Author: Matt Perry

Saturday’s colder weather seemed to put a damper on breeding activity at the nest site, but there was a surprising rebound on Sunday—even though conditions remained chilly. One notable development: Vera is showing more consistent nest site guarding behavior. On both days, she and Ares perched on either side of the nest box for extended periods, a visual declaration of their joint claim to the territory. Saturday was quiet in terms of ledge displays, but Sunday made up for it. Several of the displays were noteworthy thanks to some quirky improvisations from Vera. In one instance, she paused mid-display to preen her feathers, leaving Ares frozen in mid-dance, peering at her from inches away as she nonchalantly groomed. In another moment, she abruptly launched out of the box midway through a display—only to dive dramatically back in less than a minute later to finish the dance.

We’re now just three days away from the latest date that Astrid ever laid her first egg (April 10, 2014). Based on Vera’s current behavior, she doesn’t appear particularly close to laying—but as a yearling, she’s expected to follow a different rhythm. Whether she will lay eggs this season, or when, remains an open question. That said, the pair has been mating successfully, so if eggs are laid, there’s reason to believe they may be fertile. Time will tell.

Vera is showing strong fidelity to both Ares and the nest site, and before our eyes, she’s steadily learning the adult Peregrine ways. From ledge displays to mating and nest scraping, her progress is unmistakable. On Thursday, she and Ares worked to defend the territory from an intruding Peregrine. We caught a glimpse of the aerial sparring on our PTZ camera, though it was difficult to tell who was who during the high-speed encounter.

Like Ares, Vera is sometimes active at night. Just after midnight last night, she arrived at the nest box with a freshly caught gull. She stashed it in the corner of the east veranda, right next to the box — something we never saw Astrid do. In over a decade of observation, Astrid never stored prey so close to the nest, and she exclusively hunted pigeons. Vera, clearly, is full of surprises. Also on Thursday, while Ares perched on the east veranda with a food gift, Vera stood just inches away, repeatedly cocking her head at him — much like a curious young dog. This head-cocking behavior is typical of nestlings and recently fledged juveniles, but rarely seen in adults. Vera’s still learning, still experimenting. As for eggs — we’re nearing the end of what was traditionally Astrid’s egg-laying window. Will Vera lay eggs soon? Or at all? She has been sitting in the nest and making scrapes in the gravel, so signs point to preparation. Time will tell.

Though the first egg has yet to appear, Ares and Vera have been anything but idle. The pair remains highly active, engaging in frequent ledge displays, repeated matings, and regular food exchanges—clear signs of gearing up for breeding.

One particularly striking moment occurred on Wednesday when Ares began feeding bits of prey directly to Vera, as though she were a nestling. It’s unusual behavior for a mated pair, and may have been prompted by Vera’s lingering juvenile plumage, which perhaps could confuse even an experienced tiercel like Ares. Then again, maybe not. Long-time followers may recall that Ares also displayed this behavior with Astrid on rare occasions, particularly when she declined to accept food gifts in the usual fashion.

Vera continues to gain confidence and competence. She’s now noticeably more adept at mating and has just made her first solid attempt at a proper scrape in the nestbox. Until today, she’d only made a series of half-hearted pseudo-scrapes, barely shifting the gravel beneath her. This time, she really dug in—literally. Her growing investment in the nest site is unmistakable; she’s spending long hours nearby, undeterred by cold or wind, reinforcing her bond with the site. It is probably only a matter of time before the season’s first egg makes its debut. Until then, we’ll be watching closely as this pair continues to find their rhythm.

While there’s no way to know yet whether this season will lead to a successful nesting attempt, Ares and Vera are showing promising signs. Their pair bond continues to grow stronger—evident in their frequent flights together, mutual perching, and an uptick in ledge displays at the nestbox. Significantly, they’ve been observed mating successfully—a milestone not always reached with yearling Peregrine females. In the past two days, we’ve also documented several food exchanges, another positive indicator of their developing bond.

One of the most encouraging signs is Vera’s growing attachment to the nest site—far greater than that shown by Ares’s three most recent short-term partners. She arrives at the box early in the morning, just as Ares has always done, and he seems to appreciate that tendency. At this point, we can’t say if Vera is close to laying eggs—or whether she will lay any this season—it’s not guaranteed with first-year females. As it happens, we are now in the middle of what would have been Astrid’s typical egg-laying window. Of course, we’ve yet to establish any such patterns with Vera.

The young female Peregrine—now officially named Vera—continues to show strong interest in the nest site, the territory, and in Ares himself. The pair appear to be getting along quite well. Ares has been offering food gifts, performing aerial displays, joining her in ledge displays, and carrying out matings—some of which appears to have been successful.

Vera has been spending considerable time around the nestbox. She’s often seen perching on the verandas, inside the box, or even atop it, and she seems more comfortable and invested than any of the last three females who nearly made a go of it with Ares. Whether this new connection endures remains to be seen, but for now, Ares seems quite content with her level of interest and enthusiasm.