!!! Niagara Falls peregrines have produced again this season! :-)
June 06, 2015 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 3rd - 2015
A big thank you to Vicky and her efforts to get some additional information on the Niagara Falls peregrines. As you know, the only way to get any views of the nest in the Canadian side at the old Ontario Power generation plant is to view it from the USA side of the Niagara gorge. Vicky was able to get back down to the Niagara Gorge this week and was able to photograph the nest site.
It appears that the resident adult peregrines have returned back to the original nest cavity where we had installed the nest tray for them several years ago. It would also appear by all accounts via Vickys observations and photos, that the pair have been successful in producing at least one hatchling as evident via her photos.
Remembering that she is shooting from the USA side, along way across the gorge, typically under the worst conditions of distance and constant mist coming from the two falls! Great shots given all of the challenges!!!
Sadly, we are to understand that the Canadian Niagara Parks Commission will no longer allow access to the site to be able to band the hatchlings, claiming unsafe conditions on the old power station roof. Hmmm, I guess we’ll have to figure out a way to turn a peregrine banding event into a money making stunt?
Vicky writes:
Hi All,
We went to NF to check the nest site. Here is what I posted to my Peregrine page:
Niagara Falls Gorge
Assuming the adults are still Onyx and Diamond, (sadly no way to confirm given the distances involved), they chose to go back to the nest tray provided for them by the Canadian Peregrine Foundation a few years ago. When the parent left the box, it appeared there was just one hatchling in the tray. Zooming in on the photos with my computer, I did not see any eggs. It seems this year many sites are having fewer successful hatches despite a normal number of eggs. The weather in the northeast was bitter cold during incubation season and I expect this is the main problem with fewer hatches.
Vicki Kadow (Sage) & Roger Johnson
