Saturday, October 10, 2009

BIRDS Peregrine Falcons


Bird books don't credit the Midwest with Peregrine Falcons. I assure you they breed and raise the chicks right here in Fargo high on the bank building in a man made nesting box across from Tom's office building.


For a few years, the camera, which took still images every so many seconds worked great. All of us who were mesmerized by the birds where happy to see the eggs, the setting on the eggs by the parents, and the hatch and feed process. This last year, there were no cameras, although Tom watched the happenings on a telescopic via his office.


Old Trunks found a live site in Columbus, OH a few years back. The nest is on the Rhodes Office Building. Not only is the camera live in the nest but on the ledge, as well. In the spring, when the falcons are back, I will make a post giving the address along with several other sites in the USA. Like any live cam, be it loons, falcons, or panda bears, it is something special to see.


Falcons eat pigeons and flickers as well as other birds and insects. They dive at speeds of 82 mph and first bump them with their foot before grabbing them with their powerful talons. It isn't uncommon for them to have their meal on the roof of the Fercho Building where Tom has his office. He finds wings and caresses of dead birds throughout the summer.

Yes, these are the same hunting bird in the old Robin Hood movies. Robert Taylor always seemed to be seen in a falconry scene wearing a pointed hat with a feather for the sake of some fair damsel; Janet Leigh comes to mind.
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