The overnight was cold again, but not excessively so. Temperatures were in the mid 20’s by morning and rose to the freezing point by noon. Light flurries began in the morning and continued into the afternoon. Ares arrived at the nest at 5:12 AM. We didn’t hear him screech when he came in which was a little unusual. We did hear a few light chirps. By 5 54 he was giving some long calls. We didn’t see Astrid anywhere, but he seemed to be calling for her. He left the box shortly after six o’clock and settled on a perch on the State Building. At 6:24 we noticed that both Falcons were on the State Building – one was on a windowsill and hard to make out. just before 7:00 one of them was up on the lookout post. We think that was Ares again. He made a few forays out from that position, apparently hunting. Astrid came to the box and stayed for about 10 minutes. Ares was feeding on something on the hotel at 7:15. It appeared to be a fresh catch, but it was small. At 7:22 he came to the nestbox. He called a few times, did some preening in the box, and then cleaned his bill on the perch. He left at 7:29. Nearly an hour later Astrid was on the northeast corner of the upper ledge on the hotel. There she remained for quite some time. Ares was on the State Building for a while before joining his mate on the hotel. She took a perch on an opposite corner of the same ledge. At 10:22 Ares had moved halfway down the ledge towards her position. Twenty minutes later when we checked again he had gotten even closer to her. At 11:00 he flew to the box. We think he was hoping that she would come over too, but she didn’t. Periodically, he called, but still, she held to her perch. Finally, at 11:37 she darted off her ledge – we thought after prey. Seconds later he vacated the box. She arrived only a moment after he had left and she started calling. We think she was asking Ares to bring her lunch. Ten minutes later that’s just what he did. He brought the tribute to the east veranda. She hopped over and grabbed it with her bill. She then brought her meal over to the hotel. After wiping off his bill, Ares went to the State Building. Both were up at noon – Ares to the box, and we weren’t sure where Astrid went. He came into the box giving squeaking vocalizations. It was clear he was hoping she would come to the box too. She didn’t.
At 1:43 PM Ares was again calling at the nest box and trying to coax Astrid over for a dance. She decided to remain on the State Building. He then flew to the lookout post and gave chirping-type alarm calls. She flew over towards the box and took a perch somewhere nearby. She was up again seconds later and dashing to the hotel. She didn’t stay there long either. Even though we didn’t see it, by A&A’s behavior, we were sure they were dealing with a falcon intruder. Ares left his lookout post at 1:57. He was calling in the box twenty minutes later. At 2:43 the pair mated on the State Building. He was back at the box a half hour later and then left again at 4:06. From there he went back to his lookout post. Astrid flew to the box at around 4:12 and the pair mated – this time on the crossperch. At 4:30 we heard Ares’ long screech echoing in the canyon. He was flying back with prey. He stopped somewhere to pluck it and then brought it to Astrid at the box. They did the handoff on the east veranda and then Astrid took it over to the hotel. She was up only a minute after, with the food. We believe she stored the it somewhere. At 5:05 Ares started issuing alarm calls from the nest box. Ares was calling again and very animated. He then started issuing alarm chips. This meant that, once again, there was a falcon intruder. Still calling, he flew out of the box but returned only seconds later. And then he was out again. Of course we don’t know what Astrid was up to but assumed she was engaging the intruder or at least escorting it out of the territory. At 5:22 PM Astrid arrived on the hotel. She was looking around a lot and seemed anxious. Two minutes later Ares landed on the lookout. Both dramatically came to the nest box at 5:28. He hopped inside, and she stayed out on the crossperch. When she requested a mating, he dove out of the box. However, when he flew in close to her, something happened (perhaps his speed wasn’t right or there was a gust of wind at an inopportune moment) to make him veer off before landing. This time she hadn’t moved (or tried to pull the football away). He left the box at 5:32 and he flew back to his lookout. We had thought we’d seen the last of A&A until the next morning, but we were wrong. At 5:53 both falcons were located on the county building roof. They remained there until about 6:10 and then they flew off to their night perches. Goodnight Falcon!