Yesterday there were new developments in the peregrine saga at the Cathedral of Learning.
I thought that the new female, Magnum, had claimed the site this week but…
Megan Briody is keeping a close watch on the falconcam and reports that Hope came back to the nest on Friday June 24 around 6:30pm. The snapshot above shows Hope’s black/green bands as she’s leaving. (Both Magnum and Terzo have black/red bands.)
Observers on the ground saw three peregrines flying near the Cathedral of Learning but could not tell if all three were adults — Terzo, Hope and Magnum — or if one was C1.
Meanwhile, C1 is doing just fine. She’s spending lots of time at St. Paul’s Cathedral, a few blocks away from the nest, where she’s taking her many meals. Terzo is making sure she’s well fed.
Apparently site ownership is still up for grabs between Hope and Magnum. It’s hard to tell who’s in charge here.
(photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ. of Pittsburgh)
Shouldn’t somebody see the fights
Carol, our ability to watch peregrines’ lives is limited because we are stuck on the ground. We can only see a little of what they do.
Tks for all the updates in the Peregrine Saga!
Oh dear, not sure this is going to end well for one of our females. Guess time will tell.
Thanks, Kate, for keeping us informed of the happenings at the Cathedral.
This is so interesting!! Better than anything on tv. It’s like a love triangle. Is it possible that magnum could at this point lay eggs? Who will win out Hope or magnum. Gotta stay tuned in!!!
Patti, it’s too late for peregrines to lay eggs this year.
Kate, what role, if any, does Terzo play in this since he has started bonding with Magnum?
Janet, Terzo does not make the decisions. He’s waiting for the ladies to work it out.
Thanks Kate. I really appreciate everything you do.
Thank you for the updates Kate. Learning a great deal, especially not to anthropomorphize. Would be very interesting to watch Hope for another season at the Cathedral of Learning.
Kate, interesting about Terzo not making the decision. Do you know why he would have bonded with Magnum when Hope is still there? Is it that he bonds with any female that comes to the CoL instead of continung to be a pair with Hope…or would have Hope and Magnum duked it out once and Hope isnt giving up after loosing round 1? Im confused at Terzo’s actions.
Dee, I don’t know the answers to your questions.
I’m waiting for Terzo to introduce Magnum and Hope to each other. Could this become the peregrine equivalent of the old television show “Three’s Company”? Seriously though, I’m guessing that both Hope and Magnum are arriving at the nest at different times, so maybe unaware of each other? Curious as to how often peregrine nests change hands after the nesting season? Also, if the female intruder earlier in the year was Magnum, why did Terzo behave differently towards her then vs now? He wanted nothing to do with either of the interlopers at the time. Of course nothing has followed the norm much at the Cathedral nest this year, so why should this be any different I guess.
Stan, I’m fairly sure Hope and Magnum are aware of each other. We just don’t know what’s happening when we aren’t watching or when we can’t see.
Kate,
Why do the falcons have personal names like Hope and Terzo but the eagles have names like E1, E2?
John, here’s how peregrines get there names: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-how-do-peregrines-get-their-names/
Another interesting development. Tough on the humans watching and waiting to see how it all turns out. Whoever ends up prevailing, I hope this site can settle down to uneventfulness very soon.
Really hoping we see Hope again next spring. Very curious to see if this year’s behavior was an anomaly for her, with the stress of losing her mate, and finding a second one.
Hope in the scrape at 2:21pm. Another flew in couldn’t read the bands. Hope flew off at 2:24.
Kate, Hope and Terzo were both together in the scrape today. Cam time was 14:40.
Sorry, I meant cam time 14:20.
Kate,
Why competition for a nest site so far away from the next breeding season?
Gjlfdl, the Cathedral of Learning is such a valuable site that peregrines are willing to vie for it in the off season.
This is just so interesting. So much drama. Thanks Kate for keeping us updated. It’s a wait and see from day to day. Keeps us on our toes for sure.
Hope and Terzo were together at around 3:45 pm on 6/26. A little bowing. She’s now alone in the scrape, squawking up a storm.
And she’s gone.
Kate, Hope seemed to spend quite a bit of time in the scrape today. Is this normal behavior? She would call for Terzo, he would come, they would bow and he was gone in a flash.
Hope has been in and out of the nest quite a bit today. I wonder if she’s guarding the nest or just trying hide from C1. If that’s the case it didn’t work. We had a surprise visit from C1 today. She was there for less than a minute and was screeching at someone who was sitting up above the scrape. They flew off and then she followed – still yelling loudly. She looks good!
Hope had been in the scrape several times today, never saw if Terzo ever joined her. Has he or Magnum been seen recently?
June 27: Hello all, thank you for all your observations of the Pitt peregrine nest. I haven’t been able to watch it (I’m hiking out of cell range during the day this week) http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2016/06/26/sort-of-off-the-grid/ Sorry I can’t answer questions until this coming weekend.
Just wondering at about 1:45/50 pm I believe Hope was defending nest against Magnum..this was Tuesday. Your input greatly appreciated. Was unable to see band on second Bird..
Deborah, thank you for your observations of the Pitt peregrine nest. I haven’t been able to watch it (I’m hiking out of cell range during the day this week http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2016/06/26/sort-of-off-the-grid/ ). So … sorry I can’t answer questions until this coming weekend.
Deborah, First Hope was in the nestbox around 1:45PM today. Then Terzo joined her & tried to sunbathe, but Hope kept squawking at him. I saw Terzo’s silver USFW band – Magnum’s is purple.
11:15 a.m. hope is at the nest way to go girl
11:30 Hope is in the nest preening.
Hope makes another appearance at the nest 🙂 Left at 11:35am.
Cannot see the band but one of the adults are sitting in the nest at 9:19 AM
It’s Hope, saw a flash of the green band on her leg.
Kate,
Is Hope’s behavior odd by her staying in the scrape for over three hours and being completely silent?
JL, no it is not odd. Dorothy used to do it a lot.
I have a couple questions. If they have already been address I apologize I was out of town for a few days. I see hope in the nest box. Is Magnum no longer in the picture and if so is it know what became of her? Also I see hope digging what appears to me as a new scrape. Is this normal even though the nesting season is over?
Sheryl, here’s information on why the adults visit the nest after the young have flown: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-why-do-the-adults-visit-the-nest-after-the-babies-are-gone/
Hope / Magnum: We don’t know where Hope and Magnum are when they are not in camera. We cannot identify peregrines by their bands while they are flying –> that’s the only way to tell the difference between these two females.
Just left nest at 10:54 AM
Hope left after almost 4 hours, but came back a short time later. She’s back to standing at the back of the scrape.
Good to know it’s normal. Thank you
I saw Hope in the nest at 1: 45 pm ; July 1 !!!
Hope is at the nest now too 3:31 pm July 1!
I am just flabbergasted by all this! Thanks for all you do Kate.
Kate, around 12:00 this afternoon Hope was in the scrape with Terzo, I think. Could you please verify if it was Terzo as some of Hope’s behavior made me question it. Thanks
Janet, yes it was Terzo. You could tell by his face — http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2016/04/06/who-is-who-at-the-pitt-peregrine-nest/
The nest was Hope’s before it was shared with Terzo. If he chooses Magnum, they will have to find another site. Hope will stay and protect the nest from any other’s that would want to claim it and she will find a new mate.
Terzo seemed to be more into Magnum than Hope, judging the bowing- although Hope seemed to be distracted at the time I saw them.
Usually they mate for life, but these were unusual circumstances and they didn’t share a lot of time together before incubating the eggs, which only one was maybe his.
Hopefully next year will be better for Hope.
Ev, Unlike humans who bond with their mates and then find a place to live, peregrines bond to the nest site and then mate with whoever is there. At this point, Terzo “owns” the Cathedral of Learning. We can tell that Hope does not “own” it completely because other females come to the site. A strong owner would chase all other females away before they reached the nest. The frequent presence of other females (both Magnum and a juvenile female) means that Hope is not a strong owner. If another female wins the site — no matter who it is — Terzo will mate with that female. Terzo will not leave this prime nest site to be homeless, or even at lower quality site, with another female.
Kate, do you know if Magnum is still in the picture? Thanks
Janet, I do not know.
Kate, please forgive my short memory if this has already been discussed. Did anyone verify for sure if Dori and Louie had a nest together this year?
Karen, Dori & Louie nested Downtown. We have photographic confirmation of Louie’s bands. Dori confirmed by behavior.
Kate, when they attach the grass carpet on the perch, is there any chance of them power washing the walls of the scrape? I guess to me, it seems a little unsanitary. Thanks.
Patty, no they will not power wash. The condition of the walls is normal at peregrine nest sites and is fine for peregrines.
Hope is at the scrape it is 3:50 p.m. on Sunday. Do peregrine falcons stand on one leg hope has her left foot up now
Patty, like all birds peregrines can stand on one leg if they want to. Here’s a picture of a peregrine standing on one leg. http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2009/11/24/in-a-tree/
This message is for Lamar K. (micmacmicky@comcast.net) who has posted several messages wanting to rename C1. If you know Lamar K, please pass this along to him.
—-
Lamar,
As we all know, naming is a sensitive issue. Here’s the protocol we use in Pittsburgh and how C1 got her juvenile name: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-how-do-peregrines-get-their-names/
You can always call the bird your favorite name on your own website but to avoid confusion here I will cross out or remove extra names, or (in the case of your comments) not publish a comment that is using or advocating for a different name.
Thank you for your understanding.
KStJ
At 10.50 am Terzo came in the nest black over red band he seems to be waiting for some
one
Sorry!! Wrong time it was 9:50 am he is looking good
At 10.50 am Hope joined Terzo in their nest, they did their bowing, Hope shouted at Terzo
and after a few minutes he left. Hope is still in the nest 11.05am
Magnum been she been at the nest lately at 11:30 Hope is at the scrape
I just saw a post of Facebook Pitt Peregrines that Magnum was spotted back at Neville Island. I am very happy she is ok, but now she knows where the Pitt nest is. Happy 4th everyone!
Hi, Kate – Do you have any information on how the downtown fledglings are doing? Are they still hanging around there or have they begun to move on? And what has happened with the young Hays eagles?
Mary Anne, on Friday I’ll have news of all the local peregrines. I’ve been out of touch about the Hays eagles. For photos/news of the Hays eagles see EaglesofHaysPA Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/eaglesofhayspa
Thanks, Kate.