Outside My Window

Do you miss watching the peregrine falconcams?  Are you going through withdrawal now that the nests are empty?

This may help.

Six weeks ago today Dorothy and E2′s chicks were banded at the Cathedral of Learning.  Among the attendees were Brian and Jacob Cohen.

Jacob comes to the bandings to gather raw material for his high school research project, Diet of Urban Peregrine Falcons, which he’s conducting through the National Aviary.  When Beth Fife cleans Dorothy’s nest Jacob gets the garbage and painstakingly identifies the feathers and bones of her prey.  How cool is that!

Brian, Jacob’s father, comes with his camera.  He’s a professional photographer — you see his work every week  in Pop City — and he likes to take pictures of our peregrines. 

Brian got some great shots on Banding Day as Dorothy puffed up, wheeled, and dove to defend her babies from Beth Fife’s approach.  Click on his closeup of Dorothy to see her in action. 

Wow, she’s good!  

I guarantee this will ease your withdrawal pains.

(photos by Brian Cohen, www.briancohenphotography.com)

For nearly two weeks it’s been hard to find more than one or two peregrines at the University of Pittsburgh.  Then on Tuesday and Wednesday Anne-Marie and Peter commented on a flurry of peregrine activity near campus.

Yesterday was particularly good.

In the morning Anne-Marie saw a juvenile fumble its breakfast near Craig Street.  Then at lunchtime I found both adults perched on the Cathedral of Learning in inaccessible nooks, both gazing toward the northeast.  Karen, Peter and I guessed the “kids” were over there but we couldn’t see them from the ground.

To prove it, just before 2:00pm E2 soared off the building and a juvenile flew in, begging loudly.  When E2 landed, Dorothy flew and two more juveniles arrived over the treetops to see if something good was about to happen. 

The excitement of seeing five peregrines at once was over soon.  The loud juvenile jumped down into the “dining” area and the rest of the family flew out of sight.  They’re way too hard to track now, they fly so well.

These incidents got me thinking:  Why didn’t the peregrines hang out at Webster Hall for the past two weeks like they did in prior years?

My theory is that Webster Hall was their focus for a bad reason.  In June 2009 and 2010 one (then two) of their young were trapped in the Webster Hall chimney.  Dorothy and E2 brought food to the Webster Hall roof in an attempt to entice their young out of the trap.  The rest of their “kids”  followed, hoping for a handout. 

This year, thankfully, there’s no compelling reason to be at Webster Hall.  The chimney is covered.  No one is trapped.

But late June is the time when Pittsburgh’s young peregrines are curious and unknowingly reckless.  They fly fast and test their limits.  If all goes well, they push the envelope and recover without harm. 

If not…

I’m bracing myself for tomorrow, the day each year when I hear bad news about a young peregrine if there’s any bad news to tell. 

Cross your fingers or say a little prayer for Pittsburgh’s peregrine “kids.”   May they learn safely and well!

(photo of E2 soaring by Peter Bell)

Sometimes I see the best birds when I’m looking for peregrines.

Last week I spent every lunch hour looking for the juvenile peregrines from Pitt.  I walked a big loop and checked St. Paul’s Cathedral, Webster Hall, Heinz Chapel, the Cathedral of Learning and the tall buildings to the west but I could never find all four juveniles at the same time — only two.

I’m not surprised.

By now the young peregrines fly well and are becoming independent.  They visit places far from the nest, pursue their parents whenever they show up, and play half-hearted aerial games with each other when they get bored. 

Dorothy and E2 are avoiding them by staying away from the Cathedral of Learning.  It’s very quiet in Oakland.

On the other hand…

On Friday I saw a juvenile peregrine on St. Paul’s steeple as I began my lunchtime loop.  The next time I looked he was gone.  The third time I glanced up a large raptor was flying toward the steeples. 

A red-tailed hawk?  No.  An immature bald eagle!

He circled up over Craig Street and by the time I passed St. Paul’s he was very high up, almost a speck in the sky.  Then a smaller, faster, fiercer speck attacked him!

A highly skilled, very territorial peregrine falcon repeatedly dove on the eagle with talons bared.  The eagle was forced down and away to the east.  He looked as if he was saying, “Sorry!  I was just leaving!”

Good job, E2!  Still keeping the area safe for his offspring.

(photo by Steve Gosser)

Even though she works in the U.S. Steel Building, Sharon Leadbitter cannot see the Gulf Tower peregrines during the nesting season — not even on the web.  But after the young peregrines fledge, they fly and perch outside her window. 

Here are some of Sharon’s pictures and videos of the Gulf Tower juveniles since June 8.  What a great view she has from above!

From a distance, Sharon can see the young peregrines perched on the Koppers Building roof edge.

Sometimes they sleep there. You can tell this one is young because it likes to sleep on its belly.

Food! A young peregrines shows her excitement over a food delivery to her favorite perch.

She hunches over her meal…

…but the excitement attracted her sibling and he wants to share it.

Hey! That was my dinner!

They’re distracted.

Two young peregrines perch near a window. Who’s in there?

And they find new napping zones.

Graduation! This juvenile is skilled enough to use Mom & Dad’s perch.

Don’t miss Sharon’s videos:  Click here for her video of a juvenile exercising its wings and here for soaring.

(photos and videos by Sharon Leadbitter)
video2

A week ago Nancy Weixel was lucky to see three young peregrines lounging on a ledge at the Cathedral of Learning.  She just happened to have her camera.   Here’s what she saw.

“Yellow” (female) standing next to “Red” (male).

“Red” is stepping out.

Begging.. though we can’t hear her.

What do you think?  Was Nancy lucky?

(photos by Nancy Weixel)

Some brief peregrine news from Pitt and Gulf.

The young peregrines at Pitt are now flying well enough to chase their parents when food arrives.  They’re beginning to try aerial food exchanges, the first step toward learning to hunt.  They’re also visiting other buildings.  Today I saw them at Heinz Chapel and Webster Hall.  I’m sure they’ll visit the steeples at St. Paul’s Cathedral soon.  At lunchtime Karen Lang saw five peregrines flying at the same time, likely four juveniles and one adult.

The juveniles at Gulf Tower are branching out too.  Sharon Leadbitter saw two of them eating on the Koppers Building roof.  Folks in the Oliver Building may soon have a young peregrine or two perched on their window sills.

The hot weather makes birds less active.  As you can see from Barb Becker’s Gulf Tower picture, the juvies nap when it’s hot.  Peregrines can cool off faster if their legs are cool so this one is drooping his leg in the shade.  Because he’s young, he doesn’t care how silly he looks.

(photo of a Gulf Tower juvenile peregrine by Barb Becker)

If you’re wondering where the peregrine family lives at the Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, Sharon Leadbitter sent some helpful photos.

Sharon spent several hours on the top level of the Greyhound Bus station on Sunday afternoon waiting for some action from the Gulf Tower peregrines.  It was hot, the sun was in her face, and peregrines were not particularly active. 

It was about as exciting as waiting for water to boil, but it was a good opportunity to show the birds’ location. 

Her first photo shows the general area to watch.

Her second is a close-up showing two birds, the falconcam on the right and the nestbox on the left.  Who knew that a bird can stand between the box and the edge!

During the day the juveniles leave the camera view but as recently as yesterday evening four of the five came home for dinner. 

Apparently the “water boils” at dusk. 

(building photos by Sharon Leadbitter, peregrine family photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Gulf Tower)

The Gulf Tower chicks are learning to fly, too. 

This morning Barb Becker saw this female fledgling outside her window at Make-A-Wish. 

She was really squawking but according to Barb, “Dori’s flying nearby, no doubt saying “Here’s how you do it!””

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(photo by Barb Becker)

Now that the Pitt peregrine chicks have fledged the best place to watch them is on campus.

On Saturday I arrived early for Fledge Watch and walked around the Cathedral of Learning looking for fledglings.  I found three: one on the nestrail who hadn’t flown yet, one on the northeast ledge of the 32nd floor, and “First Fledge” flying here and there (he’s getting good at this). 

Where was the fourth?  In an hour we found out.

At 11:00am E2 plucked prey on Heinz Chapel steeple, then swooped low over its roof and down the opposite side.  Big hint!  There’s a juvenile peregrine over there.  Peter, Denise, Anne Marie and I walked over to see. 

By the time we got there a wedding party was leaving the chapel so we skirted the crowd and followed the sound of angry robins. 

Peter found the juvie on the roof’s “nestrail” on the Fifth Ave side.  The juvie begged for food and spread her wings while her father circled above with prey but would not land.

E2 didn’t like her location but she was OK, in a safe place, though still harassed by robins. 

Through binoculars she looked quite close.  Peter was able to identify her from his photos:  72/AE with yellow tape on her USFW band.   

The other three chicks were staying up high on the Cathedral of Learning so this was probably our globe trotter from Friday evening.  “Globe Girl”, “Yellow Girl”, she was making a name for herself.

After many close looks at Yellow Girl three of us went back to the tent.  Peter stayed and got great pictures, especially when E2 finally gave in and brought her lunch then left with a great sweep of his wings.

Yellow Girl mantled over her meal.  Food at last!  In the photo above she looks especially thankful.

Ironically, it’s a robin.

p.s. Click on her photo to see Peter’s slideshow. Wow!  Great close-ups!

(photos by Peter Bell)

Some time yesterday afternoon the second peregrine chick at the Cathedral of Learning flew for the first time but she didn’t land high on the home “cliff.” 

When I got to Fledge Watch after work I counted only three peregrine chicks and two adults.  I wasn’t worried about the fourth but I had no idea where she was.  Many minutes later I noticed an unusual lump on the globe at Carnegie Library & Museum. 

The fourth chick!  We joked that she wanted to check out a book.

None of the Watchers had seen her fly but we were treated to quite a show when her father tried to convince her to come home.

Around 7:00pm E2 came back from Schenley Park with prey in his talons.  He made a big show of flying past her at eye level, showing her the food.  Then he landed near the top of Heinz Chapel steeple and made a big show of plucking it.  When he finished he flew past her again and again, showing the prey but refusing to land.  “Here’s your dinner,” he said, “but you can’t eat here.  Follow me home.”   

She made begging calls but didn’t fly so E2 circled above Schenley Plaza, still showing the prey. 

That’s when we got a treat.  Dorothy flew off the Cathedral of Learning, circled with E2, then flipped over and did a prey exchange.  Woo hoo!  Applause from the Watchers!

Dorothy delivered the meal to the two unfledged chicks on the nestrail, but watching them eat her dinner was too much for Globe Girl.  She flew off the museum, made a big circle over us… and she landed near the globe again.   Oh well.

After 8:00pm my husband and I walked through Schenley Plaza and saw that Globe Girl had made it home… sort of.  I found her by looking for the shouting robins.  Globe Girl was perched on the roof of Stephen Foster Memorial Theater, surrounded by angry robins.  Safe but embarrassed!

By now I’ll bet she’s perched somewhere else.  I hope it’s not another novel location.

(photo by Mary DeVaughn)