The overnight was chilly with temperatures staying just above the freezing point. The sun ruled after daybreak and by noon we were close to 60 degrees. The afternoon was windy, but the temperature surpassed 70 degrees. Astrid was on the eggs all night last night. Ares called as he did a flyby at 3:35 AM. It wasn’t clear if he had prey. At 4:25 he came to the box and this time he did have prey in his talons. He flaunted it on the long perch, but Astrid showed no interest in coming over to take it. At 5:35 Ares screeched to the nest and this time the pair did a quick switch. At 5:56 Astrid was flying around the State Building, possibly checking Ares’ pantry ledges for prey. She landed on the north face but didn’t remain there very long. At 7:27 the pair switched at the nest and Astrid was back incubating. At 8:35 Ares was on his favorite pillar perch and the two were talking – her from the nest and him from the pillar. At 10:38 he came to the box and tried to take over incubation. He didn’t even make it off the crossperch. She excitedly called out and he reacted by hopping onto the east veranda and from there – an east ledge. At 12:21 PM he was back to his pillar where he got into some heavy preening. Ten minutes later she was vocalizing again, and it brought Ares back to the crossperch. Once again, she excitedly called in his face and discouraged him from entering the nest. He went onto the west veranda again. By 12:51 he was back on his pillar.
Astrid’s desire to remain on the eggs today was interesting. It was almost as if she thought hatching time was near. Of course, we area about ten days out. We also thought that since today was the first real warm day in a while, that she would vacate the nest when the afternoon sun’s hit it most directly and flooded the interior. That’s when she would let Ares take over to do the shading. At 2:03 Ares flew to an east ledge. He was calling and it was clear that he wanted a turn on the eggs. She wasn’t encouraging him. He came into the box fifteen minutes later and tried to oust her, but still, she wouldn’t leave. At 3:33 Astrid began shading the eggs. It was the first time this season that either falcon performed this function. At 4:29 PM Astrid finally let Ares take over on the nest. She had been on the eggs for nine hours straight. When Ares took over the sun was flooding the box at full power. The temperature was 70 degrees. He was mostly shading the eggs. At 5:12 he began giving warning calls from the nest while he continued to shade. He didn’t leave the box at that time, but at 5:45 he was excitedly calling once again. This time he did leave the nest. Most likely a male Peregrine was active in the canyon. He returned from chasing off the intruder at 6:17 and he screeched to a landing somewhere we couldn’t see him with the cams. He was on his pillar at 6:24. At 6:50 Ares was seen dashing through the canyon at very high speed – aided by the wind. At 7:08 he was back to the nest and asking for another turn on the eggs. His wish was granted, and the pair did a quick switch. At 7:25 Astrid was on the State Building. She appeared to be making forays – probably hunting. At 8:13 she came to the crossperch and asked to take over for the night. Ares didn’t get up right away so she lit out again. She was back at 8:16 and this time they did switch. She was on the eggs for the night most probably. Goodnight falcons.