They should be fledging next week. Ditto and I are gonna miss them.
They should be fledging next week. Ditto and I are gonna miss them.
Dave and Ditto (he still lets me list my name first)
Dave,
They sure did grow fast, or at least it seems that way! Seems like only yesterday we were looking at 5 balls of white fuzz..........
Linda L.
There are no bad birds, just misunderstood ones.
I checked a day or two ago and those white balls of fuzz were feathered and dismembering a pigeon. :eek: They are amazing.
MJ
The fledge watch starts monday. By this time next week they may be flying!
Dave and Ditto (he still lets me list my name first)
Number 1 has fledged! She's sitting on the roof of a parking garage across the street from the ledge!
Dave and Ditto (he still lets me list my name first)
Dave,
When you say "fledged," are you referring to having taken a first flight or the young falcon leaving the ledge to live on its own from now on?
Linda L.
There are no bad birds, just misunderstood ones.
Sorry, first flight. Mom and dad will still feed for awhile and need to teach her to fly and hunt.Originally Posted by linda040899
They'll still be around for a few more weeks. Then the parents will chase them off since Perigrines won't tolerate another falcon within 1 mile of their nest site. Or any other raptor for that matter. Momma falcon has killed 3 red tails this spring. Funny thing is they won't eat other raptors, just kill them if they get too close. 2 years ago on labor day a red tail did manage to swoop down and take one of the babies off the ledge. Mom's not gonna let that happen again if she can help it.
Dave and Ditto (he still lets me list my name first)
The youngest one didn't make it. He was found friday near the tracks at the Amtrak station. He apparently electrocuted himself when he landed on one of the 11,000 volt power lines that power the trains.
The other 4 are doing fine and running mom and dad ragged now that they've expanded their range out several miles.
The Harrisburg falcons are doing exceptionally well raising their babies though. Perigrines typically have an 80% mortality rate and the Harrisburg ones have so far had 22 of 28 survive. Last year one got a pigeon bone stuck in his throat that perforated his windpipe. There was another one that electrocuted himself at the train station a few years ago, and 2 years ago on memorial day, a Red Tailed hawk swiped one off the ledge. Don't know what happened to the others.
Soon the young ones will head out on their own for their own feeding/nesting grounds. Hopefully they'll be as successful as mom and dad.
Dave and Ditto (he still lets me list my name first)
Last year in my science class, my teacher, bird man Bosch, would ALWAYS have the eagle cam on. Ever day during break at least 5 kids would be glued to the computer screen. It was really neat. I hear they're going to do a bear cam next? That would be cool!
Last edited by dovelady4; 12-08-2006 at 07:37 PM.
Did something happen to the falcons? The cam's focused on an empty concrete ledge. O.o;'