Since May we thought there were four chicks at the Downtown peregrine nest on Third Avenue. We’ve counted them several times and several ways but we were fooled. Yesterday we found out there are five!
On Saturday morning the first chick flew from the nest and eventually landed on Third Avenue. A passerby called Pittsburgh Animal Control … who took the bird to a rehabber … who confirmed he had no injuries and called the Game Commission. Deputy Game Warden Bob Fickley retrieved the fledgling from the rehabber, took the bird back Downtown, and placed him on the Rescue Porch. (Thank you, Bob Fickley!) By the time the bird got home he’d been to the suburbs and back.
Peregrine fledglings who land on the ground must be placed up high to start over. The Third Avenue fledglings go to the Rescue Porch because (1) the nest is inaccessible, (2) the porch is as close as we can get to the nest — across the street and within sight of it, and (3) the porch is a better place to start over because it’s 70 feet higher than the nest. Sometimes the parents perch on the railing to watch the nest. They definitely notice when a fledgling is there.
At 2:30p Lori Maggio stopped by Third Avenue and found the fledgling perched on the railing (photo above). Then she went to Mt. Washington to take long distance photos of the bird on the railing and the remaining chicks at the nest.
I arrived at 5pm and expected to see 1 bird on the porch (yes) and 3 birds at the nest opening but I counted four. 1 + 4 = 5!
Lori’s photos also show one on the Rescue Porch and …
… four at the nest.
Oh my! It’s going to be a busy week.
(photos by Lori Maggio)
Oh my goodness, the parents certainly had their talons full with five youngsters. Hope they all fledge, and thanks to the volunteers who watch out for them. Was there ever a definitive ID on the parents? I think I read about Dori but unsure about Louie?
Enjoy the watch, wish I could be there.
We haven’t confirmed the band numbers on either adult yet this year.
Are the fledglings able to be banded when they are rescued & checked out?
No they are not banded when rescued because being able to band them requires special permits plus coordination of available bands to be used, etc. etc
I went from work to Third Ave. to see the Falcons and take some pictures at the nest. Walking back to work I saw the fledgling standing on the sidewalk. There were a few people around watching until the falcon was rescued. the falcon seemed more scared than hurt.
I am so glad that it all turned out well and the falcon is back safely!!!
Thanks to all who helped out!
What an awesome pair of parents. Wish they would consider moving to the Gulf bldg. nest so we could watch them. Maybe next year.
[Insert superlative here]! As a local sports announcer here in San Francisco would say, having been able to witness all this– Thank you, OMW!– has been “a thing of beauty!” Wonderful! Just wonderful!
Walter Mackins, do you watch the PG&E building nest and/or the Campanile in Berkeley? I live in Sacramento and watch those two as well as the UC Davis nest in Sac. Both of those sites had successful nests this year. In Sacramento, there’s one female left to fledge, the other three are flying around the hospital. We don’t have anyone like Kate here to help with updates and monitoring. I sure wish you lived here Kate! HAHA