Nest Boxes Questions – 6/8/12
By June Summers, President, Genesee Valley Audubon Society
My apologies for being so late into the conversation but, I wanted to clear up a few points made back in April when life was very exciting in the falcon world. There were a number of suggestions that another nest box should be put up to attract Dot.ca and Pigott from the downtown nest box or to attract them away from their poor choice of nest sites at the Brighton site. In New York State the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) decides when and where to put up boxes for endangered species, only in certain circumstances, generally only after a breeding attempt has been made and normally the following season. Putting up more boxes is NOT the solution to territorial battles. In fact, putting up more boxes could worsen the problem. The falcons have a tendency to space themselves. For more information on nest box issues see the 2012 April Conservationist,
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_pdf/0412peregrine.pdf
In 2008 when the nest box was removed from the Kodak Office Building there were a lot of criteria to take into consideration when choosing sites for the boxes to be placed. The experts from the DEC choose the buildings based on types of buildings used by other urban falcons that they manage. Genesee Valley Audubon Society assisted the DEC in relocating the nest boxes, two were put up to give the falcons a choice. The DEC did not have an opinion on which site the falcons might choose. One of the criteria for a nest box site is little or no conflicts between the falcons and humans. Occasionally the DEC finds that well-meaning people have installed nest boxes in inappropriate places, such as on top of a motel with a roof top bar and balconies. GVAS and the DEC are partners in the rfalconcam.com, while difficult we believe it best to have the patience to let the falcons work it out.
June
June 9th, 2012 at 6:54 AM
Seems to me that the situation has been sorted by the falcons already and you’ve already had breeding attempts at both new sites. You currently have a sub adult female on a building where mating has been observed and she is outside the main territory – therefore a box could be put there to accommodate a second site. This site has also hosted a migrating pair during the winter months so obviously it is a viable site – irrespective of the fact that people there may not want an official nest box. Falcons are Endangered in your state – so you use that and the laws that come with it to get something installed for them.
There is also a young tiercel now at Unity and Archer’s former site – mating was observed there and eggs laid last year by Unity so that is your third site. Put another box there. Otherwise next spring you will have falcons fighting for the only viable box in the heart of Rochester.
They’ve already spaced themselves out and the boundaries are established, all that’s needed is a safe place for them to raise young.
June 9th, 2012 at 7:12 AM
the Brighton site is also where Beauty was before she made a play for downtown and defeated Mariah. So this site is definitely attractive to Falcons. The building was empty then not sure about now.
June 9th, 2012 at 7:50 AM
“One of the criteria for a nest box site is little or no conflicts between the falcons and humans.”
Unfortunately, there is great potential for conflicts between falcons and humans at both the KP site and the Brighton site. The KP site is an industrial power plant where the workers must frequently access the building’s exterior. The Brighton site is a partially secured vacant building susceptible to criminal activity. (Guards are present but not in sufficient numbers to completely secure the premises around the clock.) Conditions are not safe for flightless baby falcons. In fact, conditions are not safe for falcon watchers. They have been instructed to call 911 and leave the area if they see suspicious activity.
June 9th, 2012 at 9:58 AM
other power plants have nest boxes. We have links to them. Its up to the owners/management. Guess Kodak just doesn’t want falcons anywhere anymore.
June 9th, 2012 at 4:28 PM
Regardless of whether or not Kodak wants falcons, the design, function, and surroundings of the power plant make it unsuitable for a nest box.
The design has many exterior elements that require frequent access by workers. The building is fairly tall, and the smokestacks are not as high as those at many other power plants. Nest boxes are usually placed on smokestacks, but in this case it would not be a good location.
The function of this power plant is to generate electricity, steam, and possibly chilled and/or distilled water for manufacturing processes. This requires the occasional release of steam.
Lastly, the surroundings are not the best. There is a railroad track that runs right by the building. There are pipes everywhere with who knows what running through them. And of course there are the live electrical wires. The buildings nearby are used for the manufacture of chemicals and other products. All of these would pose a danger to fledging falcons and to anyone trying to rescue them.