Lawrence Peregrines: adult food transfer

May 16, 2019 in In the Nest Box, lawrence peregrines, On the Clock Tower

_W7I0004-001Made a stop by the Clock Tower around 5:15PM this afternoon under overcast skies, wind from SE at 6MPH, and temp at 64F.  Upon arrival, the female was seen out of the nest box and making a number of circles around the Clock Tower.  She finally settled on an upper edge on the NW corner.  As I scanned all over to see if the male was around, airborne feathers started to float by above the west clock face.  Well that usually means one thing!  The male was ripping apart fresh caught prey and preparing the next meal.  Once the prep work was finished, he launched into flight, initially swooping downwards, and then around the corner and to the NW.

_W7I0043-001A few minutes later, while going out of sight, the female swooped in and then made a very nice food transfer. The male continues to do the bulk of the hunting.  To feed the chicks, the male will capture prey and prepare it nearby.  The male then readies himself for flight and food transfer.  the female will receive the fresh pray and return promptly to the nest box to feed the nestlings.  Great teamwork!

 

 

_W7I0047-001After the female captured the prey with her talon, she returned to the nest box.  She arrived and landed on the left side of the window box ledge.  In sorting through the photos, it was fascinating to see that as she arrived, the prey was in her left talon, and then in a flash, she moved it to her bill while landing on the outer edge of the box!

Lawrence Peregrines: Day 12

May 16, 2019 in In the Nest Box, lawrence peregrines

The peregrines started this morning off under mostly sunny skies, little wind, and temp at 44F. The forecast calls for isolated showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Light and variable wind.

2019.0516.1This morning the chicks were first seen int he next box by themselves with the female nearby on the perch pole.  By 5:40 AM she was back in the nest box preening and scratching herself aside the chicks.  Just after that, she settled on the outer edge of the nest box looking out to the west, and the chicks remained in tight huddle formation with the the addled egg still close by.  Overall, the little ones are moving around more, wing stretching and being playful with each other.  They are literally a tight bunch at this age!

As was mentioned in a prior post, the adults will shelter the nestlings from strong sunshine, and rain, as may be needed, when they are too large to brood but not yet protected by their own feathers.

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

Peregrines: both adults

August 28, 2018 in lawrence peregrines, Near the Clock Tower

_W7I9324-001Made a stop by the Clock Tower just before 10AM, under clear skies, bright sun, winds from the west at 8MPH, and temp at 86F, to look for any peregrine activity.  The adult male was observed on the south side of the New Balance building along Merrimack Street.  Initially, the male was perched along the roof line, and then it flew around to a number of perches and then flew around towards the nest box.

 

 

_W7I9532-001The female was spotted along the the same south side roof line.  She was very bust consuming a snack and feathers were flying all around.  Had a nice view as she was finishing off the pink legs of her fresh catch.  Nice to see both adults in close proximity!

Lawrence Peregrines: one juvenile and two adults!

August 27, 2018 in lawrence peregrines, On the Clock Tower

_W7I9090-001What a nice surprise to see one of the 2018 hatch year fledglings around the Clock Tower late this afternoon.  It was another steamy hot day with clear skies, light winds, and temp well over 90F.  Just happened to catch a glimpse of a peregrine and upon a close look, it was one of the this year’s youngsters perched on the west side pole of the weathervane.  The left leg band was visible but just out of reach for a positive identification.  One the adults was seen on the SE corner of the lower roof, and the other was perched high atop the Verizon Cell Tower over the Merrimack River!

Male perched on grate SW corner

August 15, 2018 in lawrence peregrines

_W7I8568-001Made a pass by the Clock Tower yesterday afternoon on the lookout for some of the peregrine falcons.  One of the adults was perched on one of the granite ledges on the NW corner. It departed in flight for a few moments, and then returned and landed onto the metal grates on the SW corner of the upper roof.

 

_W7I8549-001After a few adjustments, and a bit of wing flapping to maintain balance, the male adult, turned around and faced in outward direction.  The movement provided clear looks at legs and banding, and from that, an ability to see clearly that it was the adult male.  The female has been seen from time to time, but the youngsters have not been around these past few weeks, and may have dispersed early.  Will provide an update next few days on research on the varied dispersal patterns of fledglings!

Fledgling in flight; adult female perched nearby!

August 7, 2018 in lawrence peregrines, Near the Clock Tower, Peregrine Falcons Eastern Massachusetts, Peregrine Falcons Massachusetts

_W7I8274-001Made a visit to the Clock Tower this afternoon under mostly cloudy skies, winds from SW at 10MPH, and temp at 94F.  Very little action around the area.  With binocs, made a scan and observed one young falcon atop the tall smokestack on opposite side of the Merrimack River by 250 Canal Street complex.  Then, made a closer look at the distant Verizon Cell Tower at the corner of Hampshire and Canal Streets.  The adult female was perched on the east side of the cell tower on a lower cross bar.  Her black/green leg band was barely visible.

_W7I8326-001One of the juveniles was perched up much higher on the north side of the Cell Tower.  Moved around to the west side of the Tower for a better look with just a bit more light.  The young falcon spread its wings and departed in a downward stoop in pursuit of something just out of sight and returned a few minutes later.  It then made many loops in flight around the tower and landed.

Clock Tower: fledgling off balance!

August 6, 2018 in lawrence peregrines, Near the Clock Tower, On the Clock Tower, Peregrine Falcons Eastern Massachusetts, Peregrine Falcons Massachusetts

_W7I7575-001Made a visit to the Clock Tower later this afternoon under clear skies, bright sun, wind from SW at 12MPH, and temp at 94F.  Both adults were seen perched and in flight around the Clock Tower.  One of the juveniles was perched for a while on the rood below the weathervane, and then launched into flight, circled a few times, and then landed on the nest box perch pole.

 

 

_W7I7564-002It was a bit challenged maintaining balance, and tuned around a few times.  Then, when ready to depart, it made a few awkward steps and lost its balance, falling into flight! Amusing to watch and a reminder that the youngsters are still learning their flight and safe landing lessons!

Fledglings eating on ledge

July 3, 2018 in Near the Clock Tower

_W7I6334-001Made a stop by the Clock Tower on Tuesday morning at 8:45AM under bright sun and clear skies, winds from the W at 6MPH and temp at. 84F.  The female was perched on the nest box perch pole.  This strongly suggested that the fledglings were close by.  Sure enough, one of them, 27/BU was picking apart a morning meal on an upper story, west facing ledge, of the New Balance building, not far from the Merrimack Street entrance.  Another youngster was above a much higher ledge above the clock face.

 

 

_W7I6756-001The fledgling eating prey, was ripping it apart and not wasting a minute.  The other, slightly larger fledgling, 29/BU was content to just watch.  It may have eaten a bit earlier.  They then sat next to each other for a bit before the larger one took off in flight.  Observed all three fledglings, as well as both adults; very nice to see the young family all together!

Fledglings: on the wing!

June 27, 2018 in Near the Clock Tower

_W7I3950-001Usually, each youngster may land and remain at a special resting/feeding area near the nest box.  At this location, it will receive food from the adults.  After a few days, the fledged young may be grouped together to be fed, by either parent.  At first this is typically a bill to bill transfer of pieces, but later will be given intact prey to rip apart and eat on their own. At this stage of growth, the fledglings often rest by lying prone on nearby ledges, especially on hot afternoons. When the young are at rest, they may be very well camouflaged.  It is possible to observe billing between siblings on ledges. There tends to be little bickering between youngsters over food.

_W7I3592-001Flutter gliding by the young is frequent at this stage and appears to be the same flight as used by adult females before egg laying.  Once the young are on the wing, the female Peregrine resumes hunting in earnest, and often joins the male again in cooperative hunts. This image shows the female taking off in pursuit of a nearby gull that flew too close to the Clock Tower!

Increasingly, the fledglings make short flights in pursuit of, or in search for the parents. which in a few days begin to adopt aerial foot-to-foot transfers of prey to their offspring.  The young love to chase each other as well as their parents, all in a very playful way!

On the wing: fledglings!

June 26, 2018 in Near the Clock Tower

_W7I2596-001One of the great joys of monitoring a peregrine falcon nest, eggs, hatchlings, nestlings, and then fledglings; is the exciting moments around first days of flight.  Although they rest quite a bit, as they adjust to their new life outside the nest box, their flight patterns are a joy to behold.  Most of the flight patterns are a bit awkward, their takeoffs and landings, a bit uneven.  They love to zoom around in playful flight with adults and each other.

_W7I2614-001Flights grow stronger day by day over the first week.  Many times the youngsters will engage in mack combat drills with rolls and outstretched talons. The family usually remains close around the Clock Tower, roosting in many different locations. By now the nest box looks bare, with few remains left behind.