The peregrine falcon webcam will be offline until February 1, 2011.  This season certainly had it’s ups and downs and we definitely learned a lot.  The current pair has been continually strengthening their bond through courtship rituals such as bowing and working on their scrapes so hopefully next season will provide us with some young falcons to watch!

Clear into the Future, a DuPont Delaware Estuary initiative, and the Delmarva Ornithological Society will host their Third Annual Wilmington Falcon Watch on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (rain date: Thursday, June 24) on the top level of the 11th Street Parking Garage in downtown Wilmington.

Members of the public may attend the event free of charge, and children are welcome. Optical equipment and light refreshments will be provided.

A newly established falcon pair should provide some exciting and up close views while in flight.

Bill Stewart, DOS

The past two days, the female has really been checking out all the scrapes.  This may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I think maybe she’s deciding which one she wants to lay her eggs in! 

Happy Memorial Day!

It looks like there are actually three scrapes.  Let’s hope she doesn’t pick the scrape on the far right! 

We should know within a week if she’s going to lay eggs or not.  As I said, I’m very optimistic!

It looks like they’re working on two scrapes and fortunately they’re both in view of the camera!   I’m hoping she choses the one on the left which is pretty much where the old one was.  It’s a little hard to see them so I’ve circled the areas in red.

The falcons were seen copulating today which is exciting news!!!  I’m guessing this wasn’t their first time so it’s hard to say when she should start laying eggs, but it normally takes about two weeks.  I should probably say IF she lays eggs.  It’s sure looking that way but I guess only time will tell…

Here’s a picture of the male working on a scrape.  He really spreads his wings out!

We just found out that the new male falcon is from Wilmington!!!  He is one of five falcons raised in 2006 at the current nest site!!!

This is an email from Craig Koppie…

“Hi everyone. Here are a few observations made on May 14th.

2:15 I observed the new male and female on the nest ledge. The female was vocalizing in a manner that demonstrated her willingness to mate. She jumped to the lower nest area and called the male. He bowed and e’chuped for a good while. He then strutted, and dropped his shoulders and began dragging his wings. He then laid his body down against the upper shelf floor, got up and flew from the ledge. Clearly, he has a strong interest in being her mate.

2:30 (approx.) The female flew from the box. I clocked the period of time she vacated the nest box. After she revisited, I clocked her again and planned to immediately remove the eggs after she left figuring I had at least 10 minutes to remove the addled eggs and add smaller sized pea-gravel near the center of the box before her return.

2:55 I quickly removed the 4 eggs, added the new pea gravel and grabbed some prey feathers

3:20 She returned; did some feather preening and took a quick glance at the nest area. She didn’t show any interest that the eggs were missing. She entered the nest area a bit later and the male returned vocalizing and bowing. He moved in closer from which I was able to read his color band. I couldn’t wait to check the numbers as I knew he was one I banded several years ago.
AND NOW THE BIG FINALLY…………………………….. THIS YEAR HAS HAD SOME EXTRAORDINARY TURNS OF EVENTS IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. THE RESIDENT FEMALE WAS LOST TO A NEW FEMALE. TWO MALES WERE FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTFUL CLAIM OF THE NESTING TERRITORY. SHE LATER LOST HER MALE MATE ENDING THE REIGN OF THE ORIGINAL KEEPERS OF THE LEDGE AT THE BRANDYWINE BUILDING. BUT NOT SO FAST. HISTORY IS IN THE MAKING AGAIN. NOT ONLY HAS THERE BEEN A TOTAL “PAIR” REPLACEMENT, WE HAVE A NEW MALE BREEDER THAT NEVER LEFT HOME!!!! YES, OUR NEW BOY IS FROM THE BRANDYWINE BUILDING; BANDED AS A NESTLING IN MAY 2006. THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE FIRST CONFIRMATIONS OF ITS’ KIND.

(I am sure we are all happy to know the nesting female is no longer his mother! )”

The male and the female were seen bowing inside the box again and the male has started working on a scrape!

The male was inside the nestbox briefly this morning and they were bowing to each other!

She has also been working on several different scrapes!  Normally the male initially makes the scrapes and then the female decides which one she wants to use.  Hopefully the male will start working on some soon!

The nonviable eggs were removed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service today for examination. Some theories on the failure include the female being young (second-year bird) and not yet able to produce viable eggs, or that her inexperience in nesting and time away from the eggs may have contributed to the loss, along with a missing mate to support her nesting efforts.

The new male has been seen in the nestbox twice now but doesn’t stay for long.  The two birds have been doing a lot of ee-chupping and courtship bowing.  Hopefully the male will start coming in the nestbox more and we’ll be able to see their interaction.

As they say…it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings!