A Peregrine Fledgling

Peregrine Fledgling Straddling Garbage Can and Recycling Bin. Watercolor Sketch by Ken Januski.

The woodcut is progressing but I don't want to show every step of the way here. Perhaps I'll show a new stage soon. Yesterday I decided to try to sketch some newly fledged Peregrine Falcons in my scope. Of course I didn't know if they'd be around or if I'd be able to get a good view of them. When I arrived I heard a couple calling but they didn't sit still. Their mother did though so I set up my scope to draw her.

As I did so though I heard some people talking about an injured bird and calling the Game Commission. It turned out to be the Peregrine pictured above. After many phone calls and various plans of action I moved my scope so that I and it were near the bird but hopefully far enough away not to scare it, especially since there was a fair amount of traffic on the street between him and me but also near enough so that traffic might see me and slow down. I was afraid to move closer for fear of scaring it, possibly into an unhappy traffic accident.

About 90 minutes later, with the bird never having moved from this perch on a garbage can lid next to a recycling bin the Game Commission officer arrived. And just as he stepped up to capture him in order to take him to be checked for injuries the bird flew across the street towards me and then off and away. Afterwards the general consensus was that if he could fly that strongly he was fine.

So hopefully we will see him flying around soon enough. During my lengthy stay with him I took numerous photos. I did one sketch as well but gave it up as soon as I realized I couldn't keep my eye on him if I was busy sketching. This morning I did this quick watercolor sketch based on one of the photos.