It has now been a full month since the average date that Astrid would have laid her first egg, and still, no eggs have been produced by Vera. Despite this, both Ares and Vera continue to maintain their downtown territory and engage in courtship rituals, including mating and ledge displays. Both seem highly motivated to keep their pair bond strong.
In recent days, Vera has been less consistent in her visits to the nestbox, though today (Wednesday) she broke that pattern. She made several appearances, including an extended visit to the east veranda where she consumed an entire meal. Later, she spent time in the nestbox doing what appeared to be a sitting session or practice brooding. In a moment of optimism—or maybe confusion—Ares attempted to shift her as if checking beneath her for eggs that might have appeared by surprise.
While it’s increasingly unlikely that Vera will lay any eggs this season, we’ll continue to monitor the pair closely. If anything changes—if Vera defies expectations—we’ll be sure to share it.
