Birds seem to land where they want to without effort, but that’s not the case when flying is new to them.
Landing is a lot harder than it looks.
Kim Steininger captured the trials and tribulations of a young peregrine who landed on a spot too narrow for comfort. Click on her photo to see a slideshow from Wilmington, Delaware a few years ago. It repeats after four frames.
What does a young peregrine do next? Fly again and choose a better landing place. Practice makes perfect.
(all photos by Kim Steininger)
Cute! When Pitt’s first fledgling followed E2 up to the lightning rod Monday, instead of landing on a crossbar like Dad, he latched onto the vertical mast. He hung there awkwardly for half a minute before deciding the roof below was safer. Of course, I didn’t have time to get a photo!
Last evening about 6:30, one of the kids was on top of the Community of Reconciliation’s tower across 5th Ave. That’s the funny-looking gothic church tower, attached to a modern building, for anyone not familiar with it (the original church building was badly deteriorating, but the tower was saved!) Image here:
http://www.pittsburghdailyphoto.com/2009/05/bellefield-towers.html
Those youngsters are ranging further afield — soon I’ll see them flying over my yard!
At 3 pm Saturday, one of the chicks at the Gulf Tower jumped up on the (viewer’s perspective) right wall and seems reluctant to jump back down.
A couple of others acted like they were interested in joining the adventurous chick , but decided against it. They got fed, while the one on the wall did not.
Now it is raining and guess who is getting wet.
I can’t tell whether it is Louie or Dori feeding them lately.
The greenery is nicer to look at, and not a problems as the chicks have gotten so big.