[mou] Falcon family flight lessons

[Alt, Mark]

I work at Best Buy in Richfield and today I was treated to Peregrine
Falcons holding flight school on our corporate campus. Four birds paired
up, an adult with a juvenile, and flew over and between the four mesas
Best Buy's headquarters provides. 
The juveniles worked hard to stay above and immediately behind the
adults at all times, strangely like a blackbird after a Red-tail. The
adults maintained a rhythm of flight - stooping past the ledge of our
building's roof, veering right and swooping back up to soar 50-100 feet
above the building. The falcon's kids tried to emulate the maneuver,
never getting it quite right. Adults were elegant, swift and crisp with
the stoop and swoop, no wasted energy or feathers out of place. The kids
would swing their legs like rudders and fan their tails at odd moments,
and never go down as quick or rise as high as the adults. They were
being convicted by Newton's laws. 
The young birds appeared to be overall quite buffy from below as they
flew, standing out clearly from their dark parents.  A pair stooped past
my window, barely 40 feet away, I could see their eyes, the adults
fierce and focused, and the kids reminding me a bit of my dog when she
thinks she won't get to go for a ride. I watched the birds for over a
half hour, they never let up in their flight patterns. This must be
dangerous times for young falcons; they were clearly pushing the
envelope of control. 
Sadly strange to see this and then to hear of the passing of Bud
Tordoff. He would have loved to see this event, for he loved many all
things Peregrine and many people loved him for it. I am sure he would
have known the names and lineage of each bird, I sure wish I did.
Thanks, Bud, these birds are spectacular, and we really will follow you
every time we look at them in awe and inspiration. Good Birding.

Mark Alt
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Project Resources Group
Best Buy Co., Inc.

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