Rhodes Tower Modernization

As indicated in a previous post, live streaming of the peregrine falcon nest at the Rhodes State Office Tower via The Ohio Channel will end this month.  However, the Division of Wildlife remains committed to providing a view to the Columbus peregrines and is actively working to not only investigate a new streaming service, but also plans to incorporate camera upgrades prior to the 2018 nesting season.  But there is twist!  The Rhodes Tower is about to undergo an upgrade of its own!  

Plans are underway for a construction project that will help modernize the Rhodes Tower. The project will include increasing energy efficiency by adding insulation and new window systems as well as façade improvements.  A project like this is no small undertaking—building managers and planners have an enormous list of considerations to address.  One factor unique to this project is that building management is also considering the impacts to the peregrine falcons that have nested on the building since the early 1990s.  They enjoy hosting the peregrines but do recognize the work will impact the peregrines and so have involved the Division of Wildlife early on in planning for advice and direction on management of the falcons and the nest during the construction project.

Because of the nature and duration of the work to be done, the Division of Wildlife believes the most prudent thing to do is to provide for the peregrines at another site.  To accommodate construction and to encourage the peregrines to relocate, the current nestbox at the Rhodes Tower will be removed later this summer and other exclusion efforts on the building will be incorporated.  The Riffe Tower is another state-owned building and one that the peregrines already readily use.  Fans will recall this past fledging period, one of the young peregrines spent 2 days on a window ledge at the Riffe.  An alternate nestbox already exists on that building and Division of Wildlife biologists will be working with building management to refine the nesting accommodations to make the Riffe as attractive to the peregrines as possible.  If all goes well, the peregrines will relocate to the Riffe and have a safe and secure nesting site to use while the Rhodes State Office Tower Modernization Project progresses.  The possibility does exist of course, that the peregrines will choose to nest elsewhere downtown so we will be monitoring their whereabouts and behaviors between this fall and next nesting season. 

While we work on nestbox accommodations, we are also working with building management at the Riffe to develop a camera system with the goal of live streaming on our website as we have done in the past with the nest at the Rhodes Tower.  This combined approach addressing the nestbox and cameras is a reasonable plan with cooperation between multiple agencies and organizations.  Our hope is that the peregrines also are cooperative in this endeavor and there is minimal interruption in Columbus peregrine falcon viewing opportunities. 

We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.  For the immediate future, expect some downtime after the live streaming is discontinued later this month.  Even without video, we’ll be working behind the scenes to ensure a responsible approach to all aspects of this project in relation to the peregrines and the viewing public.  Stay tuned as this project evolves.  Columbus peregrine fans are the best and the ODNR, Division of Wildlife appreciates their dedication!

News! News! News!

Great news - there have been 2 recent visits to the nest ledge by juveniles!  The first juvie was observed on July 5th about 6:20 pm:

The second visit was yesterday about 3 p.m.  Durand was near the nestbox and the juvenile landed on the ledge.  Although you can't see the falcon very clearly, the plumage of the bird closest to the camera is brown, indicating it is a young bird.  The falcon furthest away has a light underside which makes it an adult:

From his office window, Mike Horn also saw and photographed this juvenile on the LeVeque Tower on 7/9/17:

Such great news to finally start seeing the young and to know that they are doing well!

On another very positive note, long time viewers may recall that one of the chicks in the 2000 Columbus nest was named Hunter.  Hunter was identified via his leg band in 2002 in Toronto, Ontario:

He paired with a female there and for over 10 years they attempted to nest at several locations but were unsuccessful each year.  That long-time resident female was lost from the territory in 2013, and in 2014 a new female claimed the territory and paired with Hunter.  We recently received confirmation that finally this season, at 17 years old, Hunter has raised his first successful brood!!!  He and his mate fledged 3 young this year at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada!!  How exciting to learn of this success story!

As with most birds, there is a high mortality in their first year, however, if a peregrine survives beyond year 1, they can live 12-18 years in the wild.  Here is a photo of Hunter this year (thanks to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation for this update and pic):

Happy 4th of July!

As is the norm, now that nesting season is over the adult peregrines will undergo their molt.  I was reminded of this when I noticed this feather in the nestbox today:

We are accustomed to seeing feathers from prey species in the nest but this feather is definitely an adult peregrine feather, likely one of the wing, i.e., flight feathers.  The adults lose individual feathers in a specific pattern as the new feathers grow in.  This slow and specific process ensures the bird does not lose its ability to fly.  In comparison, adult Canada geese are also molting at this time of the year, however, they shed all of their flight feathers at about the same time which renders them flightless for about 2 weeks until the new feathers grow in. In this case the geese usually choose to undergo their molt near a body of water so they have a way to escape predators.

There have been some questions about how long the live streaming video will continue into July.  At this point we'll continue at least until mid-July.   Additional updates will be given as information becomes available.

Columbus' annual Red, White & Boom celebration is tonight.  I'm often asked how a fireworks display will affect the peregrines.  From their standpoint, it won't be much different than a thunderstorm.  They will no doubt watch the display from a safe perch.  I'm sure there are a lot of folks attending the celebration who would love to have a peregrine's eye view of the show.  Happy 4th of July!