Some time yesterday morning while no one was watching — not even his parents — the Pitt peregrine chick made his first flight and had a big adventure.
He landed near Heinz Chapel and climbed the steps, was guarded by Pitt Police and returned to his nest at 2:40pm by a PA Game Commission Officer.
Two blocks away at Schenley Plaza, 10 to 12 of us had been at Fledge Watch since noon with a clear view of the airspace between the nest and Heinz Chapel. We never saw him fly and his parents, Dorothy and E2, were acting normally, flying together, spending time near the nest and looking into the gully as if the chick was there. As Fledge Watchers we cue on the parents to find the “kids.” Dorothy and E2 didn’t even glance toward Heinz Chapel. None of us knew. He flew under the radar.
Yesterday was Music Day at the Schenley tent so we couldn’t hear our cellphones ring but at 2:30pm we suddenly saw calls and text messages that Jody Rosenberg reported the chick on the ground with Pitt Police at Heinz Chapel. Talk about confusion! We’d been watching for 2.5 hours and saw nothing! How could this be true?
And in fact, at that moment the bird was in the elevator on his way back to the nest. I ran to the Cathedral of Learning and met the Pitt Police and PGC Officers when they came down to the lobby. Apparently the bird was reported before noon and yes, PGC confirmed that he was banded “43/BR.” We could see him on the webcam on our cellphones.
Back at nest, he yelled at his rescuer and his parents, had a big dinner and a good long afternoon nap.
Today he’s ready to try again.
(photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)
I hope he doesn’t try that again today….
Can the fact that he glided 40 stories and landed safely be seen as a positive or was his not making short trips first be seen as a instinct deficit. Or both. No wonder Heinz Chapple. Probably wanted to say a prayer of thanks.
Hurray for Silver! I saw that the nest was empty yesterday and kept watching for a sign that he might be below or something. I then noticed he was back last night. Good for her/him. I’m getting a little sad knowing soon our days of watching will end but at the same time so excited to see how far he/she has come in such a short period of time. Good job Dorothy and E2!
Hi Kate, thanks for the write up. I was so hoping that someone had caught Silver’s antics with a view to better understanding if his flight was intentional or accidental. Guess we won’t know for sure. Thankfully he doesn’t seem the worse for wear.
Does his attempt at flying constitute a fledge? Some months ago I read that if this chick fledges, Dorothy will have fledged #43, more than any PEFA on record. She has been absolutely amazing in her care for Silver this year. So grateful to have had the opportunity to watch her in action. As you wrote in an earlier blog, Dorothy is a rock star!
Wow – thank you for the update. Yesterday when we were watching the camera scanned the entire area and we were able to see the fall safeguards you had mentioned in an earlier post. It is getting hard to tell the chick from the parents. Very adventurous for the first flight.
Hi Kate – Thanks for the report! Wondering the same a Pa Gal. Does Silver have to fly *up* to be considered fledged? Wish we had seen how she made it down unscathed, but of course glad she did. Wouldn’t mind if she rested up, ledge-hopped, and “worked out” a few more days before trying again!
Pa Gal and Barbara W, yes he/she has fledged.
Hi KATE,
THANKS SO VERY MUCH FOR YUR UP DATE ON SILVER!! THANKS TO THE HAYES CHATE !! PEOPLE THAT I STARTED TO BE ON BUT NOT ABLE TO SIGN IN THERE CHATE SINCE HAYES EAGLES LOSS THERE BABYS!! I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET N TO THERE CHAT TO THANK THEM ALL FOR HELPING ME & WITHOUT THEM KNOWING T GOT ME DO INTEREASTED IN THE EAGLES & SILVER!! & THERE MON DAD!!,I KNOW THIS ISENT FOR THANKING THEM ALL BUT I JUST BEEN WOUNTNG TO THANK THEM ALL!! SILVER HAS CO,E A LONG WAY!! & DORTHY IS A WENDERFUL MOTHER!! I FILL SHE IS THE ONE THAT GOT SILVER BETTER IM PRAYING SILVER STAYES IN THE BOX AT LEAST TILL HE IS READY TO MOVE ON!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVEING THIS BLOG!! BLESSNGS TINA BOYER,
Wonderful! As someone else noted, born on Mother’s Day and fledged on Father’s Day! A fitting tribute to an amazing pair of falcon parents! Dorothy needs a book written about her, or a documentary.
So glad Silver found “friends” at Heinz Chapel! I’m very glad he is back safely, and when I just checked he was sleeping quite soundly it appears. I hope you can see him fly today, sure wish I could watch but I’m in Texas.
Kate
The chick left the nest sometime between 8:30 and 9:30 yesterday morning.
I was so relieved to learn it was safe last night.
I am curious as to whether anyone took the time to check on our little adventurer, to see if he is, in fact, a he or a she. Do you know? Or can we tell now from the size of the young one? He is very well fed, so I wasn’t sure if that might be making a difference – not having to share with siblings. Perhaps Solstice would be a good name for him.
Barbara H, we don’t know the sex yet. Here is information on naming: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2015/06/01/all-about-names/
Lynn, here is all the information on naming http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2015/06/01/all-about-names/
“Silver”? I thought his / her Name was Fuzzy!
Thank you all for raising the awareness about Silver’s “flight – dates”.
Without your efforts (posters) , the bystanders who saw Silver on the steps/on the ground would NOT have known “who” it was. They would not have contacted Campus police… and the Game Commission … and, therefore help in the return to the scrape.
They might have just “shushed” it away… only to end up in more trouble, or dead.
So … thank You … Thank you VERY MUCH .
May Silver fly to get a name.
Thank-You Kate everyone seems to be calling him / her Silver when the chatters had named him Fuzzy. Silver Died 2 years ago, so I don’t like the fact that they are calling Fuzzy or whoever he is Silver.
Lynn, I’m sorry the naming method disappoints you. Here in Pittsburgh we give temporary names to the peregrine chicks. The names do not affect the birds’ destinies. See this comment for more information http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2015/06/01/all-about-names/#comment-156189
Thanks for the info., Kate. I knew I don’t have much say in naming our little friend – just thought it appropriate to mention, since yesterday was the Solstice. Lynn, I think Fuzzy was a nickname from when he, or she, was looking very much so a couple of weeks ago. 🙂
This bird sure has the stealth thing down.Good you weren’t all prey.
So, since this eyas fledged on Sunday June 21, 2015, Father’s Day and hatched on May 10, 2015, Mother’s Day, that makes for something else quite unique about this juvenile falcons life.
Is it unusual that Fuzzy does not seem to have made any further attempt to fly since his adventures yesterday? Could yesterday have been an unintentional fledge? The downtown birds seemed to be more active after they left the nest last week, not staying put this long between attempts.
Emily, some of them stay put for a while. Others do not.
“…at that moment the bird was in the elevator…”
LOL-so THAT’s how Fuzzy has been getting up and down without anyone actually
seeing it happen!!
Seriously-thanks for your great reporting. Fly Fuzzy fly!