Utica Peregrine Falcons Update for Thursday, June 8th, 2023
The overnight was cool with some rain showers. The low temperature was in the mid 50s. After Daybreak there were some lingering showers. The temperature at midday was close to 60 degrees. Astrid spent most of the night around the nest area. There were no overnight feedings. At 5:00 AM Ares was on the State Office Building and Astrid was not in view. At 5:28 Ares visited the nest and got the nestlings calling and activated. Ares then flew over to his lookout post on the roof of the State Building. At 5:52 Astrid was on the steeple. The nestlings must have seen her land there because they began squealing. At 6:05 Ares brought a small prey item to the east veranda. Astrid took it, flew away, came back to the box, and hopped inside. Niles grabbed the food away from her and brought it to the corner. Astrid dove into the box to get it back. That time she did recover it and then set about feeding Niles. Initially Amelia did not seem interested in vying for the food. But after a few minutes she did start to contend. Meanwhile, Ares went back up to his lookout post and back to hunting. The meal was over at 6:15 and Astrid hopped out onto the crossperch. The nestlings did some interacting, including some beaking behavior. At 6:46 Astrid was feeding out another meal. We aren’t sure where it came from. She fed Niles for a few minutes before flying away with the scraps. The nestlings seemed to lose interest in the meal before it was over. After Astrid left there was lots of wing flapping taking place inside the box. At 7:08 Astrid was on the steeple and Ares, still on the lookout post. At 7:43 Ares brought more prey to the nest. Astrid took it, flew away, came back, and started a feeding. Once again Niles was the first in line to be fed. It was clear that Amelia wasn’t even trying to be fed this time. Astrid left the box at 7:52. Both adults were on the State Building for a while. Astrid was not yet obsessing about the office, but everyone knew that wouldn’t last. Sure enough, at 8:15 when people were arriving in the offices that is when Astrid started flipping out. At 9:42 Astrid was cackling with abandon. The nestlings squealed in response to their irate mother. At 10:57 we heard Ares give a few long calls. The nestlings began squealing again, Astrid was cackling, everyone was sounding off. At 11:33 Ares brought more food. Niles grabbed it and went to the back corner of the box. Astrid was quick to arrive but there was nothing for her to feed anyone. She tried to plunge into the back of the box to recover the lost food, but Amelia rushed her and sent her back to the crossperch. Perhaps more significant than Niles stealing the food and getting away with it was the fact he was actually eating it. At 11:45 Astrid was back to the roof of the nest box. That got the nestlings very excited, and they began squealing. Astrid was cackling on and off and making dramatic departures and arrivals. Hearing her plunk down on the roof of the nest box is always very distinctive.
At 12:46 PM Astrid was on the steeple and Ares was on the State Building. Astrid then came to the nestbox and found the food that Niles had stolen earlier. She then started feeding both nestlings. The meal lasted about 5 minutes. At 1:13 Astrid was up on the roof of the box again. We thought she had moved passed that – but nope. Fifteen minutes later she was in the nest with prey – presumably from Ares. Niles was standing in front of Amelia effectively blocking her from getting anything for part of the meal. At 1:54 it was raining in the Canyon once again. Niles was reclined with his bill resting on the lip of the box and he was looking out into the canyon. At 2:36 Astrid left the steeple and was on the roof of the box cackle calling. Her outrage was short lived. At 2:46 Ares came to the east veranda with prey, she left took it, flew away, came back and started a feeding. Amelia was first in line to be fed this time. Niles joined in eventually, but walked away before the meal was done. Afterwards Niles did some nice wing flapping. He’s starting to get the salt & pepper look his sister has had for a while. Astrid left after only a minute, and we’re not sure why. Did she leave with the food? At 4:44 Astrid was on the steeple. It was raining again, and Astrid looked particularly wet. Ares was on the crossperch for a while but then flew to the north face of the State Building. They stayed in place for a couple of hours while both nestlings were relined and looking out into the canyon. At 6:36 PM Astrid came into the box and found food on the floor. It must have been stolen by one of the nestlings sometime earlier (Niles!). After a tugging session with Niles, she proceeded to serve it out to both him and Amelia. The meal went for twelve minutes and before the end both nestlings had had enough and walked away. Following the meal Amelia did some wing flapping and both nestlings interacted with each other. At 7:41 PM Astrid came to the crossperch for a little while before going over to the steeple. Ares was on the State Building at that time. All seemed set for the night. Goodnight all.