Today was another successful banding day in downtown Providence. Female 63/AE and Male 25/AB mated again and produced four offspring. For a chart of all breeding pairs and offspring in Providence since 2000, please click TIMELINE.
Rhode Island Public Radio was there to capture today’s event, so their story with video and interviews is coming soon. In the meantime, please enjoy my photo series below.
You can watch the falcons LIVE on webcam thanks to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Here is an informational video of the banding in 2008 by The Providence Journal. The banders and falcons have since changed, but the basic info is still accurate.
Here are the four nestlings at one week old during a visual checkup through windows two weeks ago…
Today, as soon as the door was opened to the outside on the 28th floor, the female was there to greet us…
Joe Zybrowski is the brave man in charge of retrieving and banding the nestlings. The protective female was right there as he opened the secret back door of the nest box…
That’s when the male arrived…
but he didn’t attack, he just watched closely from the background…
The nestlings were measured for the proper band size. Based on their size, Joe determined there is 1 female and 3 males.
Then Joe hoisted the basket back up and carefully placed the nestlings back in the box…
Mom returned to protect them and we said goodbye, wishing them all good luck and long, healthy lives!
Lastly, there was a VIP in attendance this year… Senator Whitehouse! The falcons often land outside of the Senator’s downtown office windows, so he’s a big fan!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask below or on Facebook. Thanks for reading!
Want more?
– Watch these falcons grow up LIVE on ASRI’s streaming webcam
– Pictures of Peregrine Falcon Banding Day 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015
– All of my Peregrine Falcon blog posts
2 Comments
Outstanding! Have been wondering when this would take place. So happy we have a fellow Peregrine Falcon fan in Senator Whitehouse:)
Hey Peter!
A great series of photos as always! You capture the excitement of the event and the protectiveness of the adults so well.
Ambar’s piece on the radio was wonderful; and you were featured – congratulations! :)
So cool that Senator Whitehouse was there too!