2010 Indy Falcons 2010

gigi · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:59 pm

Laura's mid day report:
Well, here we are at weekend two of fledge season. What is going on you may wonder?

I was able to be downtown for a couple of hours this morning. What I can report is that we had 5 birds in sight at any one time. That means we had 2 adults and 3 juveniles confirmed. What we are trying to concentrate on is whether we have 6 birds at the same time and that would confirm if our missing juvenile is back among the fold. That has not definitively happened yet.

I do believe all 3 juveniles that we know are still here have flown. Two on the 31st floor ledge were seen actively flying and we saw one on the 25th floor ledge of Market Tower when we first got there at 6am. So if it didn't tumble to that ledge, it had to have flown there.

We were treated to some spectacular flying this morning. It is very windy and cool here in Indy today. Not stopping one of the juveniles from flying like an expert, i.e. mom or dad. Saw some stalls in the air as he or she went into the wind, wing tucks and even chasing a parent now and then. Landing back on 31 was no problem. Kinney was on the perch in the box when this juvenile landed right in front of him on the ledge. The nerve!

So who is Sunday's child? Well, as I was driving home from downtown watch, I received a call from Kathy G. The patrol had a juvenile on a low ledge over by the old Federal building across from Chase Tower on the corner of Meridian and Ohio. Duane was able to get a scope on the bird's band and it's (drum roll please)........................Geneva! Totally unexpected - I mean really totally unexpected.

When I hear word of what is going on, I will update you but she was not in a position to be rescued, just a perilously low position. And the big question is, do we really have just 3 juveniles or do we have all 4? We are doing our darndest to confirm this. As I said, don't give up hope - we just all have to be patient, hope the patrols' combined keen eyes and quick turn of our heads can catch them all in one sighting. As I type this, I'm listening to Louis Armstrong's tune, What a Wonderful World.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:18 pm **Posts:** 64479

WOW...thanks for posting Laura's report, gigi...fingers crossed that they have been watching all 4 juvies..It must be so hard to keep track of them all...

Catbird · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:22 pm

skygirlblue wrote:

WOW...thanks for posting Laura's report, gigi...fingers crossed that they have been watching all 4 juvies..It must be so hard to keep track of them all...

Ditto for me! (Plus I'm hoping that either tonight or tomorrow we'll see all four juvies back up on the ledge surveying their new-found flying airspace.)

gigi · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:16 pm

Jeff's report from this afternoon. I am headed downtown now.

I just returned from downtown and Geneva was in a tree in front of the federal courthouse building. Two other juvies were on MT. Richard said he now believes we have found the missing juvenile, but we still have not seen all six falcons at once, so we have not been able to confirm all four juvies are present...yet. Scott and I saw what we are fairly certain were four juvies on MT this morning, but when our "confirmation" arrived, two of the juvies were not visible. These juvies are acting like teenagers, and will NOT cooperate with us, or their parents for that matter. They are flying really well though and we did see some chasing and diving by a juvie flying with an adult on a couple of occasions. One juvie even went backwards when it got into a "stall" in the strong winds. But for the most part, it's right back to MT after the flight. Richard also said this is only the THIRD time he has seen a falcon land in a tree, in the 19yrs he has been doing this! Hopefully we will receive good news from the crew that's downtown. The Peregrine Patrol is working very hard to try to confirm that we now have four juvies present, so keep watching the blog!

Beth · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:34 pm

Wow, what a awesome falcon fledge group you are in Gigi and Susan...
Thanks for all the updates, good, not so good and the maybe's (!)

catwoman · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:39 pm

Thank you to Gigi and Susan for your great reports on your falcon watch! Hope all the juvies are accounted for & thanks for taking care of these babies!

gigi · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:33 pm

Just returned from a short Patrol tour. After reading the comments other Patrol volunteers posted I think I will just quote them. It was an exciting day for sure! Scott, Bonnie and Phyllis are still down there - Scott with his giant camera lens trying to capture some memorable moments!!
From Kathy G:
We are still downtown and have 2 juvies on Market Tower as well as Kinney and KathyQ. Earlier, Geneva was in the tree trying to balance on a twig. We were all concerned how she could get any lift since she was more or less perched on "air". After a couple of hours she was tired of us staring at her and flapped her wings and with all her strength, lifted herself off of the tree and went toward the Federal building. Geneva didn't like her landing spot, recovered and flew straight south on Pennsylvania. We ran after her but lost sight of her - she was fast and was flying high and strong. There were 5 patrol members that went up and down the street, searched every level of the parking garages and the top of buildings that we could see. We don't know if she made a turn back to Market Tower. We just don't know. But she was flying high and full of confidence. The male on Market Tower thinks he is an aerial artist. He cruised past Chase Tower spinning and tucking his wings. He rested on the AUL building and took off again streaking past Kinney! Definitely a show-off! Wait - breaking news - a juvie just popped up from the gunboat on the Monument!! Gotta' run - more to come.
From Richard:
I received the call on my cell phone at 12:26 PM, from a 765-418-**** number saying he saw a banded falcon hopping across Meridian St. We found Geneva on the steps leading into the building we can not name(security reasons). We watched her for about an hour before she made it around to the south side of the building and got on top of a statue then flew to the head of the other statue on each side to the entrance to the building we can not name. She then flew south and east and got tangled into the top branches of a tree on the north side of E. Ohio St. She later flew south above Pennsylvania St and we lost track of her about E. Market St. We checked all levels and landings of several parking garages and I was told to go home at 4:05 PM having been here since 5:30 AM. Duane, Kathy G., Jeff C., Scott, Susan H. and seveal bystanders assisted in this action.
PS, Sorry if I missed naming any helpers. Duane got some more videos and I am sure he will post them as soon as he gets the chance.
Kathy G again:
We have confirmation that it is indeed Geneva on the Monument Tower. She's been hunkered down and is now up and staring at all the pigeons around her and vice versa. Geneva is not sure if they are new friends or a nice meal staring at her. Nevertheless, the pigeons are moving away from her. So a happy ending to Geneva's big trip around the block. We'll try and have some video to you in the morning. Evening patrol is here and Duane and I will stay on also.
Amy with the DNR [ helps John with the banding all over the state]
Yay, Geneva! I'm so glad she's turned up. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before there are 6 falcons all seen together again.
Noah and I stopped by Monument Circle this morning and spent some time with the patrol. It was a super nice visit, and we saw some great Peregrine action. The best was KathyQ flying around with a headless pigeon and later shepherding a juvie. To the Peregrine Patrol: Thanks so much for all you do - and keep up the good work! You rock!

catwoman · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:43 pm

Thanks for your post, Gigi & for posting other watchers' comments. Sure has been an interesting week for you! I'm crossing my fingers that all juvies are accounted for soon & that they all stay safe!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:18 pm **Posts:** 64479

gosh, gigi what a treat reading all of that!!!...sounds like it was quite the day...you guys are the best!!! I cannot wait for the pics and video..and I think I'd like to meet Geneva!!

SusanE · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:06 pm

Thanks so much, gigi, for going downtown this evening and for posting those reports from the blog. I CANNOT WAIT to get back down there tomorrow morning!!!! A fledge watch in person is like nothing else I've ever experienced.

gigi · **Posted:** Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:38 pm

SusanE wrote:

Thanks so much, gigi, for going downtown this evening and for posting those reports from the blog. I CANNOT WAIT to get back down there tomorrow morning!!!! A fledge watch in person is like nothing else I've ever experienced.

This morning Laura was gushing about what a wonderful addition you are to the Patrol and wondered if you would continue. I emphatically assured her you definitely would!
:thumbup

And now I am :offtobed:

so I will be able to get up and be down there tomorrow!!!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:18 pm **Posts:** 64479

gigi and Susan!!! Team Indy!! You both rock!!! :toast

obxbarb · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:05 am

skygirlblue wrote:

gigi and Susan!!! Team Indy!! You both rock!!! :toast

Yes you do!! What a fun experience for both of you, and to have all four flying around again is incredible! :spingirl:

gigi · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:51 am

I just returned from downtown and we have only seen 3 of the 4 juvies this morning. Not sure if they are the same 3 or if we are seeing different ones. Here is a video of Geneva yesterday who kind of got in a pickle. She was atop the Emmis building when I left this morning with one of her brothers [don't know who] and Maxie sitting on the 25th floor ledge of Market Tower. Oh KathyQ was holding court atop the torch of Lady Liberty on the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. She just looked beautiful, glowing on this great sunny day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyiimidQbYg

gigi · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 5:50 pm

Laura's Monday Report:
How tantalizingly frustrating these darn juveniles are!! It's like having a piece of candy you desperately want in front of you all by its lonesome self and then you go to grab it and some unseen hand yanks a string attached to it you can't see and voila! it's gone from your grasp in a heartbeat.

Let me start off by saying that alot of the Peregrine Patrol thinks we have all 4 kids back, including Richard. Me - I'm still not 100% convinced. What I would really truly like is a line-up on the 25th floor ledge on the east side of Market Tower showing off all 4 of those wonderful young powerful bodies, with KathyQ and Kinney cozy on the nest box perch discussing the brilliant family they have once again produced. That would make me totally happy.

I was down for a bit this morning and again at most, we had 5 birds confirmed. It's hard to explain how we think we have all of them and believe me, this has generated MUCH discussion among all of us. What I am hoping is that the next few days will uncover the mystery as they should begin flying really well and their ever fun-to-watch talon tag and
tail-chasing games commence.

We saw some pretty good flying by Geneva today. She is off the Monument and when I left she was resting comfortably on the SW corner of Market Tower 25th floor ledge. Maxie has been identified as the juvenile on the SE corner of the 25th floor ledge, so they were the bookend girls. I have some pictures posted of both on the Facebook pages of KathyQ and Kinney. A male that had been on Emmis and the Conrad Hilton this morning had flown west just before I left. We didn't see many aerial exploits by the one juvenile who was doing so well yesterday. So we do know who's on 25, but not on first or second base :0 KathyQ had hit the home run as she perched on top of the flame of Lady Liberty on the Monument, one of her very favorite spots when the kids are flying around, while Kinney stole third and was hiding on the 29th floor ledge on the south side of Market Tower.

I'm still not giving up hope folks. This mystery WILL be solved! I'll update as I find out more.

SusanE · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:16 pm

When I left this afternoon, Maxie and Geneva had been identified on the Market Tower 25th floor; one on the SE corner and the other on the SW corner. The boy flew from Emmis at about 12:15 and disappeared again. Darn! All I ever saw were 3 kids at once.

(Thank you for passing on Laura's sentiments. :oops:

)

Beth · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:33 pm

obxbarb wrote:

skygirlblue wrote:

gigi and Susan!!! Team Indy!! You both rock!!! :toast

Yes you do!! What a fun experience for both of you, and to have all four flying around again is incredible! :spingirl:

Ditto , ditto!!

Beth · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:34 pm

Thanks for the updates Gigi!!

gigi · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:55 pm

Geneva during her big adventure on Sunday. Isn't she an absolute beauty!!!

kittenface · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:42 pm

I think that had got to be one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen :cloudnine:

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