Spring is in the air

Peregrine falcon visits her nestbox at University of Pittsburgh, 28-Jan-2008After two days of dreary overcast skies the sun came out on Monday and so did the birds!  It was an exceptionally good day for watching peregrines at the University of Pittsburgh.

I could tell the day was full of promise as I walked to work through Schenley Park.  Cardinals were singing and a peregrine was perched on the lightning rod at the Cathedral of Learning.

My friend Karen Lang called to say she saw both falcons at the building – the first time in weeks we’d seen more than one.

I checked the National Aviary’s webcam from my desk.  Woo hoo!  Footprints in the snow.  It could only have been a peregrine.  They won’t let any other bird near their nest.

And then I remembered the webcam has a motion detection feature.  Did it capture Dorothy’s visit to the nest?  Yes!  Here she is arriving at the perch.

She stayed only two minutes but she made my day.  Spring is in the air.