Astrid was at the nest site off and on through the night. There were no nighttime feedings. Ares screeched to the box at 5:08 AM but his talons were empty. Astrid landed on the west veranda at 5:13 and that got the nestlings going. She flew into the canyon and then returned immediately with food. Obviously, it was something that had been stored. She then fed the chicks their breakfast. During the meal we noticed that the largest chick held off vying for food until the others had several bites. Following the meal, she was on the steeple and he was on the State Building. At 6:19 Ares brought food. Astrid grabbed it from him and handled the feeding. At 6:41 she was on the east veranda and he was on the State Building. Astrid flew to the roof of the nest box at 7:12. At 8:53 Ares brought a Blue Jay to the nest. Astrid did the plucking and feeding. After the meal, she went to the box roof and he was on the crossperch. At 10:56 Astrid was on the east veranda looking through a small gap in the window blind and getting upset. Ares brought food at 11:16. She took it and served it to the nestlings. By late morning, the temperature had already gotten into the mid-80’s. It was promising to be another hot day.
At 1:16 PM a cackle-call from one of the chicks brought both parents to the nest. Astrid landed on the crossperch looking very intense. She was probably sure she was going to confront an office gremlin in the box messing with her babies. Ares came right over too. He landed on the east veranda but then went into the box proper to count the chicks. After that they were both on the State Building. The wind had picked up and storms were threatening. At 1:26 Ares came to the box to check on the nestlings. Two rushed at him when he came in – expecting him to have food. To escape he hopped back onto the crossperch. At 2:10 the wind noticeably increased. The PTZ cams and even one of the box cams were shaking and distorting. My internet failed at one point. When it was restored, I couldn’t find either parent. Astrid arrived at the box at 2:16 just before the heavy rain. She got into the back of the box with the nestlings and tried to huddle with them. However, they were more interested in biting at her bill. She moved into the corner briefly, but then decided to lay down in the front of the box facing the opening. The front of her head was over the lip of the box. Hail came down and pelted her, but she closed her eyes and held that position. As for the chicks, they stayed in the back of the box, huddled together. Astrid got very wet, and even had some hail accumulation on her back, but she stayed where she was with eyes closed for about twenty minutes; up until the worst of the storm was over. At 2:44 Ares came into the box and relieved Astrid. The nestlings rushed over to him squealing. He retreated and stood on the lip of the box. meanwhile Astrid went to her perch on the steeple. She relieved him at the box at 2:52.
At 3:20 PM Astrid flew with purpose into the canyon. She came back ten minutes later, soaked and with a Pigeon in her talons. She flew into the box, without first landing on the crossperch, and plunked down on the floor with her thanksgiving turkey. She then proceeded to feed the nestlings for over a half hour. At 4:13 Ares screeched to the crossperch, hopped into the box, and then hopped right back out again. He came back five minutes later after Astrid had left. He started giving long calls from the long perch at 5:20. Astrid took over from him a minute later. The Rain started up again and fell pretty hard for a little while. That whole time Astrid stood out on the crossperch. At 5:33 she became terribly upset about the goings on in the office behind the nest. She sat on the roof of the box and cackled for several minutes. She flew off and returned about three times in rapid succession. At 6:18 she was on the west veranda – by that point it had started raining again. At 7:16 Astrid came to the box with a Black-billed Cuckoo. This had to be one of Ares’ catches. She must’ve taken it from storage. To our knowledge it would be the first cuckoo that Ares has gotten this season. If past is prolog there will be a lot more coming in. At 7:38 PM it was raining again and Astrid had come back to the nest. She was coming on guard duty – probably for the night. Goodnight all.
