Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 12, 2018 –
As expected, Astrid kept close to the nest for the overnight hours. Ares brought a small prey item at 1:30 AM. Astrid took it from him, but then flew away with it. She was seen perched on the steeple not long afterwards, so we think she must have stored it. At 3:55, Ares was back at the box with another small unrecognizable offering. One of the chicks grabbed the food away from him and took it to the corner. Five minutes later, Ares was feeding out some scraps while perched on the lip of the box. He fed one nestling for a few minutes and then left. At 5:36, both Angel and Milo were already up on the lip of the box. They proceeded to come up and down from the rim at least a dozen times as the morning progressed. They were getting much more sure-footed about it. The nestlings were also getting feisty with each other. Angel grabbed at Petra’s foot and then tried to dance around with it. Milo is just as bad – he did something similar to both Angel and Petra. Charging around the box and ploughing into one’s siblings is another activity they all revel in. I saw Angel (him again!) step on Petra, beak with him, and then peck at him! It’s all good practice I guess?
At 6:30, Ares had been on one of the steeple perches. We looked away and then when we checked back, Astrid was on the same perch. She must have displaced him and compelled him to go out to get some grub. The nestlings were getting a little anxious at that point. Ares stoked them in a big way by doing a chick-check. He then went to the east veranda before flying off. Showing the nestlings the verandas is something the parents do at this stage. If past is prolog, the chicks should be using those platforms as exercise areas before too long. At 9:07, it was Astrid’s turn to do a chick-check. The youngsters all began Squealing when they saw their mother flying through the canyon and they went bonkers when she landed on the cross-perch. They were getting increasingly hungry and they were letting her know in no uncertain terms. At 9:41, Ares brought prey, Astrid scrambled to take it and the two had a little tug-o-war. She got it and began the feeding, but then immediately got in a tug-o-war with Angel. Milo took it after that, but then Astrid wrested it away and was finally able to conduct a feeding. At 10:36, the chicks were all asleep in the box.
At 1:15, Deb noticed that there were more bird tails protruding from Ares pantry on the west face of the State Building; she counted nine (including the old ones). I’m not sure how many of those were cuckoos, but probably most of them. Just before 2 PM, Angel was looking like he wanted to try to get to the west veranda. He came back into the box instead. No sooner did Angel settle down then Milo was activated. At 3:11, Astrid stopped at the box to do a chick-check. That had the effect of rousing the nestlings again. Ares checked in at the box at 4:05, and he received a similar reception. At 4:25, Angel was on the lip of the box when Ares came to the nest with food. Astrid arrived a minute later, but he had already lost the meal to Milo, who took it to the back corner to work on by himself. Angel was not happy about that arrangement and he made his protest known to Astrid who was camped out on the west veranda. A few minutes later, Astrid was soaring all over the place and that was getting the kids all worked up. Although to be fair, these days it doesn’t take much to activate them. Astrid came in to do another check at 4:38. She tried to grab a scrap of food from the floor of the box, but Milo had a hold of it in his talons and he wasn’t letting go. Astrid gave up and left the box.
At 5:20 PM, Astrid flew into the canyon from the north. She had a Pigeon in her talons. She flew right to the State Building with it. It was eighteen minutes later when she brought it to the box. Petra and Angel were in line to be fed right away. Milo hung back but eventually took his place and allowed Astrid to hand him piece after piece. At 5:49, Astrid flew off with the leftovers and stored them in her favorite spot on the north-face of the State Building. She had hardly been gone a minute before Angel was experimenting on the rim of the box. A short time later, it was Astrid on the steeple perch. She must have displaced Ares again! At 7:51, Angel was doing some gentle beaking with Petra. He then picked up a scrap of food that had fallen to the ground and took it to the back corner to polish it off. Twenty minutes later, Milo was twisting his head all around while looking at his siblings. It seemed like he was really trying to figure them out. Good luck with that! Angel had been up on the lip of the box again and flapping like mad while Petra was lying on the floor. By 8:30, Astrid had flown to her favorite ledge to the east of the nest box and Ares took a perch on the State Building. The nestlings did some preening and at least one of them remained awake and actively looking around until well after 10 PM. Good night all.
