Peregrine Falcon Webcam
The Peregrine Webcam Project is a valuable project preserving and appreciating urban wildlife species. It is an important component to campus sustainability because it creates awareness of endangered species that exist within our immediate environments, as well as bringing diverse network of community stakeholders together to talk about issues of sustainability. A camera was installed on the U of Calgary peregrines in the early 1990s. That camera was not only the first webcam on a peregrine nest anywhere, it was the first webcam on any bird nest in the world. There are nine other webcams in Eastern Canada.
There are now more than forty-five pairs of Peregrine Falcons across Alberta, including one pair nesting atop the Clinical Sciences building on the University of Alberta campus. There are three webcams focused on the Peregrine nest box, one with an outdoor view of the nest box from the side, one with an outdoor view of the nest box from the front and one on the box, which provides a view of the nest inside.
Current News - August 18th, 2009- White-banded male's body found. Thanks to many hospital staff members, the white-banded male juvenile peregrine that went missing during the fledge watch on July 23rd was identified. A biologist involved with the project, Gord Court, went to the Clinical Science building today to retrieve the carcass. The male was believed to be approximately 35 days old when it died. The bird was found just behind the sound baffle on the roof just a few metres from the nest box.
While visiting, Gord also found a dead juvenile female Northern Goshawk at the base of the Clinical Science building. Gord predicts that the bird was killed by the adult peregrines when it entered their nesting territory as Northern Goshawks (as well as Great Horned Owls) are perceived deadly threats to the young.
August 9, 2009- Fledge watch ends. After a long few weeks of hard work from our Fledge Watch volunteers, the fledge watch has ended. Please see the link on the left side labelled Fledge Watch 2009 to read the full report from our dedicated fledge watch organizer, Bev Fullbrandt. Thanks to all involved in the fledge watch, it was a huge success in ensuring the safety of the birds as well as raising awareness about the project. The red-banded & yellow banded males as well as the red-banded female are all flying well and this is a great time to go out and have a look at the great aerial displays! Keep watching.
July 28, 2009- Female fledges. Today at 9:05PM the black-banded female fledged. She had a very strong flight to the top of the Clinical Science Building and then over the top of the Mazankowski Building by the helicopter pad (NE corner).
July 24, 2009- Red-banded male fledges. Today at 8:50AM, the red-banded male officially fledged after a few mishaps.
July 23, 2009- White-banded male lost. Sometime between Wednesday, July 22nd @ 10PM and Thursday, July 23rd at 5:50AM the white-banded male disappeared. Though dedicated volunteer fledge watchers searched extensively, the male was not found.
July 22, 2009- Fledging. In the early morning, the white-banded male flew off of the roof ending up on the ground. Bev Fullbrandt, a devoted volunteer who has organized the Fledge Watch, was there and was able to find where White landed and bring him back to the roof below the nestbox. The red-banded male is still on the roof where he was placed by Gord Court yesterday. The yellow-banded male took flight while the white-banded male was being placed on the roof. Volunteers were not able to locate where the yellow-banded male landed, and he has still not been located. We will try to keep you updated on any news in this area. The black-banded, and only, female is still in the nest box and has not yet fledged.
Thanks so much to all of the volunteers who have helped out with the Fledge Watch, a special thanks to Bev Fullbrandt who has organized the Fledge Watch, to Gord Court and to Campus Security for being on call to help during this time. If you're still interested in helping out, please email ecos@su.ualberta.ca, or drop by the Clinical Science Building to see how the Fledge Watch volunteers are doing.
July 22nd, 2009- Yellow-band is found! Thanks to our Fledge Watch team of volunteers, construction workers at the hospital, as well as Campus Security, the yellow-banded male was found this afternoon around 12:30PM and placed back up on the roof. What an exciting time, keep watching!
July 21, 2009- Fledging! At 4:30PM, the male with the red band took flight & landed on the 2nd floor of the public parkade across from the Clinical Science Building. Thanks to our eager team of Fledge Watch volunteers, Gord Court, biologist with the Fish & Wildlife Division, was contacted and was able to carry the bird back onto the lower roof, south of the nestbox. At this time, the mother went to fly food to where Red was placed. The two other males (white & yellow bands), when seeing their mom fly to the other roof, successfully attempted to fledge over to the roof where the Red-banded male had been placed.
July 20th, 2009- Fledge watch help wanted. The 4 chicks should be beginning fledging around this time. In order to ensure their safety & survival we are attempting to organize a fledge watch where volunteers take shifts watching the birds as they learn to fly & contact authorities to replace them back on the roof if they become stranded on the ground. This is a dangerous time for the birds and any help from volunteers would be greatly appreciated. the watch will begin July 20th & will continue for 2 weeks. We will be having a meeting next week to clarify details & duties. Please contact me at ecos@su.ualberta.ca if you are interested or able to contribute some time. Thanks!
July 2nd, 2009 - Banding! Gord Court, Provincial Wildlife Status Biologist from Fish and Wildlife, successfully banded all 3 males and 1 female chick today. There was a great turnout for the banding which provided an opportunity for more people to learn about the peregrines! Please check out the links section for stories, pictures and videos on the banding. Also check out the photo gallery for photos of the chicks.
June 14th, 2009- Final egg hatched. Finally, the fourth egg hatched soon after 12:00PM today. This is a very interesting time to observe the webcam, while the chicks develop, feed and grow. Keep watching!
June 13th, 2009- 3 Hatches! The first and second eggs hatched in the early morning, closely together, at 5:26AM. The third egg hatched soon after, at 6:56AM. Fourth hatch should follow soon.
June 1st, 2009- Homeless female has 2 eggs. As of today, the homeless female has laid 2 eggs. Incubation is underway.
May 18th, 2009- Homeless female has a mate. Copulation was observed between the "Homeless female" and the male she was spotted with, an un-banded black capped male. On closer inspection, a scrape was located.
May 11th, 2009- Four eggs! Sometime in the very early morning, or late the previous night, the fourth egg was laid. Incubation has begun. Continue to watch as this stage continues through the following weeks.
May 8th, 2009- Third egg laid! At 1:04PM a viewer noticed the peregrine crouching and at 1:17 PM the third egg was laid.
May 6th, 2009- Egg number 2! At 9:46 AM a second egg was laid, as observed by an avid viewer. Continue to watch as incubation begins!
May 4th, 2009- First egg! In the early morning, sometime before 5:57 AM, the first egg was spotted by some early-rising viewers! Keep an eye out for additional eggs in the days to come and continue to watch as the peregrines care for the egg.
April 26th, 2009- Homeless female returns. The "homeless female" who was evicted from the nest box last year and who wears the solar powered satellite radio has returned to the Weber building from migration.
April 23rd, 2009 - We have the same female as last year! Based on some keen observation, it has been confirmed that the female that has been in our nest box is the same female as last year. Also, our beloved homeless female from last year is fast approaching Edmonton! She was just west of Pakowki Lake, south-east of Foremost and is expected to be back anytime.
April 21st, 2009 - After a scuffle, the ravens have left. According to Gord Court, the presence of the peregrines has prevented the ravens from rebuilding their nest and they have deserted the area... leaving one abandoned raven's egg in the nest. Observers have witnessed plenty of quarrels between the two pairs of birds, but fortunately no one was killed or seriously wounded during the process. The ravens showed much intelligence during the fights, strategically hiding from the offending peregrines. The new resident peregrines have begun their courting behaviours, meaning that we are on the lookout for eggs in the near future!
April 20th, 2009 - Homeless female is returning! Last year our resident female Peregrine was evicted from her nest by another breeding pair. She had previously nested in our box for a couple years, and was a very successful mother. This original Peregrine was outfitted with a solar powered satellite radio on her back, so that biologists were able to track her migration. As a result of that eviction event, the female did not breed last year and now is lovingly referred to as our homeless female. According to Geoffrey Holroyd, an esteemed Peregrine biologist, this homeless female left her wintering grounds on April 4th or 5th. On April 15th she was in Texas, on the 18th in Colorado and we are expecting her back by Friday the 24th! Keep watching the cams as she may try to reclaim the already occupied box upon her return.
April 16th, 2009 - Raven's eggs removed. The two ravens eggs in the nest were removed today and sent to our provincial museum for preservation. There has been numerous fights over the nest box between the pair of ravens and the a pair of peregrine falcons. Thus, for the safety and prosperity of the peregrines, these eggs were removed. According to Gord Court, this has happened before as biologists have removed Canada geese and great horned owls from peregrine nest boxes and " it is important to remember that the primary reason for installing these man-made structures is to enhance the reproductive success of peregrine pairs; average or above average reproductive success is key to sustaining the recovery of this Threatened species". Being such a rare and beautiful bird species, with only about 20-25 breeding pairs in Central/Southern Alberta, we will do what we can to ensure their success!
April 11th, 2009 - First peregrine sighting! Thanks to one of our most avid observers, we have our first confirmed sighting of a peregrine falcon at the nest box! It looks like the box has been claimed by a yet unidentified pair of falcons. Wait and see how the nesting ravens react to this new arrival. Get ready all for another season of excitement!
April 7th, 2009 - Those ravens are fast! As many viewers noticed, as soon as University workers removed the nest on Friday, the ravens started rebuilding it again! In continued preparation for the peregrines return from Colombia, Gord Court and company removed the nest today once again.
April 3rd, 2009 - A few days ago we noticed that a couple of ravens had begun to make a nest within our peregrine box! Thank you to the viewers who brought this to our attention. After speaking with our esteemed biologist Gordon Court, it was decided that the nest could be removed to discourage the ravens from settling down. The ravens pose little to no threat to the peregrines, as the nest will almost certainly be reclaimed by peregrines upon their return. So please, do not be worried! Friday April 3rd some University staff removed the twigs, getting rid of the ravens nest entirely. Hopefully they do not rebuild as the peregrine falcons should be back anytime now!
