Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
This year, for the first time since 1984, my husband and I aren’t at Acadia National Park this month but I think of it every day. If I was there I’d be stopping by the base of this mountain to scan for peregrines. It’s one of the few wild places where I know they nest.
On Throw Back Thursday here’s a description of the peregrines’ wild nest sites at Acadia with news from 2010:
Thanks to Kathy Majich, I learned last month that a Pitt peregrine granddaughter is nesting in Ontario, Canada.
Dorothy and Erie were the first peregrine falcon pair at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning(*). Their 2003 brood was especially successful because three of those four chicks went on to nest elsewhere. One of them, Belle, nested at the University of Toledo until 2014.
During the 2014 nesting season, Belle was challenged by an intruder yet she successfully raised two chicks despite her injuries. After the chicks were banded and fledged, Belle disappeared and the intruder took over. Belle’s mate, Allen, coached the youngsters to independence.
This year we’re happy to discover that one of those chicks, Dr. Jane, was identified this spring in St. Marys, Ontario raising her own two chicks with her mate Cosmo.
(click on “View larger” so see Pittsburgh on the map.)
So Dorothy and Erie’s legacy continues with a granddaughter and great-grands in Ontario.
Click on the image above to read about “Dr. Jane” at the Canadian Peregrine Foundation’s Facebook page. Click here to read about the peregrine family in St. Mary’s Stratford Beacon Herald.
(photo linked from Canadian Peregrine Foundation Facebook page. Map showing St. Mary’s, Ontario linked from Google maps)
(*) Note: Dorothy hatched in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1999 and was present at the Cathedral of Learning from 2001 through 2015. Erie hatched in Columbus, Ohio in 1998 and was present at Pitt from 2001 through 2007. Erie was followed by E2.
Juvenile female peregrine, 08/BR, at Heinz Chapel, 8 June 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
Yesterday I learned that this juvenile female peregrine, black green 08/BR, was found dead at Allegheny County Airport, apparently hit by a plane on Sunday July 9.
08/BR hatched at the Cathedral of Learning this year and left home to start her new life four weeks after she first learned to fly — right on time. Just 6.3 miles away she found a big open space in which to hunt. Alas, she didn’t know anything about airplanes.
The video below by Peter Bell shows her on 8 June 2017 at Heinz Chapel when she was new to flying.
Meanwhile, as of today July 14, we can confirm that the remaining young female is fine. She’s been seen and heard nearly every day in Oakland, begging from her parents in a very loud voice. She’s due to leave home any day now.
(photo and video of Pitt fledgling, black/green 08/BR, by Peter Bell)
UPDATE 21 July 2017: The young peregrine died at Allegheny County Airport, not Pittsburgh International. Thanks to Ryan for providing the correct information in the comments.
Recently molted feathers of a black-legged kittiwake (photo by Jymm in public domain on Wikimedia)
On Throw Back Thursday:
Many birds molt during summer’s “down time” between raising their young and fall migration. At this point their feathers have worn out.
However (news to me!) female peregrine falcons choose a different time of year. They begin to molt during incubation, a convenient time to do it because they’re temporarily sedentary and their mates supply their food. That’s why we sometimes see a peregrine primary feather in the nest box. Who knew!
Read more about feather wear and molting in this vintage article: Feathers Wear Out
(photo from Wikimedia, in the public domain. Click on the photo to see the original)
Juvenile Pitt peregrine, 09/AP, in happier days (photo by Peter Bell)
On Friday morning, 16 June 2017, this young male peregrine from the Cathedral of Learning flew head first into a window at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) on Fifth Avenue. He died instantly.
Banded black/green 09/AP, he was the adventurer among this year’s three chicks. He flew faster, tried more stunts, and chased his parents more than his sisters do. But, like all birds, he didn’t realize that the reflection of the sky in a window is not the sky. He never got a second chance to learn.
When he was found dead at SEI’s front door, someone called the Pennsylvania Game Commission. WCO Kline recovered the bird’s body and took this picture of the location where he was found. There’s a bird-strike smudge on the top right pane in the vault above the front door.
SEI front door vault where 09/AP died (photo by WCO Kline, PA Game Commission)
From the ground the top right window doesn’t look like the sky, does it? At a higher elevation the windowpane reflects the sky. The strike mark’s background is blue.
Front door vault at SEI with peregrine smudge on sky-background of top right glass (photo by Kate St. John)
And here it has a dark reflected background so you can see it.
Feather dust at 09/AP’s impact location (photo by Kate St. John)
West wall of Software Engineering Institute, Dithridge Street (photo by Kate St. John)
Front arch of Software Engineering Institute, Fifth Avenue (photo by Kate St. John)
Back of Software Engineering Institute, Henry Street (photo by Kate St. John)
But this building is not unique. Over the years young peregrines from the Cathedral of Learning have hit windows at other buildings near Fifth and Craig, died in a chimney (which has since been covered), and been hit by a vehicle. Unfortunately peregrine mortality is 62.5% in the first year of life.
Meanwhile, windows kill one billion birds every year in the U.S. You can help mitigate this problem by volunteering in many ways:
In many U.S. cities & Canada: Volunteer with a group that rescues window-stunned birds and tracks window kills. In our area contact BirdSafe Pittsburgh (or their Facebook page).
If you know architects and developers, learn about bird-safe glass and urge them to use it.
If you have influence with LEED certification of “green” buildings, urge LEED to formally add bird-safe glass to the certification requirements (it’s in the pilot phase now). Then urge developers to use LEED.
Pitt fledgling, male 09/AP, 8 Jun 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
All three Pitt peregrines were airborne yesterday morning (June 8) and flying so well that they’re hard to keep track of.
By day’s end they had visited several floors of the Cathedral of Learning (CL), Heinz Chapel roof and steeple, and Alumni Hall. Meanwhile their parents, Hope and Terzo, flew from place to place delivering food and watching the youngsters.
We could see one or two peregrines using a scope from Schenley Plaza Fledge Watch but Peter Bell got the best views by walking on the lawn near Heinz Chapel. Great closeups!
Here’s a video of one youngster on Heinz Chapel roof.
She and her sibling then perched on the Chapel’s ornate posts. Can you find two juvenile peregrines in Peter’s photo?
Two fledglings perched on Heinz Chapel’s ornate roof (photo by Peter Bell)
… and then to the steeple.
Juvenile peregrine on Heinz Chapel steeple, 8 Jun 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
… and then to Alumni Hall’s roof.
Fledgling on Alumni Hall roof, 8 Jun 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
Hope paused after delivering food to the Forbes Ave side of the Cathedral of Learning.
Hope (69/Z), 8 Jun 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
She and the youngster both had food on their beaks. This is the juvenile male, 09/AP.
Juvenile male peregrine, 09/AP, after his meal (photo by Peter Bell)
The peregrines are hard to see from Schenley Plaza so PITT PEREGRINE FLEDGE WATCH IS OVER.
You might find a few of us wandering on campus with binoculars. We can’t get enough of the best Pitt Peregrine Season we’ve had since 2012. All three are airborne. Hooray!
(photos and video by Peter Bell, Pitt Peregrines on Facebook)
Best Since 2012: This is the first time in five years that we’ve had more than one juvenile peregrine at Pitt. In 2012 Dorothy and E2 had 3 youngsters, only 1 in 2013, none in 2014, one in 2015. Hope and Terzo had only one fledgling last year, 2016.
Pitt fledgling in flight, 7 June 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
At Tuesday’s Fledge Watch we were very tired of waiting for the Pitt peregrines to fledge and someone joked, “They always fly when you’re not here, Kate. Don’t come to Schenley Plaza tomorrow.”
It worked. I didn’t hold a Fledge Watch on Wednesday June 7 and two of the three youngsters flew for the first time.
Kim Getz, who works at Pitt, was the first to notice. Just after lunchtime she saw lots of flying around the top of the Cathedral of Learning so she walked around the building and found two fledglings.
I alerted Peter Bell (Pitt Peregrines on Facebook) who sent me updates when he found them. Here are Peter’s photos of two fledglings flying and perching.
Pitt fledgling flies around the Cathedral of Learning, 7 June 2017 (photo by Peter Bell)
This one landed with talons outstretched. Grab that building!
Almost there! Closeup of reaching to grab the perch (photo by Peter Bell)
The second fledgling perched near the northeast corner of the 30th floor. You can’t see this bird from any window.
Pitt fledgling on a merlon, 30NE (photo by Peter Bell)
Now that we had some action I went down to Schenley Plaza at 3:45p and stayed for an hour.
The third chick hadn’t flown yet — and still hadn’t as of 4:45p — but her parents really wanted her to. Hope carried food past her in the air as if to say, “If you fly you’ll get to eat.” Hope eventually gave up and dropped off the snack.
This morning at 7:25am Karen Lang saw two fledglings perched high on the Student Union side of the Cathedral of Learning. I plan to go to Schenley Plaza this afternoon to see what’s up.
Stop by Schenley Plaza for PITT PEREGRINE FLEDGE WATCH today, June 8, at 3:30PM.
(photos by Peter Bell, Pitt Peregrines on Facebook)
Fledgling peregrine calls to her parents, Downtown Pittsburgh, 2 Jun 2017 (photo by Lori Maggio)
Listen for whining and watch the parents. That’s how you’ll find peregrine falcon youngsters after they’ve fledged.
Lori Maggio has been tracking the Gulf Tower peregrines using those two clues and shared these photos from June 1 through 5.
Above, a youngster calls to her parents from a corner of the Federated Building. Here’s where the two birds were.
Two peregrines on the Federated Building: adult on left, juvenile on right, 2 Jun 2017 (photo by Lori Maggio)
Look in unlikely places and you’ll find an adult peregrine perched inside the C of the UPMC sign on the US Steel Building.
Adult peregrine watches from the “C” in the UPMC sign, 1 Jun 2017 (photo by Lori Maggio)
The fledgling was on a ledge below.
Peregrine fledgling on US Steel Building, 1 Jun 2017 (photo by Lori Maggio)
And yesterday, a fledgling spent several hours on a 19th floor windowsill at the Gulf Tower. The lucky folks in that office had a nice close look at a peregrine.
Peregrine fledgling on the 19th floor windowsill at Gulf Tower,5 Jun 2017 (photo by Lori Maggio)
PITT PEREGRINE FLEDGE WATCH: The weather looks acceptable today, Tuesday 6 June 2017, so I’ll be at Schenley Plaza from 11:30a to 1:30p.
No additional Fledge Watch days are scheduled but stay tuned, especially on Facebook and Twitter, in case I decide to go to the Plaza (maybe Friday Jun 9).
Flap-practice at the Cathedral of Learning, 4 June 2017 (photo by John English)
Cathedral of Learning:
It looks like this young peregrine is about to take off but he was merely flapping. By the end of yesterday’s Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch none of the juveniles had flown.
When I arrived at Schenley Plaza I counted two young birds in view and walked around the Cathedral of Learning to listen for whining in case a bird had fledged. All was quiet but Terzo was perched on the Fifth Avenue side looking down. Was he watching over a fledgling? Perhaps.
For two hours we saw only two juveniles on the nest rail and assumed the third was elsewhere. Then he stood up next to his siblings. Duh! He was sleeping in front of us!
Three juvenile peregrines in the nest rail at the Cathedral of Learning, 4 June 2017 (photo by John English)
In the boring moments Terzo perched in the cache area on our side of the building.
Terzo perches at the cache area, 4 June 2017 (photo by John English)
Yesterday evening two youngsters appeared on the snapshot camera around 7p. The one on the left is walking up to the nest rail. The one on the right is perched on the nestbox roof. You couldn’t have seen either of them on the streaming camera.
Two young peregrines perch and walk above the nest (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
NO Fledge Watch today, June 5. There’s an 60% chance of thunderstorms in the area. Even if the storms bypass Schenley Plaza it’s too iffy to hold a Watch.
Check the Events page for news of Fledge Watch on Tuesday and beyond.
Gulf Tower:
In the last two days both a juvenile and Louie have appeared at the Gulf Tower nest. They never stay long.
Juvenile peregrine at the Gulf Tower, 4 June 2017 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam)
Louie before dawn at the Gulf Tower nest, 5 June 2017 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam)
Other than that, all is quiet … and that’s good news.
Two of three young peregrines on the nest rail at Pitt, 2 June 2017 (photo by John English)
News from four peregrine nests in the Pittsburgh area:
Cathedral of Learning:
We had a great time yesterday at Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch because all three young peregrines were visible on the nest rail. They flapped, they walked, they rested, they nagged their parents.
All three juvenile peregrines on the nest rail at the Cathedral of Learning, 2 June 2017 (photo by John English)
Come on down to Fledge Watch at Schenley Plaza today, Saturday June 3, 11:30a to 1:30p, to see what they’re up to now. Sunday’s Fledge Watch looks good, too. (The rain and storms will hold off until late Sunday.) Monday’s weather is not so promising. Always check the Events page before you come to Fledge Watch in case I have to cancel for any reason.
UPDATE, Jun 3, 10:30am: There’s a big event at Flagstaff Hill. Parking is hard to find. Some streets to Schenley Plaza are closed. Use Forbes and Fifth to get there.
Gulf Tower:
Juvenile peregrine rests near the nest, 12:22pm, 2 June 2017 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Gulf Tower)
All three juveniles are flying and hard to keep track of but there was a young peregrine at the nest on Friday morning. She’s the one WCO Bergman of the PA Game Commission rescued from the street on Thursday evening. As is usual after such a rescue, the young bird stayed at the nest for a while. Her parents brought her food around 10am, she snoozed on the ledge for a couple of hours, and later flew away. All’s well that ends well.
Neville Island I-79 Bridge:
Anne Marie Bosnyak reported on Pittsburgh Falconuts on Friday June 2: “I saw 2 of the 4 peregrine falcon chicks tonight. They have come out of the nest area and were sitting on the beam. It will be difficult to see these kids fledge. I stopped under the bridge on the Glenfield side, but stood on the road outside of the welding company yard. Once they fledge I hope we’ll be able to see them from the other [Neville Island] shore (hopefully away from the water and the bridge deck!)”
Graff Bridge, Route 422 Kittanning, Armstrong County
Tony Bruno stopped at the Graff Bridge yesterday, June 2, and saw one juvenile peregrine. It’s good news that this nest was successful again this year.
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