Falling Cuckoos, Crazy Pigeons, and Kamikaze Kestrels

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 3, 2018 –

Astrid was at or near the box for most of the night. For the last day or so, she’s been fond of a window ledge located just east of the east veranda. She was there for a little while in the late evening. Ares brought prey to the box at 4 AM sharp. Astrid was right there to take it and she did the feeding. The food didn’t stretch far and the nestlings were still hungry afterwards. Astrid came into the box at 5:22. She was besieged by begging chicks. She picked up a Pigeon leg that was on the floor and handed it off to one of the beggars. The chick immediately dropped it and started going after its mother once again. Astrid picked up the leg a second time, but this time held it down with her feet and ripped pieces off of it. These she fed it to at least one chick. Ares showed up at the box at 6:42; he didn’t have any prey with him. The nestlings rushed at him and he vamoosed.

At 8:22, Ares finally came to the box with food. Astrid took it from him and she began to feed the nestlings. She stayed on the long perch for a while after the meal was finished. Ares went over to the west face of the Adirondack Bank building where he perched on a window ledge. A tour of the canyon allowed me to see Ares on his hidden perch. I also checked his pantry on the State Building. They falcons had some food stored on all 4 sides of the State Office Building. Unfortunately, one cached Black-billed Cuckoo had fallen off its ledge and ended up down on the sidewalk. While I was there yet another cuckoo came darting down to the ground. It was pretty windy out so I understood why it was happening. Luckily, Ares had more food available to him. At 9:55, Ares flew in from the west. He had prey in his talons and was screeching. He began plucking it where he landed on the State Building. When he was done processing the meal he took it over to nest. He hopped right in among the squawking chicks and began to feed one of them. It was then that Astird landed on the perch; she was emitting her loudest screech call. Ares turned around as if he was going to hand it off to her, but then sidestepped down the lip of the box instead. She sidestepped along the cross-perch after him, but then he flew off with the food.  We expected him to come right back, but he stored the prey on a ledge on the Adirondack Bank instead. Astrid stood with the begging chicks for a few minutes and then flew over towards the State Building.  Her aim was to retrieve some Pigeon leftovers she had stored there yesterday. Before she got to the State Building, an American Kestrel (a small falcon species) came out of nowhere and chased after Astrid! She took a lap around the State Building and by the time she had gotten a look at the stranger he was quickly receding towards the east. Astrid resumed her task of fetching the leftovers. After a few minutes she was back and feeding the crew.

At 11:10, Ares was guarding the nest from the cross-perch. For a while all three chicks were up against the lip of the box peering at him while he preened. At noon Ares was on the long perch and Astrid was on her new favorite ledge just east of the nest. An errant Pigeon came up and landed on a window ledge right next to the west veranda. Both Astrid and Ares looked at the bird with some amazement. The audacious (or confused) Pigeon left with Astrid on its heels. In a moment Astrid was back; she squawked at Ares and sent him off his perch. Go get it, partner! He left, but I don’t think he was perusing the Pigeon. Ares did a chick-check at 1:30 and Astrid did one fifteen minutes later. They were keeping pretty good track of the nestlings today. During her 1:45 visit, the begging chicks chased her right out of the box, but she was determined to go back in there. As soon as she could she hopped back in, ate a couple of stones and then hopped out again. At 3:00, both parents were out of view, but a half-hour later they both showed up at the nest box.  The kids were getting quite anxious and rowdy by late afternoon. They were hungry – no doubt about it. Ares showed up at the nest with food at 5:20. Astrid took it from him and conducted the feeding. The prey looked like a Mourning Dove – a hunk of one anyway. Ares remained on the west veranda for the duration of the meal. The feeding lasted for a while. When it was over Astrid stayed on the long perch and he stayed on the veranda. The falcons were in those places until at least 7:20 PM. At 8:10, Astrid was on the long perch at the box. Rain had been falling for a little while and Ares was out of view. The activities of the day were probably over. We will be announcing the names of this season’s chicks sometime tomorrow. Thanks to all for so many great submissions!