3 January 2021

Now that the days are getting longer our local peregrine falcons are staying close to home and defending their territories. Pittsburgh has six more minutes of sunlight since the winter solstice. Peregrines are thinking of spring.

Westinghouse Bridge:

Yesterday, 2 Jan 2021, Dana Nesiti found both peregrines at the Westinghouse Bridge. The female watched from the catwalk (above) while the male carried a snack.

Tarentum Bridge:

On Tuesday 29 December, Dave Brooke found both peregrines perched on the same beam at the Tarentum Bridge. The female is the same spotted-breast bird who has nested there since 2018.

Cathedral of Learning:

At the Cathedral of Learning three peregrines have visited the nest since the winter solstice. Ecco and Morela courted during Christmas week, 22-26 December, shown above.

Then on Christmas Bird Count day I saw two males chasing while Morela waited at home. Terzo must have won the chase. He and Morela courted last week and Terzo has been present ever since.

Will either one of the males finally win the territory this spring? Or will both persist and the nest fail again?

Your guess is as good as mine.

(photos from Westinghouse Bridge by Dana Nesiti, Tarentum Bridge by Dave Brooke, and from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)