News, video, and more about Utica's Peregrine Falcons
Astrid was busy feeding her 2 chicks at 6:00 this morning. The food was already in the nest box at that time. Presumably she or Ares brought it in earlier. It’s amazing that these fearsome raptors are able to be so gentle when they feed their hatchlings. She tears tiny pieces of meat off and so delicately puts them into the open mouths of her young. We have finally confirmed that one of the 2 remaining eggs is starting to pip. We hope this means that another hatch is imminent.
We now have 2 falcon chicks in the nest! At about 5:30 this morning, Astrid came back with some breakfast and began feeding the siblings. She tore tiny pieces of meat off a carcass and tenderly fed the chicks for about 10 minutes before settling back down on them and the remaining 2 eggs. With such cold morning temperatures, it’s very important that she keeps the brood warm.
The first sighting of the new hatchling Peregrine Falcon was at 6:14 PM Sunday Evening. Also, a second egg appears to have been pipped. Here are some stills from the web cam that have just become available.
At 6:14 PM, a hatchling was seen when Astrid stood up to adjust herself and the eggs. Astrid moved the chick briefly to the front of the clutch and then within a minute had placed it back behind the still intact eggs. The chick appeared very pink – a sign that it had only recently emerged from its shell. This all happened very quickly and I was unable to get a good screen shot of the chick. I will post one when I can.
After reviewing hours of video from today, Deb Saltis of our Utica Falcon Team, has found conclusive evidence that the Utica Peregrine Falcons have a “pipped” egg. She was even able to see a falcon chick moving around inside the small hole in the egg. This is a historic first. This has never happened in Utica or Oneida County before! It could take a day or 2 for the chick to fully emerge, but things are finally happening!
