On June 25, 2025, three peregrine falcon chicks were banded at Pink Cove along Lake Superior. The banding crew was joined by Dr. Pat Redig, whose decades of work were instrumental in bringing the species back from the brink of extinction in the Midwest. His presence at the site underscored the full-circle story of peregrine recovery—what was once nearly lost is now thriving along the North Shore.

Redig is the former director of The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, an international authority on raptor medicine, and a professor of avian physiology. He has also served as medical director of the North American Falconers Association, contributed to the California Condor recovery team, and is an active falconer.

At the Pink Cove site, climbers retrieved three chicks from the eyrie: two females, one 16 days old weighing 423 grams and another 15 days old at 471 grams, along with a 13-day-old male weighing 272 grams. Each was fitted with federal and multi-colored identification bands, ensuring they can be monitored as they mature and disperse.

The adult male at Pink Cove was unbanded. The female wore a black-over-blue band, V/13, and is known as Jessica. She was banded in 2023 at North Shore Mining in Silver Bay, just three miles from the Pink Cove site.

The banding at Pink Cove highlights the ongoing importance of long-term monitoring, while also honoring the legacy of those whose dedication made the falcon’s return possible.

**Birds were handled for the purpose of scientific research under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U. S. Geological Survey and in accordance with all state permitting requirements.