Thursday's Antics ~ Photos

Good morning! Just talked to Bob. During yesterday's hard rainstorm, team lost visual on #2 Hunter. Someone caught a bird and Mom flying south on Main Street so a search was conducted all along Main and through the City Creek shopping center. Finally Carol noticed a security guard at the Harmon's grocery, looking down, staring at something (sure sign), which turned out to be Hunter! Bob made the decision, since no one had seen a meal delivered to Hunter for the last three days, that maybe the rehabber should see her, give her a meal and keep her overnight. She remains there but is expected to return to the site for release this noon. We are expecting another few rain storms about the same time, so possibly they could cause a delay in release. Ace is flying very well, come in to his own Bob says, has flown high over Zion's, Eagle Gate and up to top of COB, our tallest building. He was delivered food up on a ledge on Zion's bank this morning. Bob is really pleased. #3 Skye remains in the box, being fed consistently, if not too much. Yesterday afternoon, Mom brought in a coot or duck, which I noticed first because from below a tail was seen hanging out of the box that was not a peregrine. Further inspection of the live cam told us sure enough, it was large prey on the rock (and due to viewing cam, lost all my data on my phone!) 

Here are my notes from yesterday, obviously outdated but help explain the photos below: "Although I left right before a huge storm rolled in this afternoon, and I haven't talked to anyone to see how they all fared through the rain. The wind picked up so much this afternoon and both Ace and Hunter kept flying up the the peak of the JSMB where the wind made it hard for them to keep their footing. The amazing part was that Mom was using the opportunity to hover over them, just hanging in the wind, maybe giving lessons. Ace finally let go of the roof and rose straight up, then rode the wind over higher than where he was yesterday. He made it all the way up to the top of the Zion's Bank building, no problem!! Mom continued to hover over him, diving at him sometimes. But he held that spot for over 2 hours. Eventually he flew off, over to the Eagle Gate, even higher!! Landing way above the ledge he was on yesterday. That is where he stayed until I left at 5:15p

Hunter was a bit more of a scaredy cat, hanging on a cornice tip most of the afternoon, sometimes calling out when she would see Mom do a flyover. She can see a leftover coot on a lower roof across from her, and we think she has not eaten since her fledge, so we noticed her eyeing those leftovers but she never attempted going there. She eventually left that cornice and moved over to the roof where Ace had been. But as of me leaving she was still there.

Skye was delivered what Bob thinks is a duck or a coot although she had no interest in it at the time. We think she's been fed quite a lot over the last few days which is strange if they expect her to fly soon. She sure looked like she was going to come out of the box after that prey was delivered. Almost like she didn't like it in there with her. During that time, I turned on the nest cam on my phone to see what the heck mom brought in, thus running all my data (unknowingly) from my phone plan and I lost all ability to Twitter, facebook, email etc. so was rather stuck. I have to be able to keep every up to date!! So I just decided to go home and get to an exercise class. The rain hit there probably 6:00pm or so.

Here is video of breakfast today. Lots of screaming, turn down your volume!

Skye watches Mom flying.

 

Ace on West wing of JSMB trying to hold on in the wind.

Just before take off.

Ace finding his wings! It was so windy, but he did great.

Ace flying high above Zion's Bank.

Ace lands on top. Stayed there for a few hours.

Hunter testing wings. She stayed here most of the late morning and afternoon.

Hunter #2

Wanting to go West wing where Ace was.

Mom flying with large prey (coot?)

delivering coot

Mom off again to do more flying demos.

Ace

Ace on top, Mom below on ledge.

Hunter flew over to West wing! Mom visited/harassed her a bit.

Skye fascinated with Ace and Mom flying over Eagle Gate.

Mom keeping track of Ace on very top of Eagle gate. He's behind that railing.

Ace peeks out.

Ace in tree, day 1, being harassed by robins. (photo credit to Tony Bozich)

the coot meal (Skye still isn't interested in it)

It was a very windy day! You can see Ace on the roof early in the day Thursday.

Forgot to mention, Hunter was picked up in gardens early Thursday. Released on beehive then moved to north side of JSMB for most of day.

A view of Hunter from inside the building (before the storm blew in). You can see those blue feet.