Last Sunday afternoon, Steve Gosser stopped at the Tarentum Bridge to see if he could find one of the peregrines that have been there for over a year.
He was lucky! When he arrived two birders pointed out a peregrine in a tree by the river, almost at eye level. The bird waited patiently while Steve took nearly 50 pictures.
And here she is.
This is the same female peregrine who nested at the Tarentum Bridge last year. Hatched at the Benjamin Harrison Bridge near Hopewell, Virginia in 2008, she was hacked (first flight) at Shenandoah National Park. Last year her mate’s bands indicated he hatched at the Cathedral of Learning nest in 2008, son of Dorothy and E2.
This pair was very active at the bridge last spring. They were even seen mating, but no one knows where she laid her eggs because her nest never produced young.
Fortunately that experience didn’t stop her. It’s obvious she considers Tarentum her home.
I hope she picks a suitable site for her eggs this year. It would be great to watch her babies fly.
(photo by Steve Gosser)
p.s. If you didn’t see my peregrine news last Saturday, scroll down to the January 15th entry.
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your photos, Steve! (More photos are on his facebook page.)
She’s beautiful!
She is so beautiful; she must be eating well and often.
I was very lucky indeed! I was thinking if no one has given her a name yet and since many of the other PGH area Peregrines have names, if we should think of a good one for her. Since she comes from Hopewell Virginia, I thought of the name Hope.
Steve, that’s a GREAT name! Since this is her second year at Tarentum — showing she means to stay — she deserves a good name. And we can “Hope” her nest is successful this year.
I will send this around to the folks who’ve corresponded with me about her.
Gorgeous pic! Thanks Steve!
Wow, great pic Steve. I haven’t had a chance to get out there recently, but I’m glad that they are still there. Hopefully there is a male around.
Kate,
While we shouldn’t proliferate artificial nesting sites like the Pitt and Gulf, why not get the money and permissions together for a place at this Tarentum bridge?
Thanks for reminding me, Frank. I plan to look into it.
Great picture Steve. Could you post more or give your facebook address. Thanks.
Nellie, If you click on Steve’s name in blue, it links to his website, which has a link to his facebook page.
That’s cool. Any sign of the male and do you know if it’s still the surviving 2008 male chick from Pitt?
No news of the male yet. Even this female is elusive. After Steve got great photos a number of people visited the bridge but couldn’t find her.