To follow up on my last post, this is what I know. A lady walking on West 3rd and Huron found Buckeye on the sidewalk clearly in distress and barely responsive. She covered him with her coat and contacted me at the Museum about 1:40 pm on Tuesday, 11/17/09. She offered to transport Buckeye to the Museum so that we could assess his condition and expedite his transportation to the Medina Raptor Center or Lake Metroparks Clinton Wildlife Center. When she arrived at the Museum around 2:10 pm Buckeye had already expired. I confirmed his identity by the R/K color band and notified the Ohio Division of Wildlife. We will have a necropsy performed at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo today. However it is clear that, without a mark on his body and blood streaming from his mouth, Buckeye sustained a fatal head injury consistent with a window or building collision. A necropsy might reveal if there were any underlying health issues. My examination suggested he was in good health and plumage with no sign of other conditions or injuries that might have contributed to his death.

I will be spending time at the Terminal Tower this afternoon to assess the work being done on the ledge and I will keep an eye out for S/W.

This is is a difficult time of transition for all of us falcon enthusiasts who have become so attached to the lives of Buckeye, S/W and their offspring. This is also a time of transition for S/W. It is my hope that her long term attachment to this very successful site will hold and she will recruit a new mate in the coming weeks or months.

I will keep you updated with any news.

I am very sad to report that Buckeye was found on a sidewalk by West 3rd and Huron Rd in downtown Cleveland this afternoon and died in transit to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It appears that he sustained fatal head injuries. He had a long and distinguished career at the Terminal Tower with Zenith and S/W and sired many, many young.

Scott Wright called in today to report that Lunge had made his first flight. Though not witnessed by Scott, Lunge was standing on a 6th floor window sill near the old Dillard's building. Lunge seemed well. Look for the others to follow suit soon. Scott took this image of Lunge on May 21st.

Today is the first day that the eyases have gone ledge walking. The Terminal Tower has long and deep continuous ledges on the 12th floor. The young Peregrines have left the nest tray and are exploring the ledges. SW and Buckeye will feed them wherever they happen to be or the young will gather around the adult for feeding. They might return to the gravel nest tray for the night or they may not. Needless to say it will be difficult from here on out to keep them in the close-up camera.