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| B/g S/46, on a shot from the Weston Power Plant nestcam. |
As you know, The
Raptor Center admits approximately 800 sick and injured birds into our clinic
each year. We are able to rehabilitate and release many of them, despite
the incredible range of injuries they sustain. This second chance at life
provides those individual birds an opportunity to resume their role in the
ecosystem.
We’d like you to give an update on an illustration of how
our work directly contributes and impacts breeding populations of
raptors. Last year, the folks at the Weston Power Plant in Rothschild, WI
photographed their new female peregrine, and this information was shared with
us by Greg Septon, who coordinates the peregrine chick banding at that site
among many others in Wisconsin. Though eggs were laid, no successful
production occurred at this site. This
year, however, the same female returned, and successfully produced and fledged
four youngsters from this site!
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| Confirmation of the bird from leg bands on the site nestcam |
How do we know it was the same bird? The colored leg bands –
one a purple USFWS and the other a project band - identified this bird as a
female that was found injured in Ohio in early 2009.
What role did
TRC play in this bird’s life? Our own
executive director Dr. Julia Ponder performed surgery on her wing (metacarpal
fracture). Clinic
manager Lori Arent “imped” new feathers on the bird’s wing and tail just before
she was ready to be released. Imping is a process where a new
feather can be placed into an old, broken feather shaft, because it is
hollow. This allows for the bird to have the needed balance and flight ability
until a new feather is molted in. We released the bird along the St Croix River in Osceola, WI in
May of 2009.
It was so affirming for us to hear that she went on to
thrive and contribute to the new generation of peregrines in our skies. We enjoy sharing success stories such as
these, and appreciate the partnership that exists with our Midwest PeregrineSociety contacts.
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