Wow, Mark nailed it! It is a falcon, the Academy's mascot- they have several falconers who raise, train and handle the falcons. This falcon's name was Apollo. He's a cross between the biggest and fastest falcons, I know peregrine was one of them.
About the blue- there was some freaky blue coloration in the church coming from the stained glass I think. The shot at the back had much more of it going on. In some pics I emphasized the blue, in others I tried to tone it down.
T