In September and October, many raptors begin their annual migration south towards warmer weather. On their trek, some stop in Providence to hunt the pigeons downtown. On October 10, a juvenile Peregrine Falcon landed right outside my window and I was luckily able to photograph her band numbers. After submitting the info to reportband.gov and talking with Tom French (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife), we can piece together her journey so far…
Band numbers: 1687-15499, and 22/BE black over green
Hatched: 4/2016 in Haverhill, MA on Basilere Bridge over the Merrimack River
Banded: 06/17/2016 at Tufts Wildlife Clinic
Sex: Female
Siblings: Three. All four were near fledging age (about six weeks old), and too old to band when the site was visited on 06/03/16. One was fatally injured on 06/15/16 by striking a nearby building window while chasing a small bird. The same day, another was found grounded nearby shortly after fledging, and was taken to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic. This female was banded 22/BE and released back in Haverhill, MA on 06/17/16. This was the only one of the four chicks that was banded.
Parents: The adult female is unbanded. The adult male, 72/AB, was banded as a chick on the Brady-Sullivan Tower in Manchester, NH on 05/10/12, and first identified in Haverhill, MA in 2014.
Thanks to Craig Gibson (lawrenceperegrines.com) for sharing these two photos of 22/BE being released back in Haverhill, MA.
Four months later, she arrived in Providence – 95 miles south of Haverhill.
Here she is chasing pigeons around City Hall…
He she’s doing aerial maneuvers over Kennedy Plaza with the statue of Roger Williams in the background
Fortunately, she landed outside my window on a ledge where water collects after the rain. Her band numbers were visible briefly after she washed her feet.
The following two photos were shared by a neighbor who also spotted her. It’s interesting to compare the picture above with the one below – both taken at the same moment but from different levels.
She eventually perched behind City Hall, shut her eyes and fell asleep, so I wished her good luck as she continues her journey.
more migrants: On September 1, another juvenile Peregrine visited downtown and was chased away by a resident adult.
Last year on September 17, another banded migrating Peregrine was hunting ducks along the Seekonk River in Providence. 21/BD hatched in Fall River, MA (Braga Bridge) and was banded by Tom French on 06/05/13.
The local pair of Peregrine Falcons do not migrate – they likely stay in downtown Providence because their food source stays (pigeons). Here you can see a Peregrine soaring through a winter snowstorm in 2015:
2 Comments
WOW! Thank you for sharing another of your AMAZING photographs! :) A friend and I viewed the exhibit of your photographs at the Audubon facility in Bristol this past Saturday! Please excuse the repetition but, again, AMAZING! I especially liked the one of the group of pigeons in total panic because of the raptor flying above! Was also impressed by your generosity in donating a portion of sale price of the photos to Audubon.
Great, great shots Peter!! You seem to out do yourself time and again.
John