55 Water Street, NYC

[MAK]

   Wonderful pics Bonnie! Thank you so much. I love the first one. Just gorgeous!!! 

[Bonnie]

Friday Fledging Update:

First is from Francois Portmann who was there at 5 AM.  The picture following Francois' email is mine and shows the glass and panes that confuse the birds.  And second email is from Dennis Edge who was at Water St shortly after.

From Francois Portmann:

Today, for the 1st time I got to see a peregrine fledge!  Unfortunately, no photos, it all happened as I was arriving on site, camera in the bag.  The 3rd chick took off from the ledge before 6am, escorted by 1 adult and soon the 2nd. They all circled over the water and the fledgling headed back to  the bldg. to land. The ledges below the nest are slanted so he lost is grip and freefell 4-5 floors before getting on the wings. He flew towards 125 broad st and tried to land on the façade, missing its grip and dissapeared behind the trees of the Veterans Memorial.  I think they get confused by the horizontal lines and the glass of the structures, trying to perch on what looks like a beam or ledge.  First I couldn't find it, finally I realized that part has only columns so the first few floors have no walls and that leads to the ramps of the loading docks. He was there 1/2 way down the ramp.  I called security and left 3-4 mins to look for Dennis who was looking for me. As I returned (the bird had already come up to street level by the sidewalk) a maintenance guy was arriving  to "pick it up" with a bucket, not a good idea, it could hurt its wings.  As I'm telling him not to use the bucket a pedestrian passed by, flushed the bird and it flew towards us and FDR.  The "would be rescuer" grabbed my elbow as he took cover behind me. I lost a bit of balance and missed the shot.  I asked what was wrong with him and he almost cried out "I'm scared of birds". Seriously!  Eventually the fledgling ended up on the heliport pad and finally, flew out of sight to the eastern wall of Governor Island Ferry building by 7:15 under the guidance of an adult!  Hope you'll have some luck tomorrow.
  
Francois



Hello Bonnie,

An update on the Peregrine family. I got to the benches at 6:15 this morning and thinking I'm alone on this outing I was unpacking my camera when I heard someone whistle.  It was François on the opposite side of   the FDR Drive and he was making hand motions indicating a fledgling was over there. After walking around and not finding him or the bird I returned to the entrance of the heliport and soon saw him again waving on the opposite side. Then I saw the bird on the pavement by the building just south the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza as shown in the first photo. Soon the bird was flushed by someone and flew head high  between cars across the FDR  to the heliport  landing deck as shown in the second photo. This wasn't good
and we asked staff people if they would flush the bird before helicopters started coming in. The Peregrine then flew accompanied by the adults to a ledge on the water side of the old Governors Island ferry building. We didn't see it again. The bird was fledgling number 3 Which François saw fledge at 5:45 am as he approached the benches. He said it came out and down about 4 floors when swooped up and across the FDR, again accompanied by the 2 adults, before circling around back across the FDR to the plaza. I saw one remaining chick on the perch and we left at 8:30.

See you,
Dennis

These are pictures from Dennis Edge (aka Birdman of Tompkins Square Park)

[Kris G.]

Great report and pics, Bonnie!  Scary fledge watch!  

[Bonnie]

I can't help it.  Rochester Peregrines and those Kodak folks before and GVAS made me do it.  I had to have my own fledge watch near where I live.  So here goes the Saturday Water St report.  Just bear with me.  Unless you have seen these peregrines fledge for real, you cannot believe the excitement.

Saturday was another interesting day to say the least.  No news is good news.  Just keep saying that over and over.  The building guys did not report that they had to go and grab one from the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial or pick up anyone from the FDR.  Knock on wood here folks.  I said it and it could come true.  But we made it through a few days.  We did see the one still in the scrape, but he is not moving about very much, yet and he still has quite a bit of down.  I don't expect fledging before Monday.  And Jubilee will not leave his side.  She is there constantly.

We saw a fledgling on the Marine Terminal (aka Governor's Island Ferry Terminal) and Rocky made a food drop atop 4 New York Plaza.  So we assume the other two were on 4 New York Plaza.  Quite likely.  If the adults can get them up there, that's where they remain and practice their flying skills.  Dennis and Francois are pretty sure the one at the Governor's Island Ferry Terminal (next to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal) is fledge number 3.  It probably stayed there all day yesterday, during the night and this morning.  Quite another likely happening.

The transmitter will not start giving good data until our Hope moves a bit more out of the area.  So if she is moving atop the buildings, it will look like she is staying in the same place.  Kind of like your GPS.  You have arrived at your destination and it is still a half mile away.

Pics are of Rocky watching over fledgling number 3?


Number 3 at the Governor's Island Ferry Terminal (aka Marine Terminal)


Now tell me if this doesn't look like Jubilee has an antenna too  (totally likely given she doesn't get out of the scrape during banding):

[Donna]

  I love so far so good! Thanks Bonnie.

[carla]

Thanks Bonnie,great to hear you where there.I love the pictures.
And is that realy Jubilee with a transmitter ? I can't believe my eyes.Well the more we know about the Waterstreet falcons the better.

Greetings Carla

[Bonnie]

I doubt very much that they put a transmitter on her. Probably camera trick.  She could be carrying a rat. That is a much better explanation.

[Donna]

I doubt very much that they put a transmitter on her. Probably camera trick.  She could be carrying a rat. That is a much better explanation.

I agree Bonnie, that looks too far down on her tail to be a transmitter. One trans is good for now.

[carla]

Now I see........It's her left wing.......

Greetings Carla

[Bonnie]

Yup.  See it now, too.  Camera trick. LOL. 

[Bonnie]

I did go down for about 45 minutes until the road was blocked off for a 5k run. I was afraid I would get blocked in and there was no parking.  Saw Jubilee and Rocky and one fledgling on One New York Plaza first low terrace closest to the Governor's Island Ferry. Chances were good thst all three fledglings were there.  The adults flew between One and 55 Water St.  Our youngest did come out on the ledge a little.  It should fledge by Tuesday, maybe.  Just hope it stays safe.  Pictures will come later.  No more photo bucket.  People are stealing my pictures from there.  Gotta learn to use Shaky's converter.

[Bonnie]

Hi Bonnie,
I'm getting better, got there at 5:30 this morning followed shortly by François then Xavier. One adult was on the perch and the chick was just under in the box.
It then started to ledge while flapping its wings from one end of the nest site to the other. I thought "this is fledge day" but as we waited the adult flew out and the
chick settled back in the box. Barbara Saunders of DEC showed up and called the camera operator who said the chick had a pigeon in the box. So, not today.
We left at 8:30 and will return in the morning. I think tomorrow has to be the day. 2 shots from today.
See you,
Dennis


****pictures are coming and Dennis has named Hope, Our Lady of Transmission

[margaret]

and since Hope is wearing Skye's transmitter, perhaps the name should be "Our Lady of the Skye Transmission".    

[Bonnie]

I'll ask Dennis to rename her.  Dennis doesn't know about Skye. 

Well we will see if these stay out of those free ringtone, wallpaper, photos sites.  I marked everything private.

Here are pictures from Dennis Edge.  I am sure Francois Portmann will post his on his web site and that you can get by searching for Francois Portmann Water St peregrines.

Our last eyas in the scrape.  Tomorrow should be the day.  Jubilee has been keeping him in the scrape.  Mother knows best.



Jubilee flies off after delivering a pigeon.



And Our Lady of the Skye Transmission taken last week when she fledged.  Still no word.  I couldn't find time to call the building.

[margaret]

Beautiful pictures Bonnie. Thanks for posting.