Pennsylvania Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management Project Annual Job Report
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PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION BUREAU OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PROJECT ANNUAL JOB REPORT PROJECT CODE NO.: 06715 TITLE: Peregrine Falcon Research/Management JOB CODE NO.: 71501 TITLE: Peregrine Falcon Investigations PERIOD COVERED: 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012 COOPERATING AGENCIES: The Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, Chalfont; Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia; Carbon County Environmental Education Center; Comcast Center, Philadelphia; Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue, Harrisburg; Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, Phillipsburg, NJ; Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA); Delaware Valley Raptor Center, Milford; Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area; Gulf Tower, Pittsburgh; Make a Wish Foundation, Pittsburgh; The National Aviary, Pittsburgh; New Jersey Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife; Packer Ave. Marine Terminal, Philadelphia; Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission; Philadelphia City Hall; Philadelphia Zoo; Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, Stroudsburg; PPL Corporation; Red Creek Wildlife Center, Schuylkill Haven; Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Philadelphia; Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education - Wildlife Division, Philadelphia; Three Rivers Avian Center, Brooks, West Virginia; Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Newark, Delaware; University of Pittsburgh; US Army Corps of Engineers; US Fish & Wildlife Service; Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh. WORK LOCATION(S): Statewide PREPARED BY: F. Arthur McMorris, Patricia Barber and Daniel W. Brauning DATE: 4 February 2013 ABSTRACT The long-term management goal of this project is to re-establish a self-sustaining peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) population in Pennsylvania (Brauning and Hassinger 2001). Monitoring of peregrine falcon nesting activity was coordinated by Dr. Art McMorris, using agency personnel and over 165 volunteers. Over 55 sites and additional locations across the state were searched for falcon activity. We coordinated with managers at over 15 bridge and building sites undergoing construction and maintenance projects ensured protections for nesting falcons at those sites. Thirty-two sites were occupied by territorial pairs in 2012, the same as 2011 and the highest number since the beginning of the peregrine falcon recovery program. Nesting success 71501 2 decrease slightly to 69% with 22 successful nests and 62 young fledged, but productivity remained high, 1.94 fledglings per territorial pair. Forty-two nestlings were banded. The public was invited to attend peregrine falcon banding events at the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg, the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia City Hall. Activities of Pennsylvania’s peregrine falcons attracted much favorable attention from the public and were well covered in the online, print and broadcast media. There were 16 band encounters of birds banded in Pennsylvania, or banded elsewhere and encountered in Pennsylvania, in 2012. OBJECTIVES 1. The long-term management goal is to re-establish a self-sustaining peregrine falcon population in Pennsylvania. 2. The peregrine falcon is currently listed as endangered in Pennsylvania. Recovery actions should follow levels proposed for changes in state legal status are outlined in the draft Pennsylvania recovery and management plan for the peregrine falcon (Brauning et. al., 2012). METHODS Peregrine falcon coordinator Dr. Art McMorris monitored peregrine falcon nesting activity in eastern Pennsylvania during the 2012 nesting season and coordinated personnel from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), cooperating agencies, and over 165 volunteers in monitoring over 55 actual and potential nest sites across the state (Fig. 1). Video cameras, linked to live Internet connections, again monitored the nest site at the Rachel Carson State Office Building (RCSOB) in Harrisburg (Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] 2012), and the Gulf Tower and the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh (National Aviary 2012). Nestling falcon banding was overseen by Peregrine Falcon Coordinator Art McMorris. RESULTS Peregrine falcons occupied 32 nest sites in Pennsylvania during 2012. Young fledged at 22, for a success rate of 69% (Table 1, Fig. 2). Two new nests were established in 2012; a third nest was either new or a relocation from a cliff to a nearby bridge; and one pair relocated from one building to another in downtown Pittsburgh. One previously-active nest was successful for the first time in 2012. Five nest sites that were occupied in 2011, including the nest at the Montgomery Cliff site. and the Pittsburgh relocation, were unoccupied in 2012; and 1 established nesting pair that frequently moves back and forth between Pennsylvania and New Jersey returned to New Jersey in 2012 (Tables 2). With all of these changes, there was no net change in the number of occupied nests in 2012 as compared with 2011 (Table 2). Sixty-two young fledged from 22 successful nests, and 42 of them were banded (Table 1). Thirty-two nest sites occupied by pairs throughout the nesting season this year tied with 2011 for the highest number since the beginning of the peregrine falcon recovery program (Table 2). Nest boxes are present at many nest sites providing a secure place for nesting. After 71501 3 Hurricane Sandy passed through the area on 29-30 October, all nest boxes were checked for damage. Only the Benjamin Franklin Bridge nest box was damaged, and it was repaired promptly. Nests in Philadelphia Area, Southeast (SE) Region Six Delaware River bridges, 2 Schuylkill River bridges and several tall buildings in the Philadelphia area were monitored for peregrine falcon activity. Territorial pairs occupied 7 sites and success was confirmed at 5, which fledged total of 15 young. Over 20% of the Commonwealth’s peregrine falcon nests are in the Philadelphia area and 60% are in the SE Region (Tables 1 and 4.) Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia County.--The Ben Franklin Bridge spans the Delaware River between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA) and Camden, New Jersey (NJ). The falcons nest in a nest box placed near the top of the Pennsylvania Tower by local Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) maintenance staff. The nest was again monitored by volunteers Georgia and Barrie Ashby and several others. Four young were produced in this nest and were banded by PGC personnel on 30 May. All 4 fledged and were observed throughout the summer. The roof blew off the nest box during Hurricane Sandy at the end of October but was promptly repaired by bridge maintenance staff. Commodore Barry Bridge, Delaware County.--Nesting failed in 2012 for the second year in a row. The full length of the bridge was searched from the catwalk system on 23 May, and 2 abandoned unhatched eggs were found at a location different from the location of the unhatched eggs that were found in 2011, and from the nest site that was used successfully in 2008-2010. One adult peregrine falcon was observed during the search of the bridge, but no evidence of young could be found. During the nesting season, the bridge was undergoing extensive maintenance and repair work along the full length under the deck, where the falcons nest, including the exact location where the falcons nested in 2008-2010. Exelon Eddystone Generating Station, Delaware County.--Peregrine falcons have been observed at this location and at the adjacent Boeing Aircraft factory since 2009, and a nest was found in 2011 inside an air duct on the exterior wall of a tall building. In late 2011, plant personnel constructed a nest box and mounted it on the top roof above the air duct and installed a video camera for monitoring. However, for reasons of expense, the air duct was not screened off to prevent entry of the falcons. The pair of peregrine falcons continued to be present throughout the year, and showed much interest in the air duct during the 2012 nesting season, but there was no evidence of eggs or young. This pair was only Territorial for 2012 (Tables 1 and 2). Girard Point Bridge, Philadelphia County.--This bridge carries Route I-95 across the Schuylkill River near the Philadelphia Navy Yard and Philadelphia International Airport. A major bridge maintenance project begun in late 2009 and was not completed as of the end of 2012. Terms recommended by PGC to minimize disturbance to the falcons were not followed in 2011, resulting in nest failure. In 2012, those conditions were better adhered to, and the falcons nested successfully in the south nest box. Three young were banded by PGC personnel on 18 May, and at least 2 fledged. 71501 4 Manayunk, St. John’s Church, Philadelphia County.—Observations by PGC personnel and local volunteers strongly suggested that the pair of peregrine falcons in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia tentatively identified in 2011 were again nesting in the steeple of the Church of St. John the Baptist. On 17 May 2012 two nestlings were found in the steeple and banded by PGC personnel. Both fledged and were enjoyed throughout the summer by local observers. Pennsylvania-New Jersey Turnpike Delaware River Bridge, Bucks County.--This nest was monitored by several dedicated volunteers led by Linda Rowan. The pair nested in the box beam that they have used continuously since 2001. Four nestlings were banded on 4 May. Three of the