30 March 2021
For the past week, the behavior of the south side female falcon is consistent with egg laying, i.e. a couple of hours in the nest site, then comes out, flies around as usual and perches. Every thing you would do on a normal day.
Today, she was three plus hours in the eyrie and the tiercel brought in prey after an aerial food exchange in front of the nest site. She lands at the nest site. However, she does not leave and go to a “dining rock” with prey which would be normal procedure. Instead she takes a few quick bites at the edge of the nest site opening then returns to the back of the eyrie.
If she is incubating, normally she would leave with prey to eat and the male would take his turn on the eggs. But being a young pair, who knows! He might think she’ll do it all.
When I left at 3PM, she was still in the nest site. He was sitting on a rock 50 yards away.
If this is the beginning of incubation, and I think it is, chicks should hatch around the first of May. And be visible two to three weeks after that.
Happy trails, Bob
Sounds like good logic to me. I’m glad you are there to monitor all the cool behavior of the Morro Rock pairs. Do both pairs spend the entire year on or near The Rock or do they migrate in winter? Keep up your great work Bob!
Thanks for your comment and questions.
Peregrines do migrate, but when they find a place that suites them, weather-wise, like the two pairs at Morro Bay, they do not migrate. They are here all year ‘round. In winter we can have birds that have migrated from as far away as Alaska. The “rock” is attractive to migrating falcons, but are readily chased off by resident birds.
Good sleuth work, Bob. See you out at the rock today
Thanks for following so closely! See you at the “rock.” It was a good show today.
What is the status of the East Side pair?
I was spending all my time on the south side pair, but I believe the north side pair may be a about week or more ahead of the south side pair. They have chosen the “cathedral” hole again, the same nest they used last year.~Bob