Utica Peregrine Falcons Update for Saturday, March 11th, 2023
Thank you to all that came out and represented the Utica Peregrine Falcon Project in today’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. It was the first time our falcon project took part in this event and it was a great experience. Thank you to all for braving the snow and cold temperatures to carry our banners and hand out fliers. We appreciate it!
It was chilly overnight with snow showers. The temperature stayed around the freezing point for much of the day. Snow flurries continued through most of the morning. Ares arrived at the nest box at 4:08 AM. He started vocalizing at 5:27 when Astrid landed on a west pillar. Once again there were a lot of crows calling and flying around in the downtown area before dawn. The falcons don’t pay much attention to them. Ares left the box at 6:24 but came back about 5 minutes later. At 6:37 the pair mated on a west pillar. Astrid came to the box at 7:22. Ares was in the box and she was on the cross perch at 7:45. They were having a spirited discussion. Much to Ares’ pleasure, that led to ledge display at 7:50. It lasted for about two minutes. Ares was back in the nest box at 9:16. His mate was on the State Building at that time. She left her perch at 9:25. At 10 o’clock Ares was snoozing inside the nestbox but he woke up when the Saint Patrick’s Day parade started to become lively on the main street below. At 10:09 Ares was calling inside the box. Astrid was back on the State Building at that time. At 10:32 Ares once again returned to the nest box and was calling. In the background we could hear the music of bagpipes coming from the parade.
At 10:36 AM both Peregrines were on the north face of the State Building. The parade was in high gear by that point. At 11:07 Astrid had moved to a perch on the steeple. She was on the east facing perch which looks away from the parade. She’s not a big fan of any kind of festivities. At least there weren’t any fireworks, Astrid!! At 11:26 Ares was back to the box. He stayed for about 10 minutes. At 1:19 PM Ares was on the steeple and we weren’t sure where Astrid was. At 3:40 Ares came to the box with a freshly caught Starling. He stayed for about a minute and then flew off into the Canyon. At 3:49 both Falcons were back on the State Building. A few minutes later Astrid came to the crossperch and Ares jumped into the box and stood in his mega scrape. At 4:54 Ares had a sizable prey item on the hotel and he was plucking it. At 5:09, after he had fed for a while, he brought it to the east veranda. He soon left with it again only to return to the crossperch a few minutes later. Astrid follow him over that time. She took it from him and flew over to the hotel. At 5:27 Ares was once again at the nest. Astrid had finished her meal on the hotel and flew off, perhaps to her night perch. Ares stayed at the box until 6:03 and then he retired for the night. Goodnight falcons.