cover photo - Midwest Peregrine Falcon Restoration Project

in March. Three eggs were laid at the Space Tower but did not hatch. Pairs have occupied
this site sporadically since 1988, but no pair has produced any live young to date.
First year nesting attempted: 1998 Total young produced: 0
40. LE-I-494 Dakota Bridge, South St. Paul, Washington County, Minnesota. Fallon and Pedar
Thompson observed a pair of birds present at the bridge in early February. For the second
year, ten-year-old male MNDOT b/r *D/C, 1997 fledged from Mendota Bridge in Ft.
Snelling State Park and five-year-old female, Trudy b/g 41/B, 2002 fledge from NSP
Monticello, Monticello, MN were present. The pair attempted to nest in a center alcove on
the east side of the bridge but failed shortly after incubation began. The alcoves were only
~5-6 feet above the ground and the nest was most likely lost to predation. Even though the
failure was early in the incubation period, the pair did not appear to re-nest. The pair
remained on territory through the summer. Plans are to place a box on the eastbound bridge
section when construction of the bridge is completed in the future.
First year nesting attempted: 2003 Total young produced: 1
41. LE-NSP SHERCO Plant, Becker, Sherburne County, Minnesota (aka Xcel Energy Plant
Becker, Sherburne County, MN). Dan Orr, Xcel biologist, and Bob Anderson report that
lightening destroyed the next box and killed the incubating female. Another falcon, 30/B,
attempted to nest in the detritus of the destroyed next box and failed when the site was
washed out in a heavy rain. This female turned up and nested successfully at the Great River
Energy site.
First year nesting attempted: 1992 Total young produced: 38
42. LE-Milwaukee Railroad Bridge/Hastings Cliff/Highway 61 Bridge, Hastings, Dakota
County, Minnesota. For the second year, six-year-old female, Penny b/g 27/A, fledged in
2001 from NSP Sherco, Becker, Minnesota and four-year-old male, Charlie b/g 64/P, fledged
in 2003 from the Cargill Elevator, Red Wing, Minnesota attempted to nest in the area. This
season, the pair attempted to nest in a nest box that was installed on a cliff in 1988 by Pat
Redig, Bud Tordoff, and several MFA members. The pair appeared to lose the clutch when
the young were expected to hatch. The pair did not re-nest and remained on territory
throughout the summer. The box in which the pair laid the eggs had only been used once
before, in 2001. Todd Haarstick and Tordoff assisted with valuable observations throughout
the season.
First year nesting attempted: 2001 Total young produced: 5
43. LE-Wacouta Bluff, 5 miles south of Red Wing,Goodhue County, Red Wing, Minnesota.
New Site. From February through June, an unidentified pair of adult peregrines was on
territory. Early observations indicated that the pair was incubating, but by early May it
appeared that the pair had failed. The adult male was on territory through July, but the female
was not seen after early June.
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