mystery falcon at columbus site

[Donna]

I just read the real cause about Scouts death.
She died not by a collision, but was slain. 

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/07/08/witness-worker-struck-falcon.html?sid=101

I am very sad about it.

It's bad enough when nature takes one of "our most beautiful raptors" but it's just horrific when a human takes their life. This just breaks my heart knowing Scout could have lived a long happy life. I know it's not confirmed...just saying.

[jeanne]

I just read the real cause about Scouts death.
She died not by a collision, but was slain. 

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/07/08/witness-worker-struck-falcon.html?sid=101

I am very sad about it.

It's bad enough when nature takes one of "our most beautiful raptors" but it's just horrific when a human takes their life. This just breaks my heart knowing Scout could have lived a long happy life. I know it's not confirmed...just saying.

I feel the same way, Donna.  There are enough dangers out there environmentally but to come to an end this way is a crushing heartbreak. 

[Annette]

I just read interesting news of the falcons.

http://ohioperegrinefalcons.blogspot.com/

[Kris G.]

Update on Ranger posted on CMNH Forum posted August 13th:

We went out to the Medina Raptor Center to see Ranger on Tuesday. He looked good, as he was perched on the highest perch in the cage and was alert and responsive to movement as he tracked our hand gestures. We wanted to see him eating, so we observed him as Laura fed him, which is when his problems became apparent. As Laura dropped pieces of food into his cage, Ranger responded immediately by flying down to get the food. After he grabbed a substantial piece (not typical bite-size) with his beak he repeatedly picked it up and dropped it, pressing it in his beak before swallowing it whole. It was clear that he wasn't using his feet to secure the prey to eat, and Laura has had to cut the food into smaller pieces for him. After eating, he flew back up to the highest perch and very gingerly cleaned his beak on the perch (not nearly as aggressive in rubbing it against the perch as we have seen in the wild). And then he put his left foot up toward his head as if he wanted to scratch, but his foot froze in motion, then quivered, and then he lowered it again to the perch without scratching. We suggested to Laura trying to clamp the food to secure it to see if he's able to pull it to tear it and she plans to try that.

Laura has him scheduled for a reassessment appointment with Dr. Riggs next week, which will include checking the previously diagnosed eye lesion. She is encouraged with his progress, as she said that he looks far better than he did and he is improving.

[MAK]

  Good news that he is improving. Thanks! 

[Donna]

Ahh poor Ranger, so glad he's improving. Praying for him. 

[falconsforever129]

My heart is breaking...I just read about Scout...How horrible that she was slain...she was so beautiful and just protecting her little one :-(  I hope they find him guilty and he spends his days in prison....how could anyone hurt her or any animal??? Poor poor dear one...she is with the angels now and I know she flies in a better world now.....

[Donna]

State Office Tower in Columbus, Ohio.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Updates - This & That
We heard recently that Boomer (C/66 hatched in Columbus in 2008), has taken over the nesting territory at the Terminal Tower in Cleveland! The last time he was seen in Columbus was at the end of June, 2008. He had at least one collision with a window after fledgling so it is great to know that he has since fared well. Click here to review the fledging info from 2008. Be sure and check out the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's FalconCam coverage of the Terminal Tower nest and the associated falcon forums.

Durand and Trooper have both been making appearances at the nestbox every day or so and while there they have been demonstrating pair bonding behavior (bowing and vocalizing to each other). This activity is in preparation for next year: we are well beyond nesting season this year so there is no chance of another nest attempt in 2010. Both birds have also been working on the scrape in the gravel - again, this is bonding to/claiming of the site as theirs in preparation for next spring.

We also had a separate report of Durand "buzzing" around the 25th and 26th floors of the Franklin County Courthouse. Thanks to the Human Resources staff at the courthouse for snapping and sharing this photo of her on a window ledge taken on Tuesday, September 7, 2010!



Camera Update: In this the off-season we have begun experimenting with different camera settings to see if we can tweak the system to provide better viewing in late day conditions when the sun is in the west and the nestbox is in shadow. Bright sun shining towards the camera combined with a dark corner of the ledge confuses the iris of the camera and results in the dark corner being too dark to see any detail. The process of adjusting camera settings is by trial and error so expect that sometimes the image may not be ideal if the settings are not correct-viewers may notice the image being extremely bright or dark. Each time a setting is changed we will leave it for at least 24 hours to see how the image looks at different times of day/in different lighting conditions. We appreciate every one's patience as we work through this process of fine tuning the settings with the ultimate goal to make viewing our site more enjoyable in the long run.

Finally, the investigation concerning Scout's death is still ongoing. State and Federal investigators take the matter very seriously and are cooperating fully. Information, when available to the public, will be posted here on the blog but these matters can sometimes take a very long time to get through. No details or information can be disclosed until the matter is fully closed otherwise risk compromising the investigation. Thanks for your patience and thanks for watching the Columbus Falcons!

[falconsforever129]

State Office Tower in Columbus, Ohio.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Updates - This & That
We heard recently that Boomer (C/66 hatched in Columbus in 2008), has taken over the nesting territory at the Terminal Tower in Cleveland! The last time he was seen in Columbus was at the end of June, 2008. He had at least one collision with a window after fledgling so it is great to know that he has since fared well. Click here to review the fledging info from 2008. Be sure and check out the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's FalconCam coverage of the Terminal Tower nest and the associated falcon forums.

Durand and Trooper have both been making appearances at the nestbox every day or so and while there they have been demonstrating pair bonding behavior (bowing and vocalizing to each other). This activity is in preparation for next year: we are well beyond nesting season this year so there is no chance of another nest attempt in 2010. Both birds have also been working on the scrape in the gravel - again, this is bonding to/claiming of the site as theirs in preparation for next spring.

We also had a separate report of Durand "buzzing" around the 25th and 26th floors of the Franklin County Courthouse. Thanks to the Human Resources staff at the courthouse for snapping and sharing this photo of her on a window ledge taken on Tuesday, September 7, 2010!



Camera Update: In this the off-season we have begun experimenting with different camera settings to see if we can tweak the system to provide better viewing in late day conditions when the sun is in the west and the nestbox is in shadow. Bright sun shining towards the camera combined with a dark corner of the ledge confuses the iris of the camera and results in the dark corner being too dark to see any detail. The process of adjusting camera settings is by trial and error so expect that sometimes the image may not be ideal if the settings are not correct-viewers may notice the image being extremely bright or dark. Each time a setting is changed we will leave it for at least 24 hours to see how the image looks at different times of day/in different lighting conditions. We appreciate every one's patience as we work through this process of fine tuning the settings with the ultimate goal to make viewing our site more enjoyable in the long run.

Finally, the investigation concerning Scout's death is still ongoing. State and Federal investigators take the matter very seriously and are cooperating fully. Information, when available to the public, will be posted here on the blog but these matters can sometimes take a very long time to get through. No details or information can be disclosed until the matter is fully closed otherwise risk compromising the investigation. Thanks for your patience and thanks for watching the Columbus Falcons!

Poor Scout...every time I think of her being beaten to her death I cry uncontrollably.  I hope they punish this person to the fullest extent of the law....Actually how can this person live with themselves?  She was beautiful :-(

[jeanne]

I agree with you.  It absolutely breaks my heart to think that she was probably killed because she was protecting her baby.  It breaks my heart and it infuriates me at the same time.

[falconsforever129]

Of course she was only protecting her little baby. She was being a falcon and doing what she knew she had to. That horrible person should have just gone inside until she and the little one left.
If someone can hurt an innocent animal they deserve to be punished.

[Donna]

Of course she was only protecting her little baby. She was being a falcon and doing what she knew she had to. That horrible person should have just gone inside until she and the little one left.
If someone can hurt an innocent animal they deserve to be punished.

I agree. This was horrific! Poor Scout.

[MAK]

    Ignorance pure and simple!   

[huddiecat]

That is so heartbreaking!!  It makes me angry that something like that can happen 

[falconsforever129]

Of course she was only protecting her little baby. She was being a falcon and doing what she knew she had to. That horrible person should have just gone inside until she and the little one left.
If someone can hurt an innocent animal they deserve to be punished.

I agree. This was horrific! Poor Scout.

I cry every time I think of poor Scout :-(
She must have been so scared at the end