Owl's Head Cliff

Raptor Restoration Success Story

The half-mile-long granite Owl's Head Cliff faces south, overlooking the Oliverian Brook valley, a small tributary of the Connecticut River. The distinctive rock formation begins in a talus slope that rises several hundred feet to a series of terraced ledges. The large portion of the steep eastern-oriented cliff face has been a popular rock climbing site in the past, though climbing has been discouraged for many years due to rock instability and to avoid disrupting the nesting area for the successfully restored peregrine falcon population.

The cliff was the site of a major peregrine falcon release effort to reintroduce juvenile falcons to the wild from 1976 through 1987. The Peregrine Fund at Cornell University was the overall coordinator and the US Forest Service (White Mountain National Forest) was the local coordinator. Two hired site attendants cared for the young birds each year, a total of 24 attendants over 12 seasons. About 64 juvenile falcons were released over the years. Volunteers continue to help to monitor the breeding locations of peregrine falcons across the state. Contact New Hampshire Audubon for more information at: www.nhaudubon.org or (603) 224-9909.

Forest biologist John Lanier, White Mountain National Forest's wildlife program leader from the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the time was one of the key people in charge. Christian Martin, 35-year New Hampshire Audubon wildlife biologist specializing in raptor monitoring and management project coordinator, was deeply involved in the project. Chris was also instrumental in the peregrine falcon juvenile banding program. See a video of the process here: Peregrine Falcon Banding. And read more about Chris' legacy of protecting raptors in NH here.

Lots of locals assisted with housing and logistics, including Tom Sears, Bill and Andra House, Karen Kellogg and her mom, David Coffin, and Gil and Laura Richardson, future donors of the adjacent land that makes up Oliverian Everlasting Burial Ground.

Oliverian's ground-level vegetation and water sources are an essential part of the valley's ecosystem, providing open field and access to the brook for winged creatures as well as those on the ground. It's not unusual to see peregrines, osprey, hawks, and other birds and raptors swooping over the grounds en route to the cliff and its surrounding habitat. The view of the cliff from the burial ground is one of its more stunning protected scenic features at Oliverian Everlasting Burial Ground.