A new family has become one of the main attractions at Vinemount Meadows Sanctuary near Stoney Creek.
Several baby peregrine falcons were spotted by birdwatchers who were taking a bus tour of the nearby quarry. Bruce McKenzie, who is the director of the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club, noted that the baby birds had found a perch in nearly the same place as three others had been seen last year. He feels that they will soon be able to fly, and remarked that this shows that the location has been chosen as a yearly nesting site by the birds.
The presence of the nesting falcons was a welcome addition to the opening of the Vinemount Meadows Sanctuary, which was set up this past spring. It is mostly an open meadow, which gives these small birds of prey room to hunt the small animals they need for food.
The area is popular with local birdwatchers, and along with the peregrines, attracts many species that are rare in the area, such as short-eared owls, northern harriers and shrikes, as well as mockingbirds, sandpipers and meadowlarks. A firm that provides printing services can crate Signs for the area that can help people to identify the birds they see when visiting the sanctuary.
The sanctuary project was undertaken as a partnership between the club and the Waterford Sand and Gravel Inc.. The CEO of the quarry noted that his company is pleased with the arrangement and pointed out that it models how the industry can partner with environmental groups. Get a Free Quote for Signs
