FALCON FLASH
Dateline: Cleveland, Ohio
March 23, 2008
SW laid a third egg late at night on March 20. The next day, snow arrived - the parents kept the precious eggs covered. Yes, that’s a bird covered with snow!
Last year, SW and Buckeye had 4 eggs, but one of the eggs mysteriously cracked and another did not hatch as well. Most peregrines have three or four eggs, with young females producing less and some females having five or even seven eggs. However, it seems to be difficult for most peregrine parents to keep up with feeding more than 4 hungry growing chicks.
incubation usually lasts 33 to 35 days from the date the last egg, or the second last, was laid. You can do the math - approximately when will the first chick hatch? For the next month or so, SW will spend most of her time incubating the eggs. Buckeye will sit on the eggs for a few hours each day, so that SW can go out and stretch her wings. Most importantly, Buckeye will catch food and bring it to SW. When it is cold the parents will sit very tight, because the precious eggs must not be uncovered for even a minute or two.
