Author: Matt Perry

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for April 14, 2018 –

It was relatively mild this morning. It was overcast and temperatures were in the mid-forties. By noon it had become somewhat chillier and light rain began falling. The afternoon was drier, but the wind picked up and the temperature began to drop. Astrid had taken over incubating at 3:27 Friday afternoon, and since Ares never relieved her in the early evening, she had to stay on the eggs for over thirteen hours straight.  She finally left the box at 4:40 AM on Saturday, and Ares arrived about a minute later to take over on the eggs. Upon leaving, Astrid took a few different perches on the State Building. At one point she flew around the west face of the building; she was likely perusing Ares pantry. We think she selected something since minutes later she was seen perched on the west face of the building, and probably feeding – either that or preening. it’s hard to tell from a distance. Following that, at 6:05, she flew over to the Adirondack Bank building and landed on top of a window pillar west of the nest box. She was there for only a minute and then she was out of camera view. About a half-hour later she was perched on the steeple and enjoying a prolonged preening session. She had a large crop so she must’ve been eaten at some point. At around 8:15, they switched and Astrid was back on the eggs. After leaving the box Ares spend some time on the State Building. It looked like he made a few hunting forays from there.

In the late morning the Utica Peregrine Falcon Project held our first of the season public walk around the downtown canyon. Despite the rather dismal weather, people showed up and received a great introduction to Astrid and Ares’ domain. While we were showing folks around, Ares returned to the box and relieved Astrid. That happened at 10:24, and it was a fast changeover. Astrid flew over to the State Building, but then ended up back on one of the pillars on the bank. All of the people in our second tour got to see her there. At about 11:30, she returned to the box and sat outside on the cross perch, while Ares remained on the eggs. They stayed like this for around fifteen minutes, until finally Astrid went inside the box and ousted her mate. Of course it wasn’t that easy to dislodge him. First they did some beaking and that didn’t work. She then she went behind him and stepped on his tail, and that worked. Credit where credit is due, she did try to ask nicely first! Regardless, he was outed and she took over incubation duty. Thanks to all those who joined us for today’s falcon walks! We have another one scheduled for next Saturday. That one will take place at 6:30 in the evening.

At 12:30, we noticed that Ares was back on the State Building, but soon he went out of view again. Astrid had been peacefully incubating, but then at 1:26, she unceremoniously baled from the box. She called as she was leaving and we thought we heard Ares answer her. He came to the box less than a minute later and took over on the eggs. Following that, we couldn’t locate Astrid until close to two o’clock when she showed up on the steeple. While there she did a great amount of preening. The wind picked up quite a bit towards the end of her stay on that perch. She was being buffeted, but didn’t seem overly disturbed by it. She left at 3:20 and wasn’t relocated until an hour later when she arrived at the nest box. The falcons switched again at 4:53, and then it was Astrid’s turn to mind the eggs. Ares was visible on the State Building for a short time and then he was out of view of our cameras.

At 6:17, Astrid let out a few chirps, and that’s often an indication that she sees her mate. Sure enough, she did. Ares flew in from the west, heading towards the State Building. He was heavily laden with prey. He appeared to store the food high on the west face of the building and then he flew around the south side and disappeared from view again.  By 6:30 PM, Astrid was napping in the box. She seemed to be settled for the night, and we believe that Ares was as well. Tonight’s weather forecast calls for freezing rain and generally sloppy winter-like conditions. This latest burst of winter will last well into tomorrow. It’s just as well that the falcons have some food in the bank, since hunting may be difficult for a while.

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for April 13, 2018 –

There was some rain overnight and even a thunderstorm – although the storm actually missed the falcons’ downtown canyon. Temperatures were in the forties during the night and barely budged through the morning. In the late afternoon, the temperature peaked in the low fifties. Astrid stayed out pretty late again last evening and didn’t relieve Ares until just before 8 PM. He retaliated though and didn’t relieve her on the eggs this morning until right before 6 AM which, believe it or not, is pretty late for these two. He was seen on the State Building about 15 minutes before coming to the nest. Interestingly, when Astrid left she landed on the exact same high ledge that he had been on only moments before. At 8:20, Astrid was on the north face of the State Building and appeared to be feeding. She was seen on the building’s west face a little while before that, so perhaps she had taken food out of Ares’ pantry. The pair switched out at the nest box at 10:02, and then Astrid was back on the eggs. She had a partially full crop. Ares went over and perched on the State Building’s north face. A little while later he was on the west face, and then back on the north. Obviously he was hunting. At 12:13, the pair switched at the nest again and then Ares took over on the eggs. We didn’t see where Astrid was for a little while and then she showed up on the State Building. Just before 1 o’clock, Ares was fussing around on the nest. He moved some stones around and then he seemed to have an issue adjusting the eggs. As soon as he tucked one beneath him, another would push out on the other side. Fortunately, after a few minutes he got that all under control.

Astrid came back to the box at 3:15, and they pair did yet another quick switch on the eggs. Ares went over to the State Building and perched on a ledge that was only two windows down from where Astrid had just been. By 4:05, Ares had flown and was off camera for a while. At 5:10, Deb located him on the east face of the State Building. Forty minutes later, Astrid was calling for him to relieve her on the eggs, but he was obviously in no hurry to comply. We weren’t sure if he was even in earshot at that time. She seemed OK to settle back on the eggs and wait for him to show up. As eight o’clock neared and dusk was upon the canyon it seemed unlikely he was going to show up, and by then she was resigned to stay anyhow. Perhaps Ares went on a late hunting trip. We shall see what time he shows up tomorrow morning.

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for April 12, 2018 –

It was chilly overnight with a very dense fog developing by morning, Low lying areas including the falcons’ downtown canyon were. Temperatures were around the freezing point in the very early morning, but rose quickly into the forties. Clouds and light rain came in by early afternoon. Astrid had relieved Ares at the box at 7:50, Wednesday evening. She remained on the eggs all night long and even a bit later in the morning than usual. Ares came out of the fog to relieve Astrid at 6:00. She then disappeared into the opaque cloud that enveloped the canyon. The fog was so thick we couldn’t even see the State Office Building with our cameras, let alone determine if Astrid was perched on it.  At 7:22, the fog lifted just enough to allow us to see Astrid on the State Building. At 8:43, Astrid came back to the box and landed on the cross-perch. It looked to us like she was asking to mate, but she was only looking for a quick switch. He got up and left without complaint and she took over on the nest. At 9:10, Ares was spotted on the Hotel, but he wasn’t there very long. After that he spent some time on the west face of the State Building.

Ares came to relieve Astrid at the nest at 10:36, but she wouldn’t go. He even used Astrid’s patented technique of looming over her and then stepping on her tail, but she would not budge. We thought that she may have been holding out for food. At 10:55, Ares was seen on the State Building. It looked like he was prepping a meal for her, but then instead of taking it to the box, he just flew off with it. Later he was back on the west side of the State Building. That’s usually were he stores food, so he may have tucked it into one of his cubbyholes. At 12:14, Astrid let out a squawk. We didn’t know what that was about at the time.  It turned out that Ares had buzzed by the box. Perhaps he had planned to stop and do a changeover, but her call surprised him. He landed on a window ledge just west of the box. He looked pretty wet. It was raining at that time. He preened for a while and then at 12:30, he began giving soe subtle long calls. Astrid answered with “chirrup” calls and squeaks. He became animated, hopped over to the box and requested his turn on the eggs. She didn’t want to leave. He came into the box and beaked with her for a few moments, but she still didn’t want to go. Finally he squeezed between her and the back wall of the box and kind of pried her off the eggs. At that point she did leave and he had his turn at incubation. After Astrid left she flew around the west side of the State Building and appeared to be checking to see what was in Ares’ pantry. She probably didn’t find anything she liked, since only a few minutes later she was perched on the north face of the building and apparently not feeding. About fifteen minutes later, she went back to the perch on the west face.

At 2:35, Astrid came to the box, but she only did a chick check in with Ares and then left again. Almost an hour later, at 3:22, they switched. Ares was again, ready to leave. At 5:16, Ares arrived at the box with a Woodcock. Astrid came right out to grab it. She then appeared to fly west with it, but our cameras couldn’t find where she went to feed. Fifteen minutes later she was on the State Building and she wasn’t feeding. She couldn’t have eaten much of the Woodcock. Not that we needed more evidence that Astrid is not nuts about Woodcock flesh. In fact Woodcock qualifies as one of her three least favorite prey items. The others are cuckoos and bats. She was next seen on top of a pillar located west of the nest box. At 6:15 PM, she left and was out of camera view agian. She didn’t come back to the box until dusk at 7:54. By that time Ares had been watching for her to return for about fifteen minutes and he was ready to switch. She quickly settled on the eggs and appeared set for the night.

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for April 11, 2018 –

This morning was chilly and mostly overcast. Temperatures started out in the low thirties and rocketed up fifteen degrees by morning’s end. Very light snow fell a few times – mostly in the afternoon. On Tuesday evening, Astrid enjoyed a short soiree before getting back to the nest and relieving Ares. She was on the eggs by 8:00 PM and that was where she remained for the entire night. Ares brought food at 5:06 AM, but for some reason, he brought it to a ledge west of the nest box (that was different). Astrid jumped off the eggs and side stepped along the cross perch. She was making loud begging calls that sounded just like those produced by older falcon nestlings. That’s right, those same insistent, harsh calls that some of hear in our sleep during Fledgewatch. She flew out to the west presumably to connect with Ares and collect her breakfast. A minute later he came to the box to take over on the eggs and she went to the Hotel with whatever prey Ares had for her. It was too dark for us to determine what it was she was tearing into. She went over to the State Building at 5:23. About a half-hour later, she was out of view of our cameras. She showed up at the nest box at 7:18. She had a large crop, which meant she had eaten more than adequately. She spent some time conversing with Ares; they were negotiating the changeover. He didn’t want to leave the eggs just yet. A little more than ten minutes later, he relented and she took over on the eggs. At 9:30, Ares was seen at his lookout post on the top of the State Building. He came and left from there a couple of times, so we assume he was using it to spot prey. At 10:13, he was seen on the County Building. He was probably still hunting. They switched out at 10:39 and then it was Ares’ turn to incubate. A little while later Astrid was seen perched on the State Building and that’s where she remained for the balance of the morning. At 11:08, Ares gave alarm calls from the box. Astrid was still on the State Building and neither falcon left their post. The alarm calls were likely in response to a migrant raptor or raven passing through the area.

Astrid took over at the nest at 1:06. It was a smooth transition. Evidentially, Ares was ready to go this time. Ares flew over to perch on the State Building and from there made a few hunting forays. At 4:33, Deb saw an intruder flying over the canyon.  It appeared to be another Peregrine Falcon – probably a female. Astrid jumped off the nest and flew into action. Ares came to the nest and climbed onto the eggs only a minute later. Astrid chased the intruder north, but we don’t know what happened after that or if they interacted in any way. Astrid returned to the fold a half-hour later at 5 PM, at which time she took a perch on the State Building. She remained there for about two hours. Ares was getting anxious for her to relieve him and began giving light chirp calls at around 6:40, but she didn’t stir. She did leave her perch right before 7 o’clock. She flew west and at a pretty good clip, but (as usual) we don’t know where she went. She returned to the box at 7:50 and, following a brief conversation with her mate, she took over incubating the eggs. Ares likely went directly to his night perch. Good night, falcons!

Utica Peregrine Falcon Update for April 10, 2018 –

It was another chilly spring day. The skies were very changeable today, but probably more sunny that cloudy. Scattered light snow flurries occurred on and off throughout the day. Temperatures were close to the freezing point in the early morning, but then peaked out in the mid-forties at mid-day. After Astrid retuned to the box at 6:26 Monday evening, she remained tight on the eggs all night. Ares arrived at the box with food at just after 5 AM. After she left with the prey, he began his shift incubating the eggs. We couldn’t find where Astrid went to have her meal, but at 5:27, she was seen flying into the canyon from the east. She then took a perch on the State Building. She remained there for a half-hour, after which, we lost track of her for a little while. At 7:04, Astrid arrived at the box. Ares was happily incubating and he balked at leaving. She crowded up against him with her head up, leaned over him in an almost menacing way; Then they did some beaking. She began emitting her strange “donkey-like” calls, but he wasn’t shifting. She moved in behind him and seemed to be threatening to step on his tail and/or the tips of his primary feathers. He still didn’t want to leave. She started giving rolling “tut” calls, and he still wasn’t convinced. Finally she did step on his wing and tail feathers and even then it took him a couple of minute to finally relinquish the eggs. Ares flew over and perched on the State Building. He came and left several times; he was probably hunting.

The pair switched out again at around 10:15; Ares took over on the eggs and Astrid was soon out of view of our cams. Forty-five minutes later he began making chirping calls, which meant he had visual contact with Astrid even if we didn’t.  She landed on the State Building right after that. A few minutes later at 10:56, Ares left the box and flew through the canyon. He went to his root-top look out on the State Building and she flew over to the box. With only a two minute interlude, Astrid was again on the eggs and incubating. Ares soon moved from the roof to a high ledge. He was off the building by 11:30. Twenty minutes later he was on the Hotel. He still seemed to be in hunting mode; he made several forays from the Hotel ledge. By 12:30, he was on the Southeast corner of the State Building roof. At 1:20, Ares brought prey to the box and Astrid took it and flew off. Somewhat out of character, she took the food calmly and politely this time instead of grabbing it away like it’s the last meal she’ll ever see. Has Astrid been taking dining etiquette lessons?  It wasn’t a big meal and ten minutes later she was up on the State Building preening. She remained there for a few hours. At 3:50 the falcons switched at the box and it was Astrid’s turn to incubate. Ares arrived at the nest at 5:20 and requested a turn on the eggs, but Astrid didn’t want to leave. He used all of the same tricks that Astrid employs to dislodge him, but nothing worked. He even ventured to step on the tips of her primary feathers, and it still didn’t work. Finally he gave up and went over to perch on the State Building. By 5:50, Ares had left. Possibly he was out hunting. When he came back he perched at his lookout spot on the roof of the State Building. At 7:25, Astrid got off the eggs and sailed into the canyon. After about a minute, Ares took over on the eggs. It was late for a changeover but not unprecedented. She remained invisible to our cameras until she returned at 8:02. At that time they switched and Astrid settled on the eggs for the night shift. Ares presumably went off to his own night perch.