LATEST NEWS

The weather was mild overnight with temperatures keeping close to 60 degrees. After dawn skies were overcast and the temp hit 70 before noon. The day was windy and pleasant although the afternoon high was close to 80 degrees. Astrid was in and out of the nest area throughout the night. She would be guarding on the long perch for a while and then gone and then back. There were no overnight feedings. Ares screeched to the box at 5:30 AM, but it was just to do a chick check, he brought no food. Astrid showed up seconds after Ares. She was likely expecting a delivery as well. Ares left when she came in. At 5:38 Ares was back and this time he had prey in his talons. Astrid took it and began a feeding. At 5:59 the meal was done, and she was out. Ares was on the west veranda at that point, and he moved to the long perch after Astrid left. At 6:31 Astrid landed on the west veranda. Fifteen minutes later she was vocalizing, making flights around the canyon, and buzzing the building. This was her reacting to people coming into offices. At 7:16 Ares brought prey to the crossperch. Astrid swooped in to take it and then she conducted a feeding. The meal was over at 7:33. Ten minutes later Ares was on the crossperch and just missed getting sprayed with whitewash by one of the chicks. At 7:47 Astrid was back up on the roof of the nestbox.

At 11:39 AM Ares screeched to the long perch. He had done a few chick checks before this one. At 12:21 PM Ares brought food to the west veranda. She took it, flew around with it, and eventually landed at the nest. She then conducted a feeding that lasted about ten minutes. After the meal she went to the State Building. At just before 1:00 PM Ares came to the crossperch and stayed guarding for a while. At 1:30 some men were up on the roof on the bank building. They were working to repair the cable to our PTZ one camera. Predictably Astrid became upset and did some swooping and some hazing. This continued on and off for the next few hours. Unlike his mate, Ares became only mildly upset. He gave a few long calls while she let lose the full-throated cackle calls. He mostly watched what was going on from several different perches while she handled lion’s share of the hazing and swooping. At a few minutes before 5:00 PM Ares perched on one of the light poles of the roof of the Adirondack Bank Building and watched the proceedings at close range. At 5:10 everything calmed down. The roof workers had gone inside, and the parent falcons went to the State Building. They remained there of the next few hours. Meanwhile the nestlings lounged inside their box and managed well in the heat. At 7:15 PM Astrid came to the long perch and got the kids squealing. She left and then a minute later Ares came to the box and really got them going. The nestlings were well overdue for a meal by this point. With Astrid being so wary about the nest building, we wondered if they would get fed again before nightfall. At 7:22 Astrid brought some small food item to the nest. The eager chicks both tried to bite it away from her before they settled down and took what she doled out. They were obviously very hungry. While the feeding ensued, Ares stopped by with a cuckoo. Astrid sent him out and continued the feeding. She was done moments later and went out onto the crossperch. At 7:45 Ares came to the crossperch and got the nestlings excited. Astrid was perched on the State Building. She seemed in no hurry to go back to the nest. The chicks are getting close to wanting to name the two Utica nestlings. One is obviously a female and the other could be a large male or another female. We will decide soon regarding the names – most probably, we will ask for suggestions on the falcon Facebook page. Stay tuned and goodnight all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV5ruuiXaqE

Overnight temperatures were in the low fifties. The high for the day was in the mid seventies and the sky was partly cloudy right through the afternoon. Astrid spent most of the night around the vicinity of the nestbox. Ares brought prey to the nest at 3:36 AM. Astrid took the food and carried out the feeding. Ares brought another meal at 3:58. Once again Astrid handled the feeding. It was over in less than five minutes, and she was out. One of the chicks spent some time trying to something she found on the floor of the nest. It was the discarded leg of a songbird. After a few minutes of trying, she finally angled it just right and got it down. The chicks then both did some wing flapping (which is quite uncoordinated at this point). At 5:24 Ares landed on a west ledge with prey. Astrid met him over there, took the food, and flew off. We don’t know if she went away to eat it herself or if she stored it. Astrid was back to the east veranda perch at a few minutes before 6:00. At 6:48 Astrid flew out and then returned right away with the food. She then did a feeding in the box. At 7:45 Astrid was on the east veranda. We weren’t sure where Ares was at that point. He showed up on the long perch five minutes later. He was giving long calls and revving the nestlings up into a squealing frenzy. He then moved to the west veranda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtpF4DU7txI

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL29S6KS84w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03C-_HUUG70

At 8:12 AM Astrid was on the roof of the nestbox, glaring at the office window. At 9:25 Ares screeched into the nest and started handing out food scraps to the chicks. He wasn’t there for long, but then he screeched to the east veranda with prey at 9:36. Astrid took it and flew off. She then doubled back and started a feeding. When the meal was over, she went back onto the roof of the box and back to peering at the office window. Ares made another food delivery at 10:21. Astrid grabbed it and began another feeding. At 11:15 Astrid was on the roof of the box again. At 11:29 Ares screeched to the nest – that time without food. Astrid was on an upper steeple perch at that time. At 12:19 PM she was back to the box roof and back to nest guarding position. At a few minutes before 1:00 she started cackling. She was facing the window at the time. Was she cackling at people in an office? At 1:07 Ares hopped into the box from the east veranda. One of the chicks gave him an over-the-top excited greeting. At 2:04 Ares was giving long squeaking calls and getting a real rise out of the nestlings. Both were crashed out on the floor of the box. One of them managed to give a baby cackle call while still completely sprawled out. At 2:11 Astrid arrived on the crossperch. It was her turn to get the chicks activated. At 2:52 she was on the roof of the nestbox once more. Obviously, Astrid was obsessing over what was happening in the office.

Other than the dark eye masks, the chicks now have feather shafts starting to visibly protrude from the ends of their tails and on the trailing edge of their wings. These are the modest beginnings of flight feathers and a subtle reminder to us that fledgling time isn’t all that far away. At 3:02 PM Ares came to the east veranda with a cuckoo. Astrid grabbed it, flew off, boomeranged back to the box, and did a feeding. At 4:14 Ares was at the nest. It had gotten quite warm by this point and the sun was flooding into the box. Ares started providing shade, but the chicks weren’t interested in taking advantage of it. One chick did a lot of yapping right in Ares’ face. He didn’t seem to mind. The nestlings were then in one corner and Ares was in the other. He moved the eggs and one point and gave them some shade. At 5:37 Astrid arrived on the crossperch, and Ares was out. She got the chicks squealing and then she left. Both parents were on the State Building for a little while and then they were out of view. At 6:07 one of the chicks was resting its bill on the lip of the box and looking out into the canyon. The other chick did some wing flapping. At 6:09 Ares screeched to the box and get the crew excited. More wing flapping followed. At 6:45 Ares brought prey to the west veranda. Astrid was on the box roof at the time. She launched off, grabbed the food from Ares at 100 MPH, darted into the canyon, zoomed back, plunked into the box and started feeding the chicks. The meal lasted about ten minutes. At 8:20 Astrid was on the east veranda perch and Ares was on the State Building. Probably no great amount of action will follow this evening. Goodnight all.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bikQs-NmaOY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJR8S3j04_c

The overnight was chilly again with temperatures in the high forties. There was a significant warm up during the morning and by early afternoon the temperature was 70 degrees. The skies were mostly sunny all day. Astrid spent part of the night tucked in on the west veranda. She was on the crossperch for quite a while after that. She left at one point and then returned with prey at 2:55 AM. She then carried out a long feeding. The meal didn’t end until 3:35 which seemed extraordinarily long. Perhaps she was reprovisioned sometimes while it ensued? At 5:22 Astrid was back in the box and trying to feed out what looked to a be a scrap of mostly feathers. She was finished in a few moments. At 5:33 Ares was up on his lookout post on the roof of the State Building – probably for hunting and not due to an intruder. At 6:44 Astrid came to the box with prey. She probably got it from Ares who also had just landed on the east veranda. She proceeded to conduct a feeding. At 7:26 Ares came to the nestbox and Astrid was on the east veranda perch. Five minutes later she hopped up to the roof of the box and he went over to the west veranda. By 8:09 the parents were perched on either veranda in guard positions. An hour later she was back up to the roof of the nest box. She may have been reacting to people in offices and near office windows. At 9:20 Ares made a food delivery to the nest. Astrid took it and doled it out to the nestlings. At 9:37 both parents were back to guarding from their veranda perches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIxmxX7due8

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

At 10:45 AM a feeding was in progress. We didn’t have the details of where the meal came from, but it was Astrid doing the feeding. During the feeding one of the chicks moved from one back corner to the other and then back again. At 11:09 AM Ares was on the long perch giving long calls. At a few minutes before noon, Astrid darted from the east veranda – apparently pursuing something. She was acting highly irritated – probably due to people near office windows close to the nestbox. Astrid flew back and forth to the nest several times in rapid succession. By 12:51 she seemed to be over it and had calmed down. Although she had been upset, she wasn’t giving cackle alarm calls or hazing the windows, so she wasn’t exactly on red alert. Ares brought prey to the west veranda. Astrid took it from him and flew off into the canyon. We expected her to fly right back to the nest, but she didn’t. She must have made that meal her own – either that or she stored it on one of the pantry ledges. At 1:02 Ares was giving warning chirp calls which likely indicated a Peregrine intruder. Astrid was on the State Building at the time, and she stayed in place. Most likely the intruder was a male and therefore Ares’ problem. At 2:31 Astrid came to the east veranda. From there she moved to the crossperch and when she did the nestlings began squealing.

At 2:45 PM Ares returned from his adventures and landed on the crossperch. Like Astrid did before, that got the chicks squealing up a storm. Ten minutes later he was in the box trying to create shade, but the nestlings were being unruly and moving around the box – mostly going from corner to corner. At 3:00 he gave up and left. By 3:18 both chicks were in opposite corners at the back of the box. At 3:30 both parents were in the nest and it seemed like Astrid was doing a feeding, but it was over a minute later, so we don’t know exactly what was happening there. At a few minutes before 4:00 Ares was successfully shading both chicks in the same back corner. However, soon the kids were restless again and vocalizing and one stomped over to the opposite corner. At 4:25 PM Astrid brought food and was feeding the nestlings. Ares left her to it. She mostly concentrated on feeding one chick and then the other. At 4:38 she flew out with the leftovers. At 5:00 Ares screeched to the nest for a quick chick check. He was back again five minutes later and that time he stayed to provide shade. The nestlings were in opposite corners again and they weren’t taking advantage of his offer. By 5:40 Ares was out on the crossperch and Astrid was on the State Building. At 7:19 Astrid came to the nest with food. She started to feed one of the chicks in the back of the box (they were separated). Ares screeched to the nest about a minute into the meal, but he didn’t stay. Inexplicably, she stopped the feeding at 7:22 and dove out of the box with the leftovers. At 7:30 Ares came into the nest with food. He walked over to the corner where both chicks were and started feeding them. He wasn’t there for more than a minute when Astrid showed up and relieved him of the prey and the feeding opportunity. At 7:41, at the end of the meal when Astrid was turning to leave, one of the chicks bit her tail. She didn’t seem to notice. By 8:00 PM Astrid was on the long perch and the nestling were mostly snoozing in the box. Ares was probably tucked in on a State Building ledge by then. Goodnight all.

Little Falls Falcons video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoK1_Q0k2xA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msP_afohEY4

The overnight was cool in the canyon – getting down into the high 40’s. During the day the temperature got as high as the mid 60’s. The day was mostly overcast and windy. Astrid started the night (Sunday night) on the west veranda and ended up making the move into the nestbox at some point. Ares brought a small prey item to the box at 2:20 AM. Astrid took it and flew off into the dark canyon. She came back to the nest a few minutes later and without the prey. We assume she stored it. Midnight feedings are likely becoming a thing of the past. As the young grow, they no longer have the need to be fed during the night. Also, their size and their feathers are providing enough insulation, so they no longer need to be brooded even when its fairly chilly out. At 5:06 the pair switched at the nest and Ares came into the box to guard the chicks. Ten minutes later Astrid came in with a small prey item. She proceeded to feed the nestlings which were both huddled in one corner and a little difficult to see. At 5:26 AM Ares brought more prey to the east veranda. Astrid took it and then flew off. She immediately returned and began a feeding. Five minutes later, when the meal was finished, Astrid went out onto the long perch. At 5:40 Ares was back in the nest with the chicks. Both were still huddling in the corner at that time. When we were able to get a glimpse of them, we could see that they were starting to develop their dark eye masks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvhEyauiK8g

At 6:13 AM Ares brought food right into the nestbox and appeared poised to attempt a feeding. Astrid flew over from the steeple, stormed in, and grabbed the food away. She then carried out the feeding. She was done about twelve minutes later. At 8:12 Astrid was engaged in conducting another feeding. We weren’t sure if she brought the food or if Ares did. When the meal was finished (about twelve minutes later) Astrid went over to the east veranda. At 9:25 Ares came to the box with yet another meal. Astrid took it and handled the feeding. She was done about eight minutes later and gone from the box. By then the chicks had switched sides of the nest and were all the way over against the wall on the east side of the box. At 9:46 Ares was with the chicks. At 11:44 both parents were on the State Building. Ares came to the nest with prey at 12:05 PM. Astrid took it on the crossperch and started a feeding. At a couple of minutes before noon, both parents were out of camera view. Ares came to the nest for a chick-check at 12:17. At 1:00 the parents were out of view once more. At 1:10 some chirping calls were heard and then Astrid arrived at the nest with prey. After plucking it she proceeded to do a feeding. By 1:29 she was done and had left the box. At 2:57 another feeding was in progress. Astrid was conducting it. She was out at 3:00. Ares screeched to the crossperch twenty minutes later. He then went into the nest to check on the chicks. At 4:30 both nestlings were snoozing, and one parent was visible on the State Building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrT3FPYyMEA

At 5:00 PM Astrid came to the box calling. We weren’t sure what she was going on about. At 6:07 both parents were out of view again. Astrid then showed up on the long perch at 6:33. Five minutes later she was on one of the light poles on the roof of the Adirondack Bank (an unusual place for her). From there she was back to the long perch at the nest. That made the chicks in the nest start squealing again. She was soon up only to return at 6:50 PM. She was highly alert, and we weren’t sure what was making her anxious – if anxiety is what we were seeing. Ares had been out of view for a few hours at this point. She was flying again at 6:55. We tracked her flying southeast of the State Building for a few seconds. There appeared to be a second raptor flying near her but then they both flew out of range. Ares unceremoniously screeched to the nestbox at 7:19. Who knows where he had been – I guess he knows and probably Astrid too. At 7:27 he took off after something. Astrid then arrived at the nest with food at 7:31. It seemed like she was feeding the chicks in fast motion. When the meal was done, she took her position on the long perch. Perhaps she was in place for the night. Ares was on one of the steeple perches until a few minutes after 8:00 and then, presumably, he went off to a night perch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Oh0VfpifE

The overnight was warm and mild. In the morning we experienced a considerable warmup with the temperature rising close to 80 degrees by noon. Cloud cover increased by midday and rainstorms were threatening. Rain and wind came in the midafternoon and afterwards a significant temperature drop occurred. Astrid spent most of the night on the outer perches around the nest area. At 2:38 AM Ares brought prey to the east veranda. Astrid took it and started a feeding. After the meal was over, she hopped out onto the crossperch. She flew out into the canyon at 5:16 and Ares came into the box to chick-sit. Astrid returned moments later and took her place on the crossperch. At 5:33 Ares came back to the nestbox and hopped inside. While his back was turned, one of the chicks bit his tail. He didn’t seem to notice. Astrid came in and the two switched – he was out and she was in. At 7:12 both chicks were sleeping, Astrid had moved over to the west veranda and Ares was on the State Building. When Ares came to the east veranda two minutes later, the nestlings were awake and squealing. At 7:40 Ares was on one of the light poles mounted on the roof of the Adirondack Bank. He seems to like those perches just lately. At 8:00 Astrid was on the long perch. A few minutes later she was cackling about something and then she scrambled into pursuit of something. At 9:06 she was back to the long perch. The chicks started calling when she landed. She then moved over to the west veranda where they couldn’t see her. Ten minutes later she was doing a feeding. We weren’t sure if she had brought the meal in or if Ares did. At 9:34 Ares arrived at the nest for a standard chick-check. At 10:07 Astrid was in the box and engaged in another feeding. It seemed to end abruptly and then she was out.

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

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

At 11:49 AM Ares brought a Goldfinch to the nest. Astrid dashed over to him and grabbed it like it was made of actual gold. The two chicks were on opposite sides of the box at that time. First, she fed one a few bites and then changed sides and gave the other one what remained. Ares was on the east veranda giving long calls near the beginning of the meal. We weren’t sure what that was about. The feeding was over at 11:54 and Astrid moved to the crossperch. By 12:10 PM both parents were out of camera view.  At 12:19 Ares brought more prey – this time to the east veranda. Astrid scrambled over in fast motion to get it. She then flew away with it before returning to the box and conducting another feeding. This time she was able to feed both chicks in the same corner. At 12:25 Astrid went out onto the crossperch and began cackle-calling. She obviously saw something that upset her. After that, both parents took flight. Ares went to his new light pole perch on the bank roof. She stopped at the long perch a few minutes later, but she wasn’t looking happy and she soon darted off again. At 12:36 Ares came into the box to do a chick-check. At 2:12 Astrid was engaged in feeding out something at the nest. We think it was something that Ares had brought in. Ten minutes later she was done with the feeding and gone from the box. At 2:30 both parents had assumed guarding positions on the perches around the box. At 3:38 they were giving cackle alarm calls again. Obviously non-falcon intruders were active in the canyon on this day. By this point a thunderstorm was poised to hit the downtown area and yet the parents were nowhere to be seen. At 3:56 Astrid came into the box just as the rain was starting to come down. It soon became very windy, and sheets of rain blew sideways through the canyon. Some loud claps of thunder were also making the whole area tremble. The chicks remained spread out in the box and Astrid didn’t seem concerned about rounding them up and putting them beneath her. Instead, she went into one of the corners herself – facing in. By 4:28 the storm had passed, and all was returning to normal. It was still very windy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajy0ZsJN0xM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEItHc3ogTA

Ares came into the box to do a chick-check at 4:51 PM. He stayed with youngsters for about fifteen minutes and then left. At 5:10 Astrid plunked down on the roof of the nestbox. Soon after that she was up again. She then returned with prey form Ares’ pantry and she conducted a feeding. At 5:20 one of the chicks walked away while the feeding was still going on. It soon changed its mind and went back to take advantage of the offered meal. By 5:34 Astrid and Ares were on adjacent ledges on the State Building. Ares left at 6:52 and stopped to check on the chicks. His visit made the chicks squeal. The temperature had dropped since the highs of the early afternoon. In late afternoon/early evening it had gotten down to 63 degrees. Ares was up and then he screeched back to check on the chicks a half hour later. At 8:23 PM Astrid finally showed up on the long perch. The wind was buffeting her as she clung on. Instead of going in with the nestlings she opted to tuck in on the west veranda. Perhaps she was anticipating Monday morning and people returning to offices and she wanted to be there on guard. Goodnight all.