Young Pitt peregrines exercising wings, 1 June 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
2 June 2024
Yesterday, while I was away at the PA Society of Ornithology annual conference, Charity Kheshgi stopped by Schenley Plaza to check on the Pitt peregrines. Both youngsters were still on the nestrail so they probably hadn’t flown yet. But you can see from Charity’s photos and videos that these two were getting ready.
I think one of them will fly today … if it hasn’t already.
Young Pitt peregrines exercising wings, 1 June 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
(You’ll hear some background noise in the videos: a robin singing and the beeps and announcements from a nearby walk sign.)
Young Pitt peregrines exercising wings, 1 June 2024 (video by Charity Kheshgi)
Young Pitt peregrine practicing flight, 1 June 2024 (video by Charity Kheshgi)
Young Pitt peregrine uses the runway, 1 June 2024 (video by Charity Kheshgi)
Ta dah! She reached the far side.
Young Pitt peregrines exercising wings, 1 June 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
If you can’t come to Fledge Watch at Schenley Plaza you might catch a glimpse of the juvenile Pitt peregrines on the National Aviary’s falconcam. Yesterday Bob Mulvihill positioned the camera so we can view as much of the nestrail as possible. When the youngsters are at its furthest end we can see them. (That’s the left side of the nestrail as viewed from Schenley Plaza and top center in the camera image above).
This morning at dawn they waited for a food delivery which must have been dropped off where we couldn’t see it on the near end.
Peregrine “Stammy” in Youngstown Ohio, 2008 (photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)
30 May 2024
Fifteen days from now we will celebrate 52 years since the first big step was taken to save peregrine falcons from extinction in the U.S. Scientists had published studies showing that DDT was thinning raptor eggshells and causing all nests to fail. At that point there were no juvenile peregrines east of the Rockies to carry on the species. Thankfully, on 14 June 1972 DDT was banned in the U.S.
While the male chick, Yellow, spent most of yesterday off camera, the National Aviary adjusted the falconcam to view the female chick (Blue) on the green perch. When she wasn’t preening or snoozing she flapped a lot to exercise her wings. See and hear(!) the flapping in this 2-minute video.
Afternoon slot — 4:30pm to 5:30pm on 5/30, 6/1, 6/2, 6/4
Fledge Watch is weather dependent and will be canceled for rain or thunder. If no one shows up I might stay only 30 minutes, so come at the beginning not at the end. Before you come, check my Events Page for cancellations.
Yesterday evening the smaller of the two Pitt peregrine chicks, “Yellow”(*), jumped up to the nestrail and out of camera view. This sequence from the snapshot camera shows where he went.
Peregrine chick “Yellow” hops up out of camera view, 27 May 2024, 7:06pm
The streaming camera never saw it. Meanwhile the remaining chick, female “Blue”(*), remained on the green perch.
Sometimes she wasn’t visible on the streaming camera but you can see the entire area here on the snapshot page.
In the next couple of days the number of chicks at the nest will fluctuate until both are gone. Don’t worry. They are stepping up to the nestrail — the “runway” — where they’ll learn to fly.
Yellow’s first step happened much sooner than I expected. Fledge Watch might be too late to see him!
(*) Names: Yellow and Blue are temporarily named for the colored tape placed on their USFW bands when they were banded last week. Yellow is the smaller one, likely male. Blue is the larger and definitely female.
Pitt peregrine chicks watch intently, 24 May 2024 (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera)
26 May 2024
Though the Pitt peregrine chicks are turning brown, they still have tufts of down and white pantaloons on their legs. It’s hard to believe that by the end of the week they will ledge walk off the nest and out of camera view. One of them will make his first flight next weekend. The second will follow shortly thereafter.
Yesterday the youngsters spent a lot of time exercising their wings — “Wingercize” — flapping frequently in this snapshot video. The larger chick, female Blue, used the gravel like a runway. It won’t be long before they fly.
Pitt peregrine chicks exercise their wings, 25 May 2024 (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera)
After the chicks walk out of camera view the best place to see them is from Schenley Plaza. I plan to stop by once a day to check on their progress.
Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch, Schenley Plaza, selected times May 30 to June 3, 2024.
Meet me at the tent at the dates and times below.
Schenley Plaza tent (photo by Kate St. John)
Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch is a drop-in event to see the Cathedral of Learning peregrine family and watch young birds learn to fly. I’ll have my scope on hand for a zoomed in view of the youngsters exercising their wings.
Where:Schenley Plaza near the tent, pictured above. When: Fledge Watch is weather dependent and will be canceled for rain or thunder. Check the Events page before you come in case of weather cancellation.
NOTE: If no one shows up I might stay only 30 minutes, so come at the beginning not the end.
30 May, 4:30pm to 5:30pm (Thursday)
31 May, 11:30am to 12:30pm (Friday)
1 June, 4:30pm to 5:30pm (Saturday) I’m not available on this date. John English will be there.
2 June, 4:30pm to 5:30pm (Sunday) John English and I will both be there.
3 June, 11:30am to 12:30pm (Monday)
4 June (Tuesday)CANCELED BECAUSE THEY FLEW!
If we’re lucky, here’s what we’ll see:
In 2009 Stephen Tirone filmed the chicks standing on the nest railing and flapping like crazy. Their parents encouraged them by flying back and forth overhead. Then one of the chicks made its first flight — straight out — at the 0:56 second spot.
PGC’s Patti Barber prepares to band one of the Pitt peregrine chicks, 21 May 2024 (photo by Mike Faix, National Aviary)
21 May 2024
This morning two peregrine chicks were banded at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning by Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Biologist from the PA Game Commission (PGC).
As soon as Patti began collecting the chicks, the parents Carla and Ecco strafed the building to drive her away. Carla herself is banded but this was her first time experiencing it as a mother. She was fierce in protecting her chicks.
Indoors, the chicks were given health checks (they are very healthy!), weighed to determine their sex, and given two leg bands: a black/green color band that can be read through binoculars and a silver USFW band.
Patti Barber displays the band to be used on the larger of the two chicks at the Cathedral of Learning, 21 May 2024 (photo by Aimee Obidzinski, Univ of Pittsburgh)
Patti put colored tape on the silver USFW bands so we can identify the birds by color on the falconcam. The smaller chick is yellow, the larger chick is blue.
Interestingly the larger of the two youngsters (blue) is clearly female, weighing in at over 1000g. The smaller bird (yellow) weighed 730g, just above the borderline that designates males as less than 700g and females as more.
Yellow was officially listed as “sex undetermined” but my guess is that he’s male. The Cathedral of Learning has seen a few male peregrine chicks weighing 710-720g. (Dorothy’s in 2009, 2010 and Morela’s in 2022). We humans won’t know for sure if this bird is male until we see him nest.
Female peregrine chick (Blue) on Banding Day, 21 May 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)Female peregrine chick banded at Cathedral of Learning (blue tape), 21 May 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)
In less than half an hour the chicks were back at the nest and their lives returned to normal.
Meanwhile we got a glimpse of the unhatched egg which Patti collected for testing.
Unhatched egg at peregrine nest collected for testing, 21 May 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)
The chicks will grow up rapidly in the next two weeks and leave the camera view by the end of the month.
Stay tuned for the Fledge Watch schedule at Schnenley Plaza at the end of this month and early June.
p.s. A Big Thank You goes out to everyone who made this day possible. (Apologies to anyone I’ve missed in this list.)
The University of Pittsburgh for being such a great peregrine landlord, for publicizing the peregrines, and for hosting the banding.
The PA Game Commission for their commitment to banding the peregrine chicks at the Cathedral of Learning. (Peregrine banding in PA is rare nowadays because the birds are no longer endangered / threatened.)
The National Aviary for broadcasting the Pitt peregrines’ nest from their falconcam and for organizing the banding.
Peregrine chicks at Cathedral of Learning nest, 28 days old, 20 May 2024 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
21 May 2024
Yesterday was a big day for the Pitt peregrine chicks. The smaller chick made two new moves: He jumped up on the green perch and he snatched prey from his mother. Today will be even bigger. It’s Banding Day! The event is closed to the public (the room has a very strict occupancy limit!) but you’ll see the start and end on the falconcam.
Big Moves Yesterday: Green perch & Food snatch
Both big moves are shown in this video of snapshots.
video from the National Aviary snaphot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh
Here’s a closer look at the snatching episode as seen on the streaming cam: Carla was about to kill and pluck a chimney swift when the male chick snatched it. Chaos ensued! When Carla couldn’t retrieve it she shouted to Ecco while the other chick begged loudly.
Male peregrine steals incoming prey from Carla. Everyone shouts, 20 May 2024, 17:21 (video from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Banding Day Today:
You’ll know when Lead Bander Patti Barber of the Pennsylvania Game Commission goes out on the ledge to retrieve the chicks because you’ll hear Carla and Ecco shouting and the youngsters will huddle at the back of the box.
When the chicks are brought indoors they will receive health checks and leg bands and be returned to the nest in less than half an hour.
Stay tuned later today for banding photos and an update on the event.
Carla watches her chicks work on a scrap of food, 10 May 2024 (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)
12 May 2024
On this Mothers’ Day, Carla at the Cathedral of Learning peregrine nest is a first time mother who’s been learning fast.
Today her chicks are 20 days old. Most of the time they eat and sleep but as mealtime approaches they get restless. Carla babysits while Ecco hunts for food.
On Friday the chicks were mighty cute as they explored the nest under Carla’s watchful eye. This day-in-a-minute video shows their antics and Carla’s busy schedule.
(video of snapshots from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Maybe you’ve noticed that after watching warblers for a while, sparrows look huge. Gloria (@Lucent508) captured them side by side.
This photo I took today is far from technically perfect but I like it bc it shows the size discrepancy between a White-throated Sparrow that can weigh btw 22-32g and Black&White Warbler that weighs btw 8-15g. The Sparrow looks like a hulk compared to this warbler! pic.twitter.com/pEadhzmWhl
On Day 25 at the peregrine nest at Charing Cross Hospital in London (Fulham and Barnes), one of the chicks explored the nestbox ramp. He stumbled on the last step but enjoyed the outing nonetheless (the stumble is last photo though it actually happened first). At one point his mother looked at him as if to say, “Are you OK out there?”
Day 25 First chick goes out of the box for the first time. Not always elegantly. But the ramp did its job 🙂 It was very easy for the chick to get back in. pic.twitter.com/hBW5OfVklF
Even though they are not “persons,” falconcams give us insight into the individual personalities of the peregrines on camera. This year the new unbanded female at the Wakefield Cathedral Peregrines nest (@WfldPeregrines) in Yorkshire, England has a habit never observed in the previous female: “Our previous female would never stay in the nest whilst the male fed the chicks.”
In the video below the female watches the male feed the chick. Sometimes he passes her a morsel of food which she swallows … or she feeds it to the chick. It’s not often that you see two peregrine parents feeding one chick.
