Nebraskaland Magazine
So Nebraska only has two pairs of nesting Peregrine Falcons, correct? Well, not anymore……
I was recently contacted by Laura King-Homan of the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) who informed me that they have a pair of Peregrine Falcons nesting on their smokestack at their power plant located in north Omaha. I was aware they had placed a nest box on a smokestack years ago and had recently observed at least one adult Peregrine Falcon in the area, but the news that birds were nesting and actually have young came as a big, albeit pleasant, surprise. Below are a few photos Laura provided and additional details can be found on OPPD’s website (including a snazzy YouTube video).
At least one of the adults is banded, but it is not clear whether its mate also has bling. According to Laura, even though there is a walkway, the nest box is not easily accessible (if you’ve seen the smokestack at this location, you can understand why!). OPPD has not been able to capture a photo good enough to read the bird’s band, but they are working on it. For those Peregrine Falcon enthusiasts whose suggested names were not selected by either the Woodmen’s or our own naming contests, the good news is you have another shot with these birds. Visit the OPPD’s website to submit your suggestion and partake in the excitement.
Anyway you slice it, this is big news for Peregrine Falcons and Peregrine Falcon enthusiasts in Nebraska.
Many thanks to OPPD, Laura King-Homan, and Andrew Roger for sharing this information and for allowing use of their photos on this blog post. Thanks to OPPD for supporting Peregrine Falcons in Nebraska.
