Yesterday we had good brief views of the three peregrine nestlings at the Gulf Tower. By now we’re certain that the last two eggs won’t hatch.
The fourth egg pipped on Friday April 21 but the chick did not live to emerge from its shell. Dori tried to help it along, as seen in this videomark, but that was not enough.
You can see the crack in egg #4 in this pre-dawn photo from April 23 as Dori and Louie examine the egg.
When the adults allow a look, the crack is obvious in daylight.
Eventually Dori and Louie will move both unhatched eggs away from the chicks.
Meanwhile at Pitt, when I first published this article I couldn’t see any pips in the eggs during the 7:09am nest exchange. But …
Some viewers caught a quick glimpse at a pip at 7:25am. And at 8:10am Shannon Platt captured this photo of Terzo turning the eggs. Hatching has begun.
As I said before, we don’t know if Hope will kill some of her young when they hatch — as she did last year — but keep this Caution in mind: Don’t watch the eggs hatch at the Cathedral of Learning if it upsets you to see that behavior.
(photos from the National Aviary falconcams at Gulf Tower and Cathedral of Learning)
At 7:30 this morning, Hope was adjusting positions. I believe there was a pip in one of the eggs. It may be worth a video review. Fingers crossed for a healthy hatching at the Cathedral.
Kristen, Thanks for the heads up but I don’t see any pips. I checked the eggs during the nest exchange at 7:09am and they all appear to be intact. Normally the mother peregrine refuses to do a nest exchange during hatching. If we’re at hatching, I wonder why Hope exchanged with Terzo.
I also saw a pip with Hope at 7:34.
I also saw what looked like a pip at the cathedral at ~8:12 this morning
Could Dori’s age be the reason eggs aren’t fully hatching? We don’t know how many eggs she laid the past 2 years as she was out of sight.
Those 3 little fluff balls are so cute already. Love how Louie drops off food to the nest for their breakfast. they are such good parents. So glad they picked this nest site so we can watch them. Next couple of days will decide fate of cathedral nest. I am hoping it is a success and we can watch both families. Both sets of parents are beautiful birds.
Didn’t Hope reside at a different nest site before coming to the Cathedral? Does anyone know if she consumed any of her young before?
Barb, yes she did but there was no camera at that site so we don’t know.
The cam at the gulf tower shut down yesterday and I’m still grtting messages saying that the server is not working. I was watching and it just shut off. Pitt and other cams still working. Is anyone else having that problem?
Hope was carrying one of the eggs in her beak a moment ago. Now she put it back under her stomach with the others. I’ll wait to hear some good news. Rather not watch if she’s going to behave weirdly like last year. The chicks at the Gulf Tower nest appear to be healthy and thriving. Dori and Louie are great parents!
One of the Pitt parents was carrying the hatching egg around with its beak, but then put it underneath and is now incubating all of them.
Ann, that was Hope.
Oh dear… it’s not looking good.
6:46pm – one of the eggs is open and Hope is doing something – her body is blocking the view so it’s not clear what’s going on …
It’s not looking good at Hope’s nest.
Approx. 18:46. We have a hatching at the Cathedral….
Looks to me like Hope just killed the first chick that hatched. If this goes on again this year, would the game commission consider capturing her and putting her in an educational program or something? That type of behavior would seem to indicate there is something wrong with her.
Kate, could you please take a look at Hope. I think she just did what we were all afraid of. Sometime around 6:50pm. Thanks
Janet, I am about to go into a meeting but others say that’s what it looks like. Again, I’m unavailable for several hours.
There has got to be something wrong in that girls DNA. She’s doing what shes supposed to to hatch the eggs – and then just dispose of them right away…. it’s just so bizarre.
I just wanted to point out that from the PDF linked from this site, it shows the history of Hope at Tarentum Bridge. In 2012 she had two chicks, in 2013 one chick, and in 2014 two chicks. Last year she successfully raised one chick.
Despite her having traits that may be strongly disliked, she is a survivor. Is her behavior aberrant in any other way? She seems to be able to hold reign over the Cathedral nest despite other potential interlopers. During last year’s banding, I read that she was extra feisty in defending her chick. I think there is a lot for researchers to learn, especially from an individual that shows traits that are not considered normal.
Let me correct myself, in 2013 Hope had one abandoned egg, no chicks fledged that year. My apology for my error.
Oh no, not again. I haven’t seen Terzo, either.
WHY does Hope do this??? It’s tragic!
As of 7:24 this morning, it looks like we may have one that hatched – and doing ok.
Good Morning,
At 7:24 this morning, (I think it is Hope on the nest), it appears her first
hatched chick is moving and ok. Terzo made an off-nest appearance and
Hope got off the chick and then right back on.
Oh my gosh, Deborah, I hope you’re right! That is such potentially delightful news!
Whatever is happening, Hope is a wild animal responding to her instincts, even if it’s hard for us to watch sometimes. Judging her behavior through the lens of human expectations doesn’t do anybody any good.
Still … really, really hoping C6 is okay after all 🙂
Hi Kate, Quick question. Will they band the chicks at the Gulf tower, and when was the last time they were able to band one of Dori and Louies chicks? Thank you so much for all the great information.
Cindy P, yes PGC will band the Gulf Tower chicks. The last time they were banded is the last time they nested within reach (at the Gulf Tower) in 2014.