I missed the excitement of the second eyass leaving the nest Thursday morning. It ended up in some barbwire above the rear entrance to 530 West End Avenue on 86th Street. I’m not sure why but someone thought it was injured and pushed it with a stick and it ended up flying a block west to a ledge on 310 West 86th Street.

When I arrived I saw the adult female on one of her normal perches, but she was looking due west. I know to go looking for a fledgling. Quickly I found it on 310 West 86th Street. After about twenty minutes it decided to walk the ledge the building shares with its twin 320 West 86th Street almost to the end on the 320 side, before it decided to hop onto an air conditioner. It would end up staying there for the afternoon and into the evening. I left after 8:30 and it looked like it would be roosting there for the night.

Last year, a fledgling stayed on the same ledge for two days! And another for 36 hours. So, the bird staying in one place shouldn’t alarm anyone at this point. I suspect the parents will lure it to a safer place with food over the next day or two.

A bigger surprise than the second fledgling, which I had expected would happen today, was at the eyrie. I had seen the youngest on the nest a few times and at dusk went looking for it. It was sitting on a ledge. Then out of nowhere, the first fledgling appeared! I had been looking for it most of the afternoon and here it was back on the tower. This happened a few times last year. It looks like its left leg was also recovering which was nice to see. It wasn’t having trouble putting weight on the leg anymore.

So, when I left for the evening, I had seen the whole family and everyone looked great.