2 March 2022
At the start of the nesting season it’s a good sign when the female peregrine spends the night at the nest. She is thinking about laying eggs.
For the past two nights, February 28 and March 1, Morela has spent part of each night at the Cathedral of Learning peregrine nest.
On the night of Feb 28-to-Mar 1 she arrived just before midnight and roosted on the green perch until 35 minutes before sunrise. By then it was light enough that Ecco woke up and called to her. Turn up your speakers and you’ll hear both voices in the video. Morela’s is gravelly, Ecco’s is a high squeak in the distance.
The pair had a busy day yesterday. At noon I saw them mating on the 38th floor ledge on the Heinz Chapel side, a location that can only be seen from the ground. Peregrines are very ostentatious when they mate because it’s a signal to all other peregrines that this territory is occupied and both birds are present. Very present!
At the end of the day Morela arrived at 6:17pm and waited for darkness before hopping up to the green perch.
She left at 2am, then returned this morning at 5am to wait for Ecco at dawn.
When will Morela lay her first egg? Last year her first egg was on 17 March. Stay tuned to the National Aviary falconcam to see when.
(photos and videos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
