perch platform maintenance

Today we accessed the ledge to remove the perch that is installed in front of the ledgecam. This platform is designed to elevate the birds to the point that we can easily read leg bands. It's a few years old so we removed it to rebuild and will reinstall it later this year. Both adults checked in to try and haze us from their nesting territory. They swooped by several times but without there being young at risk neither was too aggressive.


As everyone probably figured out by now, the ledgecam still shots are back up! The initial problem was simply software related but the main delay was getting our web consultants authorization to access the system to troubleshoot. Several agencies are involved so it wasn't anything that we had control over to expedite.

Many people have emailed in wondering about an injured juvenile falcon that was reported to be at a local wildlife rehabilitation center. The bird in question was unbanded and so is NOT one of the Columbus young. Without bands to track it, the origin of the injured bird is unknown. Let me take this opportunity to use this bird as an example to point out to the critics of our banding process how valuable the information we get from banding is. Time, experience and the success of our program have shown that banding of the chicks does not cause harm to them and likewise is a very, very important tool for tracking their migrations. The young bird found recently had no metal leg bands thus where it came from is--and will always be--a mystery.

Finally, no news on Victory. Future updates over the fall and winter as necessary when there is something to report!