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Pennies for Peregrines
Lansing, Michigan is one
of many successful Peregrine Falcon nests in our state. Lansing
Board of Water and Light (BWL) is very fortunate and honored to
have an endangered species of Michigan take habitat at our
Eckert electric generating plant. Our new falcon
cameras were installed on February 28,
2008.
In
2004, after we successfully fledged 2 of our 3 falcon
chicks, our thoughts shifted to how to help them in years to
come. Since the peregrine will use the same nesting site
year after year, and they mate for life, there would be a
good chance they would return to nest at BWL Eckert for many
years to come. In the spring of 2006, Stelco, the
female falcon, laid 5 eggs on
the breaching near the roof of our 5th generating unit.
However, those eggs did
not hatch. While incubation was in progress and wishing we
had a nesting box for her to use, we starting making plans
to build a nesting box. On March 12, 2007 we placed our nesting box
on the east most breaching of our 6th generating unit at
Eckert. Ten days later on March 22nd, Stelco
jumped into her new home happily. The summer of 2007 was
again successful, Stelco laid 5 more eggs. But again,
they did not
hatch. In 2008, we raised the nesting box higher
above the very hot breaching in hopes of helping the falcons
have a successful brood. We also added hinges to the back for access into the box when the time comes to band the eyases in the
summer of 2008.
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On Thursday, September 13, 2007 Lansing Board of Water and Light kicked off an event
called PENNIES FOR PEREGRINE at Moores Park Elementary school.
The children and staff helped BWL efforts to collect pennies, and
other coins of any size, to add to the donation collection for purchase of a webcam.
The camera would then be placed outside looking into the nesting box at the Eckert
Power plant in Lansing, MI.
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| Shown are (L to R): Principal Mara Lud at Moores Park Elementary, Superintendent of Lansing School District, T.C. Wallace, BWL General Manager J. Peter Lark. |
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On Thursday, Septermber 13, 2007 Lansing Board of Water and Light kicked off an event
called PENNIES FOR PEREGRINE at Moores Park Elementary school.
The children and staff helped BWL efforts to collect pennies, and
other coins of any size, to add to the donation collection for purchase of a webcam.
The camera would then be placed outside looking into the nesting box at the Eckert
Power plant in Lansing, MI.
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| Jenny Scullon with MUCC gives the
students an up close look at a live peregrine falcon. |
| Students at Moores Park Elementary enjoying our hot dog cookout
that followed the presentation of the falcon program. |
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What an amazing group of
kids at Moores Park Elementary school!!!
They collected and donated
a whoppin' $736.03
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In addition to the kids'
donations at Moores Park, BWL employees also donated their
pennies, as did several other local donors of the Lansing and
surrounding areas of Lansing. On Thursday
February 28, 2008 our cameras arrived at Eckert and were ready
to install. The day was rather cold but they were mounted in no
time at all.
Installation
by Chris Conn and Al Conn
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