Author: Matt Perry

Update for Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Persistent wintery weather continues to suppress the falcons’ breeding activities. However, Astrid did three sittings in the box today, which could mean that the laying of egg # 1 is not that far off. Having said that, we are still 3 days outside of Astrid’s traditional egg laying window.

Update for Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Another wintery day in the Canyon. Astrid did a sitting in the nest in the early morning which is a behavior she does before laying an egg. She might do sitting sessions like this one for over a week before she actually bears down and lays an egg. Astrid & Ares were mostly quiet in the morning then became livelier in late morning and again later in the afternoon. They performed three dances in the box today; there were several observed matings, and at least two food giftings. The first gift was a bat – the first of the season. Astrid does not always take bats. Along with woodcocks and cuckoos, they are one of her least favorite prey items. However, she took this one and ate it on the hotel.

Update for Monday, March 18, 2024

The falcons kept vigil at the nestbox overnight despite the snow, cold, and wind. Although their activities were hampered by the cold weather they did manage to get in some breeding behavior. A couple of intense ledge displays at the box; a few matings, and at least two food giftings were observed. Astrid was pretty inactive through most of the afternoon, opting to perch on the State Building. Ares repeatedly tried to get her to come over to the nest but she resisted until late afternoon/early evening.

Update for Sunday, March 17, 2024

Astrid and Ares guarded their nestbox for most of the night. At 5:00 AM Ares brought a Woodcock to the east veranda. Astrid, unsurprisingly, wasn’t interested in taking it. He did bring her something more palatable later on. The falcons shared two ledge displays at the nestbox and they were observed mating several times during the course of the day. They were fairly inactive for most of the afternoon – at least Astrid was. For a few hours she was content to remain on a high ledge on the State Building – although at one point she did fly up to the lookout post on the roof. Ares tried to coax her over to the nest several times during the afternoon but didn’t succeed in getting her to come over until evening.  Once in the nest we wondered if she was going to do her first sitting of the season – something a female falcon does at least several times before egg laying begins. However, today she only sat for a few minutes and then did some housework around the box – mostly digging in the corner.

The Canyon Hosts Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

Update for Saturday, March 16, 2024

In a departure from recent days, the falcons did not guard the nestbox all night but instead didn’t start their routine until dawn. At that point, both Astrid and Ares piled into the box for an impromptu dance. This morning the Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in the Canyon. Ares watched a bit of it from the crossperch at the box – however, Astrid mostly hid out on the ledge on The North Face of the State Building. At one point she did fly out over Genesee Street but then went back into seclusion. In other news, the Falcons held 3 ledge displays at the box although two were rather short. They also mated several times and Ares brought Astrid food at least once.