Fledge Watch- Lisa McKeown, June 24, 6-10 am
This morningÂ’s fledgling started at 6:00 a.m. with an update from Dan, he started watching at 5:00 a.m. Dan reported that Linn was still on the lower window ledge when he arrived. Just before 6:00 she flew over the Kodak visitor parking lot and landed on the High Falls Office building. Then she proceeded to land nicely on a rusty pipe on the BeeBee Station, before flying to building 10, north of Kodak Tower. Dan reported that two fledglings had already been fed, but Mariah made them work for there food. Holding the prey just out of their reach until then had flown adequately for her to let them eat.
When I arrived at 6:00 a.m. we could see two fledglings on the northeast corner of building 10 and one at the peak of the roof of building 10. Soon Kathy O. arrived and reported that there were actually three fledglings on the northeast corner. About 15 minutes later Mariah flew right past the four fledglings with prey clutched in her talons. Sacajawea wasted no time in following mom to the south side of Kodak tower. She is rewarded with the prey Mariah was carrying. Sacajawea spent almost a half hour eating breakfast with some Kakking in between. Apparently she was upset at having to clean her own prey. At one point she had feathers stuck in her beak.
At 6:50 a.m. Mariah tries unsuccessfully to take the prey from Sacajawea. A wing from the prey could be seen sticking up next to Sacajawea. By 7:15 a.m. we were able to identify the fledglings on building 10. Two were at the peak of the roof, Linn and Ananta, with Grace at the northeast corner. By 7:25 Mariah finally gets the remains of breakfast from Sacajawea and flies with the food dangling over the other three fledglings on building 10. Grace and Linn start to chase Mariah, but Ananta who remains at the peak of building 10 is rewarded with the food. As Ananta eats, she gradually slides down the slope of roof 10. Grace and Linn land nearby her wanting their share of the food.
Sacajawea flies to building 10 and from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. we had all four fledglings on the peak of building 10. At one point two of the fledgling engage in a game of tug-a-war with the prey. One fledgling had the food in its talons and the other was grabbing it with its beak. Shortly after 8:30 Sacajawea flies to the 14th floor on the east side of Kodak Tower. Having had a good breakfast she appears to be relaxing without her sisters bothering her.
From 8:30 – 9:30 we had three fledglings playing talon tag at various times. Shortly before 9:00 Linn is identified as a fledgling that flies in from the west side of the tower and makes an excellent landing on the 15th floor, south side of the tower. Around 9:00 Linn flies effortlessly from the 15th floor toward the High Falls smokestack, but turns around and lands on the peak of building 10.
At 9:20 a.m. Kaver, who had spent the last three hours on building 9, just south of Kodak Tower, leaves the building, landing on the catwalk on the north side of the center smokestack. A short time later he is joined by Mariah. Finally some quiet time away from the fledglings. I left shortly after 10:00 a.m. with all four fledglings accounted for and flying well, plus Mariah and Kaver perched on the catwalk of the center smokestack.
