The peregrine chick at the Cathedral of Learning, C1, has changed a lot in the past week.
On May 31 she was mostly white. Now (June 7) she’s mostly brown. C1 has grown her juvenile plumage and preened away at lot of the down.
Yesterday she was 39 days old, the age at which male peregrine chicks often fledge at the Cathedral of Learning. However, females fly a few days later than the males because they are 1/3 larger and heavier. It will be several more days before C1 flies.
When she walks off camera she’ll fledge in (typically) 2-5 days.
(photos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
This morning it was so nice to see C1 spreading her wings and doing a little dance in the nest. She will be missed. It is amazing how fast they change. Thanks again Kate and good luck with the fledges. I wish I could be there, but seeing all the photo’s is the next best thing: )
Hi Kate,
I stopped by the Neville Island/I79 Bridge at 4:30 pm yesterday to see what was happening. Viewing from the Island public lot I first saw a peregrine chick that had fledged on the base of the north side bridge pier. Then from the Fairfield Inn I saw an adult peregrine at the very top of the Bridge arch. While I was viewing the adult, a yellow warbler decided to show up just several feet away from me singing “look at me, Sweet sweet little more sweet I am”!
Cheers
Thanks for the update, Gene!
Hoping she’ll wait till Saturday so I can join the watch. Slightly off topic question – I’m coming from Cranberry, so I need to park somewhere. Is there a good/better/best place to park when joining fledge watch?
Claire, there’s not really a best place Downtown. I usually park in the former Kaufman’s lot (has a walkway to the former Kaufman’s/ Macy’s). It’s about 3 blocks away.
See Peter’s comment about places to park at Schenley Plaza.
Claire, if you’re coming to the fledge watch in Oakland, there is parking on all the streets surrounding Schenley Plaza. Hopefully summer time on a Saturday will mean there are more spots available than during the school year. You should be able to find something not too far away.