(by Chris Martin, photos by Willa Coroka)
On Friday May 20, I examined and banded FIVE Peregrine Falcon chicks at the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester. I had assistance from five eager volunteers (Maria Colby, Willa Coroka, Joe Grande, Heather Knaub, and Logan Young), and the event was livestreamed on YouTube by our good friends at Peregrine Networks.
Some 800 viewers from NH and around the globe watched the banding live! In the 40-year history of Peregrine Falcon recovery in NH, five young have fledged only twice before (less than 1% of all successful NH Peregrine nests). This was also just the second time we have banded five falcon chicks in a single NH nest; the only prior time being in Manchester in 2010 … same location, but two different parent birds.