Today on the falconcam you’ve seen Dorothy and E2 away from the nest quite a bit.  They’re able to leave the chicks because the nest is warm enough that the chicks are OK without brooding. 

Meanwhile Dorothy and E2 have been off camera because they’re busy defending their territory.  Today at 1:30pm Karen Lang and I saw E2 attack a third adult peregrine approaching from the south.   Dorothy had already come back to the Cathedral of Learning with two primary feathers askew on her right wing as if something had hit her.  Was that evidence the third adult (intruder?) had hit her?  We don’t know.  

E2 chased the third adult away past Flagstaff Hill while Dorothy circled above Frick Fine Arts.  Both of them are still vigilant, gazing toward the south.

This news just in:  Henry’s in Ohio!

If you watched Dorothy and E2’s nest last year you may remember their son Henry who made a name for himself in July.

On July 7 Henry hit the glass wall at SEI only three days after his sister Yellow died there.  Injured but able to fly, he made his way back to the Cathedral of Learning where his parents fed him while he recovered.  Before the accident he was nearly independent but the resumed feedings taught him that whining brings food.  This made him one very loud peregrine.

• His sister Yellow died July 4
• Henry hits the same windows.  Here’s what the windows look like.
• Henry with his parents in mid-July,
• Henry is loud in August.

Fast forward to Shaker Heights, April 29.

Henry showed up at a low point for the Tower East nest site.  The building had undergone extensive outdoor work since January that culminated in three weeks of roof work in early April.  This was too much for the established peregrine pair, Diana and Stator, so they abandoned the site.

Then on April 29 (Cleveland Forums user) “bobbytimewarp” saw a peregrine on the Tower East building.  The bird’s size was confusing — he seemed large — so Bobby’s initial thought was that the bird was female.  Chris Saladin stopped by with her camera and took some amazing photos while Henry put on a show.  He chased a red-tail, an immature bald eagle, and a kettle of broad-winged hawks.  Very macho!   Check out his antics here.

Using her photos Chris was able to read Henry’s bands and the question “Who is he?” made its way to Art McMorris, Pennsylvania’s peregrine coordinator.  And that’s how I learned Henry’s in Ohio.

Here he is in Shaker Heights yesterday.   Doesn’t he look handsome!

(photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)

Friday, April 27 was a big day at the Pitt peregrine nest.  Three of Dorothy and E2’s four eggs hatched!

6:37am:  First egg hatched.

4:33pm:  Dorothy removes an empty shell, the hint that another chick has hatched.

4:36pm:  E2 arrives to see his new babies.  When Dorothy leaves the nest, we see three chicks.  Two of them are still pink and damp.  Here’s a marked up photo showing where they are.

And here are all three on an unmarked photo.  It looks like more than one egg remains but the old shells are fooling us.

There’s just one more egg to go.

(photos from the National Aviary falconcam at University of Pittsburgh. Click on this link to watch live video from the nest)

Here’s the first baby picture of Dorothy and E2’s first hatchling of 2012.  The chick is still pink and damp from the egg.

I was able to capture this second photo before Dorothy began to brood (cover the chick to keep it warm).  Notice that another egg has a pip.  Second chick is coming soon.

Happy birthday, baby bird!  27 April 2012, 6:39am.

Later, 7:13am:  A first look at the chick’s face.  He’s already becoming fluffy white.

Later, 8:05am:   E2 comes to meet the first baby.

Dorothy and E2 confer:  Should E2 go find food yet?   (Yes.)

A good view of the chick as E2 leaves.  The “egg” against the back wall is the chick’s empty shell, pushed aside.

Click the photo credit link below to watch live video from the nest!

(photo from the National Aviary falconcam at University of Pittsburgh)