Last summer we had two instances where young peregrines were found grounded. Both were fledged juveniles, capable of flight. One was weak and dehydrated, the other had crash landed and had bruised himself up. Both were successfully rehabilitated and released. But they were both found early enough in the season that it was impossible for them to be migrating through the area from known nesting areas to the north. Both times it was early enough that these birds would still be in the company of their parents and within the hunting territory of their parents! One of the recently located nests is close to where one of the juveniles was found, the other did not turn up any evidence of breeding, however, an adult was regularly seen hunting this area (perhaps his/her mate did not return for the breeding season).
That's really good news. They are an awesome bird. Even up here where they are fairly common you don't see them much. If there's food for them they'll multiply. Are they as noisy around the nest as Merlins?
I have never had experience with nesting merlins. Both nests were initially located by the adults giving holy hell to the searchers when they got close. After initial location, all observation was done from long distances using spotting scopes.
I don't believe you! Not about the peregrine, that's great news but about keeping your mouth shut.
Kinda like me hitting the center of the target. It can happen, just don't expect it often!
I was out Duck hunting about 40 years ago watching a small flock flying by about 100 yards away when I saw a flash coming out of the sky from way up. He didn't get the Duck but it was close and the Duck he went for made the wildest maneuvers I have ever seen a Duck do.
I was hunting ducks coming off the fields near the Missouri River once and a flock of about 400 huge northern Canada mallards was circling the field where I was located. All of a sudden, the whole flock turned on a dime and dived over the bluffs making for the river. Out of the middle of the flock, I saw one DETONATE in a cloud of feathers and a dark streak like a feathered meteor blew through, circled around and followed the dead quacker down and out of sight. I can only assume peregrine since the human eye is not near good enough to pick details out at those speeds, but the behavior was right!!!
That's great! Sounds like you've made some pretty cool incidental discoveries along the way.
There is this one spot where 5" diameter trees are debarked and thrashed with a vengeance and a clear field of fire from a nice little cleft in the rocks above. I can even get to it by climbing down from the cliffs above where I won't spook the deer in the canyon (because anything that thrashed those trees has to be a seriously wary old buck). Problem is, once I get him, it will either be a two mile drag through rough canyons to get him to a road, or else I gotta carry him almost straight up a 250 cliff, followed by a half mile drag uphill to the road. If I do hunt this buck, I am bringing a salt shaker and a cast iron frying pan with me....only sensible way to pack him out will be in my belly!
I remember doing a report on them in primary school. They dive at something like 250 mph? Glad to hear the great news!
Current accurately measured speed record was with a trained bird and handler jumping out of an airplane several miles up and skydiving straight down on a weighted lure. The guy topped out at about 160 mph in a headfirst dive, but the falcon was clocked at 242 mph.
Very cool JW.. Good news for the falcons.. Good on you for making the call about the dog
Thanks Leroy
I knew I would have wanted to know if it had been my dog missing. There wasn't much to find, my bet is that a mountain lion carried her off. I kept that opinion to myself since it was just an opinion with little fact to support it.
That's great JW, just don't let em peck you on the cheek. Hope your getting healed up. Nice work on the falcons.
Bjrogg
My nose is a little asymetrical, but functional. I say it has a positive tiller to the right nostril.