FalconCams Back Live!

The live streaming video has now been restored on the Ohio Division of Wildlife's website.   Thanks for every one's patience!

At this point in the season juveniles are on the move.  "Our" young falcons are likely long gone, having left the Columbus area to hopefully survive their first year and then seek out a territory of their own.  This is a normal process that happens throughout the range of peregrines worldwide.  Interestingly, to further illustrate this point, late yesterday we received a call regarding an injured peregrine downtown near the LeVeque Tower.  Sure enough, the bird turned out to actually be a peregrine and an immature bird at that.  But--NOT one that had hatched in Columbus!  The leg bands on this youngster indicated it was not from Ohio!  The falcon was taken to a local wildlife rehab center to be checked out.  As soon as we have more information on its origin and its condition, we'll pass it along.

Durand and Spark continue to maintain their territory.  While the cams were off we took the opportunity to do annual maintenance on the nestbox.  Gravel was replaced (doing so helps keep parasite loads down) and the box got a fresh coat of paint.  Durand and Spark didn't waste any time establishing new scrapes in the fresh gravel.  Beginning about mid-summer after the nesting season is complete is when the adults typically undergo a molt, whereby old feathers are replaced with new.  The feather in the box is from one of the adults.