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 2009 to 31 December 2009

COOPERATING AGENCIES: The Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, Newtown; Academy of Natural Sciences in ; Carbon County Environmental Education Center; Comcast Center, Philadelphia; Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue, Harrisburg; Joint Toll Commission, New Hope; Delaware River Port Authority; Delaware Valley Raptor Center, Milford; Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area; Gulf Tower, ; 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 Transportation; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission; Philadelphia City Hall; Philadelphia Zoo; PPL Corporation; 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; Webbed Foot Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, Ambler; Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh.

WORK LOCATION(S): Statewide

PREPARED BY: F. Arthur McMorris and Daniel W. Brauning

DATE: 13 August 2010

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). Peregrine falcon coordinator Dr. Art McMorris and over 60 volunteers monitored peregrine falcons at 44 sites and searched for falcons at additional locations across the state. One new nest was identified in 2009, and 2 nests were active after several years of inactivity, raising the total number of active nests to 25. The total number of nest sites occupied by pairs throughout the nesting season (25) and the number of young fledged (68) were the highest since the beginning of the peregrine falcon recovery program, and the number of successful nests (21) tied a high set in 2008. Fifty-six of the 68 young were banded at the nest. The number of active nests at natural cliff sites increased from 3 to 5, and 3 of the 5 were successful, fledging 9 young. Twenty-three band recoveries were obtained 71501 2 during the calendar year 2009. The public was invited to attend peregrine falcon banding events at the Rachel Carson State Office Building (RCSOB) in Harrisburg, the Gulf Tower and the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh, and City Hall in Philadelphia. Activities of Pennsylvania’s peregrine falcons attracted much favorable attention from the public and were well covered in the media. There were 23 recoveries of falcons banded in Pennsylvania, or banded elsewhere and recovered in Pennsylvania, during the 2009 calendar year.

OBJECTIVES

1. The long-term management goal is to re-establish a self-sustaining peregrine falcon population in Pennsylvania.

2. The recovery levels proposed to upgrade the peregrine falcon’s state status from endangered to threatened, outlined in the revised Pennsylvania Recovery and Management Plan for the peregrine falcon (Brauning, 2007), are a self-sustaining total of 15 breeding pairs (33% of the historic population), productivity of at least 1.25 young fledged per pair, and at least half of known pairs nesting successfully, each for 3 years. State de-listing is proposed to occur only after the establishment of self-sustaining population of a total 22 pairs on natural (cliff) sites statewide (50% of the historic total) for 3 years, and reproductive success on those cliffs must exceed 2.0 birds per active nest and on buildings/ exceed 1.5 birds per active site to assure a stable population.

METHODS

Peregrine falcon coordinator Dr. Art McMorris monitored peregrine falcon nesting activity in southeastern Pennsylvania during the 2009 nesting season and coordinated over 60 volunteers and agency personnel in monitoring over 40 nests 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] 2009), and the Gulf Tower and the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh (National Aviary 2009). Young falcons at nests within driving distance of Philadelphia were banded by Art McMorris; those in the Pittsburgh area were banded by other Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) personnel as noted below.

CHANGE IN REPORTING PERIOD

Beginning with this Annual Report, the reporting is being changed from a fiscal year to a calendar year basis. The previous Annual Report, for 2008, contained the results of the 2008 nesting season and covered the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 for all data except for recoveries, which were reported for the period 1 July to 31 December 2008. To bring about the transition with no gaps in coverage, the present Annual Report, for 2009, contains the results of the 2009 nesting season, recoveries for 1 January to 31 December 2009, and all other data for 1 July to 31 December 2009. Future annual reports will cover the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December for all data each year.

RESULTS 71501 3

Peregrine falcons nested at 25 sites in Pennsylvania during 2009. Young fledged successfully at 21 of the 25 sites, for a success rate of 84%. Three new nests were established, or were active after a period of inactivity, in 2009. A new nesting pair was found at the Norman Wood Bridge (Pennsylvania Route 372 and Susquehanna River, Lancaster County), but the nest was not successful. The nest at Philadelphia City Hall was active for the first time since 2000, and fledged 4 young. Nesting activity was documented at the Delaware Water Gap for the first time in 5 years, but the nest failed, almost certainly due to disturbance. At one nest site, the Walt Whitman Bridge in Philadelphia, the falcons nested on the New Jersey rather than the Pennsylvania side of the state line, for a loss of one Pennsylvania nest. The net change was an increase in 2 active nests in 2009 as compared with 2008 (Table 1). The total number of active nests (25) and the number of young produced (68) and banded (56) were the highest since the beginning of the peregrine falcon recovery program.

Nests in Philadelphia Area, Southeast (SE) Region Six Delaware River bridges, 2 bridges and several tall buildings in the Philadelphia area were monitored for peregrine falcon activity. Nesting activity was observed at 6 sites and success was confirmed at all 6, with a total of 19 young. More than half of the Commonwealth’s active peregrine falcon nests are in the SE Region, and nearly half of those are in the Philadelphia area. Results for the Philadelphia-area nests are detailed in Tables 1, 2, 4 and 7 and are summarized are as follows:

Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia County.--This nest was again monitored by volunteers Georgia and Barrie Ashby and several others. Three young were produced in this nest and were banded by PGC personnel on 1 June. All 3 fledged successfully and continued to be observed until late summer.

Commodore Barry Bridge, Delaware County.--Two hatchlings and one egg were found when this nest was visited on 15 June, but when the nest was re-visited for banding on 1 July, only 1 nestling was found, together with one unhatched egg. The nestling was banded on 1 July and fledged successfully, but on 23 July it was found dead on the bridge roadway.

Girard Point Bridge, Philadelphia County.--Nesting activity has been documented at this site every year since 1987, and young fledged from the site 3 times during the first few years of activity and then every year since 1996. In 2009, 4 young were produced; they were banded on 14 May, fledged successfully, and continued to be observed through the summer.

Pennsylvania-New Jersey Turnpike Connector Bridge, Bucks County.--This nest continues to be monitored by several dedicated volunteers led by Linda Rowan. The pair nested in the same box beam that they have used continuously since 2001, and produced 4 young which were banded 21 May. All fledged successfully, but one was found dead on the roadway near the nest site on 6 June. The 3 survivors continued to be observed for 8 weeks after fledging.

Philadelphia, Downtown, Philadelphia County.--Downtown Philadelphia and vicinity were monitored with the assistance of long-term volunteer Ed Mutzer. Peregrine Falcons nested in the nest 71501 4 box on City Hall Tower for the first time since 2000. Four young were produced, and all fledged successfully. The young were banded by PGC personnel on 28 May in an event that was attended by the public and well covered by local newspapers and TV stations. All four fledged successfully.

2400 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County.--A nest box was placed on the rooftop by building management in cooperation with PGC in April 2008. Although the location has many features which would be expected to make it attractive as a peregrine falcon nest site, there has been no evidence to date that falcons have used the box.

Walt Whitman Bridge, Philadelphia County.--This tall suspension bridge has a nest box mounted on top of each tower, one in Pennsylvania (PA) and the other in New Jersey (NJ). The falcons frequently move their nest back and forth across the river. In 2009 the falcons used the nest box on top of the east (NJ) tower and produced 2 young. This result is noted in Table 1 but the data are not included in the PA totals.

Other nests in the SE Region In addition to the 6 active and 1 inactive nests in the Philadelphia area described above, there are 9 more active nests in other locations in the SE region. One of these 9 active nests was new in 2009, but was unsuccessful.

Allentown, Lehigh County.--A pair has been present in downtown Allentown since 2007. The pair nested unsuccessfully at the PPL GO building in 2007 and succeeded in fledging 4 young in 2008. In 2009, the pair moved their nest to the 8th St. Bridge 0.6 km to the SE and produced 4 young, which were banded on 16 June. All fledged successfully, but 1 was found dead before dispersal on 30 July, impaled on a lightning rod on the roof of the PPL GO building. The nesting female was confirmed by her leg bands as being the same female that has been present since 2007 (Table 7). The male is unbanded but is believed to be the same male that has been present since 2007.

Columbia, Lancaster County.--A pair nested unsuccessfully (unhatched eggs) 2007 and 2008 on the US Route 30 bridge, a twin bridge crossing the Susquehanna River between Columbia and Wrightsville, Lancaster County. In 2009, falcons nested instead on the PA Route 462 bridge about 1 km (0.6 mi.) to the south. The two nesting adults were identified by their leg bands during the summer of 2009 (see Table 7). It is not known whether these are the same 2 individuals that nested in 2007 and 2008. The falcons were unsuccessful again this year, producing 4 eggs which failed to hatch. If this is the same two adults, this would be the third year in a row that they have produced eggs which failed to hatch. It is not known whether this is due to infertility, unfavorable nest site characteristics or environmental factors.

Delaware Water Gap, Northampton County.--Peregrine falcons continue to be observed at the Mount Minsi cliff, a historic nest site, and nesting was confirmed in 2004, but nesting has not been successful since before the DDT era. As in recent years, peregrines were observed at this location through the winter and into the nesting season. Peregrines appeared to be incubating eggs on a cliff ledge in early April, but rock climbers were observed flushing the incubating female and the attending male. The falcons continued to be observed at the site until mid-April, but not beyond. It is 71501 5 feared that peregrine falcon nesting will never be successful at this historic nest cliff as long as disturbance by rock climbers continues.

Harrisburg, RCSOB, Dauphin County.--The Harrisburg nest has continued to be productive every year since its first success in 2000. PGC and DEP partner to manage this site. Five eggs were produced for the fourth year in a row. All hatched, and the 5 young were banded on 27 May in an event attended by the public and broadcast on local TV and live webcast (see below). All 5 young fledged successfully but 2 were seriously injured before dispersal. One was found at a nearby railroad line with both feet severed on 12 June, and was captured and euthanized. The other was observed on 16 July with injuries to its bill and one eye, apparently due to a collision, but disappeared before she could be captured for evaluation and rehabilitation, and is presumed to have died from her injuries (see Table 4).

After the nesting season, in mid-winter, the nest box was scrubbed down with disinfectant (10% Clorox) as a precaution against ectoparasites.

Martin’s Creek PPL Power Plant, Martin’s Creek, Northampton County.--Peregrine falcons again bred successfully at this nest which was new in 2005. The nest box, mounted 110 m above the ground on an 180-m smokestack at the Martin’s Creek PPL power plant, is monitored by PPL employees John Depalma, Jack Hahn, and Jeff Luzenski. Three young and 1 unhatched egg were produced. The young were banded on 11 June, and all 3 fledged successfully and continued to be observed throughout the summer.

Norman Wood bridge, Lancaster County.--The Norman Wood Bridge carries PA Route 372 across the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County. A pair of peregrine falcons was observed at this location in May 2008 and continued through at least November but, except for aggressive behavior, exhibited no behavior suggestive of nesting. In 2009, copulation was observed on several occasions at the bridge, and other behaviors suggested nesting. However, a thorough search of the bridge on 10 June failed to confirm nesting.

Reading, Downtown, Berks County.--This pair nested on a balcony of the Callowhill Building in downtown Reading for the second year in a row, after nesting once (2007) on a different building just 0.2 km away. The banded male was confirmed to be the same male that bred in 2007 and 2008. Four young were produced, all males; they were banded on 26 May and all fledged successfully.

Scudder Falls Bridge, Yardley, Bucks County.--The Scudder Falls Bridge carries I-95 over the Delaware River in Yardley, Bucks County. A new nest was found on the catwalk under the bridge deck in 2008, and successfully fledged 1 female young. The nest was successful again in 2009, producing 3 young, again all females, which were banded on 29 May.

Three Mile Island, Middletown, Dauphin County.--Nesting activity at the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power station continued in 2009. At least one young was produced in the nest near the top of the #1 reactor containment building and fledged successfully. Information about activity at this site has been obtained only sporadically since the departure of an employee who formerly monitored the birds. 71501 6

Replacement of the steam generators in the reactor building was completed during 2009. In consultation with Dr. McMorris and Environmental Review, plant engineers scheduled the work so as to minimize disturbance to the falcons. Work began in August 2009, well after the young had fledged, and was completed by the end of December, before the start of the next nesting season.

Northeast (NE) Region Nests All four nests in the NE region were successful. Two of the 4 nests are on natural cliffs, and both of these were successful.

Luzerne County Cliff, Luzerne County.--This nest is on a cliff in Luzerne County at a location which is undisclosed at the landowner’s request. Three young were found and banded on the nest ledge on 2 June. All three fledged successfully and were monitored throughout the summer by local volunteers.

Montour PPL Power Plant, Montour County.--This and the Martin’s Creek nest are Pennsylvania’s two smokestack nests. The nest box is in the window opening of an emissions equipment monitoring structure 145 m above ground on the #2 stack at the Montour PPL Power Plant near Washingtonville. Monitoring and nest access have become more difficult since PPL de- commissioned the stack after the 2008 nesting season, removed the nest camera, and stopped maintaining the access elevator. Because of the presence of the falcon nest, PPL will not demolish the stack, but access in the future is uncertain.

Four young were found during a nest visit on 11 May, but only 3 young were found in the nest during a return visit for banding 8 days later. The 3 young were banded on 19 May, and all three are believed to have fledged successfully, but 2 of the 3 were recovered dead soon after dispersal from the nest site. One of the two was found dead on 24 August at Capital City Airport, New Cumberland, PA, 100 km to the south, and the other was found dead on 14 July in Beech Creek, PA, 80 km to the west of the nest site.

Pittston/Duryea, Luzerne County.--The same pair has nested in this location from 2002 to 2008, but the nest site shifted back and forth between a bridge in Pittston and the Campbell’s Ledge cliff in Duryea, 3.5 km to the north. Most recently (2008), the pair nested on the bridge. The male of that breeding pair fledged from a bridge, and the origin of the (unbanded) female is unknown. After the 2008 nesting season the female was replaced by a new female that had fledged from a cliff in Connecticut, and in 2009 the original male and the new female nested at the Campbell’s Ledge cliff. Two young were produced and were banded on 2 June. Both fledged successfully and continued to be seen through the summer.

Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County.--This pair has nested successfully since 1999, using 3 different bridges. The male of the pair failed to return in 2009, and was replaced by an unbanded male in juvenile plumage. The new male and the original female bred successfully in 2009, using the same nest site, an inaccessible location under the deck of the Market St. Bridge that had been used since 2003. The nest was monitored by local volunteer Bob Wasilewski and by Jeff Hartman, who was contracted by the US Army Corps of Engineers to monitor the safety of the falcons during a 71501 7 nearby construction project (the Wilkes-Barre Waterfront Project). Four young were produced, and fledged successfully. All 4 fledglings continued to be seen through the summer.

North Central (NC) Region Nests Three nests are present in the NC Region. Two are on cliffs overlooking the Susquehanna River West branch at historic (pre-DDT) peregrine falcon nest sites, and the third is a recently- discovered nest on a bridge.

McElhattan Bridge, McElhattan, Clinton County.--This nest was discovered in 2008 when newly-fledged young were found on bridge piers and railings. The nest is on the top of a concrete pier under the deck of the bridge that carries SR1005 (McElhattan Drive) across the Susquehanna River West Branch between Woolrich and McElhattan in Clinton County. Four young were produced and fledged successfully, but in spite of considerable effort, the nest could not be reached for banding.

Montgomery Cliff, Lycoming County.--This site became the first successful cliff nest in Pennsylvania in 45 years when falcons nested and 1 young fledged in 2003, and falcons have nested at the cliff every year since then. Four young were produced in 2009, the most ever produced at this nest (see Table 1). The nest was accessed for banding on 19 May and 1 nestling was banded, but the other 3 were judged to be too small to band. Bad weather prevented a return to the nest to band the other 3 young. All four young fledged successfully.

Shikellamy Cliff, Union County.--This nest is on a cliff in Shikellamy State Park at the junction of the Susquehanna River West and North Branches. Nesting was documented for the first time in 2007 but was not successful until 2008, when one fledgling was produced. In 2009, two nesting attempts were observed, each one ending in failure.

A nest box had been placed on one of the cliff ledges by PGC during the early re-introduction period. The box is still present but the falcons have not been seen using it.

Nests in Pittsburgh Area, Southwest (SW) Region Four active nests are present in the SW region. Two are well-established nests on tall buildings in downtown Pittsburgh, and the other two are recently-established nests on area bridges. A fifth nest in the SW region, on a bridge in Etna, was active only once, in 2007.

Etna, 62nd St. Bridge, Allegheny County.--This nest was new, but unsuccessful, in 2007: the eggs were apparently washed out from the nest area in the bridge steelwork during a storm. To improve the site, a nest box was placed on the bridge during the winter of 2007-2008 close to the location of the failed nest.

Major maintenance work began on the bridge in the spring of 2008 and continued through the nesting season, causing substantial disturbance, and inspection of the bridge by regional PGC personnel during the nesting season in 2008 and 2009 failed to find any evidence of nesting. However, adult peregrine falcons are still being observed on occasion at this location, keeping open the possibility of future activity. 71501 8

McKees Rocks Bridge, Allegheny County.--The McKees Rocks bridge crosses the Ohio River near the borough of McKees Rocks in Allegheny County, about 6 km NW of Pittsburgh. Peregrine falcons were first noticed near the bridge in late 2007 and continued to be seen regularly throughout the 2008 nesting season. Eggs were documented in 2008, and in 2009, 3 young were produced and were banded on 5 June. All 3 are believed to have fledged successfully.

Monaca, East Rochester Bridge, Beaver County.--The nest at the East Rochester Bridge in Monaca, Beaver County, was new in 2007. The site is monitored closely by a group of local enthusiasts led by Scott Gregg. In 2009 the nest was successful for the third year in a row. Three young were banded at the nest by PGC personnel on 29 May. All 3 fledged successfully, but one of the 3 was recovered dead of an airplane strike on 31 August at Pittsburgh International Airport, 22 km to the south.

Pittsburgh, Gulf Tower, Allegheny County.--The same pair continued to nest in a tray on the Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh. The National Aviary coordinated with building personnel and local volunteers to monitor this nest. The pair was again successful in 2009, and 2 young were banded by PGC personnel on 19 May. Both are believed to have fledged successfully

The Gulf Tower has been productive since 1991 and has produced a cumulative total of 63 young, making it the most productive and the longest continuously-successful site in Pennsylvania (see Table 1). However, productivity has been lower in the past 2 years than in the past. Since the current nesting female arrived in1998, 4 young have hatched and fledged every year except for 1 year with 3 young and 1 year with 5 young, until 2008 and 2009 when only 2 young were produced (Table 1). Two eggs failed to hatch in 2008, and 3 failed to hatch in 2009 (Table 2 and McMorris and Brauning, 2008). The nesting female was banded as an adult in 1998, so she was at least 13 years old in 2009.

Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning, Allegheny County.--The pair at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh nested again in the nest tray on the 40th floor. This pair was monitored by a crew of local enthusiasts led by Kate St. John. Four eggs were laid and all hatched, and the young were banded by regional PGC personnel on 26 May. All 4 fledged successfully in early June, but one was found dead near the nest site on 15 October (Table 4).

Other sites Peregrine falcons have been observed with some regularity at a number of additional sites, but without confirmed evidence of nesting. In some cases the site is most likely only a wintering site; whereas in other cases, the regularity or timing of the falcons’ presence raises the possibility that nesting may occur, either in the future, or undetected at the present. All are being monitored by local volunteers and PGC personnel, and most have been thoroughly searched on one or more occasions. Following is a list of such sites.

Delaware River Route 202 Bridge, north of New Hope, Bucks County, SE Region. Bridge spanning the Delaware River from PA to NJ. 71501 9

Exelon Eddystone Generating Station, Delaware County, SE Region. Coal-fired electric power plant in Eddystone on the Delaware River.

Lancaster, downtown, Lancaster County, SE Region. Griest Building (8 N. Queen St.) and vicinity.

Norristown, Montgomery County, SE Region. Vicinity of Montgomery County Court House.

Peach Bottom, Lancaster and York counties, SE Region. Vicinity of the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station on the Susquehanna River in Peach Bottom Township, York County.

Philadelphia, Temple Medical School, Philadelphia County, SE Region. Vicinity of 2400 N. Broad St.

Rankin Bridge (George Rankin Jr. Memorial Bridge), Allegheny County, SW Region. Steel bridge crossing the Monongahela River from Braddock Ave. in Rankin to Kennywood Blvd. on the opposite bank.

Raymondskill Cliff, Pike County, NE Region. Cliff overlooking the Delaware River, 2-3 km (1.5-2 mi) south of Milford.

Safe Harbor, Lancaster County, SE Region. Located on the Susquehanna River south of Lancaster.

Sewickley Bridge, Allegheny County, SW Region. Steel truss bridge carrying River St. (SR4025) across the Ohio River at Sewickley.

Shippingport, Beaver County, SW Region. Three nearby sites: Bruce Mansfield coal-fired electric generating station, Shippingport Atomic Power Plant, and Montgomery Dam.

Tarentum Bridge, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, SW Region. Carries PA 366 across the Allegheny River between Tarentum, Allegheny County and New Kensington, Westmoreland County.

Wade Bridge, Dauphin County, SE Region. Carries I-81 across the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg.

Westinghouse Bridge (George Westinghouse Memorial Bridge), Allegheny County, SW Region. Carries US 30 across Turtle Creek between East Pittsburgh and North Versailles.

York, downtown, York County, SE Region. Vicinity of the York County Court House.

Losses prior to dispersal – delayed reports 71501 10 Deaths of young prior to their dispersal from the nest site are discussed above and are included in Tables 1, 2 and 4 which summarize the results of the 2009 nesting season. Two delayed reports were received of pre-dispersal losses of young from 2008 nests, and are listed in Table 5. A fledgling from the 2008 Montour nest was found dead near the nest site on 17 November 2009. The well-preserved carcass was in hatch year plumage, indicating that it died before its first winter. A report was received on 2 September 2009 of a bird that had been found dead on 8 August 2008 near the Three Mile Island nest; the bird had been banded shortly after fledging 2 months previously, on 3 June 2008.

Productivity A total of 25 nest sites were active during the 2009 breeding season, and 21 of those nests were successful (84%), fledging 68 young (Tables 1 and 2). The one nest that was new this year, at the Norman Wood Bridge, was unsuccessful

One nest site that has been active in recent years, the 62nd Street Bridge nest in Etna, Allegheny County, was inactive during the 2009 nesting season. Inactivity was almost certainly due to disturbance.

Overall productivity was 2.7 young fledged per nesting pair (25 active pairs), and 3.2 young fledged per successful pair (21 successful pairs). The number of pairs and number of young produced at each nest type (bridge, building, smokestack and cliff) is shown in Table 3. The data set is too small to allow statistical comparison of productivity by nest type.

Young known lost as nestlings (2), pre-dispersal fledglings (6) and post-dispersal fledglings (3) are shown in Tables 2, 4 and 8, and are discussed above. Additional losses very likely occurred at all stages without being detected.

Unhatched eggs were documented at 4 nests, for a total of 9 known unhatched eggs (Table 2), and collected for contaminant analysis whenever possible (see below). As with undetected losses of nestlings, it is most likely that there were additional unhatched eggs that went undetected because they were lost before the nest was visited for banding.

Banding A total of 56 young were banded at 18 of the 21 productive nest sites. The 3 nests where banding was not done were inaccessible. Details and band numbers of these birds are given in Table 4, and additional information about the birds banded at each nest is included above in the results for each nest.

One peregrine falcon was banded after it had dispersed from its nest site. Details are given in Table 6. The bird, an adult male, became trapped in a rooftop equipment enclosure on a tall building in downtown Philadelphia. It was captured, examined and found to be uninjured and in good health, and was banded and released. 41 days later, on 28 May, during the banding of the young at the Philadelphia City Hall nest 0.5 km away, the breeding male at this nest was identified by its bands as this same individual. At the time of his entrapment, his mate was incubating 4 eggs in the nest.

71501 11 Egg Contaminant Analysis Whenever possible, unhatched eggs that were found during the banding visit (i.e. 20-30 days after the eggs should have hatched) were collected and stored at -20°C. At the end of the season the eggs were shipped on dry ice to collaborators at the Department of Environmental & Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Virginia, for contaminant analysis. Analyses on some of the eggs have been completed; on others, it is in progress. When the study is completed, the results will be submitted for publication.

Parental Birds Parental birds at Pennsylvania nest sites have been identified wherever possible. Table 7 summarizes the band information for all pairs. Of the 25 nesting pairs (50 birds), more than half (26 birds) have been identified by their bands, whereas 12 of the nesting adults (24%) are known to be unbanded. Partial band information is known for 3 birds.

There were 2 new nesting pairs in 2009, at Philadelphia City Hall and at the Norman Wood Bridge. Two of these 4 new nesting adults, the adults at Philadelphia City Hall were identified by their leg bands. One was found to have fledged from a 2006 nest in New Jersey, and the origin of the other is unknown, since it was banded as an adult near the site where it is now breeding. The adults nesting at the Norman Wood Bridge have not been identified (Table 7). It is not known whether the falcons that nested at the Delaware Water Gap were the same individuals that nested there previously.

Of the 44 adults nesting at the remaining 22 nests, half of the nesting adults (22) were confirmed by their leg bands as being the same individuals that nested at those sites in the previous year, and most of the remainder (17) are believed to be the same, based on plumage and behavioral characteristics. The 2 adults nesting at the Route 472 Bridge Columbia were identified by their leg bands for the first time in 2009; it is not known whether these are the same individuals that nested the previous 2 years at the nearby Route 30 Bridge.

Only two breeding birds at established nests were confirmed to be new in 2009, for a turnover rate of 5%. (Since the breeding life of adult peregrine falcons is approximately 10 years, one would expect an average turnover rate of approximately 10%.) The two individuals known to be new nesters at previously-established nests were the female at the Pittston/Duryea nest and the male at the Wilkes-Barre nest. In October 2008, after the end of the nesting season, the female of the Pittston- Duryea pair disappeared and was replaced by a new female, V/21 Black/Green, who had fledged from a cliff nest in Connecticut (McMorris and Brauning, 2008). V/21 bred successfully in 2009, and coincidentally, the nest was moved from the Pittston Bridge to Campbell’s Ledge in Duryea. This is the second time in the last 5 years that the nest has been moved from the bridge to the cliff. The previous female that V/21 replaced was an unbanded bird that had bred successfully every year since this nest was first established in 2002. At the Wilkes-Barre nest, the established male failed to return after his customary winter absence, and he was replaced by an unbanded male in juvenile plumage who was first observed on 15 March. Although his behavior early in the nesting season gave testament to his inexperience, he turned out to be a fast learner and succeeded in siring and supporting 4 young, all of which fledged successfully. The previous male was a 13-year-old that had been hacked in Williamsport, PA in 1996 and had nested at Wilkes-Barre ever since the nest was 71501 12 first established in 1998 (McMorris and Brauning, 2008).

The 14 adult females breeding in Pennsylvania whose origin has been determined fledged from nests in 10 US states or Canadian provinces: PA (3 birds), NJ (2), Virginia (VA) (2), Massachusetts (MA), Ohio (OH), New York (NY), Connecticut (CT), Vermont (VT), Wisconsin (WI) and Ontario (1 each) (Table 7). In contrast, the breeding males whose origins are known came from fewer and closer locations: Pennsylvania (9 birds), Maryland (MD) and OH (1 each) (Table 7). These findings are consistent with the pattern, observed in many avian species, that females disperse greater distances than males.

No obvious correlation can be seen between the characteristics of the sites chosen by the adults for nesting as compared with the type of nest from which they fledged. Indeed, one male that fledged from a nest box on a smokestack (Martin’s Creek) is now nesting at a natural site (Luzerne County cliff), and another male has done the reverse: he fledged from a natural site (Campbell’s Ledge cliff) and is now nesting on a smokestack (Montour) (see Table 7). Additionally, the male falcon that nested in 2009 on the concrete bridge in Columbia was identified as a bird that was raised on a man-made coastal tower and was hacked at a cliff, and his mate was raised on a building and hacked at a cliff. These observations suggest that the birds are flexible in their nest site choices. However, our sample is too small for statistical analysis.

Recoveries 1 January – 31 December 2009 There were 23 recoveries of peregrine falcons banded in PA, or of falcons banded elsewhere and recovered in PA, during the calendar year 1 January – 31 December 2009. Details of these recoveries are given in Table 8. “Recoveries” includes only those birds that had dispersed from the sites from which they fledged. Those recovered (injured or dead) before dispersal are noted in Tables 1, 2, 4 and 5 and are discussed above. Most of the recovery records are of birds that were recovered in 2009, but several delayed reports were received of birds that had actually been recovered in previous years (Table 8).

Twelve birds that were banded in PA were recovered. Over half of them (8) were recovered in PA, at various sites as noted in the table. The other 4 PA birds were recovered in NY (2 birds), WV (1) and Ontario (1). Eleven recoveries were of birds that were banded outside of PA and recovered in PA. These birds were banded as nestlings in OH (2 birds), NY (2), VA (2), MD, NJ, West Virginia (WV), CT, and New Hampshire (NH) (1 each). The interval between banding and recovery ranged from 2 months to 10 years.

Fourteen of the recoveries were of live birds, although several of those were injured. Nine birds were recovered dead, or injured so seriously that they had to be euthanized (Table 8). The 3 birds listed as “alive – sight record” are being sighted regularly, either paired with another peregrine falcon at a location suitable for a nest, or at a location previously used for nesting; and so there is a reasonable possibility that these birds may nest in the future.

Several of these recoveries have interesting backgrounds. Male falcon *1/*3 hatched and was raised in a nest on a man-made coastal tower in MD and was hacked at a cliff in Harper’s Ferry, MD. It is now nesting on a concrete bridge over the Susquehanna River in Columbia, PA. It is paired with 71501 13 female 10/V that was raised on a building and was hacked on a cliff in VA (Table 8). The pair nested on the concrete bridge in Columbia in 2009 but the nest was unsuccessful. These birds exhibit significant flexibility in their choice of sites. A third falcon, female 69/Z, was raised on a bridge, hacked on a cliff, and is now resident on a bridge in Tarentum, PA, where it is paired with a male from PA.

Female 81/Y who fledged from the 2007 University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning nest was recovered in April 2009 in Rochester, NY, where she attacked the resident female at an established nest and took over her mate and nest site. The defeated female was reported to have been the most productive peregrine falcon in NY State.

Another recovery may have been the result of a similar territorial battle that went unwitnessed. A delayed report was received of female *7/2 Black/Red (Table 8), which had been recovered dead on 7 April 2006. The recovery site was reported as “5 miles east of Lester, PA,” which is the approximate location of the Girard Point Bridge. *7/2 was the (very aggressive) breeding female at the Girard Point bridge nest from 1998 to 2005. When that nest was visited for banding in 2006, it was found that *7/2 had been replaced by a new, equally-aggressive female, *H/*S Black/Red. A possible scenario is that *H/*S challenged and defeated *7/2 for possession of the nesting territory. *H/*S was 5 years old in 2006 whereas *7/2 was at least 10 years old, having been banded as a breeding adult at the Girard Point bridge nest site in 1998.

The recovery of female 60/Y was the third encounter for this bird. 60/Y was banded as a nestling at Tuckahoe River, NJ on 13 June 2006 and was sighted on a building in Washington, D.C. on 10 January 2007, and again in Alexandria, VA on 29 May 2007, before being recovered nesting successfully at Philadelphia City Hall on 28 May 2009.

Four peregrine falcons from 2009 nests were recovered after dispersal from their nest sites (Table 8). Three were from Pennsylvania nests, and were recovered dead 22, 80 and 100 km from their nest sites within 2 ½ months of fledging (Table 8 and above). The fourth bird was from a nest in NH that was accidentally shot by a duck hunter in Dauphin County, PA, 550 km SW of its nest, 5 months after fledging.

Male V/H was recovered nesting successfully at the McKees Rocks Bridge in Allegheny County at age 9 years. A full band reading and identification were obtained in 2009 of this bird, which had nested the previous year at the same site. Local observers believe that 2008 was the first year for nesting at this site. Male V/H was banded as a nestling in Ohio in 1999 (Table 8), so he was 9 years old when he nested at McKees Rocks in 2008. Observers report that V/H is unusually small; this might help explain why he was unable to establish a territory until age 9, or to remain in possession of a territory that he may have held previously.

Construction and Maintenance Activities at Nest Sites Since 20 of the 25 nests are on man-made structures, human activities frequently present the possibility of disturbance. Some disturbance is chronic and unavoidable (e.g. vibration and traffic noise on bridges), and the falcons have shown their acceptance of that disturbance by choosing the nest site in the first place. In other cases, specific projects or activities such as construction or 71501 14 maintenance present the possibility of disturbance. Such activities pose the possibility of harm to both the falcons and people: harm to the falcons may include injury, nest failure or abandonment; and harm to people may include harassment or injury of workmen by aggressive falcons. PGC maintains a dialog with personnel at all nest sites and other sites frequented by falcons so that activities can be designed or scheduled to minimize human-avian conflicts.

Projects or activities posing the potential for conflicts, and actions being taken by PGC, include the following, several of which are discussed more fully in the narrative for that nest site.

Three Mile Island.--Replacement of the steam generators in the #1 reactor containment building was completed in the latter half of 2009. Several years of planning went into this project. PGC provided input during the planning stages, and the work was scheduled so as to minimize disturbance to the peregrine falcons. The main portion of the work was begun in August 2009, 2 months after the young falcon had fledged, and completed by the end of December. No significant negative impacts on the falcons were observed. The remaining scaffolding will be removed early in 2010.

Wilkes-Barre Waterfront Project.--Construction project on the riverbank near the nest. This is a multi-year project involving construction on the Susquehanna riverbank close to the Market Street nest site. The US Army Corps of Engineers retained the services of Mr. Jeff Hartman to monitor the nesting falcons and the construction activities and report them to both PGC and the Corps. Minor issues potentially affecting the falcons were dealt with as they arose, and no significant negative impacts resulted. The project was completed by the end of the year; all construction machinery, field offices, etc. were removed; and the services of the dedicated peregrine falcon observer were discontinued.

Scudder Falls Bridge replacement.--Plans are being developed to replace the current bridge with two new spans. A new span would be constructed beginning in 2011, and when it is complete, the existing bridge would be demolished and replaced with a second new span. Discussions are ongoing between PGC and Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC).

Girard Point Bridge repainting and maintenance.--A repainting and maintenance project began in the fall of 2009 and is scheduled to continue for 2 ½ years. PGC has negotiated with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to include protections for the falcons in the contract, and the services of a dedicated peregrine falcon observer reporting to PGC have been retained. Bridge work began in early November with the stringing of cables to support safety structures, and monitoring by the dedicated observer is ongoing.

PA-NJ Turnpike Delaware River Bridge reconstruction.--This project involves the replacement of rivets in the gusset plates with high-tension bolts. PGC has negotiated with the contracting engineers to include protections for the falcons and to retain the services of a dedicated peregrine falcon observer, reporting to the PGC, during the nesting season from 1 March through 1 August. PGC’s McMorris gave a training session to contractors and engineers on 25 August. Actual work on the bridge began approximately 1 November 2009 and will continue until approximately January 2011. Several local volunteers regularly monitor the falcons throughout the year to 71501 15 supplement the monitoring done by the paid observer.

Other Circumstances Between October 2008 and late June 2009, 6 peregrine falcons became trapped in a rooftop equipment area on a tall building in downtown Philadelphia. Three were uninjured and were released without incident, but the other 3 died of injuries caused by their entrapment. Building management is cooperating with PGC and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to design and install building modifications to prevent further recurrences. The process is ongoing, and is expected to come to a successful completion in 2010.

Outreach Groups were invited to attend peregrine falcon banding events where logistics made this possible, most notably at the RCSOB (see below), the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning and the Gulf Tower in Pittsburgh, and at Philadelphia City Hall. These are popular events, drawing capacity crowds. Details of outreach activities are provided as follows.

Rachel Carson State Office Building.--The peregrine nest site was again monitored with live video Web streaming at the RCSOB in Harrisburg (DEP 2009). The Web site, with its Web cam, supporting information, email account, falcon story submission and related links, continues to be one of the most popular wildlife watching Web sites in the world.

Pittsburgh Nest Sites.--Web cameras at the nest sites at the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning and the Gulf Tower in Pittsburgh were again provided by the National Aviary (National Aviary 2009). These allow the public to watch live video Web streaming of nesting activity at these 2 sites.

Banding Events.--The falcon banding event at the RCSOB, for the ninth season, provided the opportunity to allow school students to observe the banding of the eyasses with their teachers. Approximately 190 students and teachers from 14 schools and other educational organizations attended the event. The event was also broadcast live on local TV, and world-wide by live Webcast.

The National Aviary partnered with the PGC to invite members of the public and the local media to attend the banding at the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning and the Gulf Tower in Pittsburgh.

At the Campbell’s Ledge cliff in Duryea, Luzerne County, students enrolled in an ornithology course taught by Dr. Jeffrey Stratford at Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, attended the peregrine falcon banding on 2 June and learned about peregrine falcon biology and the PGC’s recovery and management program.

Teacher In-Service Workshop.--DEP and the Game Commission again partnered to facilitate a spring endangered species education teacher in-service workshop at the RCSOB. On 2 April, 23 PA teachers and environmental educators were instructed on peregrine falcon reintroduction efforts, endangered species curriculum activities, and teaching techniques to address urban habitat.

71501 16 Public Presentations.--Dan Brauning and Art McMorris presented talks on peregrine falcon biology and population dynamics and the PA Peregrine Falcon Recovery and Management Plan to numerous public groups during the year.

Media Coverage.--Peregrine falcons continue to capture the public’s interest and are frequently featured in the media throughout the year, especially during the nesting season. PGC’s work with peregrine falcons is also publicized on the Web via live webcasts as noted above and blogs that are too numerous to keep track of. A partial list of media appearances during the “off- season” (post-nesting period) from 1 July to 31 December 2009 follows.

Allentown Morning Call Lancaster New Era (multiple stories) Lehigh Valley Express Times Philadelphia Daily News Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Reading Eagle WFMZ TV

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Nest trays should be placed on any building or bridge where peregrine falcons are nesting and the nest site is judged to be insecure for nesting birds. Eyasses in bridge girders should be transferred to a suitable nest tray to increase prospects of successful fledging. Placing of nest boxes on man-made structures where falcons are not already nesting, in an attempt to attract birds there, is no longer recommended; it is preferable to let the birds seek out natural sites.

2. Maintenance and construction on bridges, buildings and other manmade structures supporting nesting peregrines should be coordinated with wildlife biologists in the Environmental Review Division to assure minimized disturbance of nesting birds.

3. Young should be banded at nest sites wherever feasible.

4. Inspections of historic cliff and potential urban nest sites should be completed at regular intervals, in accordance with federal monitoring protocols.

5. In accord with guidance from the management plan, upgrading of the state legal status of the peregrine falcon from endangered to threatened should be considered.

LITERATURE CITED

Brauning, D. W., 1997. Peregrine Falcon Research/Management Annual Report. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, USA.

Brauning, D. W., 2007. Management and Biology of the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in Pennsylvania. A Ten Year Plan (2008-2017). Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, 71501 17 USA.

Brauning, D. W., and J. D. Hassinger. 2001. Peregrine falcon recovery and management plan. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, USA.

Department of Environmental Protection [DEP]. 2009. Peregrine Falcon Web page. . Accessed 11 March 2010.

McMorris, F. A., and D. W. Brauning. 2005. Peregrine Falcon Research/Management Annual Report. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, USA.

McMorris, F. A., and D. W. Brauning. 2006. Peregrine Falcon Research/Management Annual Report. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, USA.

McMorris, F. A., and D. W. Brauning. 2007. Peregrine Falcon Research/Management Annual Report. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, USA.

McMorris, F. A., and D. W. Brauning. 2008. Peregrine Falcon Research/Management Annual Report. Pennsylvania Game Commission. Harrisburg, USA.

National Aviary. 2009. National Aviary Web sites. and . Accessed 11 March 2010.

Table 1. Number of young peregrine falcons produced in Pennsylvania by nest site, 1999-2009 a. Number of young produced per year b Locations 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Allentown, 8th St. Bridge Relocated 2009 NP 4 4 Ben Franklin Bridge E S - 0 S S ? 4 1 3 3 Columbia, Rte. 462 Bridge Relocated 2009 E E E S S 1 ? ? ? [E]c P P 2 1 Delaware Water Gap SP NP 0 Etna, 62nd St. Bridge E Girard Point Bridge 4 2 2 4 3 3 1 4 3 2 4 Harrisburg, Rachel Carson P 4 4 4 4 3 3 5 4 4 5 Luzerne County cliff 0 2 3 Martin’s Creek PPL plant 2 3 3 4 3 McElhattan Bridge 2 4 McKees Rocks Bridge First success 2009 E 3 Monaca, E. Rochester Bridge 2 4 3 Montgomery Cliff 1 0 1 1 0 2 4 Montour PPL plant 1 4 3 Norman Wood Bridge New nest 2009 NP PA/NJ Turnpike Bridge 2 [NP]c 2 2 3 4 2 3 3 4 4 Philadelphia: City Hall 1 1 - S S S 4 Bell Atlantic 1 Schuylkill Exp. 3 NP NP Pittsburgh, Gulf Tower 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 5 4 2 2 Pittsburgh, U. Pitt. Cathedral P 4 4 4 3 3 4 3 4 Pittston/Duryea: Bridge 4 3 3 4 3 Campbell’s Ledge 2 3 2 Reading, downtown 1 3 4 Scudder Falls Bridge 1 3 Shikellamy cliff NP 1 NP TMI, Middletown 1 3 2 3 3 2 2 1

71501 19 Table 1 cont. Number of young peregrine falcons produced in Pennsylvania by nest site, 1999-2009 a. Number of young produced per year b Locations 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Walt Whitman Bridge 3 2 3 [3]c 4 3 [4]c [1]c [4]c 4d [2]c Wilkes-Barre 3 3 1 4 2 2 3 2 3 4 4

Summaries e Hacking summary -3 Number of pairs (active nests) 8 6 9 9 11 11 11 13 21 23 25 Number of successful nests f 6 6 8 8 10 9 11 11 13 21 21 Young produced b 17 16 18 27 31 29 26 36 35 60 68 Nestlings known lost g 2 0 1 5 1 2 Known fledgling mortality, pre-dispersal 1 4 4 2 1 2 4 1 3 5 6 Known fledgling mortality, post-dispersal 1 3 1 0 2 3 0 3 a Includes nesting pairs on Delaware River bridges that occasionally move nest site to the New Jersey side. When nesting occurs on the NJ side of the state line, data are placed in square brackets and noted with footnote “c”. NJ data are not included in the summaries at the bottom of the table. b “Young produced” is defined as the number of young that fledged or reached fledging age. Where no young were produced, “E” indicates eggs were documented, "S" represents a single adult bird observed through the breeding season, "SP" is a sub-adult pair present, "P" is a pair present, but no nesting attempt documented, “NP” is a pair present which nested but did not produce fledged young, and a “?” reflects uncertainty of activity. c Nest was on the New Jersey side of the bridge. d Three of the 4 young were transferred to West Virginia cliff hacking site by PGC. e Summaries exclude data from nests on the NJ side of the state line. f Successful nests are defined as those that fledged young or raised young to fledging age. g Data for nestlings known lost begin in 2007. 71501 20 Table 2. Productivity by nest site in Pennsylvania, 2009. Known lostc Nest Unhatched Nest- Nest site Typea Statusb Eggsc lings Banded Fledged Nestl Fledg-pre-d Fledg-post-d Allentown, 8th St. Bridge Br- BP 4 4 4 1 Ben Franklin Bridge Br + BP 3 3 3 Columbia, Rte. 462 Bridge Br - NP 4 0 0 0 Commodore Barry Bridge Br - BP 1 2 1 1 1 1 Delaware Water Gap Cl- NP 0 0 0 Girard Point Bridge Br +d BP 4 4 4 Harrisburg, RCSOB Bl + BP 0 5 5 5 2e Luzerne County cliff Cl - BP 3 3 3 Martin’s Creek PPL plant Sm + BP 1 3 3 3 McElhattan Bridge Br- BP 4 0 4 McKees Rocks Bridge Br - BP 3 3 3 Monaca, E. Rochester Bridge Br - BP 3 3 3 1 Montgomery Cliff Cl - BP 4 1 4 Montour PPL Plant Sm + BP 4 3 3 1 2 Norman Wood Bridge Br- NP 0 0 0 PA/NJ Turnpike Bridge Br # BP 4 4 4 1 Philadelphia, City Hall Bl+ BP 4 4 4 Pittsburgh, Gulf Tower Bl + BP 3 2 2 2 Pittsburgh, Pitt Cathedral Bl + BP 0 4 4 4 1 Pittson/Duryea: Campbell’s Ledge Cl - BP 2 2 2 Reading, Callowhill Bldg. Bl - BP 4 4 4 Scudder Falls Bridge Br - BP 3 3 3 Shikellamy Cliff Cl - NP 0 0 Three Mile Island, Middletown Bl - BP 1 0 1 Wilkes-Barre Br - BP 4 0 4 Totals 25 active nests, 21 successful nests 9 70 56 68 2 6 3 a Bl=building, Br=bridge, Cl=cliff, Sm=smokestack. +=nest box or tray, #=other enhancement (e.g., gravel),-=no nest site enhancement. b BP = breeding pair (produced young); NP = pair nested but did not produce fledged young. c Observed numbers of unhatched eggs or of lost young; actual numbers may be higher. Where no number is shown, eggs or young may have been lost without being detected. Nestl=nestlings; Fledg-pre-d=fledglings prior to dispersal from nest site; Fledg-post-d=fledglings post- dispersal. d Two nest boxes are present. e See footnotes h and i in Table 4. Bird indicated by footnote i is presumed to have died 71501 21 Table 3. Number of young peregrine falcons produced in Pennsylvania by nest type, 2009. Number of Number of Number of Nest type pairs successful pairs young fledged Man-made structures: Bridge 12 10 33 Building 6 6 20 Smokestack 2 2 6 Total 20 18 59 Natural sites: Cliff 5 3 9 Totals 25 21 68

Table 4. Listing of peregrine falcon band numbers used in Pennsylvania, 2009: Nestlings banded at nest. Banding USFWS Color Wght County Location Date Sex Band Banda g. Tapeb Allegheny Gulf Tower 19 May M?c 1687-10850 A/46 790 F 1687-10851 A/47 870

Allegheny U. Pitt. Cathedral 26 May M 2206-80649 37/X 720 red F 1687-10852 A/48 1030 blue Fd 1687-10853 A/49 970 green F 1687-10872 40/AE 1070 yellow

Allegheny McKees Rocks Bridge 5 June F 1687-10875 44/AE 770 blue F 1687-10876 43/AE 850 red Fe 1687-10877 45/AE 670 yellow

Beaver Monaca bridge 29 May Mf 2206-80650 38/X 650 yellow F 1687-10873 41/AE 950 blue F 1687-10874 42/AE 940 red

Berks Reading, downtown 26 May M 2206-80675 50/AC 635 red M 2206-80676 51/AC 660 blue M 2206-80677 52/AC 615 white M 2206-80678 53/AC 655 green

Bucks PA/NJ Turnpike Br. 21 May M 2206-80673 48/AC 710 blue M 2206-80674 49/AC 715 white Fg 1687-10879 47/AE >1000 red F 1687-10880 48/AE 1000 green

Bucks Scudder Falls Bridge 29 May F 1687-10888 56/AE 850 red F 1687-10889 57/AE 815 blue Fe 1687-10890 58/AE 610 white

71501 22 Table 4 cont. Listing of peregrine falcon band numbers used in Pennsylvania, 2009: Nestlings banded at nest. Banding USFWS Color Wght County Location Date Sex Band Banda g. Tapeb Dauphin Harrisburg, RCSOB 27 May Mh 2206-80679 54/AC 635 white F 1687-10881 49/AE 910 green Fi 1687-10882 50/AE 880 yellow F 1687-10883 51/AE 805 blue F 1687-10884 52/AE 865 red

Delaware Commodore Barry Br. 1 July Fj 1687-10898 A/87 650k none

Lehigh Allentown, 8th St. br. 16 June M 2206-80686 25/S 730 red M 2206-80687 26/S 705 blue Ml 2206-80688 27/S 735 yellow F 1687-10897 A/86 >1000 white

Luzerne Campbell’s Ledge Cliff 2 June M 2206-80682 57/AC 675 blue F 1687-10893 65/AE 870 red

Luzerne Luzerne County Cliff 2 June M 2206-80683 58/AC 705 blue F 1687-10894 66/AE 955 red F 1687-10895 67/AE 965 white

Lycoming Montgomery Cliff 19 May Uncc 1687-00552 86/Y 350

Montour Montour PPL plant 19 May Mm 2206-79761 08/S M 2206-79762 09/S Fn 1687-00551 A/61

Northampton Martin’s Creek PPL 11 June M 2206-80684 23/S 710 red M 2206-80685 24/S 720 white F 1687-10896 A/85 >1000 blue

Philadelphia Ben Franklin Bridge 1 June M 2206-80681 56/AC 680 red F 1687-10891 59/AE 900 white F 1687-10892 60/AE 885 yellow

Philadelphia City Hall 28 May M 2206-80680 55/AC 675 blue F 1687-10885 53/AE 920 red F 1687-10886 54/AE 960 white F 1687-10887 55/AE 950 green

Philadelphia Girard Point Bridge 14 May M 2206-80670 45/AC 650 white M 2206-80671 46/AC 640 red M 2206-80672 47/AC 635 green F 1687-10878 46/AE 975 blue a All color bands are Black/Green. 71501 23 b Color of tape placed over USFWS band. c Sex uncertain. d Found dead on University of Pittsburgh campus, 15 October 2009. e Feather development indicates this bird was younger than the other two. Tarsus size indicates female. f Recovered dead at Pittsburgh International Airport, 31 August 2009, hit by airplane. g Found dead on pavement under bridge 6 June 2009. h Found at nearby railroad line with both feet severed 12 June. Euthanized. i Observed to have injuries to bill and one eye 16 July 2009, apparently due to collision. Bird dispersed or died before it could be captured for exam and rehab. j Found dead on roadway 23 July 2009. k Age 17 days. l Found dead on the rooftop of the PPL GO building 30 July 2009, left wing impaled on a lightning rod. m Found dead 24 Aug. 2009, Capital City Airport, New Cumberland, PA. n Found dead 14 July 2009, Beech Creek, PA.

71501 24 Table 5. Delayed reports of peregrine falcon deaths prior to dispersal from nest site prior to 2009: pre-2009 nesting seasons. Banding USFWS Aux. Band Recovery Banding Site Date Band Number Color Sex Date Recovery Site Status Montour PPL plant, Found dead in HY 5/14/08 2206-79712 74/X B/G M 11/17/09 Montour PPL, PA Washingtonville, PA plumage TMI, Middletown, PA 6/3/08 1687-10840 A/73 B/G F 8/8/08a TMI, Middletown, PA Dead; delayed report a Report received 9/2/09.

Table 6. Listing of peregrine falcon band numbers used in Pennsylvania, 2009: Birds banded after dispersal from nest site. Banding USFWS Color County Location Date Sex Band Banda Comcast Center, Philadelphia Philadelphia 17 April M 2206-80665 40/AC a All color bands are Black/Green.

Table 7. Identities of nesting peregrine falcons, 2009. Banding Aux. Band a b USFWS (hatch) Age at Nest Site Parent Band a Number Color datec Banding Banding Site Allentown PPL GO bldg. M none none ≤ 2005 F 1807-76454 07/Z Bl/Gr 5/31/2006 Nestling Fallon bldg, Worcester MA Ben Franklin Bridge M none none ≤ 2004 F 1807-62116 25/E Bl/Gr 6/26/2003d Nestling LTV Steel Bldg, Cleveland, OH Southmarsh I. WMA, MD; hacked at Columbia, Rte. 472 Bridge M 816-69321 *1/*3 Bl/Gr 5/27/2004 Nestling Harper’s Ferry, MD F 1807-02717 10/V Bl/Gr 5/17/2006 Nestling Richmond, VA; hacked Hawksbill VA Commodore Barry Bridge M ? ? F 1807-02711 04/V Bl/Gr 6/13/2005 Nestling Mockhorn Island, VA Delaware Water Gap M ? ? ≤ 2007 F ? ? ≤ 2007

71501 25 Table 7 cont. Identities of nesting peregrine falcons, 2009. Aux. Band a b Banding USFWS (hatch) Age at Nest Site Parent Band a Number Color datec Banding Banding Site Girard Point Bridge M present none 2004 Philadelphia, PA? g F 1807-37492 *K/*V Bl/Rd 5/22/2003 Nestling Ocean Gate, NJ Harrisburg, RCSOB M 2206-24690 *W/*V Bl/Rd 5/19/2003 Nestling Walt Whitman Bridge, Phila., PA F 2206-24657 *4/*4 Bl/Rd 5/29/1998 Nestling Girard Pt. Bridge, Philadelphia, PA Luzerne County cliff M 2206-80632 3/Z Bl/Gr 6/15/2006 Nestling Martin’s Creek PPL plant, PA F none none ≤ 2005 Martin’s Creek PPL plant M none none ≤ 2003 F none none 2003 McElhattan bridge M ? ? ≤ 2006 F ? ? ≤ 2006 McKees Rocks Bridge M 2206-35777 V/H Bl/Gr 6/28/1999 Nestling Terminal Tower, Cleveland, OH F none none ≤ 2006 Monaca, E. Rochester Br. M none none ≤ 2005 F 1687-10824 75/Y Bl/Gr 5/24/2006 Nestling RCSOB, Harrisburg, PA Montgomery Cliff M ? ? F present present Bl/Gr ≤ 2004 Montour PPL plant M 2206-80627 64/X Bl/Gr 5/25/2006 Nestling Campbell’s Ledge, PA F none none ≤ 2005 Norman Wood Bridgee Mf present present Bl/Gr? Ff ? ? PA/NJ Turnpike Bridge M 2206-24692 *4/*R Bl/Gr 5/19/2003 Nestling Girard Point bridge, Philadelphia, PA F 1807-63442 *S/2 Bl/Rd 5/30/2002 Nestling Castleton-on-Hudson, NY Philadelphia City Halle Mf 2206-80665 40/AC Bl/Gr 4/17/2009 Adult Comcast Center, Philadelphia, PA Ff 987-95673 60/Y Bl/Gr 6/13/2006 Nestling Tuckahoe River tower, NJ Pittsburgh, Gulf Tower M 2206-24689 *4/*E Bl/Gr 6/11/2002 Nestling Pitt.Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA F 1807-44139 *6/7 Bl/Rd 5/08/1998 Breeding Gulf Tower, Pittsburgh, PA

Adult Pittsburgh, University of M 2206-80608 *5/*4 Bl/Gr 5/17/2005 Nestling Gulf Tower, Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Cathedral F 1807-77607 5/*A Bl/Gr 6/15/1999d Nestling Firstar Bldg., Milwaukee, WI 71501 26 Table 7 cont. Identities of nesting peregrine falcons, 2009. Aux. Band a b Banding USFWS (hatch) Age at Nest Site Parent Band a Number Color datec Banding Banding Site Pittston/Duryea: M 2206-24673 *X/L Bl/Rd 6/02/2000 Nestling Wilkes-Barre, PA Campbell’s Ledge Ff 1687-17684 V/21 Bl/Gr 6/7/2007 Nestling West Rock cliff, Hamden, CT Reading, downtown M 2206-80617 3/T Bl/Gr 5/26/2005 Nestling RCSOB, Harrisburg, PA F none none ≤ 2005 Scudder Falls Bridge M 2206-80618 3/U Bl/Gr 5/31/2005 Nestling Schuylkill Expy. br., Philadelphia, PA F 1807-99741 32/W Black 6/2/2006 Nestling Sheraton Hotel, Hamilton, Ontario Shikellamy Cliff M ? ? 2005 F ? ? 2005 Three Mile Island M none none F none none Wilkes-Barre Mf none none 2008 F 0987-63774 8/Y Bl/Rd 5/28/1997 Nestling Fairlee Palisades Cliff, VT a Present = band present but band number unknown; none = no band present; ? = not known whether a band is present. b Characters marked with an “*” are in a horizontal position, top to left. c Full date indicates banding date. When only the year is given, it is the hatch year, based on plumage when first observed. ≤ : on or before the year indicated. d Fledge date. e New breeding pair in 2009. f New parental bird in 2009. g Possibly from Walt Whitman bridge, Girard Point bridge (Philadelphia, PA) or PA/NJ Turnpike connector bridge (Bristol, PA). Birds banded at those nests in 2004 (this bird’s hatch year), received USFWS band but no auxiliary band. 71501 27 Table 8. Peregrine falcon recoveries, 1 January – 31 December 2009a. Banding USFWS Aux. Band Recovery Banding Site Date Band Numberb Color Sex Date Recovery Site Status Girard Point Bridge, 5/29/1998c 1807-44141 *7/2 B/R F 4/7/2006 5 mi. E of Lester, PA Dead Philadelphia, PA Terminal Tower, McKees Rocks 6/28/1999d 2206-35777 V/H B/G M 5/1/2009 Breeding Successfully Cleveland, OH Bridge, PA Gulf Tower, Pittsburgh, Etobicoke, Toronto, Injured (compound wing 5/3/2003 2206-24680 *4/*B B/G M 5/27/2009 PA Ontario fractures) Comcast Center, New York state 2004-2007 2206-05249 58/R B/G M 6/22/2009 Injured; euthanized Philadelphia, PA Southmarsh I. WMA, Rte. 462 bridge, Breeding unsuccessfully MD; hacked at Harper’s 5/27/2004 816-69321 *1/*3 B/G M 6/10/2009 Columbia, PA (unhatched eggs) Ferry, MD Schuylkill Expressway Scudder Falls Bridge,. 5/31/2005 2206-80618 3/U B/G M 6/2/2009 Breeding successfully bridge, Philadelphia, PA Yardley, PA Riverfront Plaza Bldg., Rte. 462 bridge, Breeding unsuccessfully Richmond, VA; hacked 5/17/2006 1807-02717 10/V B/G F 5/17/2009 Columbia, PA (unhatched eggs) at Hawksbill Cliff, VA Gulf Tower, Pittsburgh, Follansbee, Brooke Injured; recovered; in cap- 5/22/06 2206-80621 3/X B/G M 6/18/09 PA Co., WV tivity in Norristown, PA Tuckahoe River (tower), City Hall, 6/13/2006 987-95673 60/Y B/G F 5/28/2009e Breeding successfully NJ Philadelphia, PA Sea Isle City, NJ; hacked Comcast Center, May 2007 987-95677 64/Y B/G F 5/18/2009 Dead in WV Philadelphia, PA Landmark Bldg., Akron, 62nd St. Bridge, Etna, 5/24/07 1687-01853 M/93 B/G F 10/6/09 Alive; resident at site OH PA Breeding successfully U. Pittsburgh Cathedral, 5/31/2007 1687-00506 81/Y B/G F 4/19/2009 Rochester, NY (displaced resident Pittsburgh, PA female) Benjamin Harrison Bridge, Tarentum Bridge, Hopewell, VA; hacked in 5/22/08 1807-02774 69/Z B/G F 12/20/09 Alive; resident at site Shenandoah NP, VA Tarentum, PA

71501 28 Table 8 cont. Peregrine falcon recoveries, 1 January – 31 December 2009a. Banding USFWS Aux. Band Recovery Banding Site Date Band Numberb Color Sex Date Recovery Site Status U. Pittsburgh Cathedral, 2206- Tarentum Bridge, 5/27/08 35/X B/G M 12/20/09 Alive; resident at site Pittsburgh, PA 80647g Tarentum, PA Syracuse, NY 5/30/2008 1687-01284 99/V B/G F 2/26/09 Connellsville, PA Injured; euthanized Martin’s Creek PPL Comcast Center, 6/3/2008 1687-10866 A/79 B/G F 4/2/09 Captured and releasedf plant, PA Philadelphia, PA NRG Devon power plant, Comcast Center, 6/4/208 1687-17692 V/29 B/G F 4/17/2009 Dead Milford, CT Philadelphia, PA PPL GO Bldg, 6/9/2008 1687-10867 A/80 B/G F 4/13/2009 Bronx, NY Injured; in rehab Allentown, PA Comcast Center, City Hall, 4/17/2009c,f 2206-80665 40/AC B/G M 5/28/2009 Breeding successfully Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Montour PPL plant, Capital City Airport, 5/19/09 2206-79761 08/S B/G M 8/24/09 Dead Washingtonville, PA Harrisburg, PA Montour PPL plant, 5/19/09 1687-00551 A/61 B/G F 7/14/09 Beech Creek, PA Dead Washingtonville, PA Monaca Bridge, Monaca, Pittsburgh 5/29/09 2206-80650 38/X B/G M 8/31/09 Dead (hit by airplane) PA International Airport Susquehanna River, Injured (accidentally Holt’s Ledge, Lyme, NH 6/8/09 1126-01083 21/AB B/G M 11/21/09 Dauphin Co., PA shot); euthanized a Includes delayed reports. b Characters marked with an “*” are in a horizontal position, top to left. c Banded as an adult. d Fledge date. e Third recovery; see text. f Trapped in rooftop equipment enclosure. Captured and released. g Indicated USFWS band was placed on right leg when bird was banded 5/27/08, but was absent when bird was observed and photographed 12/20/09.

71501 29

Figure 1. Locations of active peregrine falcon nests in Pennsylvania, 2009. Nests are located in Allegheny (3 nests), Beaver (1), Berks (1), Bucks (2), Clinton (1), Dauphin (2), Delaware (1), Lancaster (2), Lehigh (1), Luzerne (3), Lycoming (1), Montour (1), Northampton (2), Philadelphia (3), and Union counties (1 nest).