LIVE Feed from the Falcon Nest Box Atop the Briess Manitowoc Grain Elevator.
The 2014 Briess acquisition of a grain handling and storage operation in nearby Manitowoc, WI, came with a bonus—a Peregrine Falcon nest box. Over the last two years, Briess has joined the Peregrine Falcon Recovery Program.
We are excited to announce that over the winter, we installed a “Falcon Cam.” This webcam will provide a live feed from the nest box during daylight hours.
With this new camera, the adult male falcon, who has made the Manitowoc Elevator his home for the last several years, was successfully identified by Peregrine Falcon expert and conservationist from the Peregrine Falcon Recovery Program, Greg Septon. The adult male was identified as “Patriot.” He was born at the Pulliam Power Plant nest site in Green Bay, WI, and was banded on May 29, 2007, by Greg. His color band is (b/g) E/36.
Earlier this year, a young, unbanded female from unknown origins visited the nest box in hopes to make the Briess elevator her new home. However, in March, there was a turnover of females at the nest site, which is not uncommon, as the falcons vie for territory and nest sites. On March 2nd, Greg was able to see that the new female was an adult and presumed that she was the stronger of the two female falcons, and drove the younger immature female falcon away from the site; in essence taking control over the territory.
After days of trying, on March 8, Greg was able to identify the new female’s band numbers. Since it had been overcast skies, it was difficult to get a clear reading on the new female’s band, but with much certainty, the female has been identified as “Valcor” (b/g) N/22. Valcor was born in Chicago, IL at the Wrigleyville nest site in 2013.
The Manitowoc nest box was installed around 1992, according to Greg. Peregrine Falcons were put on the U.S. Endangered Species list in 1969. In 1972 the use of the pesticide DDT, the main cause for the population decline of these birds, was banned, clearing the path for repopulation efforts. While the Peregrine population had been completely eradicated east of the Mississippi River by the late 1960s, today there are an estimated 1,650 breeding pairs in the U.S. and Canada.
Dave Luckow, veteran ops manager at the Manitowoc operation, said it took awhile for peregrines to locate and use the nest. Greg reported that happened in 1998, and Peregrine Falcons have been nesting there successfully ever since. Since its occupation the site has produced 56 Peregrine Falcons.
- 1998—3
- 1999—4
- 2000—2
- 2001—4
- 2002—4
- 2003—4
- 2004—5
- 2005—2
- 2006—4
- 2007—5
- 2008—2
- 2009—4
- 2010—3
- 2011—3
- 2012—2
- 2013—2
- 2014—1 (“Briess”)
- 2015—2 (“Bernie” & “Monica”)
We will be keeping our fingers crossed in hopes that the young female and Patriot lay eggs and we get some baby eyasses.
