Last updated: August 11, 2022
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View From the Aerie: Peregrine Falcon Watch in 2022
Will Greene, Friends of Acadia
This is officially the last week of the falcon watch. The birds, as of Monday, are 68 days old, meaning they will leave the area soon. They are no longer dependent on the cliff and can go off and explore the world. The word peregrine means ‘wanderer’ or ‘traveler’. They are always adventuring (until it’s time to breed). Monday, we saw the birds, but only for a little before having to close the program early due to a thunderstorm.
Tuesday was the first day that we have not seen the birds. We heard them briefly but unfortunately did not get eyes on them.
Wednesday was AWESOME! We got to see the birds for a good majority of the day (at least compared to how little we have seen them recently). Both young birds and their mom were out flying. Mom perched on a ledge on the cliff to eat while her babies were flying around. Unfortunately, though, almost all the bird activity happened when there were no visitors at the program.
It happened. The falcons are officially gone! They have grown up and are now on their own. We did not see the fledglings at all Thursday and there were a ton of gulls hanging out on the cliff. Both the gulls, and not seeing them, show that the birds are most likely no longer dependent on the cliff. Now the fledglings will explore the world until they are mature (around age 2) and will attempt to become successful breeding adults. We will continue to hold the program tomorrow (Friday) just to make sure that they truly are gone. They grow up so fast..
We still held the falcon watch Friday, but the birds have left, so it was not very eventful. As sad as it may be, this year was a tremendous success. Some of you may or may not know this, but peregrine falcons used to be endangered. In the 1950s and 60s the use of an insecticide called Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT was introduced. It was originally used to kill off mosquitoes but became infamous because of its detrimental effects on the environment. The effects on peregrine falcons were particularly bad. it bioaccumulated into their systems. Bioaccumulation is when a chemical works its way up a food chain and causes a buildup of the chemical. In the falcon’s case, the smaller birds that they eat were filled with DDT from eating bugs. The large amount of DDT did not influence adult falcons, but it caused a calcium deficiency. Without calcium, peregrine falcon’s eggs were very weak, causing the eggs to break, leading to a decrease in falcon hatchlings. It got to a point where there were virtually no peregrine falcons on the east of the Mississippi. In 1972, DDT was banned, but of course, falcons were no longer around. Acadia did something about this and reintroduced peregrine falcons to the park. We introduced a program called Hacking in the early 1980s. This program worked alongside of falconers to raise young falcons and release them on the Jordan cliffs (near the Jordan Pond House). We released around 20 birds each breeding season, hoping at least one bird would imprint on the cliff and come back once they were mature enough to nest. We did this program for a few years until 1988, when one falcon returned! He was ‘hacked’ from the Jordan cliffs in 1986 and was spotted at the Precipice in early spring of ‘88. His name was Ganesh (‘The Chosen One’). Sadly, though, his first attempt at breeding was unsuccessful. The mate he chose was too young. He returned in 1989, but again, his mate was too young to breed. He returned for a third year in 1990! This time his partner was mature and mating behavior was seen. Unfortunately, their nest failed due to a brutal spring storm. But finally, in 1991, Ganesh returned for the fourth time. He had a successful nest and raised the first wild falcons on the east coast since the 1950s. Since then, we have had falcons nesting on the Precipice and in the park for 31 years! And the falcon watch has been around for all 31 of those years. So, if you came to the falcon watch this year, congratulations, you are now a part of this monumental conservation story. Thank you to the thousands of visitors that came to the program, and to Acadia for playing such a huge role in falcon conservation and continuing to host the falcon watch each year. Here’s to another successful breeding season!
Elizabeth Zink, NPS Raptor Intern
We didn’t see the falcons for the first two hours of the program on Monday. Luckily, though, we saw one fledgling fly in with his own food! Meaning that the falcons can now hunt for themselves and are completely independent of their parents! It was so exciting to see them hit such a huge milestone. We were abe ti watcg the juvenile eat for 20 minutes but the rest of the day was quiet.
Tuesday morning Champlain mountain was entirely covered in fog, meaning we could not see any part of the Precipice. We had to delay the scope set up about 45 minutes until the fog finally lifted. Once that happened, we did not see the birds much at all. One bird did fly in and perch underneath the shade of a tree. With the park seeing 80 degree temperatures, the falcons are a lot less actice.
Despite a “no-falcon-morning” around 11 am Wednesday, the two juveniles and their mother really put on a show! We got to listen to and watch all three falcons flying around the cliff together. They were diving so fast right in front of us and popped up over the tree line near our heads. Peregrine falcons are the fastest animal in the world, diving at speeds up to 200 miles per hour! In a controlled study, the fastest peregrine ever recorded dove at 247 miles per hour. Getting to watch the fastest animal in the world dive so close was such a unique experience for the visitors. From 9 am till 11 am, when the falcons were not active, we placed a falcon stuffed animal in a tree across the parking lot and put a scope on it. All the kids and parents got a kick out of it!
Thursday was a slow and boiling hot day. The falcons were around in the morning for a few minutes but then flew off, probably to a cooler location. We have been seeing the birds less and less every day. They are at the point where they are independent and ready to leave home. The program will continue until next Friday. We predict they will be gone sometime within the next week *sad face*.
We had a family flight on Friday! The second family flight we have witnessed this year. All four of the birds were out flying, both parents and their two boys. After the family flight and gull chase early in the morning, the birds were away from us for the rest of the day. Since there was not much activity, we placed one scope on the moon today. It was pretty amazing to see it so close up. Today we had a few people ask us how we can tell the other birds in the area apart from the falcons, particularly turkey vultures. A quick, easy way to distinguish falcons from other birds is how they fly. Falcons do not flap their wings much at all, they use the thermals in the air to soar in. They stay close to the cliff and rarely fly in tight circles like turkey vultures do. Also, falcons are fairly small (only about the size of a crow) with ‘M’ shaped wings. Depending on the lighting, you can even see their very white chest while in flight that helps determine a falcon from other birds. Finally, falcons dive! If you see a bird tucking in their wings in a stoop (dive) it is most likely a falcon.
Elizabeth Zink, NPS Raptor Intern
Driving to the Precipice Monday, a young Peregrine flew right over our car! It was quite a shock so early in the morning. As the morning went on, the juveniles flew around the cliff and even chased off an immature bald eagle! It was the first time we watched them chase off another bird.
Tuesday, we could conclude that the fledglings are close to being able to hunt for themselves. They have been diving at all birds that get close to the cliff. Today they dove at a few gulls, as well as their usual bugs. We didn’t get to see the birds much; they kept flying off. We assume they fly off to hunt. We also haven’t seen the parents for a while, so we assume they are not bringing the kids food as often anymore to get them to hunt for themselves.
On Wednesday, we only saw the birds for 20 minutes out of the three-hour program. The young are growing up, leaving the cliff and becoming more independent. As far as we have seen, the fledglings still cannot catch their own food, but they go off for long periods of time. They could be eating somewhere else. We also have not seen the parents for a few days now. We predict the birds won’t be around too much longer.
We were able to see the Falcons for a little longer on Thursday, but not by much. They didn’t land on the cliff face at all. We saw them flying over the cliff briefly before they disappeared. The rest of our sightings were way off in the distance. We only saw dots in the sky, that with binoculars, we were able to identify as our falcons.
Fridays are always the best! We could finally see the falcons for a large portion of the day! We even got to see an adult falcon (we haven’t seen one for a few days now). The juveniles flew around the cliff for at least 45 minutes this morning. We witnessed one eating, one perching in the shade, and then later both of them playing together. The adult flew near the cliff briefly, but then flew off again. It seemed like the adult brought food in for the young, but it was unclear. Hoping for more hunting action from the falcons next week!
Often when visitors come to the Peregrine Falcon Watch they ask where the nest is. In their minds eye they might be expecting to see a large nest like bald eagles or osprey make. They might be dissapointed to find out that there is no nest to see but in my opinion it is even more impressive. Peregrine falcons find a nice ledge on the cliff, scrape tdirt and gravel on the ledge a bit and call it good. That is why we call it a "scrape". Their eggs are laid 600 feet up that cliff and are laying on just gravel! Enjoy the picture from this week that a young park visitor created to demonstrate to other visitors what a peregrine falcon nest looks like!
Elizabeth Zink, NPS Raptor Intern
07/03 - 07/09
Another slow Monday due to the heat of the day. The birds flew around a little in the morning and then again towards noon. They stayed in shaded areas for most of the day to stay cool and were out of view of our scopes.
Tuesday, the birds flew further than they ever have! They flew so far from the cliffs that they were only tiny black dots in the sky. They still cannot catch their own food, so they will stay around the cliff face for a while. It is remarkable to see how much stronger they have gotten with their flight. We again got to watch one juveniles eat. This time, we had the Digital Media Team’s camera set up, so it was easy for visitors to watch. The birds stayed down on the cliff for most of the day, considering it was very hot today with temperatures close to 75 degrees around 9 am.
Wednesday was the same old same old. We did not get to see either of the adults today, but briefly got to see the fledglings flying around before perching together. Sadly, they stayed out of sight for most of the day.
Thursday the falcons were the opposite of Wednesday. They were flying almost the entire time we were there, only stopping to rest briefly. They were very loud and vocal when we got there, but as the day went on, they were quietly flying around together. It was a gorgeous day for the program and all the visitors were so excited to get to see the falcons flying and diving together.
Winds Friday were averaging about 15 mph with gusts up to 25. That being said, the falcons did not do too much flying today. We were lucky to see one fledgling flying low overhead! He flew about 40 feet above us (maybe even closer). We could see all the detail in their wings, feathers, and tan chest lines. It was pretty amazing to witness! Young falcons have vertical tan bars on their white chests and bellies. As they mature, they get their darker facial feathers, yellow lore, and their vertical stripes turn into horizontal grey stripes. A lore is the area right above their beaks where their nostrils are. The juveniles will maintain that pattern of coloration unitil it is one year old. During that time, the transition to the blueish gray white coloration of the adults will begin to occur.
Elizabeth Zink, NPS Raptor Intern
With the wind and rain, falcon watch Monday the was uneventful. The fledglings and parents barely left the ledges. They stayed hunkered down under the vegetation on the cliff face.
They’re definitely best friends. The two fledglings, Bartlett and Comice, have been hanging out together non-stop. All day Tuesday, the fledglings were spending every moment together on the cliff. They were flying, perching, eating, and preening next to one another. Early in the morning, we could watch them eating on the digital media team’s monitor set up, which was an amazing experience. Visitors were amazed to see the young eating on their own from a carcass flown in by the adults.
From careful observation my best guess is that both juveniles are males. Falcons are full grown by the time they leave the nest and the only difference between males and females is their size. Females are around thirty percent larger. Today we had a good view of both the juveniles and the adult female in flight. The two fledglings were significantly smaller than their mom, which leads us to believe they are males!
Wednesday was exciting. We got to witness a family flight and some hunting practice! Early in the morning, the birds were very vocal, flying low on the cliff and diving for the first time. We assume it was the beginning stages in learning how to hunt! We could also see all four of the falcons flying at the same time. They were flying together for about 15 minutes before the fledglings settled into shadowed crevices on the cliff. The cliff can often be 15-20 degrees hotter than we are experiencing on the ground and the shade helps keep the birds cool. One fledgling was perched under a large rock preening for about an hour. While preening, he got a large down feather stuck on his beak. It was fun to watch him try to remove it. Eventually, he used his talons to grab it.
You can tell that the birds are getting more confident. On Thursday, we watched the fledglings fly further and further from the cliff side. Their stamina is also increasing, so they’re now able to take longer flights. We had eyes on the fledglings for most of the day, but only saw one parent for about twenty minutes total. The two siblings would perch together for a while, then take off and play around mid-flight. A falcons version of play involves pretending to attack each other, chasing one another, and even the occasional race. All these activities help the younglings gain wing strength and practice their hunting skills. It is obviously working, as we witnessed one juvenile try to chase and grab an insect. Insects are not a substantial food source for peregrines. Their diet mainly consists of other birds. However, birds present to big of a challenge currently. The fledglings will contine to get stronger and more agile so they can become skilled enough to catch their own bird. But until then, they can be seen practicing on dragonflies and other flying insects.
Friday was incredible! The fledglings could not stay still. They were flying all over the place. The second they landed, and we got the scopes on them, they were off again. The parents brought food to the young twice on Friday. Both birds were pre-plucked before the fledglings got to them. Once their dad came into view holding a small bird, those kids were screaming and chasing after him, trying to take the food from his talons. At one point, both the juveniles had hold of the prey and were fighting for it. The second snack that mom brought in a little later was a larger white bird. Only one fledgling was seen eating the second bird. He was sitting in an area that allowed for great viewing. Although it was a bit gross, everyone visiting the program had a blast watching them eat. After the meal festivities, we witnessed both birds flying and playing, as well as chasing after dragonflies. Hopefully we will get a chance to see them hunt their first birds soon.
Elizabeth Zink, NPS Raptor Intern
The chicks are getting big! They have almost all of their juvenile feathers now, with a bit of down on their heads and the back of their wings. Monday this week we watched the adult female bring in a large dark bird to feed the chicks, but we were unable to identify what it was. The chicks were active for most of Monday morning, standing on the ledge, flapping their wings, calling, and preening. But, as the morning went on, the wind picked up and both chicks settled down into the scrape and stayed out of sight. A scrape is another name for a peregrine falcon nest because all the adults do is scrape the ground and call it good. They build no nest!
No one wanted to leave the falcon watch on Tuesday. Both of the chicks were out and about. They flapped their way over to a close ledge (not quite a full flight) and were standing there all day. This was the first documented time that the chicks have left their scrape site! They were teetering on the edge of their first flight, flapping their wings and leaning forward on the ledge. Visitors gathered around the Friends of Acadia Digital Media team's camera setup that had a great view of the active chicks. The digital media team joins us at the program every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with an 800 mm camera attached to a 2 times teleconverter creating a zoom of 1600 mm. They connect this camera to a monitor which allows a large group of visitors to watch the falcons at the same time! We were all on edge watching and waiting for that first flight, which unfortunately did not occur while we were there.
The chicks were not as active Wednesday. They were out on the ledge but just sat around for most of the day. They still have not fledged. Most of the activity came from the parents. They were flying around and perching all over the cliff, but they didn’t stay perched in one location for very long. One parent attacked and fought off a turkey vulture, twice!
It was hotter Thursday, so the chicks were not very active. They still have not fledged, but they are getting more adventurous and exploring more of the ledge around their nest. All of their down has molted and they have their full juvenile plumage. Despite their lack of activity, both the chicks and the parents were extremely vocal all morning! Hoping for the first flight soon.
It happened! Both chicks fledged early Friday morning! It was very odd that both of the chicks fledged the same day because usually one chick is slightly younger than the other. But, nonetheless, everyone was very excited. The fledglings flew close to the cliff face, practicing their flight and landing skills. It was entertaining to watch a few “crash” landings on some ledges. Now that the birds have fledged, the parents are on edge more than ever. The fledglings are very vulnerable during this time. They aren’t the best at flying yet, and they don’t know how to hunt. Luckily for them, their parents will stick around for a while and defend off any other birds that get too close. During the falcon watch today, we witnessed a parent fight off a Turkey Vulture and a Herring Gull.
I am also excited to continue the tradition of Acadia raptor interns giving fun names to the fledglings. I have named them after pears (get it, PERE-grine Falcons), Bartlett and Comice.
Elizabeth Zink, NPS Raptor Intern
The Falcons of the Precipice
06/15 - 06/17
As the Raptor Intern for 2022, I am excited to continue the tradition of this blog about the nesting Peregrine Falcons on the cliffs of Champlain Mountain. My name is Elizabeth Zink, I am the Student Conservation Association Raptor Intern for the 2022 season. I was born and raised in central Pennsylvania and just recently graduated from Dickinson College with a degree in Geology. Despite my degree, I have a huge passion for Ornithology that started after taking an Ornithology class my sophomore year of college. The professor that taught that class introduced me to and helped me navigate the birding world! I greatly appreciate everything she has done for me and without her, I probably would not have the passion that I do for birds or have been able to get this position. Now, onto the falcons!
The falcons of the Precipice are a testament to the success of the reintroduction of peregrines after their tragic decline from DDT. This year marks the 31st year that Peregrines have nested on the Precipice with only three failed nests. Over 150+ chicks have fledged from Acadia National Park and this year I am excited to announce that we hope to add 9 more to the count (2 chicks at the Precipice, 4 at Jordan Cliffs, and 3 at Valley Cove).
This year, the first falcon was seen hanging around the Precipice at the end of February. A few weeks later a pair was seen scoping out a nest site and around that time the Precipice trail was closed. Once the nest was established, the first sighting of the chicks occurred sometime around mid-May, two were seen.
The Peregrine Falcon Watch program officially started Wednesday of this week and it was a hit with over 300 visitors stopping by to check out the falcons. The chicks are getting close to fledging age as they were about 30 days old on Friday (typically, they will fledge anywhere from 35 to 42 days after hatching).
The birds were extremely active this week! All of Wednesday morning the parents were seen flying in and out of the nest site. We assume they were feeding the chicks. The adult female falcon perched in the sun for a good portion of the day, except to chase off a mature Bald Eagle that got a little too close to the nest. There were also two chicks that kept peeking their heads out of the scrape site. Friday morning there was a thick fog covering the top of the mountain that did eventually clear and allowed us to get an awesome view of the scrape. The highlight of the week occurred Friday with a very reactive chick that would stand up and flap its wings every time a parent was nearby or calling. Young peregrine falcons will stand on the edge of the cliff and flap their wings to start working out their muscles. As they continue to build up their strength, they will soon attempt their first flight! We are hoping that occurs sometime next week. Keep checking in week after week to stay updated on the happenings out at the Precipice this year.