I don't understand the vagrancy of Peregrine Falcons from the Norwalk Islands this past year, and to this day I am not sure what has happened or is happening.
In past winters plus the other seasons, Peregrine Falcons have been a staple around the Norwalk Islands, this past year, from late spring on they have been missing.
Peregrine's are certainly nesting in the area, yet it seems they are no longer interested in the islands.
I have noted that there is a lack of shorebirds in the island chain this winter, yet shorebirds shouldn't be the only food species for these falcons in this area. Do the two go hand and hand?
Since there is no other lack of potential Peregrine prey around the islands, where and why have they just disappeared?
It was just over a year ago that I posted a similar photo of a Peregrine loafing on Cockenoe Island, this is not last years photo, but Saturday's 2/4/12 on Cockenoe!
Again , like last year, there wasn't one but two. This is the second bird....
....that flew over to the first bird and displaced it from it's Styrofoam perch.
Distant in the backround is Green's Ledge Lighthouse, almost four miles away to the west.
The first bird moving off.
The second bird perched on a nearby driftwood log.
With the bird being between me and the sun and casting shadows,
I moved the boat to the other side of the sandbar for hopefully a few better photo's.
Same bird, same perch, much better light.
A closer look.
After a long while this bird decided to move on, it then revealed three bands.
A cropped close up shows the three bands, left leg has two, upper black, lower greenish.
Black number appears to be 192 (?)
Green Number 2?28 (?)
Right leg is the standard silver band, no numbers seen.
Another flight photo.
It's nice to see this species out on the islands again.
Hopefully I will hear some data from these bands that I have reported.
If and when that happens, I will report on it.
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Hi Larry - not sure this is part of the puzzle but I work out of the 14th floor of 4 Stamford Plaza and stare at a pair of Peregrines for the better part of the day. They dissapear for hours at a time but all winter long come back to roost in the sun on the building across the street. I had spent a summer reintroducing Peregrines to Northern California in Point Reyes Nat'l Seashore thru the UCSCPBRG (UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group)many moons ago so it's a real treat to have these two right out my window. I dont know if they could be the same pair that frequents the island. I know I do lose touch of them in the summer months though - this is solely their winter perch. Loved the shots - Matt Fry mbf27@optonline.net
ReplyDeleteHi Matt,Do those birds nest there? There are pairs nesting under several I95 bridges,over the Norwalk and Saugutuck rivers in particular.
ReplyDeleteI have assumed that these birds may be one of those pairs.
I have a friend that also has a boat in the water in Stamford, on occasion he will see Peregrines perched on the Stamford Harbor Lighthouse.Hum?
Hi Larry - at one point I thought the were nesting but after bringing in my binocs and watching them more closely, I determined they were not. The building they "winter' on is the reddish brown apartment building opposite 3 Stamford Plaza (301 Tresser Blvd) There are alternating shelves on the building that you can see them perched from. These are actually gravel trays which I thought they had laid eggs in but I was mistaken.
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