STILL nothing
Wow, no chicks yet AGAIN today. What a waiting game! Today, I decided to watch from the ‘el platform. I arrived very early, during rush hour, and managed to blend in with the commuters for at least two hours. This allowed me to snap pictures at whim and watch the nest activity with binocs, but sadly, I think even during rush hour, I would have attracted a lot of attention if I’d set my scope up, so I did not.
Very early in my monitoring session, I saw a very large puff of feathers come up from inside the nest accompanied by lots and lots of chattering noise. Hercules sat on the corner of the LaSalle Atrium building and Max snoozed on one of the lighting fixtures on the Board of Trade Annex. So, unless their nest is haunted, there are chicks in there.
I closed my eyes and cocked my head to the side, trying to drown out all the people, traffic and ‘el noise. I got pretty zen and successfully tuned out most of the other noise to focus on the chicks. I heard at least two distinct calls.
Hercules swooped off the Atrium building and came down towards the nesting ledge, but veered off to the south as she got close. Soon after, Max followed. I spent the next 20 minutes watching poofs of feather debris come up out of the nest as the invisible chicks exercised their wings.
I heard the adults calling as they came back, but couldn’t spot them in the sky. Finally, I spotted them on top of the AT&T building, across Congress. Hercules sat on the western corner eating something. Max sat on the eastern corner, at times watching Herc eat, at time scanning the sky around him, at times actually managing to catch a bit of a snooze.
When Herc was finished eating, she called to Max and he lumbered over to her. She took off and landed where he’d been as he ate. After about ten minutes, he took the remainder of the meal to the nest ledge and dropped down inside quickly. Again, I closed my eyes to listen. What a ruckus!
Max came out and peered down into the nest for a bit while the chicks below chattered and screeched.
I repeat: Any. Day. Now. We shall see chicks. Promise.
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