14 February 2024
Last week when I wrote that Charles Bier had seen two peregrines at Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Presbyterian Church in January, Adam Knoerzer responded that he has too.
Last week, out of my office window (which looks at the church from Friendship), I could definitely see a raptor high up and stooping to dive bomb some small birds and wondered if it might be a peregrine. I’ll keep an eye out and see if anything else is brewing.
— message from Adam KnoerZER, 7 Feb 2024
Later that day Adam checked onsite and immediately found both peregrines.
Confirmed peregrines at the church just now walking past. One darted off the ledge and flew over me and rejoined the other that was presumably eating (small feathers started to fall down).
— message from Adam KnoerZER, 7 Feb 2024
He sent photos of the church steeple with circles indicating the peregrines’ locations. Their favorite spot is behind the “railing” on the west-northwest side, a likely choice for a nest location.
On Monday 12 February Adam saw peregrines circling the steeple and perching on nearby buildings.
Today I was able to spot what appeared to be the female (larger of the two, so…) perched atop the Walnut on Highland apartment across from the church. The bird has a very distinct and prominent peach-y color at the top of the breast, and the other bird (presumably the male) flew off the tower, circled around, and found another perch high atop the cross.
— Pittsburgh Falconuts Facebook post by Adam KnoerZER, 12 Feb 2024
Thanks to Adam’s efforts we know there’s a new peregrine pair in East Liberty.
In case you would like to check on them, take a look at the steeple on the west-northwest side that faces S. Whitfield Street.
And in case you’re wondering if the Pitt peregrines can see them, the answer is “Yes but not directly.”
The Cathedral of Learning nest faces south-southeast. The East Liberty peregrines face north-northwest. They are 1.82 miles apart but their view from nest to nest is oblique.
Thank you, Adam, for keeping us up to date!
Check out the latest news in the private Pittsburgh Falconuts Facebook group.
(photos by Adam Knoerzer; maps from Google Maps)
Maybe the reason for Carla’s attention to the sky? Do their “territories” overlap?
Hi! There was a pair that hung out around the church and the new Whole Foods building last year at this time. We live right across the street and have an unhindered view from our front to the church and the back to Whole Foods.
That’s great news, Nicky. I stopped by Penn Avenue yesterday and saw both peregrines on the steeple on the Penn Ave side. Keep a look out for them & let me know what you see.