Notes from July 6: If you watch the first flight video closely you will see the first fledge made it to the top of that white building on the first try. That is hard to do, she is very strong flyer for how big she is. She landed on the roof then hopped up to the ledge where she sat for an hour or more, walking east and west then heading south on the ledge. A few Lesser Finches buzzed her head a couple times. As she moved south on the building there was great worry that she would fly off into the traffic on South Temple Street. She did take off headed in that direction, everyone scrambled. She landed on a ledge down by the gardens, but high enough ledge that Bob had to get a maintenance ladder, climb up the 6 feet or so and grab her. She didn't fight. There was a mob of people who wanted to get a view so Bob took her, in the box, over to the JSMB building foyer, closed off the doors and allowed 5 or 6 people at a time to step in, look, and snap a picture before he banded her. Quickly thereafter, security escorted Bob up to the top of the Beehive and put her out on the ledge. Of course immediately she heads south on that ledge, towards traffic. Everyone scrambled over to the street but eventually she ended back over on the North side, facing the gardens and tucked into a curlee cue on the face.

There was one point when a seagull flew through the grounds and got too close to her as she sat on the admin bldg this morning. The father swooped in from the tall Eagle Gate Building and looked to about kill the gull, full attack. The gull high tailed it out of there fast. When I left, the other young were starting to hang out on the nestbox ledge again and female adult was bringing food. We never saw parents feed the first fledge though. I took time to go up to the observation deck with a tour guide and snapped pictures of the whole grounds and caught a shot of the female storing up some pigeons on the ledge outside the nestbox (maybe for easy access during the night). It was a great day. I will be back on the Square EARLY hoping to see the next one fledge in the morning. Shout out to all my friends on BCAW who let me post their videos today and tweeted updates about what was going on in the nest when I couldn't see.

Just 30 min or so after first flight.

Looking North. Nest box is to the bird's left.

The three left behind watching all the activity.

After flying along south along the west side of Admin Bldg, she lands on a sill.

Bob climbs up on a ladder to retrieve her.

Measuring and banding in JSMB vestibule.

Bob takes her up to the top of the Beehive and releases on the North side.

View of nesbox from 36 floors up. Click on any pic to see larger. Note dead pigeons on corner. Adults' food stash.

View of the Beehive on top of JSMB.

Late afternoon hang out. Three left in box.

Full view of west side of grounds. Beehive is on left on top of Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Temple is to the center of picture and a favorite destination of the falcons.

First fledge on left side of the spade shaped scroll, in the curlee cue getting shade. Click on picture to see larger. Bird is in front of red, white and blue shield.