Ares and Vera continue to engage in courtship rituals, including ledge displays, food gifts, and mutual time spent at the nest box. Ares was seen a couple of days ago doing what appeared to be egg shading—despite the absence of any real eggs. He also remains attentive in his role as provider, offering Vera regular food gifts.
Vera, too, has done a few brief sittings in the box over the past several days, but there’s little indication that she’s any closer to laying an egg. Notably, a tail feather she lost earlier this spring is now growing back in, and it appears to be adult plumage. As her molt progresses, she’ll likely begin to resemble a full adult more than the yearling she still is.
Today, a some workers were active on the roof of the bank building. Watching them brought to mind how Astrid would have responded in seasons past. By now, she would have been in full defensive mode—calling out alarm cries and flying repeated strafing runs to drive intruders away from her nest. Of course, she would also have had hatchlings to protect by this point in the season.
Help us celebrate the legacy of Utica’s Peregrine Falcons, Astrid and Ares, by funding interpretive signs in the downtown canyon they called home. Your support will help us raise enough to share their inspiring story and educate the public about these remarkable birds. Here is the donate link: