23 April 2023

Around 6:15am today I was sure Morela is about to lay an egg so I waited to make an announcement … but she left the nest. Still no egg. Stay tuned at the National Aviary Falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning just in case.

Meanwhile most of the region’s peregrine pairs are on eggs. This update will be brief.

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Cathedral of Learning, Univ of Pittsburgh:

Ecco has been doing everything he can to prompt Morela to lay eggs, including bringing her tasty morsels for every meal. On 13 April he stored a woodcock on Dr. Alan Juffs’ air conditioning unit and returned to pick it up.

The pair bows frequently. In this photo he seems to be saying, “Please, Morela.”

This 24-hour timelapse video from 21-22 April shows how often they bow and that Morela is spending the night at the scrape. We are all … all … waiting.

Downtown Pittsburgh:

On 14 April Jeff Cieslak photographed a nest exchange Downtown on Third Avenue. Yes, one is still the brown bird I saw earlier in April. Jeff photographed the other one, too, and found out it’s banded. No reading on the bands yet.

Eckert Street near McKees Rocks Bridge, Ohio River:

At Eckert Street Jeff photographed a nest exchange on 13 April and the male attacking a red-tailed hawk on 10 April keeping the area safe. Yup. On eggs.

West End Bridge, Ohio River:

New peregrine site! Jeff staked out the West End Bridge until he confirmed a pair is lurking there.

One of the birds is banded! Again no read on the bands yet.

Jeff made a map of where to watch.

Westinghouse Bridge, Turtle Creek:

John English photographed a peregrine snoozing on 16 April. We think this pair is still on eggs.

Clairton Coke Works, Monongahela River:

NO PEREGRINES HERE. Last week Dana Nesiti found out that despite many checks on the quench tower no peregrines are nesting at USS Clairton Coke Works.

For all the news and sightings, check out this summary.

(photos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh, Dr. Alan Juffs, Jeff Cieslak, John English)