Fledging?????

 Oh my SO much happening on so many nests….but today I wanted to mention that the window for fledging opens today for the Arboretum Cam chick. We don’t know for sure if this is the first hatched chick, or the 2nd or 3rd. But the average fledging date has been reached today if this is the first chick. I always compare fledging to when a human child walks….it can vary a lot. But this is when we start watching more carefully for signs of fledging. Many thought this chick wouldn’t make it after the sad start and losses we observed earlier….but this chick has done well and made it to this milestone. Fledging is a delicate time and we certainly hope for a successful, uneventful fledge for this one. So I will be watching when I can….tho I am spread so thin, with so many tragedies on so many nests. We have never had so many single parent nests….and I dont know what has happened to so many males that have not been seen recently. Females are leaving chicks alone for long periods  to hunt. The chick mortality rate is high. Stay tuned….and think a good thought for the Arb chick!