As the peregrine chicks prepare to fledge, they spend much of their day flapping their wings, which both strengthens their flight muscles and shakes loose some of the few remaining down feathers.  It’s time for the first one to launch!  Perhaps early this evening!!

What a sight seeing these young 2016 peregrines lining up to take flight out in the world!  This may well be the last group photo for this year’s graduating class!

The Lawrence Peregrines look to be approaching 5 weeks of age and are now within a few days of being able to take flight for the first time!  The remaining down feathers are now only seen on lower back, lower legs, and on the crown.  The three amigos are basking in the late afternoon sun with winds from the east around 9 MPH and temps in low 60’s…..very nice!

The Lawrence Peregrines look to be a few days away from fledging, or making first flight.  The age of the white pantaloons! This may happen a day or two earlier or later, but most chicks do go through this phase around Day 33 where they have large fluffs of down conspicuously surrounding their legs, much more prominently than anywhere else on their bodies.  This photo shows three of the four chicks!

The Lawrence Peregrine Falcon chicks continue to grow and get bigger. The patches of remaining down feathers are becoming restricted to the base of the legs, parts of the wings, and perhaps parts of the back, as well as the crown. They are also becoming increasingly vocal and active around the nest area, to the extent that the adults rarely visit except to drop off food for them, or stand guard for a short visit.

The 4 young peregrines line up quickly when prey is brought into the nestbox. The chicks are beginning to enter the “hunchback” phase, during which they are often seen in the photo, with their feet splayed out in front of them and their head angled forward.