Observation date: 28 June 2015
The young falcons are becoming young adults very quickly. They still find time to play and chase each other, but more than ever they are chasing prey. The adults still bring prey, but no longer do they let them take it from their talons. The adults drop the prey, this time a gull chick, before the young get too close, thus making the young having to dive after it and catch the falling prey.
Juvenile peregrine feeding time Photo by Cleve Nash
They still have a few weeks of killing and feeding on young Western Gull chicks before they become too large and cumbersome to carry. The most that we have seen them bring in and consume were four gull chicks in a three hour period. I focused on one young falcon eating a gull chick. It took 55 minutes for him to finish his repast. His crop looked like May West. He then slept for two and a half hours.
Western Gull with two gull chicks Photo by Cleve Nash
The young falcons still frequent the rock, but not as much as before venturing farther and farther away for longer periods of time.
I have cut back my time on the north side and am spending more time on the south side with the other pair, where visitors have a better chance of viewing falcons. No young, but mature adults. Even without young this year, they’ve always been my first love.
Happy trails, Bob
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So far the juveniles have had encounters with a female Northern Harrier, two adult falcons and one juvenile falcon and none are “resident” birds.
