19 April 2022
Incubation is boring, but hatching begins next week!
Of the eleven sites we’re monitoring in Southwestern PA, six of them are definitely or likely to be incubating. Right now it’s boring at all the sites but excitement is coming soon. Hatching begins next week at Pitt. The others can’t be far behind.
Cathedral of Learning, Univ of Pittsburgh:
Morela and Ecco’s first three eggs have been incubating since 23 March and are due to hatch on/about 26 April, the 4th egg around 28 April, and the much later 5th egg (the whitish one) around 3 May.
All the dates are guesses. Watch the Cathedral of Learning nest on the National Aviary falconcam to see if I’m right.
Meanwhile, get a flavor of how boring incubation is in this Day-in-a-Minute video from 16 April. Can you tell when Morela and Ecco trade places? Morela is the bigger bird.
Peek-a-boo! Did you see that whitish egg make an appearance?
Downtown Pittsburgh:
I set up my scope on Mt. Washington near the Monongahela Incline on 17 April to look into the nest on Third Avenue. See that small black and white spot on the left? It moved. It’s a bird. The Downtown peregrines are incubating. I have no idea when the eggs will hatch.
Monaca RR Bridge, Ohio River: Mark Vass reports a single peregrine on 15 April 2022.
Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge, Ohio River: No news since 8 March 2022.
Sewickley Bridge, Ohio River:
Mystery at Sewickley! We thought this pair was incubating eggs but Jeff Cieslak saw them mating on 17 April. Was there a changeover in one of the pair? Did the nest fail? Were they not incubating after all? Jeff’s visits and pictures will solve the mystery some day.
Eckert Street / McKees Rocks Bridge area, Ohio River:
Jeff Cieslak continues to see the male and female trading off at the nest, most recently on 18 April. Incubation is definitely underway at Eckert Street.
Westinghouse Bridge, Turtle Creek:
Incubation continues at the Westinghouse Bridge. Dana Nesiti saw a nest exchange on 16 April.
62nd Street Bridge / Aspinwall Riverfront Park, Allegheny River: No news since mid-March.
Tarentum Bridge, Allegheny River:
From a distance Dave Brooke can usually see the incubating adult in the nestbox at Tarentum Bridge, most recently on 10 April.
Graff Bridge, Rt 422, Kittanning, Allegheny River: No news since 16 March.
Speers Railroad Bridge, Washington County, Monongahela River: No news since February.
(photos by National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh, Kate St. John, Jeff Cieslak, Dana Nesiti, Amber Van Stein and Wikimedia Commons)