Peregrine falcons almost were extinct back in the 1940s and 50s.
The pesticide DDT caused the birds to lay eggs with extremely thin shells that didn't give enough protection for the developing babies.
However, an idea that originated from a Minnesota Power Plant employee has helped bring the bird off the endangered species list, and back into the skies.
The idea didn't fly right away when Daryl Councilman first proposed it.
"They thought I was mental," said Councilman.
The now retired Minnesota Power employee wanted to help bring back the endangered species by putting a nesting place on top of an abandoned stack at the Boswell Energy Center in Cohasset.
"Back then nobody knew the difference between a peregrine and a falcon. But then it worked. And a lot of people always complain about power plants and how they ruin this and how they ruin that, I said 'geez you gotta power plant here with an endangered species; something must be going right," said Councilman.
The nest was placed on the stack in 1991, and has since produced over 52 baby falcons.
In 2002 a camera was installed inside the box, and a tab on Minnesota Power's website allows viewers to watch the babies and adult falcons.
This last year the FalconCam had almost 10,000 hits, and is one of the sites most popular links.
Robert Anderson is part of the Raptor Research Project out of Decorah, Iowa.
Anderson and a research partner scaled the stack Tuesday in order to place bands on the legs of the 28– day–old chicks.
"If we can get this individual band, that tells us exactly where they are from, what year they were born, and it's really taught us...we make great ideas as far as the science of peregrine recovery and restoration," said Anderson.
Anderson says Tuesdays climb was made interesting by an aggressive adult female who did not have a band.
"So we literally had to hide from her, we had to stay down below the cat walk level and hide under antennas and things like that," said Anderson.
Anderson says the falcon power plant program doesn't have a downside for anyone, or bird, involved.
"It helps us bring back the peregrine falcon numbers to the point where they are no longer endangered. The employees at the plant get to witness and have some ownership in their falcons. They get to see natures top gun. It's all a win–win program."
The three chicks are made up of one female and two males. Anderson says the males should be flying within the next ten days.
To see the FalconCam log on to
http://www.mnpower.com/falconcam/ http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/96428409.html?video=pop&t=a Video
