CCC Volunteers Aid Peregrine Monitoring

The CCC has been working closer than ever with the NC Wildlife Resource Commision to identify peregrine eyrie sites across the state. Our goal is to help biologists determine closure boundaries that make sense in relation to known climbing areas in order to protect the nesting peregrines and to ensure to climbers that climbing routes are not closed down frivolously. Peregrine eyrie locations change often year to year (such as Moores Wall and NC Wall), but in some cases they have historically remained the same for years (such as Looking Glass). The location changes present challenges for climbers and biologists. A few historically challenging eyrie sites we have aided in monitoring include Moores Wall/ North End, North Cedar/ Wall of Northern Aggression, Laurel Knob/ Fathom, Linville Gorge/ NC Wall, and coming soon Big Lost Cove. The outcomes of closures are often in the peregrine's hands (or should we say talons), but due to several climber volunteers and a strong commitment from the NC Wildlife Resource commision, climbers can rest assured that the current peregrine closures in NC are accurate and necessary. The relationship of climbers working with the Wildlife Commision has been mutually beneficial to climbers and to peregrines. Thank you Wildlife Resource Commision and thank you climbers, for respecting closures.

Our efforts were featured in the July- September feature of NC Wildlife Resource Commision's quarterly report. The eyrie pictured was at Laurel Knob's Fathom Area on a ledge near the top of pitch 4. Lab reports of the egg confirmed a successful hatchling at the Laurel Knob eyrie in the spring of 2019. Note: eyries do not typically look like stick nests but in this case, biologists believe that the peregrines adopted an old raven nest.

Below is one page from the NC Wildlife Resource Commision's quarterly report: