Back in 1995, I was working for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. I worked in the non-game unit, and specialized in small mammals (bats, woodrats, flying squirrels, voles, shrews, etc.). Part of all this was being capable with ropes, as the winter bat hibernation surveys in caves often needed rappelling skills and rope ascending as well as just plain knowing how to rig the ropes to avoid accidents.
And the folks who worked with non-game birds, in general, didn't have the rope skills, as it wasn't much of what they did. So, when the Peregrine falcons started nesting under bridges, the bird people called us mammal people to come out and do the rope work needed to capture the falcon chicks for banding (and a bit of blood work to assess disease potentials). Note: This wasn't the first time for this stuff, but my first time.
So here I am, under the Turnpike Bridge in Philadelphia (some 210 feet above the water) on the catwalk.
And the folks who worked with non-game birds, in general, didn't have the rope skills, as it wasn't much of what they did. So, when the Peregrine falcons started nesting under bridges, the bird people called us mammal people to come out and do the rope work needed to capture the falcon chicks for banding (and a bit of blood work to assess disease potentials). Note: This wasn't the first time for this stuff, but my first time.
So here I am, under the Turnpike Bridge in Philadelphia (some 210 feet above the water) on the catwalk.
Keith Christenson 210 feet above the Delaware River on the catwalk of the Turnpike Bridge (I think this is actually called the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, but am unsure of that)
I was just the belay person, which was fine with me. I don't like heights at all and not having to rappel down to the nest kept me sane. See, the bridge sways, and vibrates as wind goes by and trucks cross overhead. And then the water is moving along down below. You have to be really focused on things, and my dislike of heights didn't help, but just doing the belay and helping with the rigging of ropes was okay.
However, Cal Butchkoski, at the time a Wildlife Technician for the PGC and my boss, did have to rappel down. And the nest wasn't just sitting there in the open, but in a box beam. So he had to climb into the beam to catch the Peregrine chicks and then ferry them up to a bird person for banding and blood work.
However, Cal Butchkoski, at the time a Wildlife Technician for the PGC and my boss, did have to rappel down. And the nest wasn't just sitting there in the open, but in a box beam. So he had to climb into the beam to catch the Peregrine chicks and then ferry them up to a bird person for banding and blood work.
Cal Butchkoski inside a box beam looking out after ferrying a Peregrine chick up to the bird folks.
Lots of photo ops not available to me, as I was quite busy with the ropes while Cal was moving. But along the way the female Peregrine was attacking him fairly regularly and got in at least one really good talon hit on his kayaking helmet. He also wore a welder's leather vest to try and prevent serious injury, as the female was really having at him.
The vet with a Peregrine chick.
This all took quite a while, and eventually Cal was able to climb back out of the beam and ascend the rope back to the catwalk. Again, I was busy for all of this so no photos.
But we weren't done. Given the difficulties of accessing the chicks in the beam (plus the more likely troubles with disease and parasites in such a space), we mounted nesting boxes in an area that could be accessed much more easily with the hopes that the birds would use them instead.
But we weren't done. Given the difficulties of accessing the chicks in the beam (plus the more likely troubles with disease and parasites in such a space), we mounted nesting boxes in an area that could be accessed much more easily with the hopes that the birds would use them instead.
Chris Sanders mounting a nest box over the side of the bridge. And yes, I climbed over the side of the bridge for some of this work. Really airy stuff.
So we mounted nest boxes. While not quite shown in this photo, the safety belay here is rigged to a tow hook on the truck. We rigged a cable ladder to get down to the ironwork, and then got the job done.
And while these photos aren't studio quality, it should be noted that all of this was done with a stiff wind and in a heavy drizzle.
I am happy to have contributed to helping with the Peregrine work in Pennsylvania (and I did this stuff two or three more times), yet I am glad to not be doing it anymore.
And while these photos aren't studio quality, it should be noted that all of this was done with a stiff wind and in a heavy drizzle.
I am happy to have contributed to helping with the Peregrine work in Pennsylvania (and I did this stuff two or three more times), yet I am glad to not be doing it anymore.
Peregrine falcon, here on the Girard St. Bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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