Time sure flies and it's hard to believe it's August and the end of the 2005 peregrine season. All the kids are out of their nests and we should have migrant peregrines moving through the area soon.

Highlights of 2005 included finding a new pair at St. Michael's (photo 1) and getting to band young from 7 of our 9 successful breeding pairs. A total of 29 chicks were born of which 25 have survived. Following my short note is a brief summary report. Be sure to check out the expedition site soon for the final update on the maps and the addition of some footage of our Broadway pair throughout the season. (remember the web cams are down until 2006)

Now that it's the off season it'll be time to work on some research including looking at things like our inbreeding pair at Hyde Park. We'll also work on improving sites & trying to get prepared for the 2006 season.

If you have any questions, remember you can always email me at mhennen@fieldmuseum.org. Thanks for all your interest & support of the peregrines!

Mary

Chicago Peregrine Release & Restoration

Mary Hennen, project director

The Chicago Peregrine Release & Restoration program completed its 20th year. Thanks go out to the personnel at the Lincoln Park Zoo, The Shedd Aquarium, Springbrook Nature Center, and SOAR. They have provided assistance to the program by helping monitor sites, band & take blood samples from eyasses, and treat injured birds. The web cams at the Midwest Generation Plant and Evanston Public Library were great successes this year as well as the expedition website.

I. SUCCESSFUL BREEDING PAIRS

1. 5821 N. Broadway

The first of the 5 eggs was laid on April 1st. Five chicks were banded on June 3rd. One was found dead after it's initial flight (D/11) and another was retrieved and successfully returned to the nest. Both adults were identified earlier in the season and were the same as 2004.

male - Tracy (b/g *P/M)

female - Auntie Em (b/g - 5/*P)

The band sequences and names for 2005 eyasses are as follows;

Name

Sex

USFWS#

MIDWEST ID#

Joe

male

2206-62895 D/10

DEAD

male

2206-62896 D/11

Lisa

female

987-40281 14/C

Savannah Rose female

987-40284

23/C

Stephani

female

987-40282 15/C

2. Prison Birds

This year, three young were visible with two landing on the street. One is currently in rehab (as of 8/4/05) and the other was banded & released on July 12th in Lockport, IL.

The band sequences and name for 2005 eyass;

Name

Sex

USFWS# MIDWEST ID#

Hilda

female 987-40286

18/C

3. UIC

Early in the nesting season, the previous adult male (Joshua) was in rehab and wasn't released until sometime in March. At this point 3 adults were seen periodically at UIC and a territorial fight was witnessed. It was thought that peregrines were not nesting at UIC until a single chick was observed in late June. The chick was not found until it was past the age we could risk grabbing it for banding (approx. 32 days.). The adult female was identified at that time as Rosie. While the male was not seen at the time, reports from building personnel reported that the male was "different" looking from the male that had been there in the past. The chick fledged without any problems.

2005 adult id - Rosie(*6/D)

4. Uptown Theatre

The adults were the same as 2004. The male is G/G and the female is Zoom (*4/H. ) They nested in a nest box off the fire escape of the Uptown Theatre. Four eggs were laid and three hatched. The young were banded on May 26th. Fledging started on June 14th. All fledged successfully.

The band sequences and names for 2005 eyasses are as follows;

Name

Sex

USFWS# MIDWEST ID#

Andy

male

2206-47674 97/K

Stan

male

2206-62900 98/K

Oliver

male

2206-62899 99/K

5. Waukegan

5 eggs were laid by March 27th. The first of the 5 chicks was seen on May 6th. Banding took place on May 31st and all 5 fledged successfully. During banding the adult female was identified as Fran (5/*X).

The band sequences and names for 2005 eyasses are as follows;

Name

Sex

USFWS# MIDWEST ID#

Janine

female

987-40278 12/C

April

female

987-40279 84/B

Gus

male

2206-62794 D/09

Tweety

female

987-40287 24/C

Alicia

female

987-40280 13/C

6. Pilson Park (Throop St.)

The first of the 4 eggs was laid by April 4th. 4 chicks hatched (all between May 9th and May 13th.) Banding took place on June 6th. One chick (16/C) was grounded repeatedly and finally placed with Springbrook Nature Center on 6/22/05. The bird was unable to stand but otherwise alert. Unfortunately the bird's health declined and was later put down. The identification on the adult male was the same as 2004 - b/g L/N.

The band sequence and name for the 2005 eyasses are as follows;

Name

Sex

USFWS#

MIDWEST ID#

DEAD

female 987-40283

16/C

Handsome Jerry male

2206-49452

D/12

MJ

female

987-40285

17/C

Big Daddy

male

2206-62897

D/13

7. Evanston Library

Second year for this location in Evanston though they chose a different ledge from before. The adults were Joel (b/g P/N) and a one-year old female 64/D (b/g) - 2004 bird from Cedar Rapids IA.. 3 eggs were laid by April 15th and all 3 hatched by June 3rd.

Banding took place on June 23rd. Two of the three (20/C and 21C) landed on the street after fledging and were returned to the nest. One fledged again (20/C) but with twine around it's feet. Later all 3 chicks were observed with the adults so we assume that the young bird got itself out if the twine.

The band sequences and names for 2005 eyasses are as follows;

Name

Sex

USFWS#

MIDWEST ID#

Maya

female

1687-01957

20/C

Jean

female 1687-01958

19/C

Rachel

female

1687-01959

21/C

8. River Birds

The building the River birds used this year was not identified though by using the locations were young were retrieved after their initial flight, we know it was in the neighborhood of Wacker & Randolph by the Chicago River. An adult female was identified in this area on 2/9/05 as Rahn (01/A) from Sheboygan, WI . We know they had at least 2 young, one was retrieved on 6/17/05 and banded while another immature bird was found dead on 6/20/05 . The surviving young was released in Lockport on July 12th.

The band sequences and names for 2005 eyass is as follows;

Name

Sex

USFWS#

MIDWEST ID#

Autumn Hope

female

1687-01960 22/C

9. St. Michael's - Old Town

This is a new site for 2005, roughly a mile south of the Lakeview pair. The adults were identified as Sadie ( 75/E ) and Hops (58/M). The had 3 young which all fledged successfully. The nest was not accessible for banding but we may be able to work something out for 2006.

II. UNSUCCESSFUL BREEDERS

10. Hyde Park

A pair of peregrines attempted to nest in some of the gutters on the University of Chicago campus but without success. Both adults were identified (Magnolia & S/T). They laid one egg which was almost immediately abandoned and then laid a clutch of 4 (completed by 4/17.) The eggs were incubated for the full length of time but heavy rains during the last week caused the nest to fail. The female was observed to take off from the nest with one egg stuck to her feathers. The shell fragments from the dropped egg were retrieved as well as the last abandoned egg. We are currently negotiating to add gravel or a nesting tray to the site.

III. NONBREEDING PEREGRINES

11. Lakeview The ledge used by the peregrines at this site is not accessible or visible other than from watching from the street. A pair of peregrines were periodically observed in the spring. While seen periodically throughout the season, no behaviors indicating chicks were observed.

12. Lawndale

2 b/g banded adults were present and defensive of an old tower in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago. (Directly west of the UIC site.) The adults were observed to be banded with b/g bands though further id was not confirmed. Last year the adult female was identified as Nitz. No nesting was observed this year.

13. Wacker

During the 2004 breeding season, the adult male (Hubert) at Wacker was found dead. During this past winter (1/12/05), the female Dory was found dead by Animal control. Early this spring 3 birds were observed around the building and on 4/19/05 a dead adult peregrine (91/E) was found dead on an adjacent building with puncture marks in her breast. Though there was sign of birds on the nest ledge (whitewash & prey), no nesting was observed.

14. Skyway