Probable Intruder in the Canyon & Two Speed Dances

Utica Peregrine Falcons Update for Wednesday, March 8^th, 2023

It was cold last night with temperatures bottoming out in the low 20s. During the day the temperature rose to the freezing mark although the persistent wind made it feel colder. The sun was out off and on during the course of the day. Ares arrived at the nest at 4:40 AM. At 5:55 Astrid showed up at the box for a ledge display. It was active and featured some beaking but it was also very brief. Ares left first which is typical. At 7:07 Ares brought prey to the box and Astrid accepted it on the east veranda. She took it over to the hotel. At 7:23 she was done with her meal and glided over to the State Building. Ares excitedly called when she landed on her ledge. At 8:05 Astrid came to the crossperch and from there moved over to the east veranda. At 9:43 Ares was at the box and Astrid was on the steeple.

At around 10:25 PM we heard some cackle calls and there was some dramatic flying around. This was an indication that a non-Falcon intruder was in the Canyon. However, we never saw it. By 10:30 Astrid was back on the State Building and Ares was in the box. At 11 o’clock both Falcons were up again. Ares came to the box and was calling like he saw Astrid, but we couldn’t find her with the cams. He was gone a few minutes later. We didn’t see either Falcon again until 12:14 PM when one showed up on the State Building. One of the Falcons was briefly on the hotel at 1:11. We think it was Ares. At 2:43 Astrid was on the State Building and Ares was at the box. The pair shared another very brief dance at the box at 2:53. Astrid lingered in the box until 3:35 or so. After that, one of the Falcons was on the State Building but we are not sure which one. At 5:05 Ares buzzed by Astrid on her steeple perch. He retrieved some stored food and brought it to the box. Astrid flew right over to collect it and then brought it to the hotel. He went over to the State Building while she fed. By 5:20 both falcons had flown out of view and likely to their night perches. Goodnight all.