At the Cathedral of Learning:
As of yesterday, June 2, Dorothy and E2’s chick hadn’t fledged but he’s getting his exercise. On Saturday Steve Petricca digiscoped a closeup of him on the nestrail with a watchful look on his face.
On Sunday the weather was gorgeous but too windy for first time fliers. Baby eventually flapped on the nestrail (click here for Sharon Leadbitter’s video), Dorothy kited in the wind, and E2 pulled off a hiding trick by disappearing into the fretwork. Can you find him in Max Moritz Terry’s photo below?
Downtown Pittsburgh:
Friday night a juvenile peregrine was found on Smithfield Street (perhaps on the sidewalk) and was rescued by a firefighter who kept him overnight at the station. The Game Commission released him after dawn on Saturday. This is the third rescue from this nest this year. I wonder if this one was a “repeat offender” or the third bird who fledged last Thursday.
Later on Saturday the fourth and last Downtown nestling fledged at 1:55pm. Donna Memon created a video hotspot in the WildEarth archives that shows the bird taking off. Click here, start the video and then click on the Archives tab to see the hotspots list.
Westinghouse Bridge:
Great news! When Dan Brauning and Art McMorris visited the bridge in mid-May they thought the 10-day old chick looked handicapped and wouldn’t survive, but PennDOT checked on him last week and he’s thriving. John English monitors the site and is excited to begin Fledge Watch June 13-ish.
Green Tree Water Tower:
Both birds are still present though their nest has failed. The male is unbanded but Shannon Thompson is working hard to read the female’s bands. The female gets tantalizingly close to revealing her identity … but doesn’t. Look at her hide her bands while raising her foot as if to show them off! Sneaky.
Neville Island I-79 Bridge:
The three nestlings are due to fledge beginning June 6. Fledge Watch starts June 5. Click here for directions.
Thanks to everyone for all your photos and observations of Pittsburgh’s peregrines!
(photos by Steve Petricca, Max Moritz Terry and Shannon Thompson)
Just out of curiosity, but why aren’t the downtown fledglings (fledgling?) banded when they are visited by the Game Commission?
The nest is inaccessible so no banding at an early age. Then, the Wildlife Conservation Officers who did the rescues don’t have peregrine bands; some might not be certified to band peregrines.