This morning the peregrines awoke to mostly cloudy skies, calm with little wind and the temp, a balmy 68F….with sunrise time at 5:35 AM.  The forecast for day ahead calls for a chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

At 6:13 AM, the female lifted up from eggs, slowly walked to edge of  nest box, and departed, as the male swooped in, landed and headed right for the eggs.  The are well synchronized and attentive to the incubation process and shared coverage.  Later, just a moment before 7 AM, the male departed and returned less than a minute later….so likely a quick bathroom break. Typically, the male frequently seeks his turn at incubation while the female is still sitting.  When the male wants a shift on the eggs, he will often give the “waik” call from a perch some distance from, but perhaps in sight of the nest box.  The female, deciding to switch, will usually rise unhurriedly and give the opposite call to her mate before flying off!

Literature cited:

Ratcliffe, D. 1993. The Peregrine Falcon. 2nd ed. Carlton, England: T. and A. D. Poyser.