Early Morning Feedings and Nestlings Growing Feathers

Recently it seems that the Peregrine adults go most of the afternoon without feeding the nestlings. However, the young are not being deprived. They are simply being fed more in the morning – and sometimes the very early morning. In fact, today at 1:30 AM, Ares brought food to the nest. Two hours later another meal was brought in, and two hours after that, yet another. The old saying “the early bird gets the worm” seems apt for the falcons. Although it’s possible that Astrid and Ares are drawing on stored food in order to conduct these feedings, more likely they are hunting at these hours. The light pollution of the city has allowed and encouraged Peregrines to become efficient nocturnal hunters. This is one advantage they have over their cliff nesting counterparts,

The plumage of the nestlings continues its quick evolution. We see now the ends of feather shafts opening up into brand new feathers. Dark masks over the eyes of the nestlings have also become distinct. It’s getting easier to believe that in just 2 weeks these birds will be on the verge of fledging.