In a turnabout since early May, Terzo is now spending more time at the Pitt peregrine nest than Morela even though there’s no nesting going on. He sunbathes at the nest and sometimes shades the eggs.

Morela sunbathes, too, though not as often.

This is quite different from Terzo’s behavior in May after Morela laid eggs on May 9 and 16. At that point he was still in a contest with an unbanded male named Ecco. On May 17 Morela began incubating the eggs but neither Terzo nor Ecco helped so she stopped on May 22.

Apparently Ecco is gone. Terzo is so confident of this that he closes his eyes and sleeps in full view of the sky. We don’t know if Ecco is gone forever but Terzo isn’t worried.

This week Terzo sometimes shelters the eggs even though they aren’t viable. He seems to know this and never incubates.

Every day is similar. Morela and Terzo bow at the nest around 9am. Terzo later sunbathes or shades the eggs if the weather is hot. Morela may sunbath or perch in front. Many hours pass with neither bird at the Cathedral of Learning nest. The peregrines come to enjoy the sun.

Watch Terzo and Morela’s activities in four Day-in-a-Minute videos, June 8 through 11. Each video lasts 60 seconds; it will take four minutes to watch them all.

(photos and videos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ. of Pittsburgh)