Peregrine at nest box!

March 16, 2012 in On the Clock Tower

The Peregrines have been staying close to the nest box and on the nest box perch.  Yesterday, one of the Peregrines was scraping the fine gravel inside the nest box to create a bowl formation.  It laid down on its breast and used its feet to push back gravel to enhance the bowl.  I wondered if this is typical just before laying of eggs? 

 

According to Chris Martin, Senior Biologist in the Conservation Department at New Hampshire Audubon in Corcord, NH, the described behavior can occur for weeks before egg-laying.  Once egg laying starts, an egg appears every other day, so the process can take up to a week or longer.  Typically the pair begins incubating after the second egg arrives, but sometimes intermittently.  By the time the third egg appears, they are pretty solidly incubating.

Here is a photo captured just a bit later.  The Peregrine departed the perch, circled a bit, gently chased a few pigeons, and then landed on the SW corner rooftop of the Clock Tower.