20-Apr-23, 07:21:02 AM
|
|
24409
|
Other Nature Related Information / General Nature Discussion / Poisoned Red-Tailed Hawk Released Back To Wild
|
on: 28-Nov-09, 06:53:47 AM
|
Her wings were almost clipped for good, but Josephine the hawk is flying high again thanks to an observant electrician and a patient team of animal experts. >> REPORTER: A tender moment between Joe the electrician and Josephine the rehabilitated hawk. A reunion that took 5 months to happen. Back in June, Joe, an electrician at Northampton County Community College, and ardent animal lover, spotted Josephine for the first time, struggling on a corner of the college campus. >> JOE HOMAY/JOSEPHINE'S RESCUER: "She didn't look right. I didn't think it was right that a bird of prey would corner herself." >> REPORTER: He quickly called the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where Barbara Miller is a capture transport specialist. >> BARBARA MILLER/POCONO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER: "Red tailed hawks are nature's perfect rodent killers. She would eat close to a thousand rodents a year. But she was almost killed by a little bit of rat poison that at most would have eliminated one mouse." >> REPORTER: Miller does not know where Josephine ingested the rat poison. She and her team worked quickly to flush the poison from Josephine's body. Today, Josephine flew back into the wild, winning the hearts of everyone who gathered to watch. >> JOE HOMAY/JOSEPHINE'S RESCUER: "It's a great feeling that I made a difference in her life, I hope she lives a long, safe and healthy life now." >> REPORTER: Joe continues to make a difference in animals' lives, presenting the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center with a check for $100. >> BARBARA MILLER/POCONO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER: "She is the healthiest strongest red tailed hawk I have ever seen. And the fact that she is very healthy is being witnessed by the local crows who aren't really happy to see her back." >> REPORTER: Unlike Josephine's competitors, Joe is thrilled to know Josephine is now free to fly. http: //wfmz.img.entriq.net/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1304456&v=a video |
|
|
|
|
24411
|
Other Nature Related Information / General Nature Discussion / SKOL: Falcons have made an amazing comeback
|
on: 27-Nov-09, 08:01:43 PM
|
|
.
Bob Anderson’s voice conveyed excitement that an eagle had just come to a nest being monitored by a Web camera in Decorah, Iowa. I was on the Raptorresrouce.org Web site as I talked with him on the telephone.
“Hit ‘What’s New’ and I’ll guide you to it,” he said. I followed his instructions and arrived at the “Web cam” scene in time to view the white-headed, mature eagle sitting on the nest. The breeding season is later in winter, but a pair has been photographed at the nest. ‘That’s a trout stream you can hear in the background,” he added.
I called Anderson, who had spoken to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy annual banquet the night before, to find out how old he is. He’s sturdily built, with gray hair and beard — a commanding, rugged presence in sport coat and jeans even without a peregrine falcon perched on his gloved hand.
As executive director of the Raptor Resource Project, Anderson, 58, rappels down cliff faces and climbs power plant smoke stacks to monitor peregrine nests and band the young, all the while risking a whack from a protective peregrine parent. And quite a whack it might be since peregrines have been clocked at well over 200 mph as they dive on prey.
The banding is part of Anderson’s efforts to track the successful return of the falcons to their natural nesting sites on the bluffs after the birds were nearly exterminated in North America in the mid-1900s due to the use of the pesticide DDT.
Before the recovery efforts by Anderson and others after the ban on DDT, the last chicks were found at Maiden Rock in 1962. Nest boxes on power plant smoke stacks and city buildings helped start the recovery. Now the birds have returned to their historic cliff nest sites up and down the river.
Anderson told members of MVC, which has had some success protecting the bluffs the peregrines use, that they should drive along the river in April to enjoy the spectacle of the peregrines claiming and protecting their nesting sites. He advises watching for the peregrines battling other raptors, such as eagles and red-tailed hawks. They won’t tolerate other raptors in their territory and have been known to knock an eagle out of the sky, he said.
The other spectacle Anderson promised is live views of nest sites through the cameras that have been placed not just in peregrine nest sites, but those of other raptors, such as the newly installed eagle nest camera. As the breeding season approaches a schedule of nest viewing cameras will be posted on the Web site. Eventually, some of the nests will be equipped with night vision technology. All of this is available through the raptorresource.org site, including access to photos taken during the installation of the eagle cam in mid-November.
The mission of the Raptor Resource Project is to preserve and strengthen raptor populations, to expand participation in raptor preservation and to help foster the next generation of preservationists.
That’s right in line with other conservation organizations, including the MVC — building awareness that individuals and groups can make a difference in conservation.
And one way to do that, Anderson advised, is to “celebrate our successes.”
So as MVC members celebrated their success in protecting bluffs, they joined Anderson in celebrating one of the most remarkable success stories in wildlife conservation — the return of the peregrines to those beautiful Mississippi bluffs.
|
|
|
|
|
24412
|
Other Nature Related Information / General Nature Discussion / Peregrine falcon soap opera turns Delaware skies into theater
|
on: 27-Nov-09, 07:59:49 PM
|
|
There may be the makings for a country song in the drama playing out in the skies over Wilmington.
We've got the loving couple, the homewrecker, a fight, more fights and even death -- in the form of a turkey vulture.
It's a story that few in Wilmington even know about, though when a turkey vulture came tumbling out of the sky and landed on the sidewalk near the Brandywine Building, that may have attracted a little attention.
Our lovers are peregrine falcons -- a pair that has been living their own little "happily ever after" for nearly a decade in a nesting box on the Brandywine Building, where West Street meets 10th and 11th streets.
A few weeks ago, though, a homewrecker showed up.
The rogue bird is probably a female, said Bill Stewart, with the Delmarva Ornithological Society.
"It's highly unlikely a male is going to come in and break up a couple," he said.
So for several weeks now, the hussy has been at it.
The thought among birders and bird experts is that she is probably trying to break up the couple and move in on the territory.
"She could really wreak havoc on that nesting pair," said Anthony T. Gonzon Jr., a state biologist who monitors breeding birds.
Most birds of prey have large foraging territories and will defend their turf, he said.
When an interloper arrives, it causes a battle in the skies.
"It's kind of like if your neighbor built a shed on your property," Gonzon said.
The Brandywine Building pair have been nesting happily in the area since at least 2002. No one is quite sure where the third bird came from.
"I'm hoping that this third bird won't cause any problems with this pair," Gonzon said.
As it now stands, there are three birds competing for the same turf -- and the sky show has been amazing, according to those who have seen it.
Stewart said he got a phone call recently from a fellow who witnessed one of the peregrines attacking a turkey vulture. In three hits, the vulture tumbled to the sidewalk.
Gregory A. Inskip works at Potter, Anderson & Corroon and has been watching the nesting pair since 2002
|
|
|
|
|
24417
|
Anything Else / Totally OT / Re: Thanksgiving
|
on: 26-Nov-09, 07:41:34 PM
|
To all of you wonderful folks out there who love not only "our falcons" but all of nature...who are there day or night when one of us needs cheering up, a hand to hold, a hug...I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving full of lots of good food, friends and family...
Here's a little ditty that a good friend just sent me...enjoy!<a href=" http://www.wondercliparts.com" target="_blank">  [/url] TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.
THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.
TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.  I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.
MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!<a href=" http://www.wondercliparts.com" target="_blank">  [/url] I like this Judi! Thanks.  |
|
|
|
|
Loading...
|
|
Show Posts
greetings Aafke
and wanted to see the pic so I changed to 6 piece classic and auto-solved it. 
Oh yeah my bad. Great shot Aafke. Ya, I like that suet all also. 
