Saturday at 5:00 PM, Leda became the 2nd of our Utica Peregrine Falcon chicks to fledge. Her maiden flight took her around Grace Church and the State Office Building. She finally landed on the roof of the Adirondack Bank. Of the 3 chicks Leda was the most prepared for flight. Over the past few days she had put in a considerable amount of practice flying from the nest box perch to the top of the box. In the next 2 hours she made a few more flights around the 2 block area before landing on a window ledge high on the west face of the State Office Building. There she appeared to settle down for the night. Meanwhile, Indi remained at the nest box and did a lot of serious wing flapping. Perhaps spurred by her sister’s success and her parents coaxing, it looked like she was going to fledge as well, but she stayed put. The Fledge Watch volunteers were fine with that decision, having already had enough excitement for one evening.
Linda Bushnell SUNDAY LATE MORNING UPDATE: Leda safely spent the night on the Genessee St. side of the State Office Bldg. She flew a couple times this morning and has now settled back at the Adirondack bldg. but below the nestbox. Indi is still at the nestbox not ready to make her move and fledge. Both have recently been fed and are now resting. Astrid and Ares are there as well and resting. The watchers are resting as well! So, all is quiet at the moment! Last I knew, Tres is yet to be seen by the veterinarian but behaving and acting and eating like a healthy young fella with the rehabilitator, yeah!