Rare falcon to take its first flight VA

[Donna]

Binoculars in hand, experts and amateur bird-watchers will gather downtown today to ensure that a rare falcon makes a successful first flight.

"We'll be watching its every move," said Sergio Harding, a biologist with the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

The peregrine falcon is the offspring of a pair that has nested downtown since 2003.

The chick has spent the past three weeks in a pen adjoining its nest on a 21st-story walkway at Riverfront Plaza, 901 E. Byrd St. The pen keeps the bird from jumping too soon.

The falcon is expected to take wing in late morning. The pen will be opened by a device that activates after biologists set it up and leave.

The people on the ground will help if, say, the falcon plummets into a busy street.

RichmondTimesDispatch

[Shaky]

The people on the ground will help if, say, the falcon plummets into a busy street.

Plummets?

[Donna]

The people on the ground will help if, say, the falcon plummets into a busy street.

Plummets?

Plummets! IDK!!

[Dumpsterkitty]

These newspapers need a dedicated wildlife copy editor!  I'd think about making it my next career if they weren't laying off the regular copy editors...

[Bonnie]

I am connected to Richmond and the biologist there.  I even have my hat to prove it.  I went down a couple of years ago when there were no falcons to watch in Rochester.  It took about the same amount of driving time.  I figured it was a win win.  They open the pen, the fledglings fly out on cue.  I'm there on the ground watching and clicking away.

Well, Ginger took four hours to even come out of the box and eventually walk out of the pen yesterday.  She has been exploring the expansive ledge around the building and has still not flown.  Ray, the biologist, got tired of watching the eyases and fledglings perish on the streets below.  The ledge is slippery and the young birds .....     Before that, the adults laid eggs on the slanted top of the Dominion building and the owners there were not happy.  So, Ray figured out how to put a dog pen up on the new building and just hoped the adults would feed the kids through the bars which they have done now for a few years.  Then he rigged up a way to open the pen without scaring the birds.  He waits until the birds are 47 - 49 days old so they have more of a chance of flying.

There are a lot of watchers on the buildings and on the ground waiting for this shy fledgling to fledge.

[Donna]

Young falcon reluctant to take first flight

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/local-news/2011/jun/16/young-falcon-reluctant-to-take-first-flight-ar-1113866/ Story and pic

In downtown Richmond Thursday, a young falcon balked when it came time to make its first flight – from a 21st-story walkway.