8 February 2025
In early February, southwestern Pennsylvania’s resident peregrines are courting and ensuring their territories are safe. In the meantime, adults with out a nest website — known as “floaters” — are looking for a totally new website, or exploring the prevailing territories to discover a weak resident who can’t preserve them out. Generally there’s a changeover of who owns what. It’s an thrilling time to observe peregrines that lasts by means of March.
This week the identical resident peregrines courted on digicam on the Cathedral of Studying whereas it seems there’s been a changeover on the Tarentum Bridge.
Cathedral of Studying, Univ of Pittsburgh: At Pitt, Ecco is usually seen on the falconcam, preening on the inexperienced perch whereas he waits for Carla to point out up. Yesterday she was off digicam when Ecco started to “echup” and bow. Then she jumped in.
Tarentum Bridge, Allegheny River:
The resident pair on the Tarentum Bridge, a feminine with a dotted chest and a banded male (black/inexperienced 48/BR, hatched in 2014), have been fairly profitable since they first turned a pair in 2018. Through the years they’ve fledged 20 younger and have usually been the primary to nest. Final yr she laid eggs in late February.
This yr Dave Brooke found they aren’t the identical couple. In pictures the feminine appears to be like the identical…
… however the male is unbanded so he needs to be new. This isn’t stunning since 48/BR can be eleven years outdated, an age when youthful males step in.
This new couple is just not on the early nesting schedule just like the outdated pair. The feminine desires to mate now however he’s not within the temper. Yesterday she was calling to him from the nestbox.
However he ignored her.
The Tarentum Bridge feminine with noticed throat was sitting on the nest field and male was on the other finish of the pier. She was wailing for a while earlier than flying out and across the nearer pier earlier than disappearing on the Westmoreland facet of the river.
— Fb publish by Dave Brooke in Pittsburgh Falconuts
Luckily these two nonetheless have a lot of time to get in sync.
