Utica Peregrine Falcons Update for Tuesday, May 9th, 2023
It was a powerfully exciting day for both Utica and Little Falls. For a while we weren’t sure if the pipped eggs in Utica were ever going to hatch and I think Astrid was starting to have her doubts as well. Last night was chilly with the low temperature in the high 30s. During the day the high temperature was 63 degrees. Astrid was on the eggs all night. Occasionally we heard the chicks inside the two pipped eggs calling out, and we were also heard Astrid jostling the eggs and trying to induce hatching. Ares screeched to the box with a small food item at 3:57 AM. Astrid was very vocal and sent him away. At 5:08 he was back with another small offering. Once again Astrid sent him away. Five minutes later we were hearing one of the chicks inside an egg calling. It was as if it knew it had missed mealtime. Astrid was vocalizing as well. At 5:15 Ares was heard giving long calls from the State Building. At the risk of anthropomorphizing, Astrid was acting like she was extremely frustrated. She started calling incessantly and jostling the eggs like mad. It seemed like she really wanted those pipped eggs to finally hatch. Ares returned to the nest at 5:30. They had a lively cconversation,but it was clear that Astrid was not going to leave. Ares initially went to the east veranda before flying off. As for Astrid, she went back to semi-manic calling and jostling the eggs. Finally, at 5:40 AM we suddenly saw a broken eggshell appear in front of Astrid. The first chick had hatched! We only caught a short glimpse of the new chick and then it went immediately underneath Astrid. Once she had a hatch she calmed down and did not seem to be so frustrated. By 8:17 it was clear that a second hatch had occurred. More eggshell pieces appeared in front of Astrid. A small, wet, pinkish chick was glimpsed beneath her when she moved. Indeed, there were two nestlings on the scrape.
At 8:42 AM suddenly Astrid started giving cackle-type alarm calls and she left the nest. We are not sure what brought that on. Most likely a non-falcon intruder came through the canyon and that was unacceptable to mother. Ares came right over and got to see the two new chicks for the first time. His visit with them was very brief indeed as Astrid returned right away and took over brooding. Ares left the box and Astrid went about brooding the two eggs and the two chicks together. We were wondering when feeding time was going to come. It seemed like Astrid was watching out for Ares that he wasn’t showing up. And then at 11:45 we saw him over on the hotel plucking fresh prey. After having some bites off the top he flew over to the nest and delivered the food to the crossperch where Astrid received it. Astrid then proceeded to conduct the first feeding of the new chicks. She tore minute pieces of meat from the carcass and fed it to both chicks. The nestling that was second to hatch fell over backwards a few times but it did end up getting some of the food. Just before noon, feeding time was over and Astrid took the leftovers out and presumably stored them. After she left, Ares came into the box with a mind to start brooding. He was only there for a few seconds before Astrid piled back into the box and took over.
At 1:53 PM Ares came to the crossperch with prey. Astrid took it from him and started another feeding. The mealtime only went on for a few minutes and then she resumed brooding. At 3:13 Astrid was calling on the nest and doing some jostling of the eggs and chicks. We wondered if another egg was pipped, but could see no evidence of it. At 3:54 Ares came to the box. Astrid took the opportunity to leave for a while. After she was gone Ares seemed at a loss about what to do. There were two chicks and two eggs. He opted to shade one of the eggs while eating one of the broken eggshells. After a few minutes he settled on brooding the eggs and leaving the chicks on their own. They were lying down in the sun and seemed fine. It was 63 degrees and breezy. At 4:14 Astrid was back. She immediately came over to the chicks and began brooding them while Ares continued sitting with the eggs. She then decided that she wasn’t needed and left again. After she left, the chicks were woke up and began begging. Ares did some squeaking in response but remained in place on the eggs. At 4:28 Astrid came in and Ares left. Astrid brooded the chicks for about four minutes before she realized that the eggs were alone. In a moment she pulled them over and then was back to brooding both the nestlings and the eggs.
At 6:14 PM Ares came to the crossperch and then hopped into the box. He asked for a turn, but Astrid didn’t seem to be in the mood to go anywhere. However, after a minute, by her own volition, she left the box and flew over to a low perch on the State Building. In the box Ares sat several inches away from the chicks and the eggs, apparently contemplating his next move. After a few minutes he came closer and pulled one of the eggs underneath them. There he stayed for a couple of minutes until suddenly he began giving chirping-type alarm calls. That usually means there is a falcon intruder in the canyon. Ares hopped up onto the lip of the box and continued to chirp. The two chicks responded by sitting up and begging in a similar manner to how they behave when Astrid is feeding them and giving motivational chirps. At 6:23 Ares left the nest. He flew over to the State Building, perching just above Astrid. They conferred for a moment and then he took off towards the north, presumably in pursuit of the intruder. After a moment Astrid came over to the box and resumed brooding the chicks and the eggs. At 7:04 Ares brought prey to the long perch. Astrid took it from him on the crossperch and flew over to the hotel. She then proceeded to have it for dinner. Ares stood behind the brood while she was gone. At 7:18 PM Astrid was back at the nest and Ares took his leave. He was on the State Building for a little while and then he flew out of view – probably to a night perch. Astrid was on nest duty for the night. Goodnight all.
Little Falls Falcon Update: The fourth egg hatched on Monday evening at 10:29. Anna and Erie now have a full house – four chicks to raise and fledge!!