Seattle Eyass Update 18 June 2007

The Seattle eyasses at most sites are fledging at roughly the same time this year. As usual, not all of them have good experiences during the first few days on the wing, but thankfully some fledge without problems.

West Seattle
At West Seattle, a third fledgling was picked up and brought in to a local wildlife care center. This leaves only one of the original four fledglings remaining with the adults. On Sunday, this bird was observed perching briefly in a precarious place – the guardrail of the West Seattle freeway – but she soon left to chase her parents. She flew strongly.
We hope to release the other falcons back to these sites as soon as they are ready to fly well.

First Avenue South Bridge
Two youngsters fledged at the south Duwamish site. The adults had earlier laid their eggs on a really horrible ledge under the bridge rather than in the luxurious custom-built nest box that we provided for them. Oh well...
As of Sunday, both fledglings were staying close to the nest area, but looked good on short flights.

I-5 Ship Canal Bridge
On Saturday at the I-5 site, a recent fledgling perched on roof of a building near ground level. Unfortunately, it was only a few feet from a doorway where a number of people were entering the building. Though the crowd was oblivious to the fledgling peregrine perched directly above their heads, the adult female perceived the humans as threats to her vulnerable youngster and gave an impressive demonstration of stooping (folding her wings and diving) at the heads of bewildered pedestrians in an attempt to drive them away. I observed her stooping at least three times to within 4 to 5 feet of a small group of people, who immediately ran around a corner of the building.
Probably a good thing she did not hit anyone. This bird currently has the reputation among the FRG banders of being the most aggressive and dangerous female of all the sites we band. She hits hard and has drawn blood more than once. Of course, we consider that to be a good thing. She is a really good "mom".

A week ago, there were three youngsters on the I-5 bridge nest ledge. A fourth was at another wildlife care center. However, this weekend, no one could locate the remaining two fledglings. This is common at this stage. There are many low perches where the young can be concealed by vegetation or buildings, so we will continue to try to find them and hope for the best.

Seattle Eyass Update 13 June 2007

On Sunday, a second young peregrine from our West Seattle site ended up on the ground. Thanks to a commuter who realized that the bird was in a dangerous location, it is now at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington. Like its sibling and a youngster from the I-5 site, it wasn’t quite ready to fly, but it’s in good health and should be released when it’s a little older.
By Monday morning, June 11, a third West Seattle youngster had taken its first flight, but this one made it to a nearby roof, a much safer place than the ground. As of today, June 13, the fourth eyas was still on the ledge.
At the Ballard site, only one egg hatched, and the male eyas was on the nest ledge Monday, with both parents perched close by to protect it if necessary. When an adult Red-tailed Hawk drifted into the area, both adults launched into flight, bombarded the larger raptor in screaming fury and quickly drove it from the area.
Also on Monday, at least two young birds were on the nest ledge at the I-5 site, with both watchful adults nearby. One eyas was at PAWS after leaving the ledge prematurely; an observer was not able to confirm that the fourth eyas was still on the ledge, but could not locate it on the ground or in the bushes. It isn’t possible to see the entire ledge from one vantage point, so it may have been tucked away in a corner out of view.
By Ruth Taylor

Update 8 June 2007

Here in Seattle, it seems like just yesterday that we checked nest sites to confirm hatching. The nestlings, or eyasses, at most of the sites are approaching six weeks of age now and fledging (first flight) is imminent.
We had two reminders of this Wednesday, June 6. Two eyasses ended up at PAWS, a wildlife care center north of town, after apparently tumbling off their respective ledges at our I-5 and West Seattle sites. We want to thank everyone involved in their rescue.
Both youngsters are healthy birds – they just weren’t yet capable of keeping themselves airborne and ended up running around on the ground, which is a very dangerous place to be. Dogs, cats, cars and people can all cause injury to a grounded nestling.
At this age, they have remnant patches of white down, and their pristine new feathers are still stubby. They’re not quite ready for flight yet, but they have developed an intense curiosity about the world beyond the nest ledge
Soon, very soon, instinct will prod the other nestlings to leave the security of the ledge and take that critical first flight.
If you find a recently fledged young peregrine on the ground, we suggest calling either PAWS at (425) 787-2500 or Sarvey Wildlife Care at (360) 435-4817. Both have experienced staff that can offer advice and help.
By Ruth Taylor

Brief visits at three urban eyries

June 5, 2007.

I had some brief time slots in between appointments today, all near peregrine eyries in Seattle, so I decided to use my breaks wisely.

At the Eastside nest I spotted the adult male sitting on a pillar. No sign of the female. However, four minutes later she flew out of the nest site. She landed near the male and feaked (wiped her bill, indicative of recently having eating). It is difficult to see into this nest, and young are not visible until they are a couple of weeks old. So we have to go by adult behavior until the young can be seen.

The past few weeks the adults' behavior switched from incubating to feeding young. Last week both adults stayed off the nest for prolonged periods, indicating they either failed or the young were about two weeks old. At that age they can regulate their own body temparature and don't need constant brooding from the adults.

The adult female coming out of the nest site and feaking strongly indicates she had been feeding young. I looked up at the nest site with my scope and lucked out. One down-covered young stretched both its wings above its back (only the wings were visible). The edges of the wings showed about one inch of growing flight feathers, indicating about 3 weeks of age. At the same time another young backed up to the edge of the nest (there is a ridge that screens the young from view) and defecated. This leads to the conclusion that there are at least two three-week-old young up there.










This image was taken last year when the Eastside adult female was eating on the ground.


My second break was near the Duwamish site. Here the adult female was perched in a light stand. Searching around the nest ledge revealed two young mostly feathered young with extensive tyfts of down on body and wings. About 4 1/2 to 5 weeks old. One was 'pancaked' and sound asleep. The other busy preening on the ouside edge of the nest ledge.
Just as I left the adult male showed up and perched in anearby light stand as well.

In 2006 I banded both adults at the Duwamish site, after the nesting season was over. The female is on the left, the male on the right. Both birds have returned to nest at this site this year.

My final break was near the Ballard nest site. Initially I did not see the youngster on the ledge and I feared it might have fallen in the water. But while I changed to a different vantage point and back again the youngster received food from the adults and was busily tearing away at what once was a pigeon. This youngster is about five weeks old. One more week and hopefully it will fledge successfully.

Michael MacDonald reports on I-5 Ship Canal banding

Michael MacDonald is the Washington State Department of Transportation wildlife biologist who is instrumental in banding the peregrine chicks at the I-5 Ship Canal bridge. To read his first hand report of the banding effort, click the link below:

http://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/