Author: Matt Perry

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 5, 2018 –

Astrid remained in fairly close proximity to the nest throughout the night. Ares brought a small prey item to the box at about 3:30 AM. Astrid popped out of nowhere to take it and she handled the feeding. Ares was back with another course at 4:55. Once again, Astrid fed the chicks. At 6:53, Ares came to the nest with another small item. While on the cross-perch he called for Astrid and when she didn’t come he flew away with the food. Two minutes later, Astrid arrived at the box with an entire Pigeon. Little Petra was first in line to be fed. Milo joined in next, while it was all Angel could do just to get Astrid to notice him.  Finally, as the other two dropped back, Angel took center stage and got his fill. (Yes I did say “his” fill. We now believe that Angel, like his other two siblings, is a male Peregrine). The feeding was an amazing half-hour long. At 8:54, Ares was spotted on Hotel Utica plucking and then feeding on something large like a Mourning Dove or a Pigeon. Five minutes later he brought it to the box, Astrid took it from him and then she attempted to interest the chicks in a meal. Petra was the only one interested initially, but then Milo came in for a few bites. Since no one seemed that into the feeding, Astrid picked up the leftovers and flew out with them.

Ares came back to the box at 9:10. He picked up a gory scrap off the floor of the nest and gave it to Angel. Angel took it the corner and tried to break it up but he couldn’t do it so he abandoned it. Ares stood on the cross-perch and watched what the chick was doing with his gift. When he saw it had been abandoned, Ares jumped back into the box, retrieved it from the corner and gave it to another chick.  The second chick didn’t want it either and just dropped it back to the floor. At 11:38, Ares arrived at the box and Astrid showed up only seconds later. Ares departed as Astrid hopped into the nest. She didn’t bring food but was set on feeding out the scraps already in the box. While she was tearing strips off of leftovers, one of the chicks, (I think it was Angel) grabbed the food and tried to abscond to the corner with it. Astrid tried to get it back but was having trouble. Finally she managed to grab it free. She started trying to rip it up, but she couldn’t manage to get more than a tiny bit off.

She found the same impermeable piece of Pigeon bone that Ares had kept trying to gift to everybody and she started trying to pawn it off. I wasn’t sure if one of them actually ate it. Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s going on in there. The grisly thing did disappear after that – we think that Milo ate it. At 12:17, Ares brought a whole cuckoo to the box. He jumped inside the nest with it like he was going to start feeding the chicks and then Astrid arrived and the jig was up! It seemed like a no-cuckoos rule was being enforced. Ares got out of there and hid the evidence. I think it was the same cuckoo that we later saw on the ledge of the hotel. At 12:30, Ares was back at the nest and this time without the illicit cuckoo. He seemed to have come just to stir up the crowd and that he did. They were charging at him and flapping their wings with abandon.  One of the chicks bit at his foot as he tried to jump back onto the lip of the box. That was pretty wild behavior.  At 1:25, Astrid got something from the pantry and did a feeding. She did the same thing 20 minutes later. These nestlings were getting fed very well today.

We hadn’t seen Ares on the cams for a while when suddenly he screeched into the canyon and brought prey up to the nest. Astrid came right away and snatched it away. She went to start feeding, but the first chick she approached ran away from her! She then started feeding Angel and then concentrated on the other two. Lots of wing flapping took place in the afternoon. Wing and tail feathers are developing in leaps and bounds. It’s still difficult telling the chicks apart, but Petra is still noticeably whiter than the other two – due to the fact he’s several days younger. At 5:18, Ares was seen on the ledge of Hotel Utica plucking and then eating something. It was really just a chunk, but it was either a Mourning Dove or a Pigeon.  It wasn’t a cuckoo, anyway. Ten minutes later he brought it to the nest. Astrid took it from there and did the feeding.

At 5:53, Ares visited the box and got a rise out of the lazy chicks. He left again, only to come right back and jump squarely into the box. He stirred everybody up and then jumped back onto the perch. He then scooted along the west veranda perch all the way to the window ledge beyond; he then hung out there for a while. Ares brought some leftovers over to the box at 7:48. Milo grabbed it from him, took it to the corner and fed on it himself. The other two did some half-hearted outraged begging calls at Ares, but it didn’t last long. Angel tried to get the food away from Milo, but soon gave up. Meanwhile, Astrid was working on her own meal in a window ledge on the State Building. Petra wasn’t even interested in trying to get any of Milo’s stolen food. He fell asleep with his bill up against the lip of the box while staring at Ares out on the perch. He only woke up when Angel came and stomped on his tail. Milo ate most of that meal himself, but there was some gruesome chunk left over that Angel tried to glean something from. After being on the steeple for a while, at 8:50, Astrid came over to a window ledge just east of the nest box. Ares was on the State Building and all three nestlings were asleep. Good night, falcons.

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 4, 2018 –

After being absent since about 5:30 PM Sunday, Ares finally showed up on camera at around 10:30 in the evening. He took a perch on a high ledge on the State Building. By contrast, Astrid was in view most of the night. Some of the time she was on the long perch at the box, but she ended up on a window ledge just east of the nest. There were no overnight feedings. When Astrid came to the box at 5:47, the nestlings all began screeching in unison. I think they wanted their grub! Astrid went and fetched something out of storage. She brought it back to the nest and satiated the brood. The nestlings all have names now, and our thanks go out to all of those that submitted names to us. The names in the order of hatching are: Milo, Angel, and Petra. I wish I could confidently tell you who was who, but half the time I can’t. Deb is better at it than me. About ten minutes after the feeding ended. Ares came to the box to do a quick chick-check.

A little later on, while the chicks were alone in the nest, two of them began giving their loud chattering alarm call sound. There was no emergency; they were only practicing. Then again, only four minutes after their “alarm” calls another feeding was underway. Perhaps they were on to something. Ares brought over the food and Astrid was dishing it out. After the meal, Astrid became slightly annoyed by people being in offices on the floor below the nest box. She hazed the row of windows a few times and then went over to her steeple perch. She’s never happy to see people inhabiting the buildings  following a weekend of relative peace and quiet.

Just before 9 AM, Ares was in the nest and picked up a cast-off wing from the floor. He took it onto the cross-perch and picked at it. Astrid saw him and seemed to believe he had new prey. She came over to take it and then immediately saw her mistake. When she saw what it was she didn’t even try to take it from him. He flew away with it instead. At 9:16, Astrid came to the box with most of a Pigeon. Initially she needed to coax the chicks into feeding, but they eventually got into it. She fed them until they wouldn’t take anymore and then took the leftovers and stored them on the State Building. At 11:08, Astrid came back to the box. She first went over to the east veranda and from there she hopped onto the roof of the nest box. That’s just one of her new inexplicable fancies. Ares brought prey to the box at 11:40. Astrid flew in, grabbed the food and started feeding the nestlings. The meal didn’t last long. Ares was in for a chick-check at 11:52. Not long after that, rain began falling in the canyon – sometimes fairly heavily.  Ares stayed at the nest with the chicks and Astrid remained on top a pillar just west of the box. At one point Ares came into the nest. The nestlings did a little squealing but mostly they left their dad alone. He moved back to the cross-perch when the rain let up. Ares remained on guard at the nest for the next few hours. At one point one of the chicks passed the time by pecking at their father’s toes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq3vVGRu9Vw://

Ares brought prey to the nest at 4:06. Astrid took it and began feeding. Deb commented that it was a remarkably civil exchange that time. At 4:48, both parents were perched high on the State Building on adjacent ledges. Astrid moved over to the steeple at 5 PM. An hour later she launched from that perch and tore after something unseen. Whatever it was she missed it. She showed up again on the State Building only a minute later at 6:10. Ares screeched up to the box with a small meal at 6:52. Astrid took it and served it to the chicks. They were a bit more rambunctious at this feeding and it didn’t help that there wasn’t much food to go around. After the meal, Astird did some nice soaring around the State Building before coming to a landing on a high perch. Ares had already taken a perch only a few meters away. The rain started up again after 7 PM. The parents stayed on the State Building and the nestlings, for the most part, kept to their chick pile. By 8 o’clock it seemed like all were settled for the night, but I wouldn’t wager the farm on it.

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!

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 2, 2018 –

Astrid was at the nest box for most night. In the 11 o’clock hour she went over to the church steeple for a little while. When she returned, she attempted to land on the long perch, but miscalculated and slipped off. She flew back and made a solid landing on it less than a half-minute later.  There were no overnight feedings. Astrid remained at the box until 4:48 AM. We weren’t sure where she went to after that. Presumably she was out trying to catch a Pigeon. Ares was on nest duty in Astrid’s absence. He visited the box and then took a perch on the steeple. Astrid showed up at 5:48 and also perched on the steeple. Both falcons were obviously in hunting mode. Astrid was seen making plays for multiple unseen targets. At 7:20, Ares was on the ledge at Hotel Utica plucking a Pigeon. Apparently he had received Astrid’s memo (that would be the “no cuckoos” memo). After taking his share of Pigeon meat off the top, he brought it to the nest, where Astrid grabbed it and began feeding it to the chicks. It was still a good sized meal and Astrid was able to pack the chicks with it pretty well. For the most part the nestlings were well-behaved during that feeding. Meanwhile Ares had gone back over to the hotel and while he was there he was scolded by a Pigeon. The Pigeon likely had a nest nearby and was hoping to drive the him away.

For a while in mid-morning, both parents were out of view. Finally, at 9:07, one showed up on the State Building. Astrid did a chick-check at the box shortly after that. She settled on top a pillar to the west of the nest box. She was still in hunting mode. At 10:30, Astrid launched from the pillar. Ares had food and he brought it to the box. Astrid unceremoniously grabbed it away and conducted the feeding. The meal was probably a chunk of a Mourning Dove, but we weren’t sure. After the feeding both parents went over to the State Building. The nestlings spent some time tramping around the box and flapping their wings. They are starting to actually look like wings as fringes of flight feathers now protrude from their trailing edges. They nestlings are just now beginning to get the salt & pepper look as dark contour feathers also begin to protrude out from their downy fuzz. The chicks themselves are very aware of their surroundings now and are able to follow all the moves their parents make outside of the box.

At 12:06, Ares was seen picking at some leftovers on the State Building. Ten minutes later he brought the food over to the nest. He seemed to be primed to do a feeding, but then Astrid barreled in and tried to take the food. Still gripping it, he made for the exit. He flew into the canyon with a rather gory streamer of leftovers dangling below him. In a few moments he came back with it and landed on the east veranda. Astrid hopped over and grabbed it (almost dropping it) and then she flew off with it! It became her streamer! Fifteen seconds later she returned with the same food and fed it to the nestlings. Ares remained on the east veranda during that entire feeding session.

For much of the afternoon, both adults remained in view – usually on the State Building. At 2:48, Ares came into the box from the east veranda. He rummaged around on the floor until he found a scrap of food. He hopped onto the long perch to eat it. At around 5:05, Ares brought what looked like a swallow to the box. Astrid came over, grabbed it from him and did the feeding. It was a fairly quick meal. Afterwards, both parents were out of view for a while. Astrid nest showed up on the steeple at 5:33. She made frequent forays into the canyon and was definitely in hunting mode. At 6:48, we confirmed her success. She was plucking a Pigeon on the ledge of the hotel. After feeding on it some she brought it to the nest and stuffed the little ones until they refused to take any more. With loud chirps she kept encouraging them to take one more bite. Finally she gave up and stored the leftovers on the State Building. After that she took a perch on the steeple. Fluff from cottonwood trees was floating past her on the wind. It resembled snow flurries. Ares had been out of view for almost three hours; suddenly we located him on the ledge of the hotel. He was plucking something large – probably a Pigeon. He did exactly what Astrid had done. He ate some of it and then brought the rest over to the nest. Ares screeched as he flew through the canyon and passed his mate. He landed on the east veranda perch and waited a few seconds for her to arrive. From the cross-perch she stretched out and grabbed at the food with her bill, but couldn’t quite hold it. She then more adeptly seized it with one foot and hopped into the box (that’s the way to do it!). Ares flew over to the State Building while she tried to rally the chicks. That fact was, they were still full from the last big meal. They took a few bites in slow motion, but they couldn’t be coaxed into taking any more. Astrid took the leftovers and stored then on the State Building. It was then around 8 PM; she had taken a perch on the steeple, while Ares stayed on the State Building. It sure seemed like everyone was settled for the night. Maybe they were. The naming contest for the three chicks ends this evening (Saturday night). That means that by this time tomorrow the kids should have names! Thanks to all that submitted names.

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for June 1, 2018 –

Astrid remained on the long perch at the nest box for much of the overnight period. Ares brought something small to the box at around 4:20, and Astrid did the feeding. At 5:50, Ares came to do a chick-check at the nest. Astrid arrived while his check was still in progress and she sent him out. It was like she was telling him to go and fetch breakfast. She found a scrap of food in the box and fed one of the chicks. Finally at 8:20, Ares was seen plucking prey on the ledge at Hotel Utica. He proceeded to take his share off the top and then brought the rest to the nest. Astrid took it and started feeding the young. One of the chicks grabbed a substantial hunk of it and turned away to eat it on its own. The raucous feeding ended only five minutes after it had begun.

Ares brought something else to the nest at 10:43. The food exchange took place on the west veranda. The meal wasn’t large and was gone in only four minutes. That would turn out to be the reoccurring theme of the day – small, quick meals gobbled up fast. Ares had perched on the steeple following his food drop. When Astrid finished with the feeding, she went over to an adjacent steeple perch and Ares left. Perhaps he was spurred on to do more hunting by his mate. After that, Astrid was keeping watch on the box and on the canyon. She did quite a few chick-checks through early afternoon. At 11:19, Ares screeched up to the box to do his own chick-check. The sound of his call got all three nestlings activated. Obviously they were still hungry. By noon, we couldn’t find either adult with our cameras. Twenty minutes later, Astrid began doing frequent checks at the box. At 12:44, she took a break from her incessant chick-checking to get in some sunbathing on the hotel ledge. On that wide ledge she stretched out her wings and lay flat as could be. A few minutes later she was back to the nest box and checking the nestlings. At 1:26, Ares showed up with food at the box. Astrid grabbed it from him and began to conduct a feeding. The female middle nestling grabbed the prey away from Astrid. Astrid pulled it back – all except for a hunk of it, which stayed with the chick.

By mid-afternoon it was getting very hot and uncomfortable in the nest box. Astrid didn’t seem to be in shading mood today so it was up to Ares to shield the chicks and to check on them periodically. Ares brought food to the box at 6:16. Astrid came over to do the feeding. The next meal came in at 6:57. It appeared to be a cuckoo. Table manners were pretty bad with this one, Astrid left with it well before the chicks had their fill. She stored the leftovers on the ledge at the hotel. She really doesn’t like eating cuckoos, or apparently, feeding too many of them out, so she’s unlikely to retrieve one any time soon. At just before 8 PM, Astrid was on the ledge at the hotel again. She was plucking a freshly caught pigeon. After she had her share she flew over to the box and started a marathon feeding session. After the feeding Astrid spent some time on the steeple while Ares was up on the State Building. It seemed like the falcons were in place for the night – or nearly so. Astrid eventually came back over to the box and stood guard on the long perch.