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| Peregrine Falcon with prey by Clive Slack |
(published 4-13-20)
In February I attended a different kind of bird walk. More
accurately, it was a “ramble,” the term Kane County Audubon uses for hastily
organized birding adventures. This one began at 5:15 p.m., across from the
Paramount Theater in downtown Aurora.
I’ve been on evening walks before, the usual targets being
owls or woodcocks. This time we’d be looking for peregrine falcons, and our
chances for success were excellent.
In simple terms, the plan, concocted by KCA member and
Aurora resident Vernon LaVia, was to spot a falcon or two and then gather at a
nearby tavern. About 20 birders found the idea irresistible. Even my wife went
along, curiosity overtaking her non-birding instincts.
This was a classic stakeout and Vern had us covered. On the
previous three nights, he’d observed a female peregrine reporting to the top of
Leland Tower between 5:15 and 5:45. A bit later, he saw a smaller falcon join
her, presumably a male.
For LaVia, this is personal. He’s been watching the female
for a dozen years, and the pair for about seven. They roost during winters on
the 22-story Leland, favoring a ledge on the building’s eastern side. Partnering
with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, LaVia installed a plywood
nesting box on the roof in 2016.
Our group assembled on a concrete plaza across from the Paramount
and waited, keeping an eye on the Leland’s upper levels. LaVia, naturally, felt
some pressure to “show the bird.” He’d done his homework, called the meeting,
and now he needed his falcon friends to do their part.
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| Birders gaze up at Leland Tower in Aurora on February 22. |
Again, no worries. In fact, our view was about to improve.
The falcon took off and we lost her. LaVia hustled down
Galena Boulevard, across the bridge spanning the Fox River, to check the west
side of Leland Tower. He relocated the bird and called us over. Now the setting
sun was at our backs, casting a warm glow on the building. The falcon was
perched near the top, and within minutes the male bird landed on a structure
above her.
We couldn’t have asked for a better show. Calm conditions
and a temperature near 60 added to our satisfaction.
As we stood there looking up, fixing binoculars and scopes
on the birds, theater fans began streaming across the bridge; the Paramount’s
matinee of “The Secret of My Success” had just ended. People wanted to know
what we were looking at, and we were happy to let them see for themselves.
Maybe a new birder was born along the edge of the Fox. One
could do worse than starting a life list with peregrine falcon, the fastest animal
on earth.
The peregrine is a nice conservation story, too. It was
removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999, and the Illinois
endangered list in 2015. A ban on the pesticide DDT helped bring it back, along
with captive breeding and release programs.
The bird has also adapted well to urban settings, using tall
buildings in place of rocky cliffs, its native habitat. Downtown Chicago is
home to seven breeding pairs according to Mary Hennen from The Field Museum,
who also directs the Chicago Peregrine Program.
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| Female peregrine on Leland Tower by Eva Dorman. |
The Aurora falcons are clearly a pair, but the nest box has
gone unoccupied, and juvenile birds have not been sighted. Nest failure isn’t
unusual, but LaVia isn’t ruling out an alternative nest site. Leland Tower may only
be a winter roost. For now, the falcons’ family life is a mystery.
LaVia’s monitoring of the pair includes the occasional
stroll around Leland Tower’s base, a streetscape strewn with random bones and bird
parts. Aurora’s ample pigeon population has good reason to be nervous.
Alas, a visit to the boneyard was not on the evening’s agenda.
With daylight fading, Gillerson’s Grubbery, a block away on New York Street, was
beckoning. This part of the ramble, like the first, was perfectly orchestrated
by LaVia. He knew the owner, and I think the beer list as well.
We raised a toast to our leader and to the neighborhood
raptors that brought us all together.
Copyright 2020 by Jeff Reiter. All rights reserved.