Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 14, 2018 –
As usual the parents kept a pretty close watch on the nest during the overnight hours. However, there were no nighttime feedings. The nestlings became restless in the box at about 5:15. Two of them climbed up on the rim of the box. All of them were waiting for breakfast. Astrid made a quick stop at the box at 6 AM. Following that, she went out and caught a Pigeon. She was seen plucking in over on the hotel. She ate a portion before bringing the bulk of it over to the box at close to 6:30. The youngsters were all fed inside the box – just like old times. After the meal, Petra went over onto the east veranda. He stayed there for quite some time, as did the other two in the nest box. While Ares went out hunting, Astird spent some time on her favorite window ledge east of the nest.
By 8:30, the wind had really picked up. It was overcast and cool. Pigeons were fighting the wind gusts as they made their ways through the canyon. At one point one landed on a window ledge just below Astrid’s perch. She noticed that and took some interest, but not enough to leave her post. Ares was still out of sight. Astrid the proceeded to give some amazing flight lessons. She landed on the east veranda and then darted out of the box and soared through the canyon – sometimes tacking on the wind and sometimes hovering, or using gusts to power incredibly fast swoops around the home building. This is something that she repeated off and on throughout the day. It was classic demonstration and/or “come with me” type flying. At 8:45, a Pigeon almost landed on a ledge directly beneath the nest box and where Astrid was perched near the east veranda. Astird had been tucked in and presumably napping, but that was something that made her sit up and take notice. She didn’t give chase. Interestingly, Astrid shared a siesta with Petra on the east veranda. That’s something we haven’t seen very often with Astrid and her offspring. Speaking of Petra, he was very active today – moving on and off the east veranda and even taking on the west veranda. He was the most active of the three nestlings. At one point he made a hop flight from the cross-perch to the back of the nest box. That was a first for the season – both the hop flight and standing on the cross-perch; and the feats were accomplished by the youngest kid!
The nestlings all became fairly active at noon and remained lively for quite some time. Angel had been working on a Pigeon leg from the scrap pile, when he suddenly started acting out. He laid into the white wash cam with beak and talons. We’re really not sure what he has against that thing. He then went after Petra. Petra gave a few harsh call notes in response and then went into the back corner and to relative safety. It’s all play of course. At 2:40, Ares arrived with prey. Astrid took it at the box and seemed poised to do a feeding, but then she let Angel have the whole thing. Petra came over and tried to relieve Angel of his catch, but he didn’t succeed. Another falcon airshow was underway at 5:00 PM. Astrid continued trying to coax the youngsters to fly along with her, but they weren’t biting. At 6:15, Astrid was redoubling her efforts to show the nestlings where they can go once they fledge. Later on the pair showed them how they land on the top corner of the State Building. At one point one of the parents landed on a window sill at the State Building. The roof and the wide window ledges are typically the first places that young Peregrines successfully land. That fact is apparently not lost on Astrid and Ares. Although Astrid tried for Pigeons a couple of times after 7 PM, she didn’t secure one and the young wouldn’t be fed again before falcon bed-time. We shall see if they feed them at all during the night.
Offical Fledge Watch gets under way on Friday, June 15th
We hope to see some of you down there. Please sign up or just show up!