Cathedral of Learning Falconcam 2016

[Donna]

More email from Art McMorris, PGC. "As many of you know, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has been experiencing severe budget stresses. Last year there were deep across-the-board budget cuts, and this year there have been additional, deeper, across-the-board cuts, affecting all programs in all parts of the state. My hours have been cut in half (and everyone else in positions like mine has been laid off entirely), and I have been authorized to make banding visits to only a minority of the peregrine nests in PA. Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that I will be able to band the nestlings at the bridges in the greater Pittsburgh area this year. This includes the Glenfield/Neville Island I-79 bridge, McKees Rocks Bridge, Monaca East Rochester Bridge, Tarentum Bridge and Westinghoiuse Bridge. The Graff Bridge in Kittanning, Armstrong County, is also affected, as would be the Johnstown area in Cambria County, if that falcon were to be found nesting. The only Pittsburgh-area nest where we will be able to band is the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning... As you know, the Gulf Tower birds have relocated to an inaccessible site downtown, so banding at that nest is moot.
So, that will mean your observations will be even more valuable than they already are, because that’s the only way we’ll be able to confirm nesting success and the number of young at each of those nests. But it means that we won’t be able to do the other things we do when we visit the nest: health checks, medical treatment if necessary, collect unhatched eggs for contaminant analysis, etc.; and of course, banding to determine movements, longevity, etc. Thanks again for all your generous help."

[MAK]

 

[Penelope99]

Pittsburgh chick banded today just after 10:00 am

[patsy6]

I hope this chick remains healthy, has a good fledge, and exhibits normal parenting habits in the future.  Do we know its gender?

[Kris G.]

I hope this chick remains healthy, has a good fledge, and exhibits normal parenting habits in the future.  Do we know its gender?

       It's a girl!

[Kris G.]

Saw on FB..Videos!  Turn down your speakers..she's a loud one!

http://youtu.be/Ei7vV9qKnYo

http://youtu.be/u3ezM2y8ct4

[Donna]

http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2016/05/27/shes-a-healthy-girl/?platform=hootsuite

At today’s banding we learned, first and foremost, that C1 is a healthy female and Hope and Terzo are devoted parents.

Kate's Blog

[MAK]

http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2016/05/27/shes-a-healthy-girl/?platform=hootsuite

At today’s banding we learned, first and foremost, that C1 is a healthy female and Hope and Terzo are devoted parents.

Kate's Blog

 

[Kris G.]

C1 fledged this AM! 

[Donna]

http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2016/06/14/it-worked/?platform=hootsuite

As it turns out, C1 probably flew last night around 7:30pm.   


By Kate

[MAK]

 

[Donna]

http://youtu.be/M-fJN4IbOkU  New female, Magnum 62/H

What the heck happened to Hope?? Sheesh, the baby just fledged!!

# Megan  on 22 Jun 2016 at 9:33 pm
Kate, did you see that Terzo has a new “visitor� at the nest? I saw her on the camera today (6/22) at 3:58 PM. At first, I thought it was Terzo because she also has a black/red band, but the band numbers didn’t seem familiar so I checked the video archives later. The bands are black/red, 62/H on her left leg and purple on her right leg. Your peregrine history pdf says that this is Magnum from the Neville Island Bridge! Later at 4:40 PM, Terzo was in the nest, he called her in, and they bowed and chirped at each other. I went back farther in the archives, and she was on camera last night (6/21) at 18:58. If you have any thoughts on this development, we’d love to hear them! It seems strange that Terzo would be courting a new female so soon after C1 fledged, but after this year, I guess we should expect the unexpected! Do you know if there were any chicks at the Neville Island Bridge this year?

# Kate St. John  on 22 Jun 2016 at 10:09 pm
Megan, I went back through the 3:58pm archives & see that two are bowing. Unfortunately I can’t get the archive to play the exact moment when the female shows her bands. I’ve set my Archive Wizards on the case & they’ll gather evidence.

Thoughts on this development: A prime nest site like the Cathedral of Learning can change hands at any time. If Magnum has indeed claimed the Cathedral of Learning, it’s fortunate this happened after C1 fledged. (It’s not good to have a major change when nestlings are still in the nest.)

The Neville Island Bridge had 2 fledglings this year. One died (hit by a car on the bridge) & the other hasn’t been seen since the day after it fledged. Site monitor Anne Marie Bosnyak hasn’t been able to re-identify the female so she doesn’t know if Magnum was there this year.

[carly]

I am not surprised she was displaced given her age.  This new one is 6 years old.  I expect a 2 year old will be there come next Spring - it's prime falcon real estate and needs a really strong female like Dorothy was to hold it.  Both these 2 females likely were displaced from their old sites so they're likely not strong enough to hold a site like the Pitt.  I expect more turmoil to come.

Hopefully C1 gets to learn to hunt from her dad before Magnum chases her out.

[MAK]

 

[carly]

Matrix just posted on BCAW that Magnum is Midnight's sister (our female at MEC) - that puts a different spin on things.  Their father was the famous Maverick...