledged from City Hall in Minneapolis and is named for the Minnesota town where the rose granite used in City Hall was quarried. 

Since mid-February, five different females and two different males were identified attempting to overthrow Hattie and Orton. One encounter was especially intense, and Hattie sustained punctures on the right side of her head by another banded female.  As in other territorial battles, the male did not participate in this battle but remained observant of the two females.

. . . . As a result of the territorial battles, she has a laceration below the right eye, wet feathers below the eye, and what appears to be actual trauma to the eye itself.  Time will determine the full extent of the injury, but Hattie has behaved normally, flying, chasing quarry and mating.  We will continue to monitor her via the falcon cam and in person.

This confirms what I thought had happened, but I had no idea that there were five female and two male intruders! What incredible courage Hattie, and Orton, have to be able to hold their nest against so many different intruders.

Photos from the site:

 

I hope the rest of the season will go smoothly for Hattie and Orton. They so much deserve to have a really good year.

[Alison]

2019 NESTING SEASON

Updates from the site

February 20, 2019:  Three birds were observed on territory.  Hattie and Orton were both back and actively defending the site from a third bird.

March 19:  It appears that there are now only two birds on territory.  Jackie Fallon from the Midwest Peregrine Society has confirmed that the female is Hattie.  We believe that the male we've been seeing is Orton, but Jackie has been unable to read the entire band on the bird's leg to confirm that.  We will share updates as soon as we have more information.

March 20: I found someone at the nest today for the first time this year. This bird, who turned out to be Hattie, has some very distinctive markings on the right side of the face. I think these markings are probably due to injuries from a territorial battle. The left side of her face is quite different. I hope she is okay, and that there is no damage to the eye.

 

 

http://history.mayoclinic.org/tours-events/mayo-clinic-peregrine-falcon-program.php

[Alison]

An update from the Midwest Peregrine Society on the loss of all four chicks: 

We received more information from the Madison Wildlife Diagnostic Lab, regarding the Mayo Clinic peregrine chicks in Rochester, MN which passed on May 11th. An exact cause of death was not determined, but there is strong evidence to suggest an unknown toxin was consumed by the chicks. The below is a press release from the Mayo Clinic re: this event and loss.

Jackie, MPS VP of Field Operations

Suspected cause of death in falcon chicks includes poisoning

Fans and followers of the Mayo Clinic Peregrine Falcon Program have been waiting for answers on why this year’s falcon hatchlings passed away on May 11 in Rochester.

One suspected cause of death of Mayo’s falcon chicks is poisoning. That’s according to a report from a wildlife diagnostics lab in Madison, Wisconsin, where the chicks’ remains had been sent for study. A test of whether a viral infection could have caused the hatchlings’ demise is pending.

The source of the potential toxin is unknown. Mayo Clinic does not use poisons for pest control on the Rochester campus.

“Although the loss is hard to watch, death occurs frequently in nature,” says Jacquelyn Fallon, Midwest Peregrine Society. “With toxicity as a suspected cause of death, it is a reminder how poisons are an indiscriminate killer and, if used, the wide range of effect they can have on species in the area.”

The hatchlings' deaths were a surprise. Their quick demise was witnessed by many through Mayo’s live falcon cam. Hundreds of falcon fans expressed their condolences to Mayo Clinic and hoped for answers. Mayo Clinic has offered the falcon program for 31 years.

Fears of whether falcon parents Orton and Hattie would meet the same fate were calmed recently when the two birds were spotted flying in the area, although they are spending much less time in their nesting box.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2103188653043596&id=354352871260525

[Alison]

From the Midwest Peregrine Society:

We are sad to share some difficult news about the Mayo clinic brood of chicks in Rochester, MN. All four chicks appear to have died at some point today, at about a week of age. We are uncertain as to the cause of death, and may never know. MPS and the Mayo heritage team are working closely together to continue to observe the adults and see if we can identify the cause of death in the chicks.
 
We need to remember that web cams can be a great tool for monitoring wildlife and get a glimpse into their life. However, it can also be a difficult time to witness death of something so very young, but it is not necessarily that uncommon.

As we learn more about the site, we will share it here with you.

Jackie, VP Field Operations for MPS

[Alison]

All four of the chicks hatched, but today there is extremely sad news from the Mayo Clinic site. All four of Hattie and Orton's chicks have died. 

May 12, 2018 (7 p.m.)

Mayo Clinic has turned off the live falcon cam after it was discovered that the four falcon chicks have likely died.  The cause of their deaths is unclear.  Mayo is in contact with Jackie Fallon from the Midwest Peregrine Socieity and will continue to monitor the situation.  An update is expected next week.  The Mayo Clinic Heritage Days team thanks all who have followed Hattie, Orton and their chicks so faithfully this spring and we share in the sadness of these latest developments.

[MayShowers]

Hopefully it warms up soon for them!

[Alison]

Hattie and Orton are now incubating four eggs.

Today, they are incubating in cold, windy conditions, with driving snow. 

[Alison]

The birds in the photos I posted above are indeed Hattie and Orton. Jackie Fallon has confirmed that this is the case.

I am glad that they have been able to hold their nest despite challenges from intruders.

It was cold (30 degrees F) and windy at the nest box this afternoon, making it difficult to see Hattie's bands.



A few minutes ago, Hattie laid her first egg! Congratulations to Hattie and Orton!

 

[The Peregrine Chick]

As a note, this is the hatch site of Triumph who is now the resident male at the Multifoods Tower in Minneapolis and who was very popular in San Antonio, Texas this winter.

[Alison]

I have seen several banded birds at the nest this month:

Left, a bird with a black/green band; right, banded black/red, I believe this is Hattie.

 

Left, yesterday, I believe this is Orton; right, today, I believe this is Hattie.

 

[Alison]

2018 NESTING SEASON

The resident male at this old-established nest has been Orton, banded black/red N/46, born in 2014 at the City Hall, Minneapolis nest.

The resident female has been Hattie, banded black/red D/35, born in 2015 at the Mayo Building at the University of Minnesota.

They both arrived in 2016, but did not raise chicks that year. Last year, they raised three chicks:

Generose, female, banded black/blue 73/K
Epic, female, banded black/blue 74/K
Lucky Lindy, male, banded black/blue 38/D

Very sadly, Generose was found dead in Marshalltown, Iowa, in October 2017.

This year, there have been intruders at the nest:

March 1, 2018:  Four falcons have been observed here, fighting for occupancy in this territory.  Three of the birds are banded but they have not perched long enough for anyone to read the bands.  More information will be shared as soon as possible.

Webcam:

http://history.mayoclinic.org/tours-events/mayo-clinic-peregrine-falcon-program.php

[Linder]

Thank you RCF and Moonstar for checking and finding this info. Much appreciated.

[RCF]

Happened to click onto KARE news last nite at 10 and saw a short clip of 3 chicks brought down from roof of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. They did blood tests on them and banded them. Do you know who the parents are?

I found this Linder but I don't think they have names. The female is not banded.

http://www.raptorresource.org/forum/index.php/topic,1891.0.html

Ok, I found out the male is named Bill,  the female as I said before is not banded.  I asked on BCAW and one of the members replied to my query.

Mayo Clinic
Bill 67/C B/R 2010 from BlackDog
Female not banded

[Moonstar]

http://www.kttc.com/story/25755403/2014/06/11/mayo-clinic-bands-three-peregrine-falcon-chicks-during-annual-check-up
is the link to the story from KTTC tv station.  Different from the news footage Linder saw.

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/mayo-clinic-s-peregrine-falcons-banded-dubbed-chuck-will-worrall/article_449a84b4-5986-555c-9c74-8da75b42e5d9.html

the above link is a news report about the names of the chicks.

[RCF]

Happened to click onto KARE news last nite at 10 and saw a short clip of 3 chicks brought down from roof of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. They did blood tests on them and banded them. Do you know who the parents are?

I found this Linder but I don't think they have names. The female is not banded.

http://www.raptorresource.org/forum/index.php/topic,1891.0.html