Hello from Germany and some peregrine news from Fellbach!

[BaerbelW]

Hi Folks,

seeing today's tweets about yet another successful banding day in Rochester brought many fond memories about the time I had been active here on RFalconCam and with the community. Unfortunately, I no longer have enough time to re-connect properly but I thought I'd drop in at least quickly with some exciting news about peregrine falcons here in Fellbach.

A couple of years ago, an investor decided to build one of Germany's highest apartment buildings (107m with 30+ floors) right here in Fellbach, perhaps 1 mile away from where I live. Unfortunately, the investors had to file for bankruptcy about 2 years ago, so we are stuck with a not even half-way finished building towering over the town. The upper floors don't even have walls and windows yet! It didn't take very long for a pair of peregrines to notice this building and to take up residence in the upper floors. This could have been a show-stopper for any further potential building activity should a new investor be found, so a nestbox was quickly built and installed on the rooftop. A day later, the falcons had claimed it as their new home and vantage point!

We were fairly certain that eggs had been laid and on May 9 two eyases could be banded. Our local newspaper asked their readers for name suggestions for the whole family and I was asked to help with picking the winning entries. Most of the names were quickly discarded as they just made fun of the building's situation, while others were simply - I don't know - "banal" like "Felli" and such. We settled on "Falco" for the male, "Perenelle" for the female and "Grit" and "Nushin" for the female eyases as we (well, mostly I!) really liked the reasoning for those names provided by the woman who submitted them: taken together the initial letters of the names spell out "Falco Peregrinus"!

If you are interested, you can check out some articles on our local conservation group's homepage (in German, but with some pictures to get an idea of the location)

Erste Bewohner im Gewa-Tower: Wanderfalken! (The falcons taking up residence)
Montage der Wanderfalken-Nestbox auf dem Gewa-Tower (Putting up the nestbox)
Beringung Wanderfalkenküken auf dem GEWA-Tower (Banding the eyases)
Namen für die Wanderfalken! (Naming the falcons)

Cheers
Baerbel

[Kris G.]

Hi Folks,

seeing today's tweets about yet another successful banding day in Rochester brought many fond memories about the time I had been active here on RFalconCam and with the community. Unfortunately, I no longer have enough time to re-connect properly but I thought I'd drop in at least quickly with some exciting news about peregrine falcons here in Fellbach.

A couple of years ago, an investor decided to build one of Germany's highest apartment buildings (107m with 30+ floors) right here in Fellbach, perhaps 1 mile away from where I live. Unfortunately, the investors had to file for bankruptcy about 2 years ago, so we are stuck with a not even half-way finished building towering over the town. The upper floors don't even have walls and windows yet! It didn't take very long for a pair of peregrines to notice this building and to take up residence in the upper floors. This could have been a show-stopper for any further potential building activity should a new investor be found, so a nestbox was quickly built and installed on the rooftop. A day later, the falcons had claimed it as their new home and vantage point!

We were fairly certain that eggs had been laid and on May 9 two eyases could be banded. Our local newspaper asked their readers for name suggestions for the whole family and I was asked to help with picking the winning entries. Most of the names were quickly discarded as they just made fun of the building's situation, while others were simply - I don't know - "banal" like "Felli" and such. We settled on "Falco" for the male, "Perenelle" for the female and "Grit" and "Nushin" for the female eyases as we (well, mostly I!) really liked the reasoning for those names provided by the woman who submitted them: taken together the initial letters of the names spell out "Falco Peregrinus"!

If you are interested, you can check out some articles on our local conservation group's homepage (in German, but with some pictures to get an idea of the location)

Erste Bewohner im Gewa-Tower: Wanderfalken! (The falcons taking up residence)
Montage der Wanderfalken-Nestbox auf dem Gewa-Tower (Putting up the nestbox)
Beringung Wanderfalkenküken auf dem GEWA-Tower (Banding the eyases)
Namen für die Wanderfalken! (Naming the falcons)

Cheers
Baerbel

Good to hear from you! I know you don’t remember me but my husband and I met you way back in 2008 when Carol introduced us on the Pont de Rennes bridge.  Wonderful news about your Peregrines...thanks for sharing!

[Carol P.]

Thanks Baerbel! Wonderful news! So nice to hear from you. Miss you!

I still remember the escaping Cowbird! 

[Shaky]

So great to hear from you, Baerbel! That's terrific news.

I nominate you to be in charge of the fledge watch.

[Dumpsterkitty]

What a nice surprise to see you here today! So glad you have a local pair to watch over!

[Donna]

How nice Baerbel and welcome back, even for just a moment!