Fledge Watch – Lucy, June 25, 8 AM – Noon
When I arrived at 8 AM, Jeanne who had been on watch from 5:45 to 8 showed me where the falcons were. Kaver was on the top of the middle stack, Mariah perched and a juvie walking on the 17th floor ledge, and two juvies on Building 10, north of the tower. I was unable to spot any bands on the juvies to identify individuals. Around 8:20, Mariah moved to Building 10.
Around 8:30, a juvie attempted a stoop for a small bird over Factory Street, north of the visitor parking lot, but missed her prey. The juvie then made several circles, gaining altitude, and landed on the dolphin rail, above the 18th floor, on the north side of the tower.
At 8:45 a juvie flew to top of the north stack; another followed closely but went to the top of the middle stack, and Kaver returned to the tower. Meanwhile a third juvie was on top of the D in the KODAK on the north side of the building. At 9:20 all three juvies flew toward the gorge, kakking loudly. My guess is that they saw Mariah bringing food, but I could not spot her, nor see where the food was dropped if there was some. However from the bridge I could hear a great deal of kakking in the BeeBee Station area. Two of my grandchildren, Alyssa and David, then arrived to keep me company.
Mariah appeared briefly on the catwalk of the middle stack and then returned to the tower. Kaver moved to the top of the High Falls stack, where he stayed until 10:40. A juvie appeared on Building 10; at approximately 11:00 Mariah and a juvie were flying north of the tower. Mariah landed on the 17th floor ledge on the north side of the tower. By then the sun was uncomfortably hot and north was the shady side. I eventually saw Mariah, Kaver and at least two juvies enjoying the shade there, but there was no further flying before the end of my watch at noon. During my watch, I saw three juvies at once on several occasions, but never all four at the same time.
