Observation date: 24 April 2019
The first signs of the peregrines hatching is seeing the adult falcons take food into the eyrie. When adult falcons make a kill, they will take the prey to one or more sites that they use as a “butcher block” where they will puck and consume the prey. The only time they take food into the nest site is when the chicks hatch. This happened on Monday, the 22nd of April, Earth Day. Today the 24th of April, we observed three prey items arrive at the nest site by the tiercel between 8:30 and 11:45AM.
The attitude of both parents has also changed dramatically towards other birds coming close to the nest site. There were numerous attacks on gulls and vultures, with one ferocious confrontation with a young red tailed hawk being grounded, then being drove upon many times. The foray lasted over ten minutes.
During a normal year, we will see the downy white nestlings in two to three weeks. This eyrie is a great place to watch the young as there is a flat surface much like a veranda in front of the large “cathedral hole” opening. It is narrow, but a place where chicks can perch.
Happy trails, Bob
Item: I will post again when they make their first appearance and will let you know how many chicks have hatched. Better yet, you can come out to the rock and see for yourself.
