Utica Peregrine Falcons Update for Tuesday, June 6th, 2023
It was cool overnight with temperatures in the 50’s. A brief thunderstorm hit downtown at 3:30 AM. The day was breezy, hazy, and somewhat cool with a high temperature of 68 degrees. Smoke fire wildfires in Canada continue to compromise air quality and are responsible for the continuing haze. Both Astrid and Ares were visible on the State Building until quite late last evening. Astrid then was around the box area for most of the night. There were no overnight feedings. At 3:28 AM when a thunderstorm came through, Astrid hopped into the box to protect the nestlings. At 4:38 when the storm was well past, Niles started begging in Astrid’s face and she decided to leave. At 5:21 Ares came to the crossperch for a chick check. The nestlings went bonkers. They were hungry and they let him know it. At 5:30 he was up on the lookout post on the roof of the State Building – obviously looking for prey. An hour later he was to the nest with food. Astrid took it from him and carried out the meal. As usual, Nile was first in the chow line. Amelia came in to get her share a few minutes into the meal. Moments after that, Ares arrived with more food. He tried to do a feeding from the lip of the box while Astrid was feeding from the floor, but the chicks were only paying attention to Astrid. He soon gave up and flew out with his offering. At 6:51 Ares was back with the same prey he had earlier. This time Astrid took it and started serving it out. Niles was first to be fed, but Amelia was quicker to join in this time. At 8:05 Astrid was on the east veranda. She didn’t seem to be obsessing over the offices today, which was excellent. She did go onto the roof of the box a couple of times, but she seemed more chill today. Ares brought more prey at 9:30 AM. Astrid flew in right away to take it and got the feeding underway quickly. This time Amelia was right there and got her share from the start. Niles ended up walked away from the meal while it was still underway. At 10:01 Ares came to the nest for a chick check. He was in and then out. At 10:39 Astrid landed on the east veranda and the nestlings started squealing. At 11:00 Astrid was up on the roof of the nestbox. She was peering into the office window but nothing was getting her upset – thankfully! At 11:35 Ares came to the box. He picked up a scrap of food from the floor and tried to feed it to the nestlings and then he unceremoniously left. Less than a minute later Ares was back with most of a Black-billed Cuckoo. Astrid took it from him and did a feeding. Both nestlings seemed uninterested initially, and they walked away. Had they inherited Astrid’s attitude towards cuckoo flesh? Astrid took the meal over to Amelia and gave her some servings.
At 1:17 PM Ares brought more food to the nest. It was an unrecognizable chunk of something. Astrid took it and began a feeding. Niles was right there for this one, but Amelia didn’t bother to get up. The meal was done with before she got a chance to change her mind. The parents were on the State Building for about ninety minutes after that while the nestlings were mostly having a siesta. At 4:50 one of the nestlings gave a loud cackle call. It sounded almost just like one of the adults’ renditions. Niles and Amelia were active in the nest after that – callings, flapping, interacting. At 5:25 they were resting once more. Niles was laying down with his head/beak propped up on the lip of the box, looking out. At 5:37 Astrid was on the steeple and Ares was plucking prey on the hotel. At 5:43 he brought it to the crossperch. Astrid barreled in and grabbed it and started a feeding. It was a fairly raucous affair. Niles was first to get something, but Amelia kept pushing in and vied well. Niles ended up walking away before the end of the meal. By 6:00 it was raining. Astrid was on the west veranda keeping guard. At 7:37 Ares was up on the lookout post and then, twenty minutes later he was on his favorite pillar perch. At 8:12 Ares brought a large hunk of something to the east veranda perch. Astrid appeared, grabbed it, hopped into the box, and started a feeding. Both nestlings eagerly stood up to be served. The meal lasted until 8:23 and then Astrid flew out with the leftovers. At 8:45 PM Astrid showed up on the long perch. Goodnight all.