More squawking at the Ambassador Bridge...falcon style

[Donna]

6/15/2010

DETROIT — Squawking continues at the Ambassador Bridge — but this time it has nothing to do with plans to build a second span connecting the U.S. and Canada.

Officials say the bridge last month became the nesting ground for two peregrine falcons and three hatchlings on the Canadian side of the Detroit River.

Officials with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Windsor chapter of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation weighed, banded, photographed and videotaped the three fledglings. But not before being dive-bombed by the complaining parents and watching the female falcon position herself between her nest and researchers.

Detroit International Bridge Co. spokesman Phil Frame tells The Detroit News the males were named Windsor and Lancer, while the female was named, "wait for it ... Bridgette."

The youngsters were photographed, videotaped and received a chick check-up and weigh-in.

Dennis Patrick, founder of the Windsor chapter of the Canadian Falcon Association, and a small army of volunteers are maintaining a dawn-to-dusk vigil over the hatchlings, which are now on the verge of flight. In fact, Lancer took to the skies just a few days ago.

"He isn't used to flying and his muscles are still weak, so he ended up on the ground for a while," Patrick said. "We watched over him to make sure no predators crept up on him."

According to Patrick, peregrines are making a steady comeback in southwestern Ontario and Michigan. A pair of peregrines have had three sets of offspring at the old Macomb County administration building.

The bridge has been in the news most recently when a proposal to build a new bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor passed a key hurdle recently in the Michigan House.

The Democratic-led chamber passed a bill 56-51 that would allow the state to get involved with Canada in a public-private partnership to span the Detroit River in an effort to improve international trade and traffic. But the proposed Detroit River International Crossing faces tougher challenges ahead, starting with getting enough votes to pass the Republican-led Michigan Senate.

No Republicans supported the bill in the House. The new bridge also is opposed by the private owners of the Ambassador Bridge, who want to expand their own span connecting Ontario and Michigan