Thanks to a rooftop view, I was able to see one of the young Peregrin Falcons at West End and 86th. It was a very brief view, but nice to have. I can’t wait until I can see more of them in a few days when they begin to venture out on the ledges of the tower.
On Saturday, I got to see the whole family at Havemeyer Hall on the Columbia University campus. Both parents visited the nest and the female fed the three eyasses. It’s a bit tough to see them through the netting, but there are clearly three little ones.
I’ve been wanting to confirm that the banded adult female is the same banded bird we’ve been for the last two years. On Friday, I was able to confirm that the band number is the same, 77 over BV. (She was born on the Du Bois Library, at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and banded that year, in 2019.)
There are nights that with cloud cover, a moon and the city’s light pollution it is easy to photograph Flaco. On Friday night that wasn’t the case. It was dark!
He did another nice hunting run and ended up flying around with a Brown Rat.
I keep hoping that the young Peregrine Falcons will begin to explore the ledges of the church tower, but I think I’m a few days too early.
Photographers working on a documentary reported seeing three chicks today from a nearby roof top, which is great news. No one has a full view of the eyrie through the tower’s arches, so there’s a chance that their might even be a fourth.
I watched the parents from the street, and got to see the adult male clean the feather’s off a Rock Pigeon, deliver it to the nest, and then swap places with the adult female. The young falcons made lots of noise when the food was delivered.
I’m looking forward to a fun June!
The Peregrine Falcon eyrie is active at 86th Street and West End in the same church tower as last year. There are at least two chicks, which currently can only be seen from roofs and apartments around the tower.
Last year, the young falcons were big enough to start exploring the ledge of the tower at the end of May. So, keep a lookout if you live nearby.
