The overnight was cool in the canyon – getting down into the high 40’s. During the day the temperature got as high as the mid 60’s. The day was mostly overcast and windy. Astrid started the night (Sunday night) on the west veranda and ended up making the move into the nestbox at some point. Ares brought a small prey item to the box at 2:20 AM. Astrid took it and flew off into the dark canyon. She came back to the nest a few minutes later and without the prey. We assume she stored it. Midnight feedings are likely becoming a thing of the past. As the young grow, they no longer have the need to be fed during the night. Also, their size and their feathers are providing enough insulation, so they no longer need to be brooded even when its fairly chilly out. At 5:06 the pair switched at the nest and Ares came into the box to guard the chicks. Ten minutes later Astrid came in with a small prey item. She proceeded to feed the nestlings which were both huddled in one corner and a little difficult to see. At 5:26 AM Ares brought more prey to the east veranda. Astrid took it and then flew off. She immediately returned and began a feeding. Five minutes later, when the meal was finished, Astrid went out onto the long perch. At 5:40 Ares was back in the nest with the chicks. Both were still huddling in the corner at that time. When we were able to get a glimpse of them, we could see that they were starting to develop their dark eye masks.
At 6:13 AM Ares brought food right into the nestbox and appeared poised to attempt a feeding. Astrid flew over from the steeple, stormed in, and grabbed the food away. She then carried out the feeding. She was done about twelve minutes later. At 8:12 Astrid was engaged in conducting another feeding. We weren’t sure if she brought the food or if Ares did. When the meal was finished (about twelve minutes later) Astrid went over to the east veranda. At 9:25 Ares came to the box with yet another meal. Astrid took it and handled the feeding. She was done about eight minutes later and gone from the box. By then the chicks had switched sides of the nest and were all the way over against the wall on the east side of the box. At 9:46 Ares was with the chicks. At 11:44 both parents were on the State Building. Ares came to the nest with prey at 12:05 PM. Astrid took it on the crossperch and started a feeding. At a couple of minutes before noon, both parents were out of camera view. Ares came to the nest for a chick-check at 12:17. At 1:00 the parents were out of view once more. At 1:10 some chirping calls were heard and then Astrid arrived at the nest with prey. After plucking it she proceeded to do a feeding. By 1:29 she was done and had left the box. At 2:57 another feeding was in progress. Astrid was conducting it. She was out at 3:00. Ares screeched to the crossperch twenty minutes later. He then went into the nest to check on the chicks. At 4:30 both nestlings were snoozing, and one parent was visible on the State Building.
At 5:00 PM Astrid came to the box calling. We weren’t sure what she was going on about. At 6:07 both parents were out of view again. Astrid then showed up on the long perch at 6:33. Five minutes later she was on one of the light poles on the roof of the Adirondack Bank (an unusual place for her). From there she was back to the long perch at the nest. That made the chicks in the nest start squealing again. She was soon up only to return at 6:50 PM. She was highly alert, and we weren’t sure what was making her anxious – if anxiety is what we were seeing. Ares had been out of view for a few hours at this point. She was flying again at 6:55. We tracked her flying southeast of the State Building for a few seconds. There appeared to be a second raptor flying near her but then they both flew out of range. Ares unceremoniously screeched to the nestbox at 7:19. Who knows where he had been – I guess he knows and probably Astrid too. At 7:27 he took off after something. Astrid then arrived at the nest with food at 7:31. It seemed like she was feeding the chicks in fast motion. When the meal was done, she took her position on the long perch. Perhaps she was in place for the night. Ares was on one of the steeple perches until a few minutes after 8:00 and then, presumably, he went off to a night perch.