Honoring Brian McDonald (1927-2018)
The annual autumn peregrine surveys at Assateague (49th) and Padre (42nd) Islands were completed in October. Although we have no indication that breeding success in the Arctic was low, both surveys experienced lower than normal numbers of migrants. Local and continental weather phenomena undoubtedly played a role, and at Padre severe tides and flooding of the survey area.
At Assateague we captured 48 individuals and at Padre 74, acquiring the usual invaluable blood and feather samples for archival purposes and current collaborative studies. Final reports have now been completed, and are available on this site under the Research tab.
On October 13 at Assateague we held a gathering in honor of Brian McDonald (see the About Us, In Memoriam tab). The Earthspan family will surely miss the fellowship of this dear friend and pioneering peregrine trapper.