Could Susan “B” The First To Fledge?
It looks like Susan B has taken the leap up to the roof of the scrape! This picture was taken less than an hour ago. It takes a bit of flapping to get up to the roof from the perch rail or the ledges on either side of the nest box, though it’s not really flying. She’s showing quite an adventurous streak! Will Susan B fledge before her brothers? Our dedicated watchers are on the case, so keep watching, and don’t forget to check the FalconWatch blog for all the latest reports!
-Jess
June 18th, 2008 at 1:10 AM
Do you ever have a camera facing down so we can see them in the playpen?
June 18th, 2008 at 1:14 AM
At around 7:40 to 8:00 she kept flaping her wings and moving from one side to another on top of the nest box.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:29 AM
I wonder the same thing – I would have bet that Zephyr would be first since he got to the playpen the soonest. Way back when, I would have guessed Quest to be the first to fledge, maybe because she was the biggest. But now I think Susan B. may indeed beat her brothers to it !!
June 18th, 2008 at 1:42 AM
I found the moment Susan B got on the nest box roof. If you look at Shaky’s Archive Viewer and the snapshots taken today at 6:29 and 6:30 p.m. you’ll see that one minute she was on the perch and the next minute she was on roof.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:49 AM
I still believe that Zephyr will be the first to fledge. The boy is fearless. He went from the perch, to the ledge, to the playpen and then outside the playpen rail within about 24 hours.
You should see him running along the outside of the playpen on that narrow ledge. Wings flapping and he is cruising, not a care in the world.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:10 AM
@Chris- Yep. Camera 1 can pan, tilt and zoom. We’ll see about moving it around to get a better look at the boys down in the playpen.
@Lisa- Let’s hope being fearless doesn’t get Zephyr into trouble!
June 18th, 2008 at 3:07 AM
I think Seneca will be the first to fledge. It’s always the shy, quiet ones you have to be careful of. 😉
Carol P.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:48 AM
Where’s Z-man?
June 18th, 2008 at 10:38 AM
So Susan B may be the first..well well.. ……..where is the 5th one, I still only see 4, and as of right now, I don’t know which one is missing.This is a nervous time for us all, hope they can do it.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:40 AM
@6:33am Camera 4 one of the guys is perched on the floodlight.
Last year the first out of the box was not the first to fledge. as I recall.
It would be nice to see Seneca be first to take wing.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Kathy V – They are all in view as of 6:41 am. – Carol P.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Well caught a glimpse of one of the boys this am, but boy that Quest might even beat Susan B, flapping away like crazy this morning. It is any ones guess who will fledge first. They seem to be surprising us this year already.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:22 PM
@9:20am, Main Camera, Quest is on the perch rail. Is this her first time?
June 18th, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Yes 🙂
8:55AM – Quest makes her first venture out onto the perch rail!
June 18th, 2008 at 3:00 PM
looks like our little timid Seneca actually moved to the front of the nest box! She is succombing to peer pressure!
June 18th, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Did Susan B just fly off the perch??!!!!???
June 18th, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Yes, she is sitting on the railing.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:08 PM
Wow I have been watching and even got the chance to visit a week ago (from Tennessee!) but today i just saw Susan B take her first leap down into the playpen…I am in awe at the fact that I get to enjoy this!!
June 18th, 2008 at 3:13 PM
At 10 am – one falcon jumped/flew from the pen to the ledge and down to the rooftop and is sitting there. The other two (Seneca and Quest) were looking down at him wondering what he was doing!) Quest is on the perch and had spread his wings out. Seneca is sitting by the edge checking things out. I’ve saved lots of pics of these beautiful birds since they were eggs. I’d love to share them but don’t know where. I will be posting them on my website soon if anyone is interested. (www.keyartsandphotography.com – free to download).
June 18th, 2008 at 3:23 PM
A note of thanks,
Over the years I have read how positioning of the cameras has been a challenge, and the folks in charge have done their best, from the 1st days of guessing which side of the box the eggs would be laid, all the way to the fledging finale. I thought the camera adjustments were excellent this year, I think it reflects a lot of years of lessons-learned by you dedicated volunteers, and I appreciate it very much. Many Thanks.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:26 PM
Susan B is now at the other side of the playpen and on the ledge. She is moving around a lot!
June 18th, 2008 at 3:29 PM
10:25, Seneca is looking curious about Susan B. Maybe today she will finally get brave enough to get out onto the perch?
June 18th, 2008 at 3:33 PM
10:33 it looks like Mariah is there on the perch encouraging her daughters along.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:07 PM
10:17 AM looks like Susan B on camera support then she went back to box
June 18th, 2008 at 4:09 PM
11:02 only see 2 in the box. Quest and Seneca. Have only seen one of the boys in the playpen today
June 18th, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Maybe I’m confused here. But why would leaping up to the roof of the scrape be a more significant step toward fledging than dropping down to the playpen and then getting back up for the night? The pen seems like a much bigger distance to negotiate. Or am I confused about what qualifies as the pen?
Thanks for any help.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:38 PM
It’s not, gr0tt0…from the floor of the playpen to the nest box would be just as significant as perch to roof, but I don’t believe any have done that yet this year.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:42 PM
I think what maybe confusing is someone had mentioned that Susan B made it down to the playpen and then (like now) she is on the perch rail. I think she might be going behind the box. Is that a possibility? That when we can’t see her doesn’t mean she is down in the play pen. But then again I don’t know how the whole set up is exactly. LOL 🙂
June 18th, 2008 at 5:49 PM
I don’t think Susan B. has been into the playpen, Debbie. I don’t believe they can get behind the box, but I have seen her under the front of the box and tucked in between the round pillars and the wall…there are lots of spots they can hide just out of camera range.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:53 PM
I think that Quest will be the first. I was watching this am and only saw 3. I would love to see them in the playpen. Go Quest. Quest has been my fav from day one. 😉
June 18th, 2008 at 5:54 PM
Ei, I don’t think she has either, but some body wrote somewhere that she was, but I don’t think she has. She has been all over, and I know there are times when she isn’t visible. But I do know that she is all over the place. I didn’t know if there was room behind the box or not, but I do know she finds good places to hide from the camera’s.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:57 PM
12:56 Susan B nowhere that I can see, but the picture captured on the main camera looked like Quest was just about ready to take off.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Susan has jumped or flown over to the camera support-looks like a pipe in front of the box-check out other camera angles-she’s done it 3 times now.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:00 PM
9:54 PDT Susan B had wings spread and looked ready to go! 9:56 only 2 left in box. Is she in the playpen?
June 18th, 2008 at 6:00 PM
@ 12:58 camera 4, is that Susan B or one of the parents? The chest appears white.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:02 PM
looks like parent-this time-my bad
June 18th, 2008 at 6:03 PM
That looks like a parent on the camera support. I think Susan B just jumped down into the playpen, and that is why the parent came over to have a look.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:16 PM
This just in on the yahoo group…
Lisa McK just called in to say there was another fledge, assumed to be
Susan B. We’ll keep Watching!
Carol P.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:35 PM
another fledge, didnt know Zephyr did. Great job Zephyr.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Does the term “fledge” refer to actually taking flight off of the tower, or just leaving the scrape and exploring the playpen below?
June 18th, 2008 at 6:41 PM
KJA fledge is to actually take flight not just down to the playpen.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:31 PM
This is just truly amazing. Our office has been watching the Falcon cam for about 4 years now. The interns that come in get all caught up in the drama and excitement right with us. Thank you SO MUCH to Kodak and all who work so diligently to provide this peek into the falcon nest. You guys are awesome!!
June 18th, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Look at all the fun I missed while at work today!!!!