Part 4. D8 in trouble and Dee shows a mom's love and protection
It is a day after D8 made her very ungraceful fledge by running out of the nest. On this day I kept seeing two fledglings but never three at the same time to confirm all were okay. I started to worry whether one had not made it. Predation? A fall with an injury? A first flight and landing then went wrong? I could only hope that all was okay. Maybe this was a repeat from the hatch when we only saw one for many days.
Several hours later I noticed Dee, with Mockingbird prey in her talons, circling past the cliff and out over the river.
She then transferred the prey to her beak and continued the circling. Usually, in flight, all the Peregrines carry prey in their talons once they taken off. This was unusual.
She circled repeatedly and I thought she was trying to entice any fledgling to follow her and attempt an in-air transfer. So, I took lots of photos hoping to catch the action. But, no one came out and round and round Dee went. I could hear at least one fledgling calling out but no one joined her. I thought that was the end of the action and there was no story to be told.
When the action stopped I did a quick review of the photos and what I saw brought tears to my eyes. It was the most dramatic and tender moment that I think I've ever photographed. I had no idea I had taken a photo of D8 stuck on a cliff with Dee trying to help.
Somehow D8 had managed to land on a tiny outcropping on a sheer cliff and didn't have enough room to take flight. She was sideways to the cliff and that prevented her from extending her wings to fly. She couldn't turn and face outward as there just wasn't room for her talons to make the shift or enough space for her body and tail. So, she cried out in distress. Dee and BJ would make regular passes checking on each fledgling and I'm sure her cries brought Dee to her aid. She flew out, caught a Mockingbird and returned in hopes that the prey gift would coax her out of her "between a rock and hard place" and convince her to take the "leap of faith" trusting that if she jumped then she could fly her way out of trouble.
So round and round she went passing close to her on the cliff and then over the river. And, over and over again she was not able to make the jump into flight. And, I had no idea what was in the photos I was taking.
I often have no idea what I photograph until I review the photos. I was shocked when I looked at the photos and saw a photo with D8 stuck on the cliff. Once I did I paddled to different positions trying to match the photo to the cliff to see if D8 was still stuck. I finally made the match (I highlighted the perch in pink) and realized she had finally trusted Dee and her wings to get herself out of trouble.
Since that event I have seen her up in the air initiating mock battles with her sisters and after a "rocky" start I think this fledgling is going to make it.....although I may say a few prayers.
The next blog is about early days out of the next as they explore the cliff and begin early flight lessons.
Link to all blogs
https://tinanauman.zenfolio.com/blog