Another season of growth and new life is here! As many species are beginning their annual life cycle to reproduce, some peregrine falcon pairs already have young. The eyases (young falcons) at the Union County Falcon Cam are a prime example. They are now a little over a week old and have been examined and treated for a pigeon borne disease, called trichomoniasis, which adult falcons can transfer to their young. If young falcons would get trich., then they could perish. Kathy Clark, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife Supervisory Zoologist, UC staff and colleague Cathy Malok, w/ The Raptor Trust visited the site to ensure the survival of this brood.
Putting the final touches on a new nestbox for peregrine falcons in Atlantic City, NJ. photo by Kathy Clark/ENSP
This past week I had the pleasure of assisting Supervising Zoologist, Kathy Clark with NJ Fish & Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program to install a new nestbox for state endangered peregrine falcons. The new nestbox was installed atop the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel. Peregrine falcons are not new to Atlantic City. They have nested in A.C. since 1987, where the first pair nested on the 23rd floor of the Hilton/Atlantic Club. Since then new pairs have established nests on other tall buildings and structures, like the Hard Rock Casino and A.C. water tower.
Female falcon 02/AN. She originated from a coastal nest in Bass River in 2011. Here she was photographed at her nest in May 2020 at Sedge Island.
Just imagine having to defend your home from an invader who wants to steal your home and mate. All you have to protect yourself and home are your bare hands (or talons). You fought this same battle several years ago and staked your claim here. It was a hard won battle that could have been the end.
Union County Falcon Cam female, “Frida,” stands over her clutch.
Last Friday, Union County Department of Parks & Recreation Environmental Specialist Betty Ann Kelly sent us an exciting update on the Union County Falcon Cam.
It looks like our famous peregrine pair are officially expecting!
Great news!
As some of you know, the rooftop of the Union County Courthouse has been home since 2006 to a pair of peregrine falcons, a threatened bird of prey species. Our female, nicknamed “Frida” because of her large “unibrow” between her eyes (reminding us of the South American artist) has laid her first egg of the season on March 19th, 2021 at 9:45 a.m.!
We can expect possibly two or three more eggs over the course of the next few days with hatching occurring sometime in late April.
Go toucnj.org/falcon to catch a glimpse of the falcons and possibly the egg on our falcon cam!
We will keep you posted!
Betty Ann Kelly
Just two days later, this past Sunday, we received even more good news!
Today at around 2:20 p.m. after what seemed like considerable effort, our female peregrine falcon laid egg # 2.
All is well.
We expect another egg or two in the next few days. When the last egg is hatched, both male and female falcons will consistently incubate.
By the way, this egg only looks bigger because of the camera’s wide angle lens.
Left: Adult falcon in flight. Right: Peregrine chick ready to be banded. Photos by Eric Sambol.
Peregrine falcons have nested atop the Union County Court House in downtown Elizabeth for many years. Each year, before the young birds fledge, scientists gather up the chicks and band their legs.
The banding was a smaller than usual human affair this year to comply with social distancing and other health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But it was a very active avian event with the adult falcons energetically dive bombing the biologists as they brought the eyases (young falcons) indoors for the banding.
