This was my 8th year observing, documenting and keeping a daily chronology of the behavior of a breeding pair of Peregrine Falcons. The Falcon (female) mated with the same Tiercel who came into the habitat last year. They re-occupied their original eyrie (used for 6 years) and successfully raised and fledged 3 very healthy juveniles, 2 Falcons and a Tiercel (male). The last juvenile, a female who was approximately 77 days old, dispersed from the local habitat on June 22.
The very next day, something highly unusual occurred, the Falcon went into eyrie #2 and began laying a second clutch of eggs. I do not think this phenomena, known as a "double clutching" has ever been documented in the wild or published in Peregrine Falcon scientific literature. Earlier in June, I made detailed notes in my chronological journal that the Tiercel and Falcon were performing courtship behavior; mutual ledge displays at the scrape (eyrie); high speed figure 8 flight displays by the Tiercel; lastly the Tiercel increased copulation with the Falcon up to seven times a day.
So on June 23 I started a new nesting chronology, remaining at my observations post 7 days a week. Both the Tiercel and Falcon shared incubation duty, performing next exchanges every 2-4 hours throughout the day. On day 34 & 35 I was hoping to see food being delivered to the eyrie (eggs normally take 33.5 days of incubation) indicating that an egg had hatched Instead the adults continued performing nest exchanges for the next 23 days. After that they gave up and began perching outside of the eyrie. I believe the eggs were infertile.
Attached are a few photos from this season. They tell a story of 2 juveniles being bound to a prey bird in mid air, neither is willing to let go, they fly/fall toward my observation post and past me. I capture a few clear images and then they land at the base of the bluffs. To see the rest of the story you can find it on my website under the new 2013 portfolios.
My new homepage slide show features old and new photos. I hope you will check it out. Thanks. All the best to everyone,
Cheers, Will
www.sharpeyesonline.com
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better" Albert Einstein
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