Peregine Fledgling Updates

Now that almost all active raptor nests that I'm following have fledged, here's an update on the totals for peregrines so far.
55 Water: 4 successful fledges
MetLife: 2 successful fledges
Broadway Bridge: 3 successful fledges
Columbia Presbyterian:???
Riverside Church:???
Jersey City:???
Verrazano Bridge: ???
Marine Mid-Land Bridge: ???

Swinging by Riverside Church, I still have not seen any young here, but there remains ample evidence that there are eyasses in the scrape. I continually find both parents buzzing the nest and displaying food, seemingly trying to lure the young birds out.




Here's the female outside the scrape (center with Lion's head), calling to the nest.



Meanwhile up at Broadway Bridge, I still have not been able to tell if the rescue of the young peregrine was successful. When I arrived, I quickly spotted one parent and one juvy, hiding among the stairwell of the south tower.

While another adult flew in with prey for another youngster.

Who then promptly took off...



Here they chase each other around the bridge!


Later I watched in amazement as the adult male lit out over Kingsbridge to pursue pigeons!

He tore down at a group, forcing them to scatter. They wheeled and spun over Target, but the falcon had missed! It returned to the bridge, but there wasnt enough light to focus...

Instead of landing however, it did a tight turn...

and homed in on a perched pigeon!



Reap, indeed!
Flying off with the prize.


The light was fading and I hopped on the train to go home. As the 1 pulled into the 215th St. stop, I heard a peregrine calling above Inwood Hill! I exited the train on the platform, and saw both parents repeatedly diving on a building and calling. I could not see what they were so upset about, but one of the juveniles was there also.


The female made pass after pass, ignoring all sorts of prey that was flushed...such as this swift.

She finally lit out towards the bridge after some 20 minutes.

I said a special prayer for this family, and all raptor families, as they continue to beat the odds in this unforgiving City.


PS It seems that the one of the pioneers in urban Peregrine nesting--the Kodak Building, up in Rochester, N--is going to destroy the scrape after all these years. I sincerely hope they reconsider their decision and I urge all bird lovers to boycott Kodak products until they change their stance.

Fledgling Updates!

With all of the excitement downtown at Houston St., I decided to check up on the Morningside eyasses to see if they were nearing fledge time. As of the writing of this post though, it appears that both chicks fledged this Sunday evening! When I was there on Saturday, both chicks looked pretty old, with alot of the down covering their heads having molted--but they still seemed some time away from flying. Here's a sequence of the mom flying into one of the chicks.




Flying out with the trash.

Later over the Park, pursued by a redwinged bb.

I also observed a singing song sparrow in breeding plumage.

And a nest building robin.

There was also a special tree that had two macabre finds underneath. Some dove feathers,

and this whitefooted mouse.

Up at CCNY, there appears to be no activity in this nest. I highly doubt there are chicks in there anymore. There is a slight, slight chance they may have fledged, but I did a cursory check of the St. Nicholas Park and did not observe anything unusual.
By chance, I also found a nesting pair of crows at Trinity Church.

More Peregrines in Peril!

I would just like to thank everyone for their supportive comments and emails. As a result of some of the emails, I have been searching the Flickr index for NYC raptors.
The results have been astounding. It seems New Yorkers are paying attention. Here's one regarding the rescue of a fledgling from the 55 Water St. nest.

And here's one from this past August of an injured adult near Rockefeller Center. Possibly the result of a territorial battle.

This is one is from Chicago.

And from San Jose.
Where there is a "peregrine rescue group" on standby during fledging.

Seems most North American cities have nesting peregrines (and raptors for that matter) and the mortality rate for fledglings in these urban environments is exceedingly high. It therefore becomes incumbent upon us to assist these birds as best we can with the tools at our disposal. This methodology should also be applied to kestrels, merlins, redtailed hawks and owls. Hopefully by next year's fledging season we can organize amongst ourselves to have most of the riskiest nests covered during this critical time!

Recent Raptor Roundup: Part 4

Last, but certainly not least, I swung up to Broadway Bridge to get a sense of exactly where this family of peregrines is in the nesting process. From the train, I could see both parents slicing through the air around the bridge. Exiting the train, I caught both parents forming up and flying off high to the east, well out over Kingsbridge. At the bridge itself, it was quiet, save for the remains of some past meals (grackle),

and some future ones!

But then the loud cak-cak-cak-cak of juvenile peregrines filled the air!
One of the adults had brought in a pigeon and was feeding one of the youngsters!

Another juvy, screamed in frustration!


This went on for several minutes as I angled to get a better shot. The one youngster not being fed, flitted about in frustration.




I guess it had seen enough, and lit off!


I lost track of it as it hurtled through the bridgeworks. The parent that was feeding the other youngster then lit off too and took up a perch on the south tower.


It too assumed the "hot hawk" pose!

Suddenly, the male adult flew in with a freshly caught pigeon.

It began stripping the carcass, but did not offer any to the youngsters.

Much to my surprise, another juvy took off after the parent.



I watched as it tried to land by grabbing onto the cables that support the road deck. But it didnt seem to have a good grasp. Suddenly a 1 train crossed the bridge and I lost sight of the falcon. After what seemed an eternity, the train passed and I was just in time to see the young eyass flutter down to the busy road, directly in the path of oncoming traffic! Without hesitation I (but not before looking in both directions), I ran out after it and tried to shoo it off the road. But it wouldn't budge. I decided there was no other choice, but to handle the bird. Using my bookbag as a shield, I carefully reached under the bird from behind and secured its legs in my left hand. I then lifted the bird and ran to the walkway. I was at once exhilarated by this first contact, but also scarred for the bird. Luckily I was with film maker Adam Welz who has handled numerous raptors both back home in South Africa, but also here in the states. I handed the bird to Adam for proper release.

That's right...it doesnt get more urban than this!

After setting the bird down on the bridge railing,

it glared at us for about 5 minutes,


and lit off for a sheltered spot underneath the bridge.

It was getting late and the young falcon seemed to be settling in for the night. It began preening. We did not see it call for the parents who were clearly looking for it.


People always ask me, "Yojimbot, why do you spend so much of your time running all over the place, photographing birds?" This weekend, I believe I've answered that question once and for all.

I will never forget this experience and I would also like to underscore just how much these birds need our help. Not only were these three chicks unbanded, but numerous onlookers relayed stories to me about how the chicks were "all over the place" since fledging on Thursday, with one even perching on the McDonald's sign for the entire day as a crowd formed below. These birds in particular, and all nesting raptors in general, need our careful attention to ensure that they are not killed or stolen by the less than enlightened denizens of our fair City. Congratulations to all of the successful broods this year! Hopefully there will be more great news to report!

Recent Raptor Roundup: Part 3

From the outwardly hopeful situation at the Cathedral, to the ambiguous situation at CCNY, the nesting picture still has yet to crystalize. I had no trouble finding the female perched, perfectly camouflaged on the ornate structure. She definitely seems to be guarding the nest, but no young were observed.

I did see this mockingbird defending its nest...



Hover bee!

This went on for sometime...the mocker would periodically harass the hawk and then rocket down into St. Nicholas Park.
While the nest itself appears quiet,

I did observe other signs of life. Here's a rare hawk pellet.
Comprised entirely of fine, downy feathers and broken pigeon bones, this was the first time I've ever handled one of these.

And there was much white slack underneath the nest.

A raucous group of crows--maybe 1/2 dozen in all--continues to patrol CCNY campus, just west of the nest.