May 23, 2016 in In the Nest Box
The Lawrence Peregrine fledglings continue to grow and get bigger. The female in this photos is tearing apart prey and feeding it to the chicks. The nestbox is getting crowded and the meals are more frequent. The chicks are spending more time near the front of the nestbox! The are now using their legs fully and no longer sitting on tarsi. Banding time is very close at hand.
March 23, 2016 in On the Clock Tower
The Lawrence Peregrines now have a single egg that has been laid. The first egg was laid late Monday night. It is expected that 3 more eggs will be laid in the next handful of days! The male is on watch on a ledge very next the nestbox!
May 27, 2014 in In the Nest Box
Three peregrine falcon chicks roosting above the New Balance factory were pronounced healthy Tuesday and fitted with federal and state tracking bands to help Mass Wildlife biologists and local volunteers keep tabs on them.
Mass Wildllife staffers and other volunteers gently lifted the fluffy chicks out of their nesting box and used pliers to fasten metal bands around their legs.
The chicks were completely checked for health issues and to make sure they were growing and developing without major issues. They observed that flight feathers are starting to emerge.
When fully fledged, the peregrine chicks will be fierce hunters that can dive at speeds of 200 mph or more to snatch other birds in mid-flight.
The chicks’ parents are among some 30+ peregrine falcon pairs that live in Massachusetts, favoring bridges and tall buildings where they can easily spot their prey. Based on feathers found in the nest, the falcons have recently preyed on Bluejays and Pigeons.
The mother falcon, sleek and gray with a banded gray and white belly, squawked furiously as Mass Wildlife staffers and volunteers opened the back access hatch of the nesting the box. All the humans wore appropriate gear for protection from her talons. The babies squawked at a higher pitch, then bleated as the falcon banders gently reached in to secure each chick for banding.
There were three chicks along with one unhatched egg. Overall, all were healthy. It is very normal for one chick to be a little less developed from others due to lower food allocation issues from stronger siblings At just over three weeks old, these chicks were mature enough to band, because their legs won’t grow any more, but too young to fly away.
May 22, 2014 in In the Nest Box
At three weeks, flight feathers and body contour feathers are poking through the down. Very active, the young birds are moving around the nest box and exploring the area around all the corners. They have a marked interest in anything that moves.
May 12, 2014 in In the Nest Box
The 3 chicks continue to grow and gain strength!
May 8, 2014 in In the Nest Box
The feeding activity continues each day and the chicks devour all items brought to nest box….many Blue Jays on the menu!
May 5, 2014 in In the Nest Box
The chicks continue to grow and are are able to have a few moments where female is in nest and nearby but not brooding all the time! 4th egg remains unhatched.
Parents involved in food exchange!
May 4, 2014 in In the Nest Box
Newly hatched chic
ks weigh about 1.5 ounces and are virtually blind. Covered with only a light coat of fluffy white down, newborn chicks require constant brooding by the female in order to stay warm. Feeding usually commences on day two when the small chick bobs its head looking for food. The female provides small pieces of food for the chicks!
May 1, 2014 in In the Nest Box
Hatching begins after 30+ days when the chicks hammer a hole in the egg with a special “egg tooth” on the end of its beak. The chick makes a neat cut all the way around the egg, essentially cutting off the large end of the egg. This process may take up to 48 hours and requires a great deal of energy!
April 28, 2014 in In the Nest Box
The peregrine falcon couple living in an 8th floor falcon condo in the Ayer Mill Clock Tower will soon welcome their 2014 chicks, or eyases, to the city of Lawrence. The female has laid 4 eggs this year, and we are now at the back end of the normal incubation period of 29-33 days.
Falcons will eventually get rid of eggs if they do not hatch. Two years ago, the couple laid 4 eggs but only 2 eggs hatched. They waited a few weeks before discarding the 2 unhatched eggs.
The first egg was laid March 21 this year! Incubation of the 4 eggs started after the last egg was laid on March 26th. Stay tuned!
