Shooting on the Edge
One of the cool things about newspaper photography is the strange places you find yourself in while on assignment. Recently I found myself on the ledge of the 23rd floor of the Atlantic Club, in Atlantic City. It was the annual banding of the Peregrine Falcons that nest outside of the penthouse. The door opens and you’re staring at the three-foot ledge at the top of the building. The falcon nest is a few feet to the left. The penthouse butler, a great guy named Mel Thompson, of Northfield, uses a feather duster on the end of a long poll (a highly technical piece of equipment) to keep the momma falcon distracted as a zoologist scurries out on the ledge to collect the chicks. The female peregrine, not fond of the activity, is dive-bombing into us and coming really close. A few years ago the falcon came so close I came away with a cut on my head from a brush with some very sharp talons. It’s exciting, a bit dangerous (I did lose a pair of glasses over the edge), and pretty cool.
Images
Atlantic Club Falcons
A Peregrine Falcon watches through a window as a representative from the Division of Fish and Wildlife bands its chicks that nest outside the penthouse at the resort, Tuesday May 22, 2012.
Atlantic Club Falcons
Peregrine Falcon chicks nest outside the penthouse on the top floor of The Atlantic Club, in Atlantic City, Tuesday May 22, 2012.
Atlantic Club Falcons
A Peregrine Falcon flies by the doorway on the top floor of the Atlantic Club kept at bay by head butler Mel Thompson, of Northfield. A representative from the Division of Fish and Wildlife was waiting to band the chicks that nest outside the penthouse at the resort, Tuesday May 22, 2012.
Atlantic Club Falcons
Kathy Clark, of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, returns Peregrine Falcon chick to their nest as Mel Thompson, of Northfield, head butler at The Atlantic Club, in Atlantic City, holds the mother falcon at bay with a feather duster Tuesday May 22, 2012. The nest was outside the penthouse of the resort.
Atlantic Club Falcons
A Peregrine Falcon chicks collected in a box from their rooftop nest await a representative the Division of Fish and Wildlife to band the chicks that nest outside the penthouse at the resort, Tuesday May 22, 2012.
Atlantic Club Falcons
From left, Kathy Clark, of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, bands a Peregrine Falcon chick held by Mel Thompson, of Northfield, head butler at The Atlantic Club, in Atlantic City, Tuesday May 22, 2012. The chick was one of four that nested outside the penthouse of the resort.
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