27 January 2021

Peregrine Season is fast approaching. At the Cathedral of Learning, Terzo and Morela are visiting the nest for brief periods every other day. Yesterday, 26 January, they bowed for four minutes as shown in motion detection snapshots(*) above.

Interestingly, the pair did not move enough to trigger motion detection for most of their bowing time. Courtship must have been pretty intense.

Meanwhile there has been no sign of the second male peregrine, Ecco, since 26 December. I hope he has found his own territory and won’t be back.

Here’s a bridge to watch:

The 62nd Street Bridge nestbox, 3.2 miles away from the Cathedral of Learning, was vacant in 2020 after the tiercel died and “Ms Indiana”(Black/Blue 48/N) moved to the Westinghouse Bridge. In the prior year, 2019, she successfully raised at least one fledgling so we know this is a good site.

A week ago, 20 January 2021, Joe Stavish saw a peregrine fly over Tree Pittsburgh’s field next to the 62nd Street Bridge. Fingers crossed that we’ll have a pair here this year.

Peregrine Season is about to begin! Start watching for peregrines at these sites.

(*) p.s. The Cathedral of Learning peregrine nest can be seen on the snapshot camera here. Please be patient. The streaming camera will start next week.

(photos from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)