Today, there were two youngsters on the nest and one youngster using buildings south of the eyrie. The fledgling continues to have problems putting weight on its left leg, but is a great flyer. It went to the water tank of a The Claremont at 255 West 85th Street, which is a 22 story building.
Everyone got fed and the parents were very active keeping track of the fledgling and exploring the neighborhood.
I had come by the eyrie on Monday, but missed seeing the first fledgling. Others had seen it on 530 West End Avenue.
On Tuesday, the first fledgling had been flying around in the afternoon, and I finally saw it on the top of 530 West End Avenue. The adult male brought it some food. The fledgling was limping a bit seeming to have trouble putting weight on its left leg. Hopefully, it’s just a strain and the problem will resolve on its own.
It appeared that two birds were off the eyrie at one point. Last year, we had the same problem where the fledglings kept going back to the tower, so it was hard to say who and how many had fledged. We had the same problem on Tuesday afternoon. Like last year, I can’t tell who is who. While they were growing up, I could see the age differences, but now the two oldest look very much alike.
I arrived at the eyrie around 1 p.m. to find one of the eyasses had already fledged to the northern fire escape of 530 West End Avenue four floors down from the top. The mother was on a railing watching over the new fledgeling, who as running across the fire escape. The fledgling made a few attempts to go through a closed window, only to learn it’s not possible.
Then it was up the ladder for the fledgling. It eventually when a floor higher. Newly fledged raptors seem to know to go higher, as it’s safer, and this one showed this instinct.
The bird did lots of flapping and was watched over from a building on 85th Street by the adult male. I didn’t spend much time looking at the eyrie and only spotted one of the two remaining eyasses.
Some fledge days are full of drama, when they fledge badly. I’m not sure what happened later in the evening, but at least while I was there everything seemed to be just as it should be.
All three eyasses were sleeping on the north ledge of the tower when I arrived. Once was so asleep, it was barely visible. There was lots of flapping and jumping around which was enjoyable. I suspect there was also a feeding, but I think it took place in the middle of the tower out of sight.
One of the eyasses looks close to fledging. I would like to see his tail grow in a bit more, but the bird could leave the nest very soon.
The eyasses are starting to look spiffy! Well the oldest one is, but its siblings aren’t that far behind.
The parents have changed behavior now that the eyasses are older, just like last year. Both parents are now comfortable leaving the nest area for long periods of time, and yesterday food was brought to the nest, taken away and then brought back to the nest. I saw this last year just before the eyasses fledged.
The only thing I haven’t seen yet is the father bringing sparrows rather than pigeons. Last year, he switched from bringing dressed pigeons to bringing each eyass its own sparrow just before the eyasses fledged.
When you look at the three eyasses, you’ll see different quantities of down and different tail lengths. Using these two factors, you can guess as to who was born first, second and third.
Like last year, we went from eyasses inside the tower to eyasses on the ledge to eyasses perching on cables, before they fledged. Today, I was an eyass perching on a cable. The older ones look much more mature then on my last visit a few days ago.
Two were fed around 5:15 today. The late afternoon, say 4:30 to 6:00 pm seems like a good time to see activity.
