Peregrines hatch at Chimney Rock (NC)

[Donna]

LAKE LURE — There are few things in life that would make someone stare at a cliff for hours.

But birders and wildlife experts will drive to remote areas of Western North Carolina, waiting half a day for the peregrine falcon to emerge from its nest.

“The minute you see one fly by or dive in a stoop, you are just hooked,� said Chris Kelly, a biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “When you see a peregrine in flight, it is pretty spectacular.�

Birders have been coming to Hickory Nut Gorge to see the peregrines for the past 20 years. The birds have been documented nesting almost continuously in Chimney Rock since 1989, but this past spring was the first time new peregrines were spotted.

“It's the first time they've successfully raised young,� Kelly said. “They've been trying every year for about the last 20 years.�

Avid birder Reese Mitchell spotted the birds and believes they nested at Blue Rock, one-mile upstream from Chimney Rock. Those hoping to see the peregrines, however, might have to wait until next spring. Dusk and dawn in early to mid March and May and June are the best time to spot the birds.

“They are still in the area, but it's not easy to see them,� Mitchell said. “You can't just go and look unless you are very lucky.�

The sight of young peregrines being born at Chimney Rock is a good sign for the species.

At one time, there were fewer than 100 pairs in the entire country, with populations threatened by the use of pesticides that caused females to lay thin-shelled eggs. North Carolina didn't have any peregrines for more than two decades.

Reintroduction efforts helped the population grow. The birds were removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999, although peregrine falcons remain on North Carolina's endangered species list. As of 2006, it's estimated that there are 3,200 pairs of peregrines in the United States. The peregrines come to WNC to nest, preferring the rocky cliffs of the mountains. This year, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission counted 12 pairs, of which seven pairs successfully raised 15 young birds.

Along with the regular spots like Looking Glass Rock, Devil's Courthouse, Whitesides Mountain and Shortoff Mountain, pairs were also spotted at new locations in Macon and Haywood counties.

The U.S. Forest Service closes several cliffs in the area to rock climbing so that the peregrines can nest. All of the closures were lifted this week.

The huge effort to reintroduce peregrines “has been very successful,� Kelly said. “All the best cliff sites are occupied.�

[MAK]