Indoor Program – Steve Broker – Return of the Peregrine

Steve discusses the five known nest sites of peregrines in Connecticut during the period 1850-1948. He then summarizes his ongoing studies of the peregrines that have been nesting at West Rock Ridge State Park in Woodbridge since his discovery of a pair of falcons there in 1999. Peregrine life history strategies are the focus of these studies: territoriality, behavior, vocalizations, foraging, mating, nest site selection and preparation, egg-laying, care of nestlings, nest success, and the changing local population of adults. In the 2000 breeding season, the West Rock peregrines produced the first egg to be laid on a Connecticut cliff in 60 years. Steve Broker has worked in science education for the past 45 years. He taught high school science in the New Haven Public Schools for 23 years and participated in the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute for many years as a fellow, representative, and a member of the Yale National Initiative. His university teaching as adjunct lecturer included courses in ecology and forest & wetland ecology (University of New Haven), biology (Quinnipiac University), and teaching of science (Yale Teacher Preparation Program). Steve is President of the Connecticut Ornithological Association and a past President of the New Haven Bird Club (1991-1993).