LIVE from NYC- Jack and Jill Falcon have 3 Chicks!

One of the chicks was flapping it's wings, hard, this morning.

5 or 6 years ago I was pursuing my fav pastime of walking in the dales when I stopped on the top of Malham cove for a rest and a cup of tea. I was sat legs dangling over the edge about centre of this pic, when a flock of pigeons flew over, as I glanced up they suddenly scattered, a peregrine came down from above and grabbed one.

If you look a couple of inches from the left of the pic you will see a grass covered ledge, it landed there and plucked the pigeon, the mother bird came out of the hole in the cliff wall (third bush from left) growing out of wall and started taking a beak full at a time back to the hole where obviously the nest was.

I felt really priviledged to have witnessed this and from such a fabulous vantage point.

Great story & photo, kev.

All right, I'm getting nervous. BOTH of the darker-colored chicks were flapping hard. One of them kept jumping up on the edge & back down. All three of them were staying very close to the edge.

Yikes! Where's Mom & Dad? Think they ran off to get a camera? :wink:

The New York Daily News had a picture today of a lost falcon chick found on Water Street, but it can't be one of ours.

(Yes, I read the Daily News ,
Yes, I consider the chick ours........ :wink: )

Great story Kev. Love the picture.

The chicks are living dangerously this afternoon. They're sitting on the narrow ledge, watching the traffic below, and stretching their wings. The parent perched on top of the nesting area keeps holding its wings out straight, as if to show them you don't have to just flap. Both parents are close by.

Interesting that the word "fledge" contains "ledge."

Lots of wing flapping and edge walking for the bunch this morning. Anybody know how long before first take off? I'm guessing about ten more days.... yipes.

Joe

That is what I am thinking Joe - I want them to succeed but will worry for them while they are in the learning phase.

Ten days? Whew...I was afraid they'd try it today. I had no idea how long this phase lasts. Now I feel a little better. (just a little, though.)

I think one chick has flown the edge....

I only see two and one adult....

J

I only saw two this morning myself. Just checked again, and still only two. No parents around either time. The light-colored one is gone. I do hope it's all right. <biting fingernails>

Just checked and it seems all is OK the two babies are there and one parent I think. But visability was not good.

I see only the two babes this morning I think.

Gack!! Nobody home this morning!

The site reported rescuing the first chick and plans to return him/her but now nobody's there...... hope folks are watching out...
\\\

Joe

A local TV news station had pictures of the young falcon who was found near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. The commentary was that the bird would be returned to its nesting place. It also stated that the bird seemed well but confused. It further stated that such happenings are common with "apprentice soloists".

Perhaps they were walking on the wide ledge out of view, Joe. There's at least one there now, maybe two. Can't tell for sure...poor visibility. Will check in again later.

Checked in several times this afternoon, and everybody's gone. There's a note on the site that says it looks like the babies have flown off to their new future.

I'm glad that all of them made it this far. But I'm very sad they're gone.

Thank you for sharing this site with us, Joe. It's been an amazing thing to watch.

~~~~~~
:wink:

Hey, a couple of birds there now, looks like one adult and maybe a chick, maybe I'm nuts.

Joe

I agree. One Parent, one chick. The Parent looks offended.

Nope. More like "How come I'm stuck babysitting AGAIN while you're off doing godknowswhat!"

I think either parent could say that.