In 2022, MLT partnered with the Town of Woodstock and many others to permanently conserve Buck’s Ledge Community Forest. Last weekend, MLT Conservation Commission member (and former MLT staffer) Marcel Polak contributed this exciting update:
On April 13, during Woodstock Conservation Commission’s (WCC) annual two-
day monitoring for peregrine falcons at Buck’s Ledge Community Forest (BLCF),
we confirmed their presence. After a second confirmation on April 14, we
contacted Dr. Erynn Call, the Raptor Specialist at the Maine Department of
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and who is responsible for peregrine
management and protection. While awaiting her response to help us
determine what to do with our trails, we consulted with other biologists and
Mahoosuc Land Trust, the easement holder.
The consensus was that peregrines are most sensitive to disturbance leading to
nest abandonment during this early period. To be cautious, the WCC voted to
close the Buck’s and Moody Trails temporarily, pending input by Dr. Call.
Saturday, April 15th, was a beautiful warm day with the parking lot nearly full, when
we posted the closure. Visitors told us that they were pleased to hear the
peregrines were at BLCF and they were not upset that the trails were closed
(Lapham Ledge and other trails remained open).
Dr. Call contacted us on Sunday, April 16th,and considered the details of the nest and
proximity to the trail. She determined that it was safe to re-open the trails. She is
most concerned when the trail is close to the edge of the ledges and peregrines
exhibit threatening behavior like dive-bombing. We re-opened the trails on Sunday
afternoon. Please contact erynn.call@maine.gov if you hear the Peregrines doing a
distress call, dive bombing, or other threatening behavior.
Peregrine vocalizations: