Saturday’s colder weather seemed to put a damper on breeding activity at the nest site, but there was a surprising rebound on Sunday—even though conditions remained chilly. One notable development: Vera is showing more consistent nest site guarding behavior. On both days, she and Ares perched on either side of the nest box for extended periods, a visual declaration of their joint claim to the territory. Saturday was quiet in terms of ledge displays, but Sunday made up for it. Several of the displays were noteworthy thanks to some quirky improvisations from Vera. In one instance, she paused mid-display to preen her feathers, leaving Ares frozen in mid-dance, peering at her from inches away as she nonchalantly groomed. In another moment, she abruptly launched out of the box midway through a display—only to dive dramatically back in less than a minute later to finish the dance.
We’re now just three days away from the latest date that Astrid ever laid her first egg (April 10, 2014). Based on Vera’s current behavior, she doesn’t appear particularly close to laying—but as a yearling, she’s expected to follow a different rhythm. Whether she will lay eggs this season, or when, remains an open question. That said, the pair has been mating successfully, so if eggs are laid, there’s reason to believe they may be fertile. Time will tell.
