4 Eggs!

This morning I happened to catch a mate change on the eggs.  Spark had been incubating but left.  Before Durand settled on the eggs I was able to see there are now 4 eggs!!!  I don't know when the 4th egg was laid (probably late yesterday or early this morning) and so far no fans have sent me any notes or photos indicating a time.  So, she may have slipped this one in on us! 

Incubation appears to have begun on Monday (3/25/13).  I've noticed so far that Spark seems to be incubating most of the morning hours.  Soon we'll post some tips on how to tell if the incubating falcon is Durand or Spark.

PREY on Ledge-NOT a Dead Peregrine!

I am not sure when this dead bird first appeared on the ledge but it sure has attracted a lot of attention from fans worried that one of the falcons met its demise.  Our inbox is loaded with many emails from concerned watchers.  Do not fear, this dead bird is simply a prey item that was left in view of the ledge camera! 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to ascertain what species the prey is, but I can tell by the feet what it is not.  It would be very helpful if one of the falcons would drag it out in front of the camera more and we can catch a glimpse of the upper body and head.  We'll see...!!!

Third Egg!

Right on schedule (eggs are laid every 2-3 days), the 3rd egg was laid this evening just past 5:30 p.m.!  Look closely and you can see a total of 3 eggs in this photo.

A winter storm is forecasted for Columbus tonight.  As Karen mentioned a couple of posts ago, whether incubation begins now or not, the eggs will be fine with this extreme March weather:  if incubation does start with this 3rd egg, the eggs will be kept plenty warm by the incubating falcon.  If incubation doesn't begin yet, the eggs will continue in their "limbo" state and not begin to develop until they are kept at a constant temperature.

EGG #2!!

Egg number two was laid this morning, about 8 a.m.!!!

Eggtastic News!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome!  The nesting season has officially begun.  For new fans of the Columbus Peregrines and a recap for seasoned veterans, what we can expect to see in the coming days:
Peregrines generally lay 4 eggs per clutch and incubation doesn't begin until the last egg or the next to the last egg is laid.  Don't be alarmed by the unseasonably cool temperatures we are having this week in Columbus.  Eggs can be left alone for long periods of time and withstand a wide range of temperatures during this limbo phase.  The eggs won't start to develop until they are kept consistently warm once true incubation begins.
Eggs are laid every 2-3 days so we can expect the 2nd egg sometime Friday or Saturday.
Stay Tuned...........

First Egg for 2013!!!

Peregrine nesting season is OFFICIALLY underway in COLUMBUS with the 1st egg laid by Durand, this evening, March 19th--just after 7 p.m.!!! 

Bonding Behavior

Both Durand and Spark continue to have a regular presence at the ledge and in the nestbox.  Here is a photo of a food offering from this morning.

As is typical, the head has been removed and the prey mostly plucked so it isn't possible to positively identify the bird species.  However, when Spark first brought the prey into the nestbox I could see that the feet were black.  So my initial guess would be either a red-winged blackbird or cowbird.  Offering food in this manner, as well as scraping in the gravel of the nestbox, are ways the falcons confirm and strengthen their bond not just between the pair but also to the nesting site.

 

Meanwhile, if you haven't noticed yet, the audio is working again with the streaming video! There is still trouble shooting to be done as the ledge sound is very faint.  But, it is great to have sound back!

Cool Shots of a Peregrine on the Ledge

These photos were saved off of the ledgecam yesterday, 3/7/13.  Thanks to the viewers out there who captured these pretty cool images of a falcon sitting in the late afternoon sun!