April 2, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
Made a very enjoyable visit to observe the Peregrine Falcons in Woburn under partly sunny skies and broken clouds, winds from NW at 12 MPH and gusts over 20MPH, temp around 40F. Both male and female seen perched and in flight around the local quarry area. At one point, the female flew off and landed on a rocky outcropping about 165 yards SW of the nest ledge on the west wall of the quarry.
March 29, 2017 in Near the Clock Tower
Lots of pair bonding continues with the male and female. they are frequently seen in very close proximity to each other with the breeding cycle in full swing. This morning the female was seen eating prey on one of the triangle pediment ledges above the entry to one of the New Balance buildings located at 200 Merrimack Street under dark overcast sky conditions. The male was just to the east on one of the short steel beams just below the roof line.
March 28, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
During copulation the female is pitched forward, making an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the perch. The copulation wail is clearly heard nearby. As the male mounts, the female spreads her wings at the elbow, about one fourth open. The tail, up and to the side, may be partly spread.
The male flap his wings constantly during copulation, maintaining an upright posture with the neck extended and best in a curve. the male may give a burst or bursts of the chitter vocalization just before, during, or after mounting. The entire copulation process may last as long as ten seconds, and then the male departs.
March 26, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
A beautiful Sunday morning, partly sunny, wind from the East at 12 MPH and temps in low 40’s. The female was perched on a utility pole near entrance to Vinkari indoor playground. The male was nearby and launched into flight and zoomed away. The female kept looking over her shoulder and above to something in the distance. Turns out the male had flown off to soar with another adult peregrine. The soaring together was very peaceful with no signs of aggression!
March 23, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
During the courtship process, the peregrines will typically engage in some type of food exchange as a way to strengthen the pair bond. Peregrine Falcons feed almost exclusively on birds, such as doves, waterfowl and songbirds, but occasionally they hunt small mammals, including bats, rats, voles and rabbits. Insects and reptiles make up a relatively small proportion of their diet. On the other hand, a growing number of city-dwelling Falcons find that feral pigeons and starlings provide plenty of food. Because of their high metabolic rates, Peregrine Falcons must consume more food in proportion to their size than most animals. To be efficient flyers, the digestive system of birds has to be both as light as possible and as efficient as possible.
March 20, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
A bright, sunny morning with breeding activities in full swing! During copulation, the female leans forward and moves her tail to one side. The male rests on his tarsi (part of the foot above the toes, like the foot), on her back flapping his wings, and presses his tail underneath the female’s. Copulations are usually accompanied by wailing on the female’s part, and chittering or “ee-chupping” by the male. When the male departs, the female usually “ee-chups” a few times, and often rouses (shakes her feathers).
March 18, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
During a late afternoon visit to observe the Peregrine Falcons in Woburn, had a nice opportunity to both the male and female as they perched on rocky outcroppings, swooped around the area in flight, and then perched atop a couple of different utility poles around the parking lot area. They handled lots of disturbances from cars coming and going as well as lots children screaming and yelling as they departed with parents from the indoor safari playground. Very enjoyable to observe and record a number of takeoffs and flight patterns from the utility poles along with a number of very brief copulation attempts. We may eggs sooner this year than last….stay tuned!
March 16, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
Under bright sun and clear skies, made a short visit to observe the Peregrines in Woburn. Only the male was hanging around on one of the rocky outcroppings to the west of the nest ledge. He was very busy preening and scratching while, lifting both legs and making a ball/fist with talons, at different times. The female was in sight during course of visit.
March 15, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
Among Peregrine Falcons, courtship and nesting activities are now in full swing. Pair bonds are growing close and copulation seems to be right on time based on historical schedules. Here, the male peregrine is perched near the nest ledge, basking in the sun, but will engage in territorial defense against any and all intruders!
February 27, 2017 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn
The female is regularly seen in and around the nest ledge area. This bodes very well for pair bonding and strongly suggests success for the upcoming breeding season. This is a new female and she gets along well with the continuing male at this site. as we move towards the end of February, we enter the time for courtship activities. Courtship serves to strengthen the pair bond and brings the pair into reproductive synchrony. Courtship behaviors may be seen over a long time period depending on the breeding chronology of the specific pair but is typically observed most intensively during the month of March. Courtship involves several behaviors performed in flight or in the vicinity of the nest site. These include circling flights, bows, and displays. Behaviors are often associated with vocalizations. During the courtship period, the male will frequently offer prey to the female. Stay tuned!
