Dorothy laid her second egg at 9:43pm this evening, March 15. It was hard to get a webcam photo showing both eggs because she stayed very close over them.
Update on Wednesday, March 16: One of Dorothy’s fans who follows the peregrines in Rochester, NY captured the moment of egg-laying on a YouTube video and posted it on the Rochester falconcam Facebook page called RFalconcam. Both the photo above and the video are in black-and-white because they were taken at night using infrared light.
Dorothy’s eggs are actually rusty red. Here are their true colors with E2 standing next to them.
Another update, Wednesday March 16, 1:20PM: At lunchtime Karen Lang and I met at Schenley Plaza to watch the peregrines and saw Dorothy and E2 perched high on the Cathedral of Learning (CL) above the nest. Then Karen heard Dorothy ask for something… maybe food? E2 swooped down to check the cache area but found nothing there so he flew out over the Frick Fine Arts Building, quickly caught a small bird and came back to the CL with it. He flew in circles near the building and called to Dorothy. When he got her attention, he switched the prey to his beak and she flew off the building and did a prey exchange with him (courtship!). She took the prey back to her perch and he flew in and mated with her. Lots of excitement. More eggs coming soon.
Update, Thursday March 17, 1:25pm: More excitement at lunchtime. While I was walking toward the Cathedral of Learning (CL), a Coopers Hawk passed by the CL and four red-tailed hawks jockeyed for territory over Carnegie Museum. In the midst of this Karen and I saw a second female peregrine fly near the Cathedral of Learning! E2 flew off the CL and warned her away; she flipped upside down and showed her talons. Meanwhile Dorothy was wailing a warning and then zoomed off the nest to chase her away to the west. E2 waited on the lightning rod and did some territorial flights around the top of the CL. It didn’t take long for Dorothy to complete the chase & return to the topmost roof location above the nest. As a show of strength they mated there. Then Dorothy resumed circling, wider & wider to claim her territory. I could see the extra peregrine disappear to the southwest. Whew! We’re very glad everything is back to normal now.
(photos from the National Aviary falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning)
Boy I must need new glasses. AFter a shower earlier this evening I swore I already saw two eggs much earlier than the time noted. But no matter I was wrong about time, glad to see another & hopefully a few more.
Hi, Kate, How great to see Dorothy at work already! This past week end, I went to Middle Creek to see the Snow Geese. One of the photos I took was of what I thought was a Northern Harrier. I posted it on March 13 on my blog and two people who have looked at it suggest that it is not a harrier but a Peregrine. If you have time I’d appreciate a look by the peregrine expert 🙂 It’s not a close up – it’s the last photo in my March 13 post! Thanks in advance-I’d really appreciate your input! Here’s my blog address: http://thenaturallife-donna.blogspot.com/
March 16, 7:28am: E2 is on the nest. He already brought breakfast for Dorothy before sunrise. What a guy!
Yes, Donna, that’s a peregrine!
Way to go Dorothy! Keep on laying….
So exciting! My son and I got to watch one of the falcons flying around the Cathedral this weekend. Very nice to see!
I was actually lucky enough to see it happen.
The Rochester Falcon cam posted on facebook that she was trying to push out egg #2, so I went out to watch. 47 minutes later, after some preening and twisting and turning…out it came! Yipee!!!
All this courtship and “lovie-doving” from the “old” birds. I love it! There is no substitute for experience”. The Rochester NY “youngins” are just beginning to figure it all out and here you have the “pros”!