Falcon Peregrinations

Peregrine falcon. Photo by Wayne Hoffman.

The public is invited to a presentation by Wayne Hoffman at the MidCoast Watersheds Council meeting on Thursday, April 6th, 6:30 p.m., to learn about recent peregrine falcon nesting at Yaquina Head. The meeting will be held in Room 205 at the Newport Visual Arts Center (777 N.W. Beach Dr.) in the Nye Beach area of Newport. The event is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Wayne Hoffman is a native Oregonian who graduated from Newport High School in 1969, then obtained Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Zoology from Oregon State University, and a Ph. D in Biology from the University of South Florida.  After a “Postdoc” position with the Kansas Biological Survey he worked for 11 years for the National Audubon Society, conducting research on bird populations and habitat needs.  He then returned to Newport, and has worked for the MidCoast Watersheds Council since 1999, currently as Policy Director. 

A pair of Peregrine Falcons began nesting at Yaquina Head in 2012.  This is the most accessible site in a natural setting for observation and photography in the western United States.  Wayne and other local photographers and birders have been documenting these birds ever since.  Wayne will describe the Peregrine nesting cycle, from courtship to fledgling independence, including incubation, chick feeding behavior, prey selection, and nest defense. He will also illustrate social dynamics, including infidelity, mate replacement, and responses to visitors.