Earlier this year, John Howe and Amy Ries of the Raptor Resource Project were very excited to discover that the Cliffwood Bluffs nest had two female and two male fledglings. As part of their ongoing research to protect raptors in the Driftless, Amy and John rappelled down to this protected location when the chicks were less than a month old. As the parents took to the sky and watched carefully, John and Amy took measurements and recorded data about the chicks for their database.
Above: Two female and two male chicks sit on their six foot ledge overlooking the City of La Crosse after banding was completed. (Photo by John Howe, Raptor Resource Project)
Located on a cliff face right above the City of La Crosse, the nest has an amazing limestone overhang that protects the birds from most of the bad weather. Protected for more than a decade by the Conservancy, this cliff face is critical habitat for peregrines which depend on cliff faces for survival.
After DDT nearly wiped peregrine falcons from the Upper Mississippi River by the 1960s, decades of conservation—including captive breeding, releases, and innovative nesting sites on power plants—helped rebuild the population, eventually bringing peregrines back to the limestone cliffs of the Driftless Area, and much of that work began with the Raptor Resource Project. We are so grateful for their partnership as we work together to protect future generations of raptors throughout the region.
For birding enthusiasts or people with children who want to watch the peregrines, you can visit Bluffview Park in La Crosse and set up a spotting scope or use binoculars to watch them soaring around the face of the bluffs.
Moments like these are possible because more than a decade ago, people stepped up to make sure this habitat would be protected. However, we still have a lot of work to do to protect the land in our area. A decade from now, you could look back on a story like this and know that YOU were a part of the solution. We hope you will consider joining us to continue this good work!