fledge

The chick at Big Creek appears to be doing very well.  We can't

actually see the chick inside the nest, but we continue to observe mom 

and dad return to feed the chick in the nest.  In addition to the ground 

observations, the female's GPS data is very consistent with that of a good 

chick feeding regime, so we feel very confident that all is well with this pair 

and their chick.  

The wild egg that was taken to LA Zoo hatched successfully, but it did

require some assistance in hatching.  The keepers had to create a temporary

pip site to give the chick air to breathe.  The chick was rotated and it's

head was at the wrong end of the egg (opposite the aircell), which is the

equivalent of a human being born in breach position or feet first.  The

Keeper staff did an amazing job (as they do every year during hatching

season) keeping the chick alive and now it is currently being foster-reared

by a captive pair.   

We currently don't have plans on entering the nest at Big Creek again, it's

just too precarious and too small at the top of the redwood snag to handle a

chick safely.  We normally go in the nest a second time when the chick is 4

months to attach a radio tag, but just feel it's not an option for this

nest.  This will  make it somewhat challenging to track the chick

post-fledge, but we do know that Mom and dad will be following her wherever

she goes...and the chick is a "SHE" by the way.   She will be 3 months old

on July 3rd (she hatched May 4th) and should fledge between 5 1/2 and 6

months in age (late Sept into early October).  We will be keeping an eye out for 

the chick around that time.  Her first flight could funnel her right down to the 

mouth of the canyon, which is pretty exciting.