MN / Great Spirit Bluff - 2023 / Newman & Savanna

[GCG]

Savanna and Newman have four eggs:
First egg at 8:28 PM on March 29
Second egg at 4:35 AM on April 1
Third egg at 12:32 PM on April 3
Fourth egg at 11:15 PM on April 5
Hatching to begin approximately Saturday, May 6.

[GCG]

It is becoming apparent that the pair this season is again Newman and new Queen of GSB, Savanna. 40Z  Spending more time at or near the nest box. Canoodling, mating and prey transfer from Newman.

[GCG]

Newman is no doubt the returning male. And no sign of Zooey. 2 banded females, Julie and Savanna. Looking more like Savanna will be the resident female.

https://explore.org/livecams/falcons/peregrine-falcon-cam?fbclid=IwAR0MoLkjDkIosdFYh7uuRHqOvYKlB2Yo39xpLMpwzi3ZkpDotwIrBrCC0zA

[GCG]

2023 NESTING SEASON

It's official! Newman is home. Will Zooey again be the resident female? Tick Tock! 

https://explore.org/livecams/falcons/falcon-nest-cam

[The Peregrine Chick]

Great Spirit Bluff
La Crescent, Minnesota

webcam link: https://explore.org/livecams/falcons/falcon-nest-cam  (updated)

Raptor Resource Project Great Spirit Bluff Peregrines - https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/gsb-falcons/

The Great Spirit Bluff peregrine falcons are nesting on a bluff located near La Crescent, MN, overlooking Lock and Dam #7 on the Mississippi River (MAP).  We call the unbanded male Newman and the unbanded female Nova. To learn more about the falcons here through the years, scroll down to the ‘nest records’ section.  The peregrines are not present year-round. In general, they return in late February to early March, begin courtship between early and Mid-March, and lay eggs between late March and mid-April. Hatch should begin in early to mid-May, fledge generally occurs 38-40 days after that, and young disperse in late August or mid-September. The adults stay on territory until late fall. While the male and female leave at roughly the same time, they are not believed to migrate together. This nest box is filled with pea gravel to provide a substrate that cushions and drains the eggs. We installed it in 2003 at the request of Tom Howe. It became active in 2005 and has been productive ever since.

NOTE:  This nestsite is plague by blackflies during the nesting season and more than a few chicks have been killed by Great Horned Owls

Resident Pairs & Offspring:

• 2021 - Newman + Zooey --> 3 chicks hatched, first 2 died due to Zooey's inexperience
• 2020 - Newman + Nova --> 3 chicks hatched, 1 died shortly after hatch, Floyd (m) & Elise (f) killed by Great Horned Owl
• 2019 - Newman + Michelle --> 2 chicks hatched, 1 killed by Great Horned Owl, Carson (m) driven from box by blackflies but fledged successfully
• 2018 - Newman + Michelle --> 2 chicks hatched & fledged without incident (no blackfly problem)
• 2017 - Newman + Michelle --> 4 chicks hatched, 2 killed by blackflies, Hamilton (m) and Burr-D (unk) driven from box by blackflies a month later but fledged successfully 
• 2016 - Newman + Michelle --> 4 chicks hatched
• 2015 - Travis + Michelle --> 4 chicks hatched
• 2014 - Travis + Michelle --> 1 chick hatched, Mac (m) driven from box by blackflies, survived until he fledged from the ground
• 2013 - Travis + Michelle --> 4 chicks hatched, all were driven from the box by blackflies, 1 found & fostered elsewhere, 2 fledged successfully from the ground & 1 disappeared
• 2012 - Travis + Michelle --> at least 2 chicks hatched, Cassie (f) disappeared from the nestbox, Christine (f) found dead at the LaCrosse airport.
• 2011 - Travis + Michelle --> 4 chicks hatched
• 2010 - parents' identities not known --> 4 chicks hatched
• 2009 - parents' identities not known --> 4 chicks hatched, Laura (f) resident female in Red Wing, Minnesota
• 2008 - parents' identities not known --> at least 1 chick hatched & fledged
• 2007 - parents' identities not known --> at least 3 chicks hatched & fledged
• 2006 - male not identified + Katrinka --> at least 3 chicks hatched & fledged
• 2005 - male not identified + Katrinka --> 4 chicks hatched & fledged