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…
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-7-800x533.jpg)
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.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-craiggibson1-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-craiggibson2-800x533.jpg)
Four months later, she arrived in Providence – 95 miles south of Haverhill.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-2-800x533.jpg)
Here she is chasing pigeons around City Hall…
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-10-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-11-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-12-800x533.jpg)
He she’s doing aerial maneuvers over Kennedy Plaza with the statue of Roger Williams in the background
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-13-800x533.jpg)
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.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-14-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-15-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-1-800x533.jpg)
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.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-mdegrandpre2-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-mdegrandpre1-800x533.jpg)
She eventually perched behind City Hall, shut her eyes and fell asleep, so I wished her good luck as she continues her journey.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-8-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falcon22BE-9-800x533.jpg)
more migrants: On September 1, another juvenile Peregrine visited downtown and was chased away by a resident adult.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falconattack1-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falconattack2-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/falconattack3-800x533.jpg)
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.
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PEFA-21BD-tree1-800x533.jpg)
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PEFA-21BD-tree2-800x533.jpg)
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:
![](https://providenceraptors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/peregrine-snow-800x533.jpg)
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