Three Down, Two to Go

Two chicks hadn’t flown yet, 10 June 2019, noon (photo by John English)

Tomorrow I’m leaving town on a two-week birding trip so here’s the latest Downtown peregrine news just before I go.

3 fledged, down, and rescued. 2 to go. As of Monday 11 June at 5pm, three of the five nestlings have flown, but all of them landed on the ground and had to be rescued. Frankly, this site is way too low for a peregrine nest. The rescues were …

Saturday 8 June, 2:15pm

Fledgling #1 on the Rescue Porch, 8 June 2019 (photo by Lori Maggio)

Fledgling #1 flew from the nest and eventually landed on Third Avenue. Retrieved by Animal Control, the bird was returned to Downtown Pittsburgh by Deputy Game Warden Bob Fickley and placed on the Rescue Porch. As of noon on Monday June 10 this bird was flying from rooftop to rooftop. More info and photos of him here.

Sunday 9 June, 8:30pm

Fledgling #2 at Lawrence Hall, 9 June 2019 (photo by Lori Maggio)

Fledgling #2 left the nest and made it to the Boulevard of the Allies where he was found standing on the roof of a car at 8:30pm. The owners of the car wanted to leave but the bird just stood there. Point Park Police corralled the bird and placed him on the Rescue Porch. Thank you, Point Park Police!

Monday 10 June, 4:30pm (At Fledge Watch we saw 4 peregrines including the adults but couldn’t find Fledgling #3.)

Louie watching two chicks at the nest, 10 June 2019 (photo by John English)

Early Monday morning Lori Maggio saw Fledgling #3 on the third floor ledge of Lawrence Hall but he wasn’t seen again until evening rush hour, standing near the bus lane at 304 Wood Street. The PA Game Commission dispatched an officer at 4:24p. Meanwhile the bird attracted a crowd. Volunteer Michael Leonard guarded the bird until Deputy Game Warden Jonah Thompson arrived. Thank you, Michael!!

There are two more to go and some may need to be rescued multiple times. Keep an eye out in Downtown Pittsburgh and call PA Game Commission Central Dispatch at 1-833-PGC-WILD if you find a peregrine on the ground. Corral the bird and wait patiently until the officer arrives.

By the way, it is really important that the PGC retrieves these young peregrines. If they are healthy PGC will fit the bird with a MOTUS nanotag and we’ll find out where they go. Read more here.

Dori and Louie confirmed in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Dori on the green bar, 20 May 2019 (photo by Lori Maggio)

Lori Maggio’s photos have confirmed that the adult peregrines at this site are still Dori and Louie.

Dori’s bands were confirmed by photos on June 9 and May 20. Dori’s bands are black/green M/93.

Dori’s bands, 20 May 2019 (photo by Lori Maggio)

Louie’s bands were confirmed on Sunday June 9 while he was feeding a fledgling on Lawrence Hall.

Louie feeds a fledgling on Lawrence Hall, 9 June 2019 (photo by Lori Maggio)
Closeup of Louie’s black/green band with sideways 4 (photo by Lori Maggio)

Bands with sideways numbers are more than a decade old so a single sideways 4, above, is enough to know it’s Louie. He’s black/green 4*/E*.

Louie is 17 years old — very old for a wild peregrine falcon. He must have inherited his longevity from his mother Dorothy who lived to be 16 at the Cathedral of Learning.

UPDATE AT NOON, 11 June 2019: 4 have fledged, 1 still at nest.

(photos by John English and Lori Maggio)

7 thoughts on “Three Down, Two to Go

    1. The problem this year was the work on the Gulf Tower prevented them from using that nest, so they didn’t have much choice.

    2. Trini, actually Gulf construction is not all to blame. Dori picks Third Avenue more often than Gulf. Chances are she would have picked Third Avenue anyway.

  1. Thank you for the news on the 5 youngsters. Hoping that the remaining two will fledge successfully. The volunteers watching out for them are so appreciated.

    And a huge smile on this old face after reading that Dori and Louie have been ID’ed!! This is just the best thing!

    Enjoy your birding trip, Kate.

  2. I would have loved to see pics of the fledgling who was “waiting for a bus” and the other who was sitting on the car roof…. Try explaining that one to the insurance company.

  3. Good job, fledge watchers! I missed it this year as I was in Akron for the weekend — but I did visit Dori’s birthplace and checked in on her extended family. Dori also comes from some long-lived genes. Her mother, Chesapeake, lived to be 17 and fledged 2 sons her final year!

    I’m glad to see Louie is still here, and being a great dad in his golden years.

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