Gracie Jane Gollinger

Staff

In 2025, I had the pleasure of working with the National Aviary and local bird blogger Kate St. John on the maintenance of the Cathedral's FalconCam, which keeps watch on the peregrine falcon nest box outside the 40th floor. This past January, I had the further pleasure of going to the box myself to perform cleaning and alignment of the cameras for the upcoming nesting season, and to see what evidence I could find of the falcons' diet and behavior. The ledge between the door and the box is not particularly easy to negotiate, but I managed to clamber to the box, spray down the camera dome, and find various pellets and remains of prior meals. Despite the cold, the view overlooking the Carnegie Museums and Library complex, Carnegie Mellon University, Schenley Park and the Phipps Conservatory was spectacular. It was, quite possibly, the highlight of my 26-year (and counting) Pitt career. I'm happy and hopeful to keep it going for a long time. (The photo included shows me at the nest box, taken by National Aviary ornithologist Robert Mulvihill.)