In March Pennsylvania’s peregrine falcons stay close to home, defending their territory and engaging in courtship.  The females will lay eggs this month.

1. Downtown Pittsburgh:

On Thursday March 1, Dori spent the entire day alone at the Gulf Tower.  She appeared to be watching and waiting for Louie, though he never arrived.  At age 16 Louie is quite old for a peregrine so he’s probably being challenged by a younger male this spring.

The next day all was well.  Lori Maggio found both peregrines at Lawrence Hall on Third Avenue, Louie circled on the left, Dori on the right.

All of Downtown Pittsburgh is “home” for this pair but where will they nest?  We won’t know until Dori lays her first egg some time between March 8 and April 2.  It may take us a while to find out.

2. Cathedral of Learning:

At the University of Pittsburgh, Hope spends her nights at the nest, a sign that she’s thinking of egg laying.  In the two years she’s nested at Pitt her first egg dates were March 13 and 15.

Terzo visits the nest, too, and calls for her to bow with him.  Yesterday she didn’t feel like it.

There are now ten sites in western Pennsylvania where peregrine falcons have been seen at home this March.  From Pittsburgh to Erie, stop at these sites for a look.  Click here for directions.

1. Downtown Pittsburgh at the Gulf Tower and on Third Avenue near Point Park University
2. Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh
3. Westinghouse Bridge, Allegheny County, over Turtle Creek
4. McKees Rocks Bridge, Allegheny County, over the Ohio River
5. Neville Island I-79 Bridge, Allegheny County, over the Ohio River
6. Monaca-East Rochester Bridge -or- Monaca-to-Beaver RR Bridge, Beaver County, both span the Ohio River
7. Tarentum Bridge, Allegheny-Westmoreland County, over the Allegheny River
8. The Route 422 Graff Bridge, Kittanning, Armstrong County, over the Allegheny River
9. NEW!  Route 51 Elizabeth Bridge, Allegheny County, over the Monongahela River (Check the superstructure.)
10. Erie Waterfront, Erie County, PA

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(photos from the National Aviary falconcams at Pitt and Gulf; click on the images to watch the falconcams)