Amid loud and angry squawking from proud falcon parents, the peregrine falcon chick was briefly removed from the nest atop Indiana Michigan Power Center (IMPC) to receive its identification band and named BeeGee.
For the ninth consecutive year, falcon father Jamie and mother Moxie, watched protectively this morning during the banding ceremony hosted at Indiana Michigan Power Center in partnership with the Indiana Audubon Society, Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation (based in Fort Wayne) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Brad Bumgardner, executive director of the Indiana Audubon Society, banded the chick, bringing to 64 the number of chicks hatched and banded atop IMPC since 1996.
“The banding requires us to remove the chicks from their nest for a brief time, which is unexpected for the parents. They acted like any parent would trying to protect their young and expressed their displeasure until the chick was returned,” said Bumgardner. “The numbered band will help us track the movement of the Midwestern peregrine falcons, which after maturity can settle up to 200 miles from where they were raised.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and still practicing physical distancing concerns, I&M was unable to invite student groups to watch the banding, hear an educational presentation from Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation and name the chick like in previous years. That’s where the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne and Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) customers worked together to name the chick, BeeGee.
“Indiana Michigan Power is dedicated to enriching the lives of our youngest customers and the falcon chicks always spark their imagination and put a smile on their face,” said Kim Sabrosky, director of External Affairs for I&M. “We partnered with the kindergartners and first graders at the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne to come up with four female names and four males names. Then we posted those names on our social media platforms for our customers to select their favorite.”
After more than 1,000 votes on I&M’s social media channels, BeeGee is now the name of the newest female falcon chick.
The current pair of falcons, Moxie and Jamie, have been nesting atop the Indiana Michigan Power Center since 2012. Moxie, the mother, is from Canton, Ohio, and the father, Jamie, migrated to Fort Wayne from Port Sheldon, Michigan.
You can watch Moxie, Jamie and BeeGee in their nest high above Fort Wayne on the FalconCam 24x7 at www.IndianaMichiganPower.com/FalconCam