The overnight was chilly but dry. The temperature was just below the freezing point and rose to a high or 43 degrees by midafternoon. The falcons didn’t come to the nest at all during the night. Astrid arrived at the crossperch at 5:44 AM. She did some animated calling and then hopped into the box. Ares showed up at the nest with a Woodcock in his talons at 5:52. She went from the crossperch to the box, but she wasn’t interested in taking the Woodcock. This was the third morning in a row that Ares tried to give her one. This time he gave up easily and flew off to store it. He came back a few minutes later but didn’t stay for more than a moment. Astrid was inside the box, so he was happy. At 6:39 they were both over on the State Building – he was on the lookout post. He showed up at the box about ten minutes later, went inside and did some chores. They mated on the State Building a few minutes before 7:00. At 7:22 they were together on the same State Building ledge and were performing a ledge display. This was not unprecedented, but it’s not common for them to dance away from the nest. At 7:41 there was a food exchange. Astrid took it from Ares and flew over to the hotel. At 8:09 she finished and flew through the canyon. Ares came to the box and vocalized.
At 9:10 AM Ares was back to the box and calling. Astrid was on the State Building. She moved to the east veranda at 11:05. While he dug in the stone in the corner of the box, she spent time giving a dirty look at the blocked office window. Ares then hopped over to the east veranda and the two performed a proper ledge display. It was their second dance of the morning that took place outside of the nest. These two were full of surprises. When the display was over Ares hopped back over to the nestbox. At 11:13 she floated off into the wind and he followed right behind her. The wind speed had increased by this time and would continue through the day and into the evening. At 12:22 PM Ares was in the box and Astrid came over from the west veranda to do another ledge display – this one at the actual nest. After he left, she stayed to do some of the box chores. At 12:41 she began calling like she saw him flying in the canyon. She was up a few minutes later. At 1:50 Ares screeched to the nestbox. He proceeded to clean his legs and talons as though he had just caught prey. During the afternoon Ares was back and forth to the nest many times – each time calling excitedly when inside. Astrid was mostly on the State Building during that period. At 4:48 Ares was at the box giving long calls but then he flew off giving cackle-type warning calls. Obviously, some non-falcon raptor or Turkey Vulture was in the territory. Five minutes later he was back to the nest with prey in his talons. Astrid came to the crossperch, but she didn’t seem all that keen on taking the tribute. The food was an unrecognizable hunk of something – perhaps it was Woodcock which would explain her disinterest. Both flew at 4:53 and then he came back without it only a minutes later. At 5:42 Ares was heard giving chirping calls from somewhere in the canyon. Was he talking to Astrid or was there a falcon intruder? She was on the State Building at the time but soon moved to the hotel. The last we saw; Astrid was on the County Building at 6:47 and Ares was in the box. They were both gone by 7:30 PM. Goodnight falcons.