Vermont Fish and Wildlife officials have closed nine trails to  
protect nesting peregrine falcons, including Bolton Notch. Other  
closed trails are the roadside access to the cliff southeast of  
Elephant Head in Smuggler’s Notch, Deer Leap in Bristol, and the  
cliff south of the pond on Snake Mountain in Addison. Also closed are  
Rattlesnake Point in Salisbury, Great Cliff on Mount Horrid,  
Marshfield Mountain, Fairlee Palisades and Nichols Ledge in Woodbury.  
There are signs at trailheads and/or along closed trails. The  
closings will be from May through August, but if falcons fail to nest  
or leave the area, some trails might be reopened early. The Fish and  
Wildlife website has updates.

Two hikers were rescued by State Police from a ledge in Deer Leap  
yesterday. The commotion can't have been good for the nearby falcons!

Maeve Kim
Jericho Center


On May 26, 2008, at 6:07 AM, John Snell wrote:

> A pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS are nesting in BOLTON NOTCH. The area  
> has numerous signs warning hikers to be careful of disturbing the  
> nesting site which is nearby. I found the pair very skittish even  
> as I walked on the nearby road so I kept my distance. Also a RAVEN  
> nearby but did not see if it too was nesting.
>
> John Snell
> Montpelier