Comments on: 5 Eggs at Gulf Tower since Saturday!

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:25:33 +0000

Kristy, your report of 7 to 12 raptors soaring together matches another report I received that turkey vultures have started to perch on buildings downtown. This is the first year I’ve heard of them doing this downtown although I’ve seen them do it on buildings near the Waterfront in Homestead.

Turkey vultures are social birds and like to hang out together. Peregrines (and red-tailed hawks) are highly territorial and will only tolerate their own mate — not others of their own species — near them during the nesting season.

Who knows why the turkey vultures are over by the Mon… I do know that Louie & Dori hate vultures and will attack them if they fly near the Gulf Tower.

By: Kristy

Kristy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:47:43 +0000

Kate,
I work downtown in the old Westinghouse building on Stanwix Street. About 2 weeks ago, I believe I saw either Dori or Louie perched atop the PNC building near the Mon Wharf on one of the rainier days. I have kept an eye out since then and have seen the bird several times since then on the same building around my lunchtime at 12:30pm. On March 29th, a coworker and I saw 3 falcons flying around the top of PPG One’s highest tower. It was around 12:45 when I first saw them. They would take turns landing on top of PPG while the others would circle. Later around 2:30 on that sunny afternoon we couldn’t believe it but we saw 7 or 8 and closer to 4pm we counted 12 of them flying over the Mon. These were not pigeons the way they were soaring/flying and they were definitely larger in size and had the coloring of the Peregrines. Are these these the offspring from last year or maybe some born earlier this year looking for their own nesting place??

I will be moving to that PNC building next week so I will no longer have the view to keep a lookout for Louie and Dori. =( I will be visiting the webcams!

I really enjoy your comments and photos of these beautiful creatures. Thank you!

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:23:25 +0000

Faith, I don’t know the answer but my hunch is that something in nature triggered Dori to stop laying eggs. As you say, I think it was “nature protecting the nest in that 7 eggs would have been overwhelming.”

By: faith cornell

faith cornell — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:57:04 +0000

Well now Kate I have a question. Last yr. when Dori came on the scene 2 eggs were already laid by Tasha and then she laid 3 giving 5 to that nest. But this year she laid 5 of her own. Why did she not lay 5 or her own last year or did she think the 2 already there were hers or was it nature protecting the nest in that 7 eggs would have been overwhelming I imagine to care for that many chicks to fledge. Or is it one of those mysteries we have yet to mull on. Just wondering. These birds and their habits are so fascinating and we have all this time to think before hatching.

By: Mary Ann Pike

Mary Ann Pike — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:45:10 +0000

At 4:45, looks like whoever is sitting on the Gulf nest missed one of the eggs when when they tried to cover them…it looks like an egg is sitting next to them instead of under them.

By: Kathy McCharen

Kathy McCharen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:02:40 +0000

It looks like Dori is not sitting on one of her eggs. Is that right?? If so, do you know why?? Thanks.

By: Steve-o

Steve-o — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:48:16 +0000

All square at five, same as last year!

I’ll be in town the first week in May, hopefully I’ll get a chance to stop by for a bit, going to be a busy few days though.

By: faith cornell

faith cornell — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:02:09 +0000

How great. Have to drive into Hillman today; I will surely be thinking of all those potential hungry mouths coming in April when I am driving past the Cathedral.

By: Monika

Monika — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:20:37 +0000

I guess Dori was not to be outdone! Can’t wait for the little ones to arrive

By: Jennie

Jennie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:54:01 +0000

The big sit just got a whole lot more interesting.