OUTER SPACE - Falcon Nesting Closure until July 31

[unklehuck]

Climbed Outer Space on Thursday 16 July. Was dive-bombed by a VERY angry falcon while belying my second up to Library Ledge. It made 5 or 6 screeching, talon baring passes. I managed to fend it off by giving it the finger and hurling offensive language (and hand fulls of bird poop) at it. My second was rather grateful I was belaying in guide mode.....

[billcoe]

It's interesting, sometimes the young ones will mock attack as if they are practicing. When they get older they don't seem concerned at all. Someone once told me that if they do that to you, (and I've heard of this happening before and it's always early when they are flying) just wait and plan, then toss some pea gravel or dirt at them (not to hurt but to startle them) and it will teach them to not do that behavior. They evidently learn immediately to not do it again.

 

Never tried it myself though (never needed too). It seems that they eventually learn climbers aren't a threat as they see more of them as the summer goes on.

[JosephH]

They've fledged and will survive, but they've had the place to themselves for awhile and, just like us, are going to have to learn to share the realm.

[pink]

apparently they have learned to keep the rock to themselves a bit longer.... and have been so kind to let climbers borrow it for five months out of the year.

[JosephH]

And they inhabit every single climbable rock surface on earth to boot - next they'll want to nest on your gym.