Category Archives: Books & Events

Sign Of A Peregrine Fan

Books & Events, Peregrines
I Love Peregrines bumper sticker
I Love Peregrines bumper sticker

 

The peregrine queen of the Cathedral of Learning, Dorothy herself, inspired me recently.

I wanted a cool birthday gift for my best friend Karen, who’s a serious peregrine fan, and it had to have a peregrine on it.

Dorothy suggested, “Why not a bumper sticker that celebrates me?”

So I asked Pat Szczepanski for permission to use one of her beautiful photos of Dorothy and designed a custom bumper sticker at Zazzle.com.

Here’s the finished result.

Maybe you’d like one too?  Click here or on the image to buy one for yourself.

Dorothy says, “I’m the sign of a peregrine fan.”

 

(I Love Peregrines Pittsburgh bumper sticker at Zazzle.com designed by Kate St. John. Dorothy’s photo by Pat Szczepanski)

Save The Date: Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch

Books & Events, Peregrines, Schenley Park


This morning I’m being lazy.  Every May I remind Pittsburgh’s peregrine fans to Save the Date for the Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch.  What I wrote last year is worth saying again this year, so here’s the same text with new dates.  🙂

———-

My favorite week of the year is coming soon:  Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch

As amazing as it seems, Dorothy and E2’s youngsters will be ready to fly in early June. They’ll lose their fluffy, white, Buddha-look and become sleek with brown and cream-colored feathers.  And then they’ll learn to fly.

While they’re learning, the young peregrines walk and flap on the ledges above their nest. It’s easy to see them with binoculars so I sit at the Schenley Plaza tent (shown above) to watch the fun.

Come join me to see the youngsters exercise their wings.  Watch Dorothy and E2 show their kids how to fly.  Swap stories about peregrines and the nesting year.

Save these dates, weather permitting. (I guarantee the weather will change this schedule, so watch the blog for the latest updates.)

  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, June 4 – 6, 1:00pm to 2:00pm. The chicks will be walking on the ledges near the nest and easy to see from the ground.  I’ll spend my lunch hour at the tent hoping my first-flight hunch is correct.  Will the first baby fly on June 5?  Come join me and see.
  • Thursday and Friday, June 7 & 8, noon to 2:00pm. I’m staying longer on Thursday and Friday because I think these will be the best days  (but I may be wrong).
  • probably Thursday and Friday evenings, 5:30pm to 7:00pm.  If midday is good, I’ll be at the tent after work, too.  These times may change — stay tuned.
  • Saturday June 9, 10:00am to 2:00pm. Almost all the chicks will have flown by Saturday but the family’s focus may still be at the nest area.  Watch for news on the blog during the week of June 4.
  • Sunday June 10, no time set yet. This is a rain date whose schedule depends on what the peregrines are doing.

Don’t miss the fun. Plan on joining me at the tent for Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch.

See these links (May 31, June 3, June 4) for news of last year’s fun and this Peregrine FAQ that describes what you’ll see on camera as the young peregrines leave the nest.

(photo of the Schenley Plaza tent by Kate St. John)

Port Clinton Peregrine

Books & Events, Peregrines

Back in the 1990’s when I attended the Rachel Carson Institute I learned that an important part of nature observation is to make a list of the species I encounter.  This creates a good historical record of those present and can be compared over time to discover which species disappeared.

During birding vacations list-making morphs into a challenge.  How many species did I see?  Did I miss an easy one?

At the Biggest Week in American Birding peregrine falcons aren’t easy to tally because they’re random fly-bys but before I left for northwestern Ohio I did my homework.  If I didn’t see a peregrine in the marshes I knew where to find one.

Sure enough by Sunday night I still hadn’t seen a peregrine and I was leaving Monday without birding so I stopped by the Ottawa County Courthouse in Port Clinton.  I had read that a pair is present this spring.  To be honest, I would have stopped there anyway because I can’t resist the opportunity to see a peregrine.

And here she is, perched below the courthouse clock.  She looks like a sub-adult to me.  Maybe she’ll raise a family next year in the nestbox provided on the south face.

I tipped off my friends Chuck & Joan Tague and Margie Kern so they could tally a peregrine too.  Thanks to Chuck for the photo.

(photo by Chuck Tague)

How To Draw A Crowd

Books & Events

People cue on the actions of others.  During The Biggest Week in American Birding the cues are swift and intense.

On Saturday afternoon as I left Metzger Marsh I found a guy so intent on a bird that he was willing to scratch the finish on his truck to see it.

Walking on the car is forbidden in my family.  This guy was breaking all the rules so I pulled over to take his picture.

Immediately, his sentinel position prompted others to stop too.  “What are you looking at?”

 

In 60 seconds he had drawn a crowd.

I don’t know what prompted all the excitement.  I was too hungry and “birded out” to ask.  😉

(photos by Kate St. John)

If You’re Visiting Acadia…

Books & Events

Every year I blog about Maine in early September because my husband and I always Acadia National Park at that time.

In fact we’ve vacationed in Maine for nearly 30 years and we always stay at the same bed and breakfast, The Harbourside Inn, run by the Sweet family in Northeast Harbor.

What has drawn us to the same place for more than two decades?  The beauty of Acadia National Park, the Harbourside’s peace and quiet, and the Sweet family’s warm hospitality.

Recently Ann Sweet emailed me that they’ve updated their website, so you can see for yourself.

If you have a hankering to visit Acadia and like to stay at bed-and-breakfasts, check out The Harbourside Inn.

They’re open mid-June to mid-September.

(photo courtesy The Harbourside Inn, Northeast Harbor, Maine)

 

p.s. I just checked the Acadia website and see that as of March 26 several trails are closed due to peregrine falcon nesting.  Way to go, peregrines!

Festivals and Celebrations

Books & Events

Late April and early May are filled with ways to enjoy birds and nature.  Here are just a few of the many events that celebrate Spring near Pittsburgh.

Celebrations:

Festivals:  Want to see a lot of birds?  Want to learn from the top birders in North America?  Here are three birding festivals within a half-day drive of Pittsburgh, listed in date order.

And there are plenty more birding festivals in the works.  Check out the Festival Finder at Bird Watchers’ Digest to find one near you.

Happy birding!

 

p.s.  Did I miss something?  Leave a comment to tell us about your favorite event.

(photo of birders at the Magee Marsh boardwalk linked from BirdWatchingDaily.com. Photo courtesy of the Biggest Week in American Birding. Click on the image to see the original and accompanying article.)

Raptor Weekend at the Aviary! March 17 & 18

Books & Events, Peregrines

Come to the National Aviary on St. Patrick’s Day weekend for Raptor Days, March 17 and 18.  I’ll be there to Celebrate Pittsburgh’s Peregrines.

Saturday March 17:  “Masters of the Sky – Raptors”   Special activities 11:00am to 3:00pm.

Experience the thrill of the hunt as some of the National Aviary’s most stunning birds-of-prey make a special appearance. See the amazing adaptations that allow these birds to use their keen sense of vision to hunt. Discover the wide array of environments, including Southwestern Pennsylvania, that are home to these stunning birds where you can see them in the wild.

Saturday March 17 and Sunday March 18 at 3:30pm, I’ll present “Celebrate Pittsburgh’s Peregrines.”

Celebrate Pittsburgh’s Peregrines with Kate St. John.  Learn about Pittsburgh’s peregrine falcons and the famous pairs who live atop the Gulf Tower and the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning.  Explore their life histories and family connections, how they came to Pittsburgh, what they do during nesting season and where their young live now.

Last year space was limited at WQED’s peregrine celebration so here’s a perfect opportunity to learn about peregrines or introduce your family and friends to Pittsburgh’s peregrine excitement.  (I know they wonder why you’re addicted.  I’ll explain it!)

Come to the National Aviary on March 17 and 18.  “Celebrate Pittsburgh’s Peregrines” at 3:30pm both days.

By then we’re likely to have the first peregrine egg at the Cathedral of Learning or the Gulf Tower nests — or both.  I can hardly wait!

See you there.

Activities are included in the price of admission.  Click these links for admission information and directions to the Aviary.

(photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)

Winter Tree Walk: Let’s Look at Bark

Books & Events, Schenley Park, Trees, Winter Weeds & Trees

Sixteen of us gathered at Schenley Park yesterday for a walk among the trees.

As we left the Visitors Center we were treated to far away(!) views of Pitt’s peregrines, Dorothy and E2, sunning on the south face of the Cathedral of Learning. The weather cooperated and the sun came out.

Here we are in the woods just before we began the mind-numbing task of keying out twigs using the Winter Tree Finder.  By the third twig we had had it!  We gave up on twigs and switched to bark.  Thanks to Debbie Bryant for bringing the Bark book.

Right off the bat I learned something new.  When I identified a tree as “ironwood” George Bercik said ironwood was a different tree.  We consulted our field guides and discovered that “ironwood” is the common name for two trees.  I call the eastern hophornbeam “ironwood.”  George calls the American hornbeam “ironwood” (which I learned as “blue beech”).   Both names are correct but confusing.  That’s the problem with common names…

On our route we found black cherry’s “burnt potato chip” bark, dark red oaks, pale beech trees, and hackberry’s “pie crust” bark.  Birds were few but we saw an adult red-tailed hawk hunting in the woods and some gulls flying overhead.

Around 2:30pm the wind picked up so we returned to the Schenley Park Visitor Center for hot chocolate.   What a cozy end to our bark walk.  Thanks to everyone for coming.

p.s. Spring must be coming soon.  The daffodils are up at the Visitors Center.

(photos by Kate St. John)