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Peregrine Falcon Nesting Site Abandoned at Prospect Rock

May 14, 2020 by Guest Author Leave a Comment

This post was written by Margaret Fowle, Conservation Biologist with Audubon Vermont.

Photo by Paul Cormier, courtesy of Audubon Vermont

For many of us, getting outdoors and on the trails this spring has been a huge relief from the stress surrounding the coronavirus. Unfortunately, the increase in use of some of our recreation areas has had an impact on some sensitive wildlife species, namely the Peregrine Falcon. Peregrines nest on cliffs throughout Vermont, and there are several that nest near the Long Trail. Many of these areas are far enough away from the public so that people can use the trails and not disturb the falcons.  Other areas, however, are often closed to hikers and/or rock climbers during the time of year when the birds are most sensitive to human disturbance.

Peregrines begin their breeding season in late winter, and are usually incubating eggs by late March or early April. They are most likely to be disturbed by people above their nesting site or near it when rock climbing.  Biologists from Audubon Vermont and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department work with landowners and managers each spring to determine which areas are appropriate to close and which can remain open.

In the case of Prospect Rock in Johnson, Audubon staff and volunteers, the Green Mountain Club, and the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation worked together in March to reroute the Long Trail to keep hikers from going to the overlook at the top and closed the area to climbing.  Peregrines had returned to this cliff to nest in 2019 and successfully raised three young with the same restrictions in place. Unfortunately, the birds chose a new location on the cliff to nest this year, one that is close to the hiking overlook and on a climbing route. Volunteers documented evidence of rock climbing just below the nest site and observed people at the overlook in April, and disappointingly, the birds appeared to have abandoned the cliff by early May.  Peregrine volunteers have been observing similar situations at other cliffs throughout the state, with at least two more sites that appear to be abandoned.

While it’s important for all of us to be outdoors, it is also important to respect the physical distancing our wildlife needs to be successful.  Please respect the signage you see and do not hike or climb in closed areas.

*As of 5/28/2020, the Prospect Rock cliff area is open again after verification that the birds have abandoned the area for the season.

For more information on additional closures, please see this list.

For more information on Peregrine Falcons and their recovery in Vermont, visit the Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project.

Filed Under: From the Field, News, Stewardship

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Leave No Trace, Then and Now: a Timeline of Trail Etiquette Language

March 1, 2023

This article previously appeared in the Winter 2022 Long Trail News, under the headline “Leave No Trace: Then and Now.” It was written by Sasha Weilbaker. To celebrate 100 years of the Long Trail News, we read back issues to learn what they said about trail stewardship and etiquette. The seven … Read more

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Mission

The Green Mountain Club is the founder and maintainer of the Long Trail - the oldest long distance hiking trail in America. Established in 1910 to build this trail stretching the length of Vermont, the club now also maintains the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and trails in the Northeast Kingdom in its mission to "make the Vermont mountains play a larger part in the life of the people." Read more...

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