Pitt Fledge Watch is Tapering Off

Cathedral of Learning peregrine chick snoozes on the upper perch of the nest box, 13 June 2016 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Cathedral of Learning peregrine chick snoozes on the upper perch of the nest box, 13 June 2016 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

The peregrine chick at the Cathedral of Learning has still not fledged as of yesterday evening.  She prefers to sleep during the hottest part of the day so we sit and wait for nothing at midday Fledge Watch.  Notice her in the yellow circle above, sleeping on the roof of the nestbox.

I suspect this is a difference in parenting styles.  Dori and Louie (Downtown) fed their young a little less as they approached fledge date so the “kids” associated fledging with food.  C1’s parents feed her so well that she has little incentive to leave.  Some of you said she’s a spoiled only child.  Perhaps so.  She’ll fly some day but I can’t predict when.

The official Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch is changing and tapering off.  Today, June 14, John English (Pittsburgh Falconuts) will be at Schenley Plaza from 11:00am to 1:00pm.  Peter Bell (@PittPeregrines) will visit when the chick is off camera (i.e. ledge walking or flying). I’ll stop by today from 4:30pm to 5:30pm.

You’re welcome to visit the watch at any time to see the peregrines on your own.

 

p.s. No need to worry that C1 will land on the ground in her first 24 hours of flight.  She has 400 feet of headroom and many comfortable landing sites on the Cathedral of Learning at 380, 320, 250 and 150 feet.  (The Downtown chicks started only 120 feet up with landing zones at 60, 20 and 10 feet high. No wonder they reached the ground!)

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

15 thoughts on “Pitt Fledge Watch is Tapering Off

  1. Tapering off…fledge watch…more like Cathedral watch or juvie starling watch. Down here now and that’s all I’ve seen the last half hour.

  2. Is anyone watching the eaglets at the Harmar nest? They are a few weeks behind the Hays eaglets so they are still at the nest. View isn’t very good but now that they are bigger you can watch them moving around and eating. If you need a juvie bird fix check out the Harmar nest.

  3. Kate, I know you said soon you would be back to writing about things other than peregrines, but they are so lovely and fascinating I like to have as much information as possible about them. Thanks so much for what you do

  4. Pittsburgh Falconuts link brings up an “unavailable” message. Anyway I can get this link to actually work so I can track the fledging of the peregrine fledglings?

  5. Did C1 fledge? My husband and his students were watching and think they saw her fledge today is this true?

  6. Is it possible for kestrel falcons to share space downtown with the perigreen falcons? The kestrel is a beautiful bird.

    1. Mary, kestrels and peregrines both live downtown. The kestrel is sometimes preyed upon by peregrines, though.

  7. Just read the Pitt Peregrine’s twitter page and it indicates that C1 has fledged and is on about the 17th floor of the Cathedral of Learning! Awesome!

    1. Patti, the mother typically tends the nest, the father teaches the fledglings. With only one fledgling it’s normal for the mother to have less to do at this point.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *