Angel Becomes the First Fledgling of the 2018 Season & We Still Need Fledge Watch volunteers

Angel on a window ledge on the east face of the ADK Bank
Angel on a window ledge on the east face of the ADK Bank
Angel ends up handing like a bat to a window screen.
Angel ends up handing like a bat to a window screen.

At approximately 4:00 PM, Angel made his debut flight into the canyon. He tried to land on the side of the Grace Church steeple, but missed the perches and had to grapple onto the steep stone sides of the structure. From there he flew to a relatively low roof top to the east of the steeple. His next flight was only about fifteen minutes later and took him to the Courthouse roof and from there back to the Adirondack Bank building. On that least flight he was able to get some altitude, but he was short of the height necessary to reach a wider ledge on the fifteenth story. Instead, he landed on the bricks below a window. By flapping his wings and by hoistng himself with his feet he managed to scramble onto the 15th floor ledge.  He was in that spot for at least an hour and then he flew again. This time straight to the State Building, but again his landing wasn’t great. He missed the ledge and ended up hanging upside down by his talons again. Finally he righted himself and made it to a wide window ledge below the one he had tried to land on.

Angel making his third and final flight of the evening - note the rough ends to his tail feathers.
Angel making his third and final flight of the evening – note the tattered  ends to his tail feathers.
Angel hanging by his talons on the State Building
Angel hanging by his talons on the State Building

Fledge time is a hazardous time for the young Peregrines. Please consider coming downtown and helping us keep track of these magnificent raptors as they try to negotiate their urban environment for the first time.

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