A Good Day For a Falcon Release

We're happy to report that the juvenile peregrine recovered from the London Correctional Facility earlier in October was released today!  Here is Kristi Krumlauf of the Ohio Wildlife Center giving the falcon its freedom.  It flew strong and climbed high in the sky and soared on a warm, thermal air current.  Last we saw it was a mere spec against a blue sky background drifting towards the south.

While the falcon was unbanded so we don't know where it came from, it does however, begin the next chapter in its life with leg bands so if/when it is located again researchers will at least know it detoured through Madison County, Ohio, in its first fall on the wing. Thanks much to Kristi and the other staff at OWC for treating this bird.

 The other "mystery" peregrine recovered from downtown Columbus in early September is no longer a mystery.  This falcon, a female, was banded at the Westinghouse Bridge in East Pittsburgh, PA, on July 1 and fledged approximately July 18.  "As the peregrine flies" its hatch location is about 169 miles from Columbus: 

The plan for this peregrine patient is still to imp feathers with the intention of a release yet this fall.

Finally, Blaze continues to have issues with flight so there isn't much to update at this time.  The next step is to take another look at the keel via x-ray.  Hopefully, next post we'll have more information.