Let’s take a look back at last year’s peregrine season with a slideshow of Pitt nesting highlights.  (Click on any photo to open the slideshow in its own lightbox.)

2017 was a lot calmer at the Cathedral of Learning nest than the year before.  Fortunately there was only one dramatic incident: Hope’s abnormal behavior on April 25.  Here’s a summary:

• Hope and Terzo courted in February.
• She laid her first egg on March 15.
• During egg laying Hope often shouted at Terzo.  She ultimately laid four eggs.
• Abnormal behavior:  As the 1st egg began to hatch on April 25, Hope killed and ate the chick.
• The remaining three eggs hatched without incident. Hope and Terzo fed them well.
• One male and two female nestlings were banded on Banding Day, May 17.
• Alas, the male died when he hit a window at SEI on June 17.
• Alas again. On July 9, one of the females was found dead at the Allegheny County airport.
• In late December, Hope and Terzo bowed at the nest on Christmas Day.

The 2018 nesting season will be here soon.  Stay tuned at the National Aviary falconcam at the University of Pittsburgh.

(slideshow photos from the National Aviary falconcam at University of Pittsburgh and by Peter Bell, John English and Kate St. John)