I don’t mean slang for “girl” but a real chick, a juvenile peregrine falcon at the Tarentum Bridge.

Ever since they made the front page of the Valley News Dispatch on Tuesday, the Tarentum peregrines have become celebrities.  Lots of people have stopped by the boat launch to look for the beautiful birds in Steve Gosser’s photos.

Steve himself has become an unofficial ambassador, spending his vacation at the bridge taking pictures of the birds.  On Wednesday he wrote:   “I must have had at least 6-7 people come during the time I was there looking for the Peregrines and of course when they saw me with my binocs and camera they asked me if I knew about them. Even some of the fisherman going out in boats asked me about the Falcons so it was nice to see so many people got to see the article in the paper.”

By yesterday the peregrines had drawn so many people that Steve had lost count.

Meanwhile one of the two juveniles was very cooperative.  She perched so close to the boat ramp that Steve’s camera could gaze into her eyes.

What a gorgeous bird!

If you want to see the Tarentum peregrines, now’s the time to go.  In the weeks ahead the youngsters will become proficient fliers and spend less and less time at the bridge.  Young peregrines spend 5-10 weeks with their parents after they leave the nest — and then they’re gone.

(photos by Steve Gosser)

(*)  I said “she” about this bird but I don’t really know if this chick is male or female.