Diary - 2009

February 12
It's that time of year once again. Boy how time flies! Love is in the air - literally - and soon it will get serious. The Peregrines have begun mating behaviors on both sides of the Rock, as have other birds of prey. As usual, this page will provide updates as the season progresses, so settle in once again. Welcome back!

Unless otherwise indicated, all photos on this year's page are here courtesy Cleve of Cleve Nash.com. As always, visit his site frequently for amazing photos and video. The photo at the left of this and each diary page is, of course, used courtesy of Cleve. He gets better and better. Check out that detail and color - absolutely beautiful!

March 6, Friday
For almost a week now Khaos, the south side falcon, has been spending a lot of time in a new aerie. Two days ago I thought she and her new mate did an incubation exchange. This morning around 6:25, the tiercel was sitting on the edge of a cave; below and from the new aerie Khaos emerged. He flew off towards the back bay, returning twenty minutes later with what looked to be a Willet. He flew into the cave from which he had come. Khaos followed, retrieving the Willet and taking it to one of their frequent eating spots. The tiercel immediately went into the aerie to take over daddy duties. Success!

So far as hatching time goes, and assuming they may very well have started sitting eggs a day or more before I figured out what was going on, we should start watching for evidence that chicks are being fed. With incubations periods being 29 - 32 days, look for food being taken into the aerie on approximately April 3rd - 8th.

So, we're off and running on a new season that will, hopefully producing a beautiful new family of fledglings.

Both of the north/east side Peregrines are still here. Now to figure out where they are setting up for the season.

I see a lot of folks have been dropping by this page in the last couple of weeks. I'd like to welcome those of you who are new readers and offer up a "glad you're back hug" to all of you regulars. Some of us just never tire of this process or of keeping track of how all of our beloved falcons are doing. We are certainly blessed to have so many to keep track of each year.

March 7, Saturday
This morning I located the aerie being used by the north side Peregrines. They have also chosen an cave that hasn't been used in a few years. It is the one used by Milli in 2001 when she left behind the infamously lazy Rudy and relocated from the south side of the Rock. Here is a photo of the area, taken by Don and Pat Mallich.

March 17, Tuesday
It isn't that I forget about all of you, but there really isn't a lot going on during incubation. I go out early in the morning, hoping to catch the south side pair as they are waking up and going about their business. Today, as usual, Khaos was in the aerie as the sun came up. She appeared briefly at the edge, vocalized twice, then went back into the cave. Elvis appeared from a cave above and to the left, sat for about five minutes, then flew off over the jetty, veering off toward the sand spit and/or back bay as he reached the end of it. He was back 20 minutes later, carrying a good-sized shorebird. Khaos met him at the cave entrance, took the bird, and flew off to eat. Elvis stood at the entrance for a few minutes, then went in to take over sitting duties.

Over on the north side, I arrived just in time to see Milli leave the aerie with her breakfast. Esteban was sweeping back and forth across the face of the Rock, clearing out the gulls. It was a bad morning for the gulls - at the same time two Red-Tailed Hawks were circling above, causing all more chaos. Fun for me to watch though. Esteban went into the aerie once he had finished dusting away those pesky gulls.

Anyway, that is pretty much how each morning has been since I last wrote. What a beautiful place and wonderful time of the year it is.

March 17, Tuesday
This is not Peregrine related at all, but just an event I watched this evening around 5:45. I was headed home along lower State Park road by the campground when two hawks buzzed by to my left. They crossed nearly in front of me, traveling swiftly toward the salt marsh. I, of course, had to pull over, grab the binoculars and watch. One bird, I was certain, was an adult Marsh Hawk. (I know, I know - "Northern Harrier." I'm too old to change.) The other I couldn't identify until there was time to get out the bird book. (I think it was a juvenile Marsh Hawk [orangish belly, its head with dark streaks].)

Anyway, they flew straight across the marsh, low to the ground. Knowing little about their hunting habits, I wondered if they were working together. But, nearing a group of White Pelicans, the adult in the lead swerved and seemed to hit the other. They flew almost straight up into the air, then seemed to clash talons to talons. They weren't very high and were soon both on the ground, very close to the Pelicans. I couldn't tell much about what happened - my binoculars aren't that strong - but only saw one fly off. I watched for another 30 minutes, but saw nothing else.

March 29, Sunday
Yesterday evening, just before sunset, I was at the marina contemplating a bit of a personal dilema and staring at a large group of small shorebirds (you know the kind - they fly together in large numbers and create these beautiful sheets of wavering color - dark when going one way, then suddenly changing to light when they all turn and swirl off another direction). It was suddenly obvious why they were moving so quickly. A male Peregrine was diving through them. On its third pass, it grabbed one of the birds and headed back towards the Rock.

This morning Cleve suggested to me that it was probably the south side tiercel. He says that bird is always bringing back small prey items rather than something more substantial. (Sounds a bit like our lazy Rudy from the year 2000. He seldom brought food to Milli and, when he did, it was generally quite small.)

Anyway, on to this morning's actvities. There really isn't much to report beyond having seen the north side tiercel, Esteban, bring breakfast to the current Milli promptly at 7:00. She flew out to eat and he went in to take his turn at sitting eggs. Going right away over to the south side, I was just in time to see Khaos leaving the aerie with her breakfast. Elvis was sitting on the edge of the aerie, then turned and went inside. All is well.

April 5, Sunday
This morning at around 10:45 on the south side of the Rock, Cleve and I watched as Elvis brought in a small prey item, defeathered it a bit, and then carried it into the aerie. Success!!

It had been a rather unusual morning. When I arrived almost two and a half hours earlier, Khaos was sitting outside the aerie, high above under the large, overhanging, square boulder. She continued to sit there for two hours, just preening and looking for all the world as if she didn't have another thing to be doing. I was starting to wonder what in the world was going on when Elvis flew out of the aerie. He had been in there all that time - as it turns out, he was taking care of babies. When he came out, she went in and took over the job. He was gone for 15 minutes or so, then returned with the youngsters' breakfast. Well, snack anyway.

April 7, Monday
Around 4:45 I was watching the north side pair and am fairly sure that food was taken into the aerie.

April 16, Thursday
After two weeks of carefully watching the north side pair, Milli and Esteban, today I finally saw them take food into the aerie. I suspect they have been taking food in to youngsters for about as long as the north side pair - their schedule for feeding is possibly just different. That thought will bear out or not over the next couple of weeks. But, the important thing is that there is now active feeding going on with both pair.

April 19, Sunday
This morning, at around 8:45, both of our south side Peregrines took off with attitude across the bay toward the south jetty. At first I thought they were both just after the same prey item. Turned out, they were both after an intruder - another Peregrine apparently unaware that this territory was off-limits to him. At one point Khaos had him in her talons for several seconds, finally either losing her grip or just letting him go. With much excited "talking," Khaos and Elvis returned to the Rock. I didn't see what happened to the intruder, but certainly hope he survived without too much damage and has returned to his own territory.

April 23, Thursday
At 4:00 this afternoon Khaos flew into the aerie, landing just a little left of center at the edge of the cave. As she was landing just at the edge of the entrance, wings outspread, a fuzzy white youngster moved quickly up into view. Khaos stayed in place for several seconds, then moved deeper into the cave. The chick flapped its wings, following her inside. This doesn't count as chicks having appeared on the edge, out in the open for us, but it's close.

So, the fun begins. With luck, all four (crossing my fingers) little ones will hop on out to the edge tomorrow morning and some of our wonderful photographers will get photos to share with you tomorrow. Nothing to report on the north side Peregrines. Soon though.

April 24, Friday
After watching on the south side for about 2 hours this morning, I have absolutely no sightings of youngsters to tell you about. Cleve was still on watch when I left. Perhaps he will have other news.

However, the north side in the afternoon was a different story. It was very windy in and I only had a short time to stay. Parking as far away to the northwest from the aerie as possible, I was fortunate to have arrived just in time to see the falcon fly out of the cave towards the tiercel, who was circling nearby with what looked to be a pigeon in his talons. As the female left the aerie, there was definite wing flapping behind her from what looked to be three youngsters. I may be off here, because only wings were seen and it was very quick. When the falcon returned less than a minute later, having retrieved the pigeon, the youngsters inside the cave flapped their wings again as they converged on their meal. Definitely two chicks, possibly a third.

April 27, Monday
Once again, no chicks appearing to report, but Cleve sent along some photos of Khaos at the aerie. We're so lucky to have Cleve to entertain us as we pace. Photo one: It looks as if she has a morsel in her left talon.

       

May 1, Friday
This is certainly going to sound like an old record, but still no youngsters to report having sighted. Today counts as day 25 since Cleve and I saw food being taken into the aerie. After looking through my notes, I see that in the past there have been anywhere between 21 and 26 days between hatching and the first appearance of the kids on the edge where we could watch them. So . . . dare I suggest that *surely* there will be chicks gazing down on us tomorrow?

May 3, Sunday
At 8:20 this morning there was no fog, the weather was pleasantly warm, there was no wind, but there was this little critter. (Photo

Sorry, but the photo was taken by me with my point and click camera. Cleve will get some great ones for us soon. I'm just thrilled this beautiful little chick showed up and made my day.

May 4, Monday
It was very foggy all of today, but during a thinning of the shroud, I saw two chicks sitting at the edge of the aerie. Maybe tomorrow we'll have three. Four? No news on the north side brood yet, but food is still being taken in by both parents.

May 7, Thursday
Cleve got this shot ot the south side youngsters this morning. It looks as if the kid in the middle is older by a day or two than the one on the left. All terrific.

Two chicks were looking down from the north side aerie this morning. Pretty exciting. Now if that fog will just stay away, I'll be happy.

May 13, Wednesday
Cleve has noted, and Janet (formerly of Santa Cruze PBRG) agrees, that all of these chicks are females. Their big feet give them away. This morning the oldest of the three has begun branching, trying with limited success to climb up the outside of the aerie. She almost made it about two feet when she slid down and landed on her rump. Bet she makes it there and much further tomorrow.

Still nothing to report about the north side. Food goes in, no youngsters appear. That side *always* confuses me. Most likely I'm just watching at the wrong times. I've seen two in the past; so has Jeff. A relatively new observer, Eric, has seen two. In a day or so we should start seeing them more regularly.

May 14, Thursday
This morning one of the south side girls had managed to climb/flap her way to the large double cave just above the aerie. The second one looks to be just a day or two younger than her, so most likely she will be out tomorrow.

May 17, Sunday
Photo 3 above and to the right side is from Norm Sherr of a north side chick, taken yesterday. As you can see, it looks to be about a week younger that the south side fledglings. I'm thinking there is one more in the aerie, perhaps even more. Might as well have positive thoughts.

The south side youngsters were out and about, thrilling us, this morning - once the fog cleared enough for us to see them. One of them landed on a ledge that had a bit of an overhang. It was also just above another where some Western Gulls were nesting. Perhaps Cleve will have some photos later today.

This from Cleve:

This fledgling hid from the gulls for two hours, finally took off and was chased again, landed on top of another gull and took cover under a bush when the enraged gull tried to kill it.

       

     

May 18, Monday
Well, I'm not feeling good about that third nestling. In four hours of watching today (some in the fog), I was only able to see two fledglings at any time. Same as yesterday and the day before. Perhaps she will show up tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 19
Still no sighting, by me anyway, of three fledglings. There was a lot of activity with both parents and the two youngsters I'm sure are still around. For now I'm just going to assume I'm just missing the third and she will be evident tomorrow.

May 21, Thursday
These kids are quickly losing their white down and are flapping vigorously. Expect branching by tomorrow with fledging to follow within the next couple of days.

May 22, Friday
It was another gray, overcast, chilly day, but I do have one bit of very good news to report. On the south side today, all three fledglings were visible at once. It was during a raucous feeding time and five Peregrines were in the air at once - both adults carrying food, all three youngsters wanting it. Lots of fun.

May 24, Sunday
This morning's viewing was cut short for me by the Memorial Weekend human noise and activity, but for the 2 hours I stuck it out, there was the expected busy, loud activities of the three south side fledglings. This seriously is a great time for you to make it out to the Rock if you want to see Peregrines learning to be efficient raptors.

In the twenty minutes I spent on the north side, the two youngsters were clinging to the right side of the rock formation where the aerie is located. There was some flapping and scratching to gain altitude, but not much else. Milli sat nearby - about 15 feet to the left and up about 5 feet. She was just calmly looking around. Later this afternoon both of the kids were back in the aerie. Esteban brought in what looked to be a pigeon, causing a lot of wing flapping and squawking from the youngsters, then a big swirl of white feathers when he left.

May 31, Sunday
Barring any unusual activity, this will be the last entry this year.

As you will have read earlier here, three female Peregrines fledged on the south side of the Rock. Both of the north side youngsters have also fledged, the female finally taking flight a few days ago. Another successful season concludes. How very blessed we are to have once again been able to witness an increase in the Peregrine population. See you next year!

As always, be sure and visit CleveNash.com for lots more photos of this year's kids.

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