Peregrine Falcon Restoration - Temporary Hogback closure [May 6 - July 27 2015]

[mingram]

We're planning to do peregrine falcon restoration again this year at/around the Hogback Mt. Launch Site. The temporary closure is scheduled to run from roughly May 6 - July 15, 2015. (we never know the exact date we receive young falcons from the Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries)

Here is some brief information on the project-

Description: The closure area is 130 meters to the east of Hogback Mountain. The closure area encompasses 1.2 acres. The area is steep and partially wooded. The area contains no trails but does contain a hang-glider launch site and a portion of a power-line right-of-way.

Justification: It is essential to provide young peregrine falcons an adequate buffer from human disturbances (e.g. noise and activity) during the restoration process. This temporary closure provides the needed protection essential for successful site-imprinting, honing flight & hunting skills, territory protection, and dispersal. Our goal for this project is to boost peregrine falcon populations in the Central Appalachians where peregrine recovery has been slow. In addition, using at-risk Virginia coastal peregrines as hacking stock serves the dual purpose of improving the survival of these young peregrines while restoring peregrines to the mountains of Virginia. This restoration work directly supports the conservation and long-term recovery efforts of state-threatened peregrine falcons

Project Partners: The Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries, VDOT, and the Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary

Thanks,
Rolf

Rolf Gubler
Biologist
Shenandoah National Park
3655 US Hwy 211E
Luray, VA 22835

540 999-3500 (x3291) (w)
540 999-3693 (fax)

[mcelrah]

Hi guys,

I went to Miller's Head with visiting family last weekend and I think I identified the hang-glider launch - looks like it takes a SW. Is there any support for "exercising" the SNP hang-gliding permit there sometime this season? It would be a grunt hauling 90 pounds of gear 8 tenths of a mile - need sherpa support. Does anyone remember where the LZ is?

- Hugh

[mcgowantk]

Hi Hugh

The launch is right below the concrete lookout pad at the end of the trail. There is very little room there. The "main" LZ is out front, just to the right. I have landed in a couple of fields to the north of the point where launch is located but have not talked to the landowner there in at least 10 years. I looked a while back and could not find his contact info. Hope this helps.

Tom McGowan

[mingram]

Message from the NPS today:

"I wanted to give you a heads-up on the Peregrine Restoration Project. We've successfully released 11 peregrines over the past 7 weeks and everything is going well. The peregrines were released in 3 different batches from mid May thru mid June. The last 5 peregrines were released on June 20. As a result, they will need to be fed/protected up until July 27th. After that, they will be self sufficient and we'll be able to reopen the site to hanggliding and general visitor use."

[mingram]

Falcon restoration should now be complete.