!!! Updated News of Miriam - (89 over H) and Tonga - (85 over H) from Michigan USA
April 27, 2009 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
With a huge thank you to Kariann in Michigan USA, we have received some great news about Miriam and Tonga, two Canadian produced peregrines that have not only beat the mortality odds of survival, but have continued to go on and produce their own families in the USA.
Miriam (blk 89/H) successfully hatched three male peregrines last season in 2008 and is still paired with the same male (Allegro) at the Whittier Apartments in Detroit Michigan. She is currently incubating. Tonga (blk 85/H) successfully hatched three peregrines last season in 2008 (2 male and 1 female) and is still paired with an unbanded male at the Blue Water Bridge site in Port Huron Michigan. We have a new Peregrine nesting at our DTE Monroe Powerplant, we are yet to hear any origin information (blk 8/K).
Kariann, SE Michigan Peregrine Falcon Coordinator DNR.
Miriam was hacked-out and released to the wild from the CPF’s Richmond Hill Hack site in 2003, see CPF Project Track-Em and Project Release sections on the CPF web site at - http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/programs/trackem/track2003.html All 3 hacked birds survived and fledged and were closely monitored by the hack site attendants until they were finally hunting on their own and later disappeared by mid October of that year. Miriam was also involved in the CPF’s Project Track-Em and was tracked by satellite up and until she got into trouble in Detroit Mich. USA. Miriam was later found and rescued the following winter of 2003-2004 in Michigan USA during a bad winter storm of freezing rain and snow having been frozen by her tail to a concrete ledge of a office tower. She was rescued and spent a number of weeks in rehabilitation, and was later released back to the wild.
Tonga was produced at the Mississauga Ontario MEC nest site in 2003 and was one of the best fliers of the bunch. He has obviously survived the test of time and both of these birds continue to remind us all of the importance of banding for many reasons, in particular for the purpose of monitoring the species, and a reminder that the urban produced birds do in fact contribute to the restoration and recovery of the species - North American wide!
We wish both Miriam and Tonga continued success, and extremely pleased that they have chosen a home where they are so appreciated and so lovingly cared for by the great folks in Michigan USA.