Peregrine falcons are great to have on bridges. The falcons prey on pigeons and keep starlings away. The droppings of those birds can be quite corrosive to bridges so the peregrines help keep those populations on bridges in check.[<a href="http://storify.com/wsdot/banding-peregrine-falcons-on-i-5-ship-canal-bridge" target="_blank">View the story "Banding Peregrine Falcons on I-5 Ship Canal Bridge" on Storify</a>]<h1>Banding Peregrine Falcons on I-5 Ship Canal Bridge</h1><h2>The @wsdot_traffic twitter account documented the Peregrine Falcon banding this morning on the Ship Canal Bridge. </h2><p>Storified by Washington State DOT · Fri, May 25 2012 13:26:41</p><div>Momma falcon on ship canal bridge has spotted us coming to band her babies. She's not happy. http://yfrog.com/oeww3bdjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Getting ready to cross the under the Ship Canal to approach the baby peregrine falcons. http://yfrog.com/oeth3eovjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Bander and biologist are by the nest now. Mom is puffed up in protective stance http://yfrog.com/nyc8dugjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Collecting the babies. Momma falcon landed on the helmet of the biologist. She's mad! http://yfrog.com/ntwf8akjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>we've got all the falcon chicks for banding. They'll band as fast as possible to minimize human interference http://yfrog.com/oc994iyjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Momma falcon is staying pretty calm, just like last year. But she's not going to take her eyes off us! http://yfrog.com/obfylbizjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Momma peregrine was hatched in 2000 on old Trojan Nuclear Cooling Tower.WSDOT Traffic</div><div>The father, who's probably up in the beams, is a 2001 son of Stewart and Bell who nested on WAMU tower http://yfrog.com/obtwcuyjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>The 3 falcon chicks hatched about 21 days ago, they'll start flying in a few weeks. http://yfrog.com/oex1akkjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Since I only commute from bed to desk, I follow @wsdot_traffic for the peregrine falcon tweets. #noreallymaggim</div><div>The chicks are held down on their backs while the bander measures their legs and places a band around them. http://yfrog.com/oc5vbmejWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Momma falcon hasn't moved since we took the babies for banding. Just staring, intently. http://yfrog.com/h0cu8gmcjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>the peregrine falcon nesting box is a long way up. They're on the right column there. http://yfrog.com/nybgbxqjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Here's another angle of us at the nesting box... gives you a good sense of scale. http://yfrog.com/mgtguacjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Here's another angle of us at the nesting box... gives you a good sense of scale. http://yfrog.com/mgtguacjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>So, what do the falcon chicks look like... here's a picture from earlier today http://yfrog.com/odymckejWSDOT Traffic</div><div>This falcon pair have been nesting on bridge for years. If one should die, the survivor recruits new mate http://yfrog.com/kfd0angjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Momma falcon is getting mad. She wants her babies back! http://yfrog.com/g0elrtajWSDOT Traffic</div><div>We've finished banding the falcon chicks. Getting ready to put them back in nesting box http://yfrog.com/nvqb5unjWSDOT Traffic</div><div>Can you see the chick?! http://yfrog.com/nvt5okwjWSDOT Traffic</div>
