Author: Matt Perry

Breeding activity has noticeably slowed at the Utica nest, and questions are beginning to arise about Serena’s commitment to the breeding effort. Over the past two days, ledge displays have been few and far between, and mating attempts have been scarce. Serena has been absent for long stretches of the day, leaving us to wonder where she’s going. Could she be exploring another territory or even engaging with another mate? Probably not — but the possibility lingers. More likely, Serena may simply be young and inexperienced, much like Nova, her predecessor. She could still be trying to figure out what this breeding business entails.

Meanwhile, Ares remains ever the optimist. He continues to bring food offerings to the box throughout the day, though it’s unclear whether Serena is even accepting them. Encouragingly, he did accept one gift today and ate a portion of it at the box. Early this morning, Ares was spotted perched on his old favorite pillar above the box — a place we hadn’t seen him use since Astrid’s time. We took it as a hopeful sign, perhaps a reflection of his determination or a quiet confidence. We’re now just a couple of days out from what would have been the start of Astrid’s egg laying window. Whether Serena follows a similar timeline, or her own, remains to be seen. All we can do now is watch and wait.

The morning began with no sign of Serena. Ares was active, visiting the nestbox repeatedly, perching on the State Building, arriving with prey, and waiting at the box, but Serena remained absent. Then, around 10:00 AM, something unexpected happened: a first-year, unbanded female Peregrine appeared at the nest and initiated a ledge display with Ares. Over the next 90 minutes, she returned for three separate ledge displays with him, and the two spent considerable time flying together over the canyon. Throughout this activity, only two falcons were seen in the air at once — always Ares and the intruder — leaving us to wonder where Serena had gone.  The conditions were extremely windy, and both birds took full advantage of the free-flying it permitted, engaging in spectacular aerial maneuvers and high speed swooping. Several times, I wasn’t sure whether they were hazing each other or performing flight displays, while one perched on the roof of the State Building and the other executed rapid dives. Finally, at 11:45 AM, Serena made her return, arriving at the box where she and Ares promptly performed a ledge display of their own. The fate of the young intruder remains unknown, though it’s likely Serena escorted her out of the territory. As for where Serena had been during those late-morning hours, that remains a mystery.

Serena returns by the end of the morning

A mild and breezy day with temperatures nearing 60°F saw a whirlwind of activity at the nest site. Ares and Serena were highly engaged, reinforcing their bond through frequent ledge displays, vocal exchanges, food gifts, and multiple matings. The day started early with Ares arriving at the nest box several times between 1:30 and 4:30 AM, ultimately bringing a Woodcock as a gift to Serena. She joined him on the west veranda, engaging in lively back-and-forth calls, but showing no interest in taking the Woodcock – she may like them even less than Astrid did, which hardly seems possible. They mated at 4:41 AM, followed by further lively interactions at the perches and verandas. Throughout the morning, Ares delivered more non-Woodcock prey (some of it was gratefully accepted), and the pair performed their characteristic courtship “dances” at the nest.

Later in the morning the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade passed below as the falcons continued their activities. Ares seemed to observe a fair portion of the festivities from the crossperch at the nest – his box seat. Meanwhile, a report from Deb confirmed the resident Peregrines in Little Falls – both were also busy with mating displays in their domain. An intense moment unfolded in Utica when an apparent intruder stirred chaos—pigeons scattered, and Serena’s sharp chirps filled the air. Both she and Ares took off south, likely chasing the interloper, before returning to the box for a post-conflict ledge display, a behavior often observed with the Utica Peregrines after driving off an unwelcome visitor. Evening saw them continue their interactions, with Ares making a scrape inside the box and Serena displaying a full crop, evidence of a successful hunt and late meal. As dusk settled, one falcon perched on the west face of the State Building while the other remained out of sight, likely tucked away for the night.

Ares and Serena: Making Up for Lost Time

With the egg-laying window approaching (less than two weeks out), Ares and Serena have significantly ramped up their breeding activity. The pair has been performing multiple ledge displays at the nestbox each day, strengthening their bond and signaling their readiness for the breeding season ahead. Food giftings and matings have become increasingly frequent, a strong indication that they are on track for egg-laying. Their presence at the nestbox has also noticeably increased. Yesterday, Serena spent an extended period inside the box on her own—an important step in getting comfortable with her nesting site.

Courtship between Ares and Nova had been progressing at a sluggish pace, but everything changed on Tuesday with the arrival of a new female. Breeding season activities have suddenly kicked into high gear. While we never observed a successful mating between Ares and Nova—only a few unsuccessful attempts—the new pair wasted no time. In just one day, they performed four ledge displays, and Ares provided food for her at least two or three times.  We’re calling the newcomer “Serena”, and she already seems to be making herself at home. She even spent an extended period sitting in the nest, as if testing it out. Ares, who had appeared frustrated with Nova’s slow progress, seems far more satisfied with Serena’s enthusiasm and drive. If she sticks around, she may just have the makings of a new queen of the downtown canyon.  As for Nova, her fate remains a mystery. Was she chased off? Injured? Or did she simply decide to move on? Only time will tell if she makes a return.