After years of successful conservation efforts to restore the endangered peregrine falcon population in Massachusetts, on March 10 the state officially changed the falcon’s status from endangered to threatened.
“This is fabulous,” said Mass Fish and Wildlife Chief of Information and Education Marion Larson. “We now have 37 peregrine nests across the state.”
The decline of the peregrine population began in the 1940s, and continued into the early 1970’s throughout most of its range.
In the 1930s and 1940s, there were roughly 375 nesting pairs in the Eastern U.S., but by 1966, not a single nesting pair remained in the East.
As with the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon population plummeted, predominantly due to eating prey that was contaminated by the pesticide DDT, which weakened the peregrine’s eggshells, resulting in eggs being crushed during incubation.
The peregrine was listed as endangered in 1969 under the Federal Endangered Species Conservation Act, and Massachusetts added the bird to its state endangered species list in 1990.
Captive breeding programs and reintroduction strategies helped bring the species back from the brink of extinction.
Peregrine falcon restoration began in Massachusetts in the 1980s, with first successful nesting pair in state occurred in 1987 on the Customs House Tower in Boston.
In 2007 wildlife officials recorded 14 known territorial pairs in Massachusetts.
This was the first time that the numbers of pairs had returned to their pre-DDT levels. By 2015, nesting pairs had increased to about 30.
Today nesting pairs can be found on Mount Tom in Easthampton, Mount Sugarloaf in Deerfield, Farley Cliffs in Erving, Monument Mountain in Great Barrington and Pettibone Falls in Chester.
Pairs are also know to nest on the cliffs of quarries in Holyoke, West Roxbury, Saugus, Peabody and Swampscott, as well as tall buildings in Amherst, Boston, Chelsea, Cambridge, Watertown, Lawrence, Lowell, Worcester and New Bedford, and on bridges in Northampton, West Springfield, Charlestown and Fall River.
Several webcams are currently available to the public to witness the peregrine falcon breeding season, including:
The Custom House in Boston: www.earthcam.com/usa/
massachusetts/boston/falcon/?cam=boston_falcon
The Monarch Building in Springfield: www.wfsb.com/category/281239/falcon-cam
“In some cases there should be some hatching going on within the next two weeks,” Larson said.
After 65 years of watershed protection under the name Connecticut River Watershed Council, the organization has changed its moniker to the Connecticut River Conservancy.
“This is not just a rebranding,” CRC Executive Director Andrew Fisk said. “Threats to our rivers remain urgent, and they are now more diverse and present new challenges due to the impacts of climate change. How we confront these challenges now will have repercussions for the next 65 years.”
Fisk said that the non-profit conservancy will remain focused on protecting and advocating for the watershed and working toward a vision that is outlined in CRC’s new slogan: “Clean water. Healthy habitat. Thriving communities.”
The CRC works to protect the watershed from source to sea. The 410-mile long CT River travels from New Hampshire near the Quebec border, through Vermont, Massachusetts and empties into Long Island Sound at Old Lyme, Connecticut.
“The Connecticut River Conservancy has renewed energy and our vision and strategy for our rivers is more clear than ever,” Fisk said.
He noted that the public is invited to attend an upcoming “Launch Party” to celebrate the CRC’s new name and support and or get involved in its ambitious strategy for protecting New England’s great river.
The event will be held at the Arts Block in Greenfield on Wednesday, April 12, from 4-7 p.m. Additional events will be held throughout the summer.
To learn more about the Connecticut River Conservancy visit www.ctriver.org or call 772-2020.
The Westfield River Wild and Scenic Committee will be offering a free training in how to identify and certify vernal pools. The event will be held on Sunday April 30th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a location in Chesterfield.
Those who would like more information, or to register to participate, should contact Meredyth Babcock at 623-2070
A Sacred Earth Sharing Circle is scheduled for April 20, in honor of Earth Day 2017, at Grace Episcopal Church’s Parish Hall, 16 Spring St. in Amherst. The event, facilitated by Apache artist, musician and storyteller Loril Dahitaa Moondream, is “in honor of the Earth and all beings,” the organizers said in a press release.
“Participants are invited to bring original and favorite songs, stories, poems, and dances to honor and celebrate Mother Earth and all our relations on this special occasion,” Moondream said.
Finger food dessert items are welcome, and tea and lemon water will be provided. Donations will be given to the Medicine Mammals Healing Center in Wendell.
The event begins at 7 p.m. and is open to all.
For further information, please email Beth Adams at eadams333@gmail.com or Lucy Robinson at lucyyrobinson.film@gmail.com
On April 22, from 1-2 p.m., Ed Golding, a senior lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will lead a discussion on the subject “Why is our environment in crisis?” at Goodwin Memorial Library, 50 Middle St. in Hadley.
Golding is a former library trustee who has recently published a book called “A History of Technology and Environment — From stone tools to ecological crisis.”
Refreshments will be served.