The overnight period was cool, with temperatures down in the mid-thirties. Rain fell off and on during the night. Seasonably cool tempts and occasional rain continued through the afternoon and into evening. Temperatures never got higher than the mid-forties. Astrid spent the night tight on her eggs. She had taken over from Ares at around 3:00 PM on Thursday and was still sitting at 6:00 Friday morning. That would be 15 hours straight. Ares became visible on the State Building at 5:40 AM, but didn’t come to relieve Astrid until 6:05. She had started giving “Donkey calls” for him to come over a few minutes before. They did a quick switch and she flew off screeching into the canyon. She did some flying around the State Building and perused Ares’ stored food. He gave light chirping calls as she flew in circles around the building. She landed on the west face and then on the north face. We don’t think she found any food, but we couldn’t be sure. At 7:13, Astrid was back at the box and asking to take over on the eggs. Ares gave no argument and vacated the nest. She called out a few times as he landed on the State Building.
The next changing of the guard took place at 8:52, This time Ares took over incubation and Astrid flew to a perch on the State Building. The falcons held their positions for almost precisely an hour before she came to the box and asked to switch. He first went to the State Building – landing in a spot very close to where she was just spending time (they keep doing that!) At 10:18, he transferred to a steeple perch. At 10:54 (an hour after the previous switch) the pair traded places once again and Astrid flew to the same steeple perch where Ares had just been. At 11:33, Astrid flew to the crossperch, hopped into the box and asked to take her turn. This time Ares didn’t want to leave. They conversed for a while and then Astrid gave in. He stayed on the eggs and she went back to the steeple. At 1:23, Astrid came back to the box and this time Ares left without argument. He flew over to the State Building while she settled on the eggs. At 3:00, he came to ask for another turn on the nest. This time she didn’t want to leave and she sent him on his way. They switched at 4:16 PM. She was on the State Building for a while and then the steeple. She was letting Ares have a long turn on the eggs. She left her perch at 6:22 and did some soaring around the State Building. It had gotten windy and her flight was a long slow glide. At 6:26, she landed at the box. Ares had been asking her to take over for at least a half hour so he was more than ready to leave. He was up and she was in place for the night. Ares spent a short time on the State Building before disappearing – probably off to his night perch. Goodnight all.
