Food Fights and Fledgling Flights

The middle of July is typically the time that the young Peregrines begin asserting their independence. By now all four of the girls have been flying well for a couple of weeks. They've even begun making flights downtown, and farther afield from their "home base" near the nest box.

Mornings are still good times to catch them in the gorge though, so I wasn't surprised to find a pair of them chasing each other near the falls:


These two turned out to be Ananta and Linn. After watching them for a while at the observation deck I followed them back to the bridge, where both had landed on separate piers. Ananta watched with intense interest while Linn began tearing into breakfast:
     

It didn't take long for Ananta to realize she wouldn't get any food sitting so far away. A short deft flight brought her next to her sister:
     

Not surprisingly, Linn wasn't in a mood to share. She spread her wings, mantling over the food despite Ananta's protesting wail:


Ananta bided her time, edging closer as the minutes passed, until she got close enough to partake in the feasting:
          

For a while they both ate together, but these girls are definitely competitors, and the sense of sorority soon gave way to squabbling:
          

The struggle featured a lot of shoving and wing flapping. Linn must have decided she'd had enough, because after some time she withdrew, leaving the carcass to Ananta:


I've seen a few food fights between fledglings before, but this one lasted quite a while, and it was the most interesting by far.

A sudden appearance by Mariah attracted notice from the fledglings as well as the watchers:


The fact that she came without food wasn't lost on her offspring. It didn't win her any sympathy, particuarly from Grace, who gave us a nice close-up view while she squawked in protest:


Her flight took her out over the gorge and we hastened back to the observation deck when she landed on the rocks nearby:
          

She got airborne again in a few minutes, treating us to more close passes:
     

When she alighted on a snag below the bridge we went scrambling back to the Pont de Rennes:
     

I had work waiting for me, so I headed in, leaving the morning watch to others.

Lunchtime brought another opportunity for photos and observation so out to the gorge I went. Grace was in the air again-- good news for me! She'd shown her predator's heritage soon after she had fledged, so when she chased after a couple of Cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) we were hoping to witness a successful hunt:


She missed, but it was a thrill to watch, regardless. Grace must have a thing for the paparazzi because she wasn't shy about circling close while we shot our fill of photos:
     

My favorite of the day was this spectacular approach shot:


After she passed by, Grace headed for a landing on a branch sticking out from the eastern gorge wall:


To the collective amazement of the assembled watchers she mangled the landing, and ended upside down, clinging precariously by one taloned foot. It took a supreme effort on her part, and plenty of flapping, to right herself:
          

Of course no one was really worried about her. I guess it's true that landing is the hardest part of flying!

Linn showed up too, swinging over the water and landing on the small building south of the bridge:


Grace joined her there, eschewing the unsteady branch for more solid footing:


It wasn't long before Linn decided she preferred to perch on the power cable stretched across the river:


Grace hopped over too, displacing her sister. Linn's short hop ended in a bad landing for her as well!
          

She regained her composure after a moment, and the two falcons set about having a contest to see which one could look more aloof:


I guess Linn decided she'd won the contest because she left Grace on the wire and flew over to the west bank of the river, where she executed a masterful landing on an iron railing:
     

The action slowed down after that and since the noon hour was coming to an end I packed up and returned to work.

What a terrific morning and afternoon! Great flying and lots of action. A falcon watcher could hardly ask for more.