Author: Matt Perry

The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade took place in Utica this morning and the Peregrines had box seats – well, at east Astrid did. She stayed out on the perch and put up with the rain for the entire parade, which started at around 10 o’clock and lasted close to 90 minutes. Astrid did seem to give the event her full attention. She may have liked the bagpipes. Ares joined her at the box during the last half hour. They mated on the nest box perch when the parade was just about finished. The pair mated at least two other times today. As far as we know the pair took part in two ledge displays – one in the pre-dawn hour and one in the early evening. Ares brought food to Astrid at least once – the prey was an American Woodcock and she refused to take it. Although Astrid moved from perch to perch several times today, she seems to be lingering at each stop for long periods. We believe that she may be getting close to her egg laying time.

 

Despite today’s strong winds, sleet, snow and rain, the Utica falcons were surprisingly active. They mated no less than eleven times, not including two aborted attempts. There were no ledge displays seen today but Ares brought food tributes to Astrid at least two times. She fed heartily on one of the meals and ended up with a very full crop. The falcons became upset over what may have been an unidentified raptor flying over the canyon. They called, swooped around a few times and then continued with their normal activities. Again today the falcon pair took turns sitting in the nest box. The coverage they provided was near complete. We are getting very close to the traditional egg-laying time for these birds. In fact we may only be days away from our first of the season falcon egg!

 

It was intensely cold in the early morning (only 5 degrees!) and that did seem to slow the falcons down a bit. Even so, they were seen mating on the State Building before 8:00 AM. There were two food transfers during the morning; the first tribute that Ares brought to his mate was a Starling and the second appeared to be the remains of a Woodcock. Astrid ate the former meal on the east ledge of the hotel. There were two other attempted matings reported – both on the State Building. The pair took turns being rather sedentary in the nest box for most of the day and then became much more active in the late afternoon and early evening. By evening they were seen swooping around the canyon quite a bit. Ares brought most of a Woodcock to Astrid who was waiting at the box, but he wouldn’t let go of it when she tried to accept it. Instead she gave up and he stored the meal on the State Building. A little later Astrid retrieved it and I think, fed on it. Astrid ended the day on the southeast corner of the County Building. She angled herself so she could watch the crows streaming in to their night roosts in the city. At about 7:30 PM Ares took a perch on the opposite corner of the same building. Good night, Falcons!

Today was windy and very cold, but was not without long sunny breaks. Areas showed up at the nest box at about 6:15 AM and Astrid simultaneously appeared on the State Building. The pair shared two full ledge displays at the box and there was at least one mating seen. As far as we know there was only one food exchange that took place at the nest box. Both falcons spent a fair amount of time “box” sitting. During one of her turns Astrid did some general housekeeping and she make a scrape in the gravel. During one of Ares’ shifts at the box he saw something (probably a migrating raptor) that caused him to let out a loud alarm chatter. He didn’t chase after anything though. Also, Astrid had been perching on the State Building and wasn’t compelled to make a move. In other words – I don’t think there was any big threat by that unidentified transient .

Astrid arrived at the nest box before 5:00 this morning. Ares showed up with her breakfast about 90 minutes later. It was a fresh Woodcock. She declined it – at least initially. Later on the pair was seen mating on the steeple. They performed one ledge display at the box today. This time they did more moving around than in their more recent dances. Astrid found a new place to perch on the steeple today – it was on one of the highest and narrowest ledges. Not to be outdone, Ares perched on the roof of the State Building for a while.  Late in the day, Ares brought Astrid another meal and handed it off to her at the nestbox. All in all it was a good day.