Cathedral of Learning

[jeanne]

The videos are precious-- as are their expressions!!!!

[MAK]

http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/  Check out Kate's blog and watch the 2 videos.. Apparently 1 got bumped out of the nest. All is well though and WOW have they grown.  

I was just watching them and Dorothy is on her second feeding in 5 minutes...1 juvie was screaming so much, Dorothy shoved a feather in his mouth to shut him up....and it did. He went Pa-too-E and spit it out and started screaming again. They are NOISY!!!!

I'll say they've  grown!  So busy  watching ours I have neglected to check out everyone else.Thanks  Donna.

[Donna]

Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch Update #3

Published by Kate St. John under Peregrines

News from today’s lunchtime Fledge Watch:  We saw the best flying to date!

    * Happily we were able to count all five young peregrines.  Two have flown and three were still lounging and flapping on the nestrail.
    * One fledgling had his first off-the-building adventure.  He flew to Heinz Chapel and, after a few passes at it, he landed on one of the knobs on the steeple.
    * Dorothy and E2 demonstrated soaring over Schenley Plaza.  It was nice to see them closer.
    * Shortly after the soaring demonstration, the second fledgling flew off the Cathedral of Learning and soared very high before returning to the east side of the roof.

Come on down to the Schenley Plaza tent and watch the young peregrines learn to fly.  I won’t be there after work today but there will still be a group of folks who know these peregrines and can help you find them on the parapets.

p.s. at 4:30pm:  A severe tunderstorm is coming through soon … so no Fledge Watch right now.

Late in the day, two big thunderstorms came through Pittsburgh and dropped more than 2″ of rain.  During the first storm, one of the Pitt fledglings was still perched on Heinz Chapel steeple where he got very wet but was otherwise unaffected, as you can see from Peter Bell’s photo taken just after the rain.







The Pitt peregrines are learning fast.  By lunchtime yesterday (Thursday) three out of five had flown from the nestrail.

Last evening we saw one of the juveniles land on the lightning rod and pursue his parents whenever they returned to the Cathedral of Learning.  Dorothy tested him with a practice prey exchange, but he flunked and she had to re-catch the meal he nearly lost to the ground.

from Kate's blog!

[MAK]

 

[Lord G]

Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch Update #3

Published by Kate St. John under Peregrines

...Dorothy tested him with a practice prey exchange, but he flunked and she had to re-catch the meal he nearly lost to the ground.

from Kate's blog!

We've seen that before!

[Donna]

At the University of Pittsburgh:
For the past week Pitt’s young peregrines have been shuttling back and forth between St. Paul’s Cathedral and Heinz Chapel – if they’re on campus at all.  The “kidsâ€� are now at the stage when one or more go off on their own to explore the area, returning only to chase their parents and whine for food. 

Three is the highest number of juveniles I find at any one time and only if their parents are nearby.  This morning two juvies chased Dorothy when she tried to capture a pigeon near the Community of Reconcilation tower.  The pigeon escaped because it heard them coming — Dorothy with two whining kids in tow.

After spending a week at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Pitt’s young peregrines returned to campus yesterday.  I found three of them perched on Heinz Chapel steeple while their parents claimed the heights of the Cathedral of Learning.

It was a role reversal, but one I could understand.  The “kidsâ€� have been on the wing for two weeks and they fly so well now that they can chase their parents everywhere.  In fact, they do.  Dorothy and E2 made it clear yesterday that for the moment they wanted to be left alone.  To emphasize her point Dorothy was roosting.

I’m amazed at how quickly young peregrines learn.  Only eleven days ago they were clambering on the 25th floor roof when Kim Thomas captured this photo of Green Boy with open wings and cocked tail.  He was ready to glide from his little hill of roof tiles and seems to be telling himself,  “One, two three, go!â€�

Now the Pitt youngsters are beyond this “toddlerâ€� stage and the Gulf Tower chicks are about to enter it.  Soon the Gulf chicks will be practicing on a roof Downtown.

One… two… three… Go!

   Kate's blog entry.

[Donna]

Kate St John's Blog


I don’t know about you but I’m going through peregrine withdrawal.

On campus the Pitt peregrines are really hard to find.  Though I’ve seen the adults carrying prey and know they’re still feeding their young, the “kidsâ€� are not hanging out near the Cathedral of Learning.

So what are they doing?

They’re learning to hunt.  If they don’t master it, they’ll starve.  If they aren’t really good at it, they can’t feed a family.

The lessons happen in the air:

    * The adult peregrine catches a bird (in this case a pigeon) and carries it in its talons to the vicinity of its youngsters.
    * The youngsters are always on the lookout for a possible meal and immediately chase the adult, shouting for food.
    * When a youngster catches up, the adult rises up and dangles the pigeon.
    * Sometimes the juvenile flips upside down, raises his feet and catches the prey as his parent drops it (shown here).  Sometimes he dives for it as it falls past him.
    * The lesson is always noisy.  The juveniles shout the entire time, even after catching the prey.  

Thankfully Chad and Chris Saladin saw this lesson in Ohio and were able to capture it on camera.

Look at the surprise on this youngster’s face!

I wish our peregrines would do this while I’m watching.

(photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)

.



p.p.s.  Chad & Chris reminded me that the birds in this photo are Maddy (adult) and Michelin (juvenile).  Maddy was born at Pitt and nests on the I-480 bridge in Cleveland.  Michelin landed on a pile of old tires when he fledged – hence his name.  He’s all grown up now and nests at the lake near Cleveland.

p.s.  At this time of year the adult peregrines occasionally visit their nest (here’s why).


  At Pitt, you might see Dorothy sleeping at the nest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw6PnaEuId0&feature=player_embedded Multiple fledging at Gulf Tower

[dale]

(photo by Chad+Chris Saladin).

Can you believe that photograph? I don't remember ever seeing the whole prey bird so clearly in a food transfer shot. And I don't know if that's surprise or what on the face of that juvenile, but something is going on.
I assume lots of noise.
Chad and Chris are way, way too much...thanks for posting that, Donna.

dale

[huddiecat]

WOW...that is an absolutely AWESOME pic!!! 
Suzanne

[falconsforever129]

I loved reading all about Dorothy and her little family..
I am in such "falcon withdrawal" myself these days while worrying about our little boy Jemi.
 

[MAK]

   That is one terrific shot!   

[Donna]

We had a little peregrine excitement at the University of Pittsburgh yesterday.

Around 3:00pm Tony Bledsoe called to tell me that he was outdoors by the Cathedral of Learning and he could hear our peregrines chirping-cacking.

It’s unusual for them to make noise in the fall.  As we remarked on this over the phone Tony saw why they were making noise.  â€�There are three peregrines.  They’re chasing each other!  This might be a fight.â€�

Indeed a third peregrine had arrived on campus and the two residents were chasing him away.  Tony saw a lot of chasing but nothing dangerous.  Eventually two of the birds — both males — flew off to the south.  Dorothy stayed at home to await further developments.

At 3:15pm I took my binoculars to the west window at WQED and tried to find the peregrines on the Cathedral of Learning.  One of them was perched at the southeast 38th floor corner, E2’s favorite spot.  As I watched he took off and flew toward me, pumping hard to chase a bird I couldn’t see to my east.  Whoever it was got the message and left.  E2 banked above Central Catholic and returned home.  Within a minute both he and Dorothy were prominently perched atop the Cathedral of Learning, warning all other peregrines to stay away.

Later Dorothy stopped by the nestbox, scuffed at the gravel, and perched at the lookout.  Waiting and watching.

October’s the time when arctic peregrines migrate through Pittsburgh and the mid-latitude falcons wander to find a territory.  Dorothy and E2 are vigilant this month, defending the home front.  They have no intention of losing their territory.

Beauty's momma

by Kate St John.

[falconsforever129]

Thank you Donna for posting this!! Exciting 

[Donna]

http://www.aviary.org/cons/falconcam_cl.php

http://www.aviary.org/cons/falconcam_gt.php Gulf Tower

[MAK]

Things are picking up in the webcam world!