When Matt Jacob, co-author of City Steps of Pittsburgh, visited the 62nd Street Bridge on June 4 and 5 to take pictures for a new book about the city’s parks, playgrounds, and trails he found a surprise. A pair of peregrines was flying back and forth over the Allegheny River and stopping at the bridge.

It appears they are nesting somewhere on the bridge.

This isn’t the first time peregrines have nested at 62nd Street but they rarely choose this site. The last successful nest was discovered in early July 2019 when a parent and juvenile peregrine hung out at Tree Pittsburgh below the bridge. Fortunately the structure is beneath the deck so the young don’t fledge into traffic.

Are there chicks at the 62nd Street Bridge? We’ll have to watch and see. Etna Riverfront Park is a good vantage point.

The 62nd Street Bridge is one of three potential peregrine nesting bridges on the Allegheny River that are very rarely used. Sightings of juveniles in this area usually occur in July indicating the parents nested late, perhaps after failure at another site.

And so I wonder … is this where the peregrines from East Liberty Presbyterian steeple ended up after their nest blew away in late March?

p.s. Follow Matt Jacob’s photography on Instagram at @matt_jacob or @pghsteps.