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mark
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 8, 2006 - 02:35pm PT
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A quick update: The Rostrum closure is in place for the summer. Jesse McGahey (the new valley climbing ranger) and I went out to check on the peregrines last week. The birds appear to be incubating some eggs which should hatch soon.
Jesse should have access to his government email in a day or two and will post updates on this and other topics.
Cheers,
Mark (Jesse's boss)
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jsavage
climber
Bishop, CA
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Thank you for taking the time to post.
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Buddha
climber
Gracie Jiu-jitsu Academy
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Yeah I had asked about that in another thread. Thanks for posting up. Very cool news on the eggs.
Autumn look ok for human use, or still unsure?
x2 on the pics ?
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JesseM
Social climber
Yosemite
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I also posted this message on the "Rostrum open?" thread. Sorry for being boringly redundant.
As Mark posted the Rostrum is definitely closed. Using a scope from Reed's Mark and I observed incubation behavior for a couple of hours last Thursday. Jeff Mauer an Ornithologist from UC-Davis also observed them and confirmed that there is indeed a nesting pair presently incubating their eggs on the Rostrum.
Thursday evening I went up to hang the closure signs. One of the Falcons shrieked at me a couple of times when I was 300 meters from the top. So even from that far there is some disturbance. As I put up the last sign at the rap station I saw a couple of guys topping out on the last pitch of the Regular North Face route (actually the 5.10 variation). This would be the "cunuck and aussie" that you heard got caught...although I never talked to the aussie. No, they did not get in trouble. They claimed to not have heard about the closures, and although the Rostrum and other closures have been officially in effect for a couple of months, it had not been posted until Thursday of last week at the Rostrum or at Camp 4. I just started last week, and put the signs up as soon as we confirmed the Peregrines were there and nesting.
Of course I hope climbers don't use "trouble" or fines as their main deterrent from climbing here or other climbing areas that have Peregrine nesting closures. These birds are really amazing creatures, and their numbers are still not very high. If they choose a place to nest we should respect their territory, and be patient for their chicks to fledge before we start climbing in those locals again. In the case of the Rostrum we should be psyched for the Peregrines that they chose such a rad spot to establish their eyrie (The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place.--websters.) Just like so many of you who do laps on this year after year, these birds have chosen to come back to nest here year after year. In the spring its theirs in the late summer they turn it over to us.
Keep in mind that Slack-lining is also prohibited during the closure. The falcons in particular are really bothered by people (or other birds) above their eyrie, and the slackline presents possibly even a greater disturbance.
I will do my best to keep everyone updated on the closure and reopen the Rostrum as soon as appropriate. Finally, keep in mind that I am not a wildlife biologist nor is Lincoln or Mark. At this time park wildlife biologists have limited time to regularly monitor the Peregrines and their progress as a recently delisted Endangered species. However, I have heard that there is a new Ornithologist hired for the park, and hopefully we can tie in with her to reduce and or shorten closures when the Falcons aren't actually nesting in different areas.
Thanks for everyones cooperation. We'll talk more about this on Sunday mornings at 9:00 (free coffe starts this Sunday the 14th!)
Peace,
Jesse
209-372-0354
jesse_mcgahey@nps.gov
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