The Love of Peregrines

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

It goes without saying that I’m a Raptor Guy…big birds and owls have always been my focus. With Peregrines topping the list…the love for these birds began back in 2006 when I became involved with the Manitoba Peregrine Project.
There’s a lot of back-end work that takes place…nest box design, construction, installation, gravel pick-up, road trips, sight checks near and far. Along with yearly clean-up and gravel replacement if necessary.
Bottom line is there is much to be done before there are any photographic rewards.

Why Peregrines…probably because they are endangered and not as commonly seen and photographed as other raptors. The challenge has always been to photograph these birds that fly at Mach Speed.

Over the years I’ve learnt to take the good with the bad…the happy with the sad, as no two days are ever the same.

Each encounter in my books are Special when it comes to Peregrines.

Second Times a Charm

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

This time of year Peregrine Chicks can run into trouble when they fledge.
The Technology we have with remote access and a recorder is most useful as was the case when one chick disappeared from the nest box.
Did she fledge ? Did she get knock out of the box…what exactly happened ?

Review of the recorder confirmed it wasn’t an intentional fledge but rather a miscalculation when she attempted to jump over her brother and went out of the box.
Luckily she simply glided to the ground and spent some time on a sidewalk in downtown Winnipeg before being picked up and taken to Prairie Wildlife Rehab Centre…after being checked out she was ready to be returned to the Radisson.

It could very well have turned out much worse…but she got a “Second Chance” and has now figured out how her wings work.

Meet Amarna…K/60

Sad News in Peregrine World

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

We have no control what happens in the Bird World…we’ve lost our resident West Wpg male Hart. The cause of death is unclear.
It’s always sad to lose any bird and had become attached to Hart who became one of the favorites.
For years he was always the First Bird back and one of the last to leave each season…he knew all the nest sites and made his rounds each spring in an attempt to secure a site.
Hart was hatched at the Radisson Hotel in 2012
He showed up in Winnipeg two years later (2014) and continued to return each year.
Having 4 different partners with a total of 24 chicks he helped raise.
2014-17 with Joli…Logan
2018-19 with Spencer…Logan
2020 – no mate for whatever reason
2021 with Esme…West Wpg
2022 with Dot…West Wpg