Fledge Watch- Carol Phillips- Friday, July 13, Noon Hour
Lucky Noon Hour Watch
Well, where do I begin? Watchers during the noon hour included Jim P, Shaky, Dan S, Larry O, Kelly, Susan C and me. It was a little chilly, with the sun coming in and out from behind the clouds, but it felt very refreshing, almost fall-like.
For the noon hour we had Linn & Grace flying around the gorge, harassing gulls, a cormorant, ducks, etc (the usual suspects). Most of the time Linn and Grace spent their time on the small building on the island below the pedestrian bridge and the wire that crosses the river.
We had a little comic relief when Grace landed on a branch hanging out from the east side of the gorge wall. She wasn’t very graceful as she flipped over and hung by one talon. Now it’s not like she couldn’t fly or anything. She was just not going to give up trying to pull herself up onto the branch, which she did, eventually.
The end of the noon hour came too quickly. Everyone split up and went in different directions to head back to work, everyone but Dan S.
Susan and I were walking back towards the Kodak Tower when Grace and Linn took off together and headed towards the east side of the gorge. All of a sudden there were three! juvies flying together, then four! It was Falcamonium! Falcons were flying everywhere, kakking and e-chupping, and to make it even more exciting (as if it could), Mariah and Kaver flew into the fledgling maelstrom.
Mariah landed in the shady tree (east side of the gorge wall) and Kaver landed on the east side gorge wall below the observation deck. They were e-chupping while the girls were kakking/whining for food.
One juvie landed on the bridge supports below us. One juvie landed on a dead tree on the island, one on a small green tree (hanging on for dear life!), and one landed on the gorge wall. They were everywhere, flying and playing talon tag and screaming for all to hear. Most folks out walking on the bridge stopped to watch the young Peregrines, wondering what was happening.
By the time I left, two juvies had landed in the shady tree with Mariah and two landed near KaverÂ’s position, knocking him off in the process. Kaver flew higher and higher. We thought he might have been going out on a hunt.
While things were quiet, Susan and I returned to work (reluctantly), leaving Dan on the bridge. IÂ’ll be very curious to hear what happened after we left.
What a lucky day it has been!
