New Peregrine Falcon at Clarence Cannon NWR

I had the opportunity to visit Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge in Pike County a few times during my holiday break. During each visit, I encountered this first-year Peregrine Falcon in the same particular cottonwood tree that is usually popular with the area’s raptors.

“Wok Sape” a first-year Peregrine Falcon female

I was fortunate to get nice looks and photos that I could clearly see the band information on the left leg. Looking up the information on the Midwest Peregrine Society website, this appears to be a young female bird, named “Wok Sape.” She was hatched on May 21st of this year in Winona County, MN.

According to the Midwest Peregrine Society, the average dispersal distance of female falcons from their natal sites is 345 km (~214 miles). I am still waiting to hear back from the bander that the bird pictured here is indeed “Wok Sape.” If this is indeed the bird I found, then she has moved approximately 645 km (~400 miles) from her hatching location in about four months or so.

As raptors like to do, I watched as this young falcon was harassed a bit by a passing Northern Harrier as seen below.

A passing Northern Harrier passing close to young Wok Sape for close inspection. The Harrier tried to get as close as possible, attempting to land on a nearby branch, but eventually decided the falcon was too well concealed in the branches and left.

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