24 April 2023
Yesterday morning I was sure Morela was going to lay an egg but when Ecco brought her breakfast she left the nest for two hours. At 9:40am she tried laying again for 90 minutes but no egg. All afternoon it was Ecco on the green perch, not Morela, as you can see in the timelapse video below, 7am-7pm.
She returned to the nest at 8:22pm but did not lay last night.
This morning at 5:00am Ecco was back at his vigil on the green perch (photo at top). As of this moment (7:45am) he’s been back and forth to the perch but Morela still hasn’t come.
I don’t know what’s going on but it’s now so late in April that I think a challenger is unlikely.
All we can do is wait and watch the National Aviary Falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning.
We’re joining Ecco in his vigil.
(photos and videos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
I am beginning to think Morela might be egg bound. Every time I see her she is standing up & occasionally she squats down to dig in the scrape but gets up fairly fast. Yesterday I watched them bowing to each other & touching beaks for quite awhile. Ecco left first and a little while later she left as well.
I am very disappointed in the web site of the aviary….if it wasn’t for you we would not know anything…