Our Peregrine Falcons - Here Today Gone Tomorrow?

Here they are this Saturday morning at 9:30 AM. I say our Peregrine Falcons as each year we all seem so attached to them. Often there is a fellow out on South Temple with signs calling our attention to them. Last year I asked him where they were. His answer was proudly "who knows, they own this city you know".

Back at 4PM and these two are checking out the flight plan.

Multiple Choice:

A. This one is getting serious.

B.  Not serious, hoping mom comes back with food.

C.  Spots a mouse in the garden.

D.  Yep, serious, gotta get outa here.

Hey you two, I'm afraid, will one of you come and join me? 

Here today gone tomorrow is significant as the falcon watchers believe first flight for these three young ones could be sometime between tomorrow and Tuesday.

Thank You

OK I am here, but I gotta tell you, this frightens me too.

What a magnificent bird species they are. Thursday Kathleen and I were having lunch together on the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and one of the parent birds swooped up into sight and I watched him or her do a straight down dive out of sight.

It was breath taking.

I checked back at 5PM

It looks like they were waiting for dinner.

The third one is out of this camera range checking on the flight plan.

This looks like meat. I wish had seen the delivery.
Yuk, in another view I can see they are eating a crow.
The next question is was it delivered or did it just make a stupid error.

So now, I checked back 30 minutes later and have this question -
Is a full falcon a brave and ready to fly falcon?

By the way, first flight isn't always successful. The state wildlife division is there to take care if there is a failed attempt. "When the falcons take those harrowing first flights, Walters and a team of volunteers will be on hand to rescue them. "You never know where young falcons will end up," Walters says. "We've had them land in the middle of the busy downtown streets and crash into the sides of buildings."

"But wherever the birds land, we'll be there to pick them up."

If the birds aren't harmed, Walters will release them below the beehive atop the JSMB. "The idea is to rescue and release each young bird until the birds develop the confidence and competence needed to sustain themselves in flight," he says.

Walters says learning to fly in a downtown environment, filled with glass, metal, rock and brick surfaces, is a major challenge for young falcons.

And oh, watch them for awhile, you too will call them "our Peregrine Falcons", you will become that attached to them.

Click here for the two cameras. 

From the State Website: JUNE 10, 2014 — We have three nestlings, and they're growing fast! We expect fledging to begin around June 24. If you want to be on the rescue team, attend the upcoming field trip.

JUNE 24, 2010

Well the experts are 2/3 correct so far. They said today was a likely day. Two of the young ones flew the coop this morning and without a crash landing so far. In heading for my assignment at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building this morning I checked in with one of the spotters. She said both that flew out had a direct flight to the top of the Administration building. They landed safely but now the question is what is next?  What will happen with #3. What will happen with their next flight. Mama Falcon flew across the street and up to the top of the Key Bank Tower. One of them marched to the South end of the Administration building to watch her. Now, will #2 try to meet up with her. That could be a problem. Volunteer spotters are doing their best to make sure they stay unharmed should a crash happen.

I just checked the camera on # 3 and it doesn't look good. He or she is laying flat not moving. I hope its just asleep. I rechecked, it's head popped up. I guessing this one will have trouble with first flight.

UPDATE JUNE 26, 2010

Would you or could you say this baby Falcon #3 is in denial? He, or she, is hiding at the back instead of joining his parents and two sibings. 

 Of course this one was hatched three days after the other two. That would make his target day today. Both #1 and #2 had successful first flights. #1 seemed to take to the trees, Moving from one tree to another, mostly ticking off the robins. This one didn't seem too anxious to fly.

Come on #3, this day could be your day.

I checked in on #3 again. This old bird is beginning to feel sorry for this young bird. I am also beginning to take pity on the faithful volunteers, waiting at ground level to help and protect the falcons should their flights not be so great.