Nature Done Wright

   Last week, state biologists thought that one of three peregrine falcon chicks on their Web cam had died.

   When they removed it, however, they discovered it was still alive — and suffering from "an impaction" in its neck.

  They brought the chick to the Raptor Trust — which removed the impaction and brought the chick back to health.

   The chick has now rejoined its two siblings in the nest. Though it is smaller than its nestmates, it appears to be doing fine.

   A key factor in the rescue: the video-cam.

   Says Kathy Clark, chief zoologist for the state’s Endangered and Non-Game Species Program:

    "The camera was definitely the reason we knew anything was wrong, and we could act quickly enough to save it.

    "That bird would have died by [last]Saturday morning (I was actually surprised he made it to Friday evening, given what we saw on camera).

   "We were able to see what we normally don’t: If (when) that happens ‘in the wild,’ we just find a dead or missing nestling by the time we’d normally do a nest check.

   "So the little guy got lucky. He’s probably the last-hatched and/or the only male, accounting for his small size."

Link: www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/peregrinecam/jcp-2007nestnews.htm

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