The news is mixed from the Green Tree water tower peregrines.
On the one hand, their nest seems to have failed.
On May 17 and 18, Mary Jo Peden and Shannon Thompson reported that both peregrines were visible again. If their nest had been successful the female would still be incubating eggs or brooding chicks while the male brought them food. Instead the pair was seen mating and hanging out together. Not a good sign for their first attempt.
On the other hand, Shannon digi-scoped photos of both birds and discovered the female is banded and the male is not.
The male, above right, demonstrated his bare legs by preening extensively.
The female, above left, posed with her right leg showing off a blue band. This is the USFWS band that’s colored in some states or may be covered in colored tape to distinguish nest mates after they’ve fledged.
Ohio uses purple USFWS bands but I’ve seen those bands look blue in some lights. Does this female have tape on her band? Or is she from Ohio?
The mystery continues.
Click here for close-ups of Shannon’s photos.
(photos by Shannon Thompson)
Thanks for the photos!
Just wanted to share the news that 2013’s first chick has hatched at the Hamilton, Ontario Peregrine nest — a bit late, which was worrisome. (Our “Madame X” is 14 years old.)
There are 3 more eggs, and we hope all will hatch. This is the 19th consecutive year for falcons here in town.
I was browsing the history section on the Hamilton site today and found that that “Madame X” was hatched on a bridge on Pennsylvania Route 309, the Cross-Valley Expressway in Wilkes-Barre, PA. She was known to NorthEast PA falcon watchers as “Runaround Sue”. 🙂 Thought you might be interested.
The site is here: http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog daily for the last 3 or 4 years — thanks for all the work you put into it.
Nairn