Two visited the nest, 3 June 2026, 6:06pm (photo from the snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

4 June 2026

Yesterday, 3 June, the Pitt peregrine youngsters were in and out of the nestbox … but mostly out. I walked over at 11:00am and saw three on the nestrail and Ecco high on the Fifth Avenue side staring intently at the likely location of the fourth. One had fledged, three to go.

This score was confirmed when someone at Fledge Watch remarked that she saw a peregrine in “flappy flight”(*) around the top of the building between 11:30a and noon, followed by an adult. Those are typical behaviors when a juvie flies. If only I’d looked up while I was walking home!

Fledge Watch at 4:30-5:30p was right next to a big event in the Schenley Plaza tent: AlphaLab Demo Day (AL26). Some of the participants stopped by to look at the peregrines.

Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch, 3 June 2026 (photo by John English)

We saw all four youngsters, three perched in the keyholes and one on top of the nestrail.

Three juvies perched inside the keyholes, 3 June 2026, 5:18pm (photo by Kate St. John)

Here’s all four in one view.

All four on/at the nestrail, 3 June 2026, 5:37pm (photo by Kate St. John)

Ecco (arrow at right) stopped by to check on the nestbox.

Ecco checking on the nest. Two in keyhole, 3 June 2026, 5:30pm (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

Adults on the nestrail are fair game for the kids to beg for food. When Ecco was on the left a juvie ran to get to him. Ecco waited until the “kid” was close and then effortlessly turned into the sky and flew away.

To see a longer version with music, click here for Charity Kheshgi’s TikTok.

By the time you read this the Fledged score will have changed. Are we at 2 Fledged and 2 To Go? 3 and 1? All 4 flown? Come on down to Fledge Watch this evening, 6:30pm to 7:30pm, to find out. Click here for event information.

p.s. (*) “Flappy flight” is the behavior of a newly flown juvenile. On their first few days of flight they are not skilled enough to soar. They flap a lot.