No Fledge Watch on Wed 5 June 2019. Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch has ended.
Yesterday at Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch we were confused for about half an hour when we thought both youngsters had fledged. We saw one on Heinz Chapel steeple and another on the 16th floor at the Cathedral of Learning. It was the same bird. Red is flying so well that he fooled us.
His brother, Yellow, flapped from the nest rail and perched in the keyhole, below.
There will be no official Fledge Watch today though you are welcome to watch on your own. Leave a comment to let me know what you see.
Neville Island I-79 Bridge (also called the Glenfield Bridge), Ohio River
Laura Marshall reports that this year’s scrape is located under the first catwalk on the Neville Island side. Though she has seen only one chick being fed on the I-beam ledge there are probably more. Stop by here on Neville Island to watch them fledge. Let me know what you see.
Tarentum Bridge, Allegheny River
Rob Protz reports that on Monday evening, June 3, he saw, “a downy feathered nestling on the pier exploring – mostly right in front of the nestbox. The nestling stayed out for quite a while, even went behind the box but when Mom flew up to the railing at 7:04 he was on the downriver side of the bridge foot and scrambled back behind the box.”
Ledge walking is a good sign that these chicks will fledge in mid-June. They’re easy to see from the Tarentum boat ramp. Stop by and let me know what you see.
(photos by John English. Neville Island I-79 Bridge from Wikimedia Commons)
If anyone’s going to Neville Island and wants a little side trip, there’s a nice osprey nest farther up the island (toward Pittsburgh.) Unfortunately, the bridge at that end is under construction this year, but to find this nest, just head up Neville Road along the back channel of the Ohio River. You’ll pass the Emsworth Dam (back channel) about halfway. Look for a tall tower on the to the left of the road, just past Pena-Plas and AVI Food Systems. The osprey nest is on top, very easy to see.