We met at the Northgate parking lot and geared up. Martin Muller from the Falcon Reach Group, Mike McDonald, a state biologist and Derrick Guthrie from DOT and I would be climbing on the supporting girders of the Ship Canal Bridge and scampering around on a catwalk several hundred feet in the air.



Safety harnesses were the order of the day and getting a correct fit was important. It seemed the only harness that fit me was the lightweight media version. One last group shot with the boys and we were off.



A DOT dump truck provided cover from traffic as DOT worker Derrick Guthrie leads us down a 4 story steel ladder to the catwalk. We received a raucous greeting. The adult pair of Peregrines repeatedly dived bombed our group as we intruded into their domain. Our hardhats came in handy as the falcons struck repeatedly.



Muller and McDonald have worked under this kind of pressure before and doggedly began the task of removing the 4 fledglings from the nest and double banding their legs. A new highly visible band allows birders with a spotting scope to read the ID’s. This enables a more accurate tracking of the Falcon population.



The young birds were just starting to show their blood feathers and in another 3 weeks they will be able to fly on their own. While Martin finishes the banding, Mike carefully removes some scat and bones from the nest. This helps researchers learn more about their feeding habits.



Thirty minutes later and we are done. The only remaining task is to get out safely. Martin, Mike and I reach the top but where is Derrick? A squawk from the radio reveals that he is pinned down by an angry momma. He is repeatedly dive bombed and hit by the talons of the now very aggressive peregrine. He escapes with only a torn shirt, scrapes and a good story from the encounter. I have one too.

Watch the video of our story that aired on KING 5.