LATEST NEWS – Page 230 – Utica Peregrine Falcons

Courtship displays are on the increase

A full month out from liking egg laying time, Astrid and Ares have been increasingly active in and around the nest area. Flight displays by both partners are being witnessed (unfortunately, none of our 3 cameras are able to pick up their aerial gymnastics.) However, all courtship behavior taking place inside the box is being live streamed to this site. The nest box displays consist of the pair bowing to each other and engaging in calling and counter-calling. What’s most exciting to us is that for the first time we are able to hear these vocalizations!

Contributions to the Utica Peregrine Project have enabled us to purchase an outdoor microphone, which is now mounted inside the nestbox. We’re happy to report that the mic is working, but we have yet to figured out a way to reliably stream the audio on the site. Fortunately, videos posted on this website and on our Facebook page will now contain audio. Peregrine Falcons are very vocal birds and they produce a decent variety of calls and courtship time is one of their most vocal periods. Not having sound meant that we were missing an important part of their interactions.

Lately Ares has been bringing Astrid food offerings, which you could say is akin to taking her out to dinner. A few of these food handoffs have taken place inside the box and we’ve been able to record them for posting. Look for these on Facebook.

THANK YOU!!

Thank you Kristen Copeland and WKTV for allowing us to come “on air” to talk about this amazing project! Thank you to all of our supporters for making this project such a success. We are just beginning – many more great things to come!! We are all looking forward to another successful year for Astrid, Ares and their offspring!!

February 1 to 4

Sunday, February 1 – 10:53 Am – Astrid is spotted sitting on a windowsill on the East side of the Adirondack Bank building and Ares is happily perched on the state building.

Wednesday, February 4 – 7:05 AM – Ares comes to the box and stays on the edge for a long visit. Astrid arrives at 7:42 but only stays on the edge for a couple of minutes. She did not join Ares in the box – he hopped into the box just before her arrival and was calling to her.

January 21 to 28

We are starting to see the beginnings of mating rituals! Here are some brief notes of our Peregrines activities:

Wednesday, January 21 – 11:46 AM – Astrid and Ares both come into the nest box and move around each other while bowing and chirping in what Matt has deemed a “dance”. This is typical mated Peregrine behavior.

Thursday, January 22 – 10:45 AM – Ares arrives at the box. He moves some stones around and “calls” to Astrid. Unfortunately she did not join him this time.

Monday, January 26 – 8:44 AM – Astrid comes to the perch of the nest box. Typical for Astrid, her visit is a short one.

Monday, January 26 – 9:47 AM – Ares comes to the perch but only stays for about 4 minutes. He left with a quick downward dive – presumably going after some prey.

Monday, January 26 – 12:16 PM – Ares comes back to the perch for a bit.

Tuesday, January 27 – 8:35 AM – Ares comes to the edge of the box.

Wednesday, January 28 – 10:32 AM – Ares visits the box for about 2 minutes.

Wednesday, January 28 – 3:36 PM – One of the falcons comes to the box – unidentified.

February 9, 2015

Astrid and Ares visited the nest box twice on Monday. They spent a few minutes together inside the box in typical behavior that has become known as “a dance” amongst our team.

Astrid actually spent most of the afternoon on the perch. Ares came back for a second visit and I was able to catch this shot of the two of them on the perches. Ares attempted to impress Astrid with his flying skills even though it was still snowing and blowing out side! This is part of their mating ritual and we are happy to see that they are displaying the expected behavior already.