A Three Dance Day and Hardly Anything Else Was Confirmed – Also, Astrid Gets Upset About a Shifted Nest Cam

Utica Peregrine Falcons Update for Wednesday, March 15^th, 2023

Overnight was cold with temperatures in the mid 20s. It was sunny during the day and the temperature peaked at 34 degrees in midafternoon. However, it was windy and that made it seem colder. Ares arrived at the nest box at 5:30 AM. At 6:23 he started squeaking inside the box – and that was our notification that Astrid had arrived on the State Building. At 6:59 Ares was up on his lookout post on the roof of the State Building. At 8:07 Astrid came to the box. Ares landed on the east veranda with a food gift. He then hopped into the box to give it to her. She flew out but we are not sure where she took it. Both falcons were on the State Building at 8:30. At 10:41 the pair came to the nest box and performed a ledge display. It was a lively one. Ten minutes later they were both out. At 11:05 it is possible that Ares brought food to Astrid’s perch on the State Building.

At 11:55 AM Ares was in the nest box working on and around his mega scrape. At 3:05 Astrid came over and the pair performed another ledge display. At 4:43 we thought they might dance again – Ares was already in the box, eager and willing, Astrid showed up, hopped inside, but then dove right out again. Ares seemed disappointed that he didn’t get his third dance. We think she left because one of our box cams had been shifted slightly by the wind. She notices everything. At 5:12 PM Ares was in the nest box and vocalizing. Astrid was on the State Building at that time. For the next hour he was in and out fairly frequently. Each time he left he would simply spread his wings and float off on the wind like a gull. At 6:45 Astrid joined him at the nest box and the pair performed another ledge display. It was another lively dance with lots of beaking but Astrid was obviously distracted and she kept looking up at the camera. Once again, she left prematurely. Ares remained in the box for a while after she left, but was gone to his night perch before 7:00 PM. Goodnight all.