Boeing gives Chicago $10-million

Montblack wrote:
("Gig 601XL Builder" wrote)
A bird hospital? Really? Now there's something that will make big
money for the city.


I'm convinced the local popularity and national reputation of the
Raptor Center, at the U of M, made possible the establishment of the
National Eagle Center, on the Mississippi River (half-way, between
the Twin Cities and the Iowa border.)

Yup, $$$$ ....ecodollars.

http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/index.htm
National Eagle Center - Wabasha, MN

http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/raptor/about/home.html
The Raptor Center - University of Minnesota


Montblack


Do they have a lot of birds of prey in the greater Chicago area?

("Gig 601XL Builder" wrote)
Do they have a lot of birds of prey in the greater Chicago area?


Blah, blah, blah, ...Chicago.

Back to the Twin Cities:

"BirdCam began in 1998, when NSP (now Xcel Energy) became one of the first
companies to place images from a peregrine nest box online. The original
BirdCam allowed visitors to watch Mae, the first falcon to nest at a power
plant, care for and feed her young."

http://www.raptorresource.org/nests.htm
Power plant BirdCams:

"In 1990, Xcel's King plant became the first power plant in the United
States to provide a home for nesting falcons. Its success has led to similar
installations at power plants around the world. In 2004, female baby
Goldstar Zipster became the 300th falcon to hatch from a power plant."

http://www.raptorresource.org/new.htm
Fun raptor BirdCam site - many links

5/01/2007 (YIKES. I never considered this possibility!)
"In sad news, the Xcel Energy Sherco nest box was destroyed by lightning.
Adult W/A was found dead, and bits of shell were also found on the catwalk.
This is the first time anything like this has happened here that I remember.
The incident was reported to USFWS and we'll be replacing the nestbox later
this summer."


Montblack

Do they have a lot of birds of prey in the greater Chicago area?

Lots of human birds of prey, but also a few peregrines - saw one on
top of a building across from my office window a number of years ago,
dining on fresh pigeon.

The bird hospital is for CFIT by birds into buildings - happens
frequently during migration season. Apparently birds often fly at
night and are blinded by the city lights.

On Oct 22, 8:42 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net
wrote:
wrote:
"Park officials have also launched a framework plan for the use of
Northerly Island, the site of a bird hospital SNIP

A bird hospital? Really? Now there's something that will make big money for
the city.

Likely non-profit, and dang funny..aviation remains on the island...JG