This morning at about 2:45am, Dori laid her first egg of the season at the Gulf Tower in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Thanks to Michelline who captured this screen shot. I’ll post more pictures today as the light gets better. (No color until the sun rises…)
Video! Here’s a YouTube video from Sharon Leadbitter, taken before dawn. You’ll see feathers flying from the left (Louie is plucking prey) and then Louie comes to the nest and bows to Dori to tell her breakfast is ready.
First color photo of the egg:
(photo from the National Aviary webcam at the Gulf Tower)
We are lucky to have infrared cameras to be able to view the Pittsburgh nests in the dark.
The Harrisburg peregrines are up to 3 eggs. The camera in Harrisburg goes black at night, since it doesn’t do i.r.: http://www.pacast.com/players/falcon.asp
Congratulations to Dori & Louie! I wonder if he will move the egg to his “favorite” scrape?
I’m working on getting a video posted to YouTube of Louie feeding her this morning at around 6:30
Question: are there any events around town like the “Celebrate Pittsburgh’s Peregrines” event on March 7? This blog & the two webcammed nests have really piqued my interest in peregrine falcons, and I’m wondering if there are any public events in the future. Thank you!
I knew it!! I was up until 1am working on a paper, and she was sitting in that same spot non-stop!! I just couldn’t stay awake anymore – but I knew she was going to lay it there. Which is so odd to me, as everytime I would watch her, she would arrange the other two scrapes! Last years and the one closer to the foreground.
I wonder at that…
I also wonder, since this is just her second clutch, if she’ll lay more than three? I guess we’ll know soon enough!!
Katie, I will be holding a “Fledge Watch” (http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-what-is-a-peregrine-fledge-watch/) at Schenley Plaza in Oakland around the 1st of June when the young peregrines are ready to fly from the Cathedral of Learning. We’ll also have a Sky Deck event over at the Aviary this summer. Watch my blog for more news of both events.
This is so exciting! It’s my first year watching the cams and I’m quickly becoming a bit addicted. If I remember correctly, at the March 7th event Kate mentioned that Dorothy lays an egg every other day once she gets going. That means another egg scheduled for arrival at some point today. Hope I get lucky and witness it.
Yes, every other day … but “today” will certainly extend into tonight and might be early tomorrow morning.
First egg was 3/13/2011 at 3:20pm
Second egg was 3/15/2011 at 9:42pm
So Dorothy waited more than 54 hours between eggs. If 54 hours are typical for Dorothy she will lay her next egg tomorrow morning at around 4:00am. HOWEVER, peregrines never seem to do what I predict so take this advice with a big grain of salt.
I observed from the 11th floor of the Steelworkers building next to the PPG Tower THREE Peregrines flying above the Oxford Tower about 12:30pm today. They circled the Oxford building a few times, and then out over the river and back flying in the direction of the Gulf Tower. Could this possibly be a challenge to Dori or Louie!
Yes it could be! My friend Karen and I saw a challenge at Pitt at 1:25pm. Dorothy chased the intruder away to the southwest. (See my report of the encounter as the last update on this blog: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2011/03/15/now-there-are-two/)
When did you see three? I wonder if it was the same one that was over at Pitt…?
Sharon, Thanks for posting the video. Those plucked feathers flying are hilarious!
About 12:15 to 12:30 today. I have checked the nest many times today and never see any activity.
It’s normal for peregrines not to sit on the eggs until the clutch is nearly complete. They might be perched nearby but the camera view is close now so you can’t see to left & right anymore. Info on peregrines is on my FAQs page here:
http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/
I thought the flying feathers were interesting as well .. like he’s Dori’s personal sous chef!!!
Number 3 at Cathedral of Learning at 9:15 a.m. on Friday!!!
This is the first time I have actually seen it happening! What a thrill!
This is one of the events I look forward to all year! Thanks for keeping us updated on the status, I figured with the increase in activity and sightings it would happen soon. Here in the RET we have a good view of both the Koppers and Gulf Towers, and we’re lucky enough to get close-ups too!
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb12/iceburgh13/0628101358abc-1.jpg
Wow Evan! What a great photo showing Louie’s view of Pittsburgh!