Bay area birdwatching

Just look at that thing. Mother-effing majestic. Pic sourced from the Wiki page. 

The Peregrine Falcon is a fascinating animal and I've been interested in them since a very young age. I think solely because they are the fastest living thing on the planet as well as the fact that they are birds of prey. When diving onto prey, they reach an average speed of 200 MPH, and the fastest one ever recorded hit 242 MPH, basically making them nature's equivalent to the MiG-31. I mean, there's a reason that the original name of the F-16 was the Fighting Falcon, and it was even used for the program's official patch. Heck, even the Peregrine Falcon's mating habits look like a prolonged, dangerous aerial dogfight, so this bird just lives to be awesome. 

But they don't need to be on a patch to be just plain cool.

I'm not an overly big into Taxonomy, nor am I really into that many animals, I don't watch nature programs or anything, nor do I even venture out much into nature at all anymore. However, with all the complaining I've done recently with all the stuff I've been writing about in the San Francisco bay area, I figured I should point out something they have done recently that is really great. 

I remember as a kid growing up in that area, that the topic of the falcon's endangered status was brought up in the news on occasion, and the efforts being made to try to rehabilitate the population. Little did I know that at the time of the late 70s and early 80s, their populations had dwindled to the point of there being only two mating pairs in all of California. It was often brought up that whatever steps taken, it may not be enough to save them at all.

Thankfully, that mode of thinking has been proven wrong. Due in part to various policies and practices that included the installing of nests along the higher portions of the business district buildings in the 80s and 90s, that started in San Francisco. Also due to the instituting of breeding programs, and especially the banning of DDT, the population has now dramatically increased. As of 1999, they were removed from the endangered species list, and as of 2010, there was a known population of over 800 in California. Good to see that San Fran has at least done a great job in helping preserve one of natures coolest, most insane flying killing machine of death. 

A photo of falcons on the PG&E building in San Francisco where the first of artificial nests were placed. Bit hat tip to Atlas Obscura for the info and final pic.