Incubation seems to be progressing well. Here is a rare look at the eggs as the parents switch places.
This year, as usual, there is work being done on SW and Buckeye’s skyscraper home, and they are always watchful. Recently, Mrs. Denise Fraley, 8th grade teacher at Rock Hill Middle School in Ironton, Ohio, visited Cleveland and stopped by to look for the falcons. Mrs. Fraley took a picture of Buckeye with some of the construction equipment being used on the skyscraper.
Mrs. Fraley describes her visit: “My family took in the sights of Cleveland …… while there to attend a Cavs game and of course we walked to see the falcons that my class has been observing the last few years. It was a dreary, rainy Saturday and I had just about given up hope when I heard the familiar falcon cries. In swooped one of the resident falcons. He (assuming it was Buckeye) was vocalizing a lot, and seemed extremely comfortable in the busy public square world. Construction and jets above, noisy traffic and people below, but you could tell he was king.”
Work being done so close to the nest is always a worry, but it seems as though the birds have become somewhat accustomed to human presence. However, the falcons don't like intruders in their territory, either human or other birds, and volunteer nest monitor Mr. Wright reports the birds have been chasing off turkey vultures. An eyewitness described seeing Buckeye chase a turkey vulture several years ago: “He actually landed momentarily on the vulture’s back and I could see feathers falling to the ground. After the attack, the vulture flew faster than I have ever seen a vulture fly--with Buckeye right on his tail. It was quite an aerobatic show with both birds spinning and looping in the air.” The following picture shows a turkey vulture. It is a very large bird, with a wingspan of about six feet, while a peregrine is about the size of a crow.
Over the years Mr. Wright has reported that the male falcon (usually it's the male) has chased off interlopers much larger than himself, such as bald eagles and a great-horned owl, as well as hawks and others who dare to cross the Falcon No Fly Zone. Peregrines are fierce predators and sometimes fight, if they must, to protect their nest. Twice at this nestsite, there have been fights between female peregrines that resulted in the deaths of the losers. Several times, Buckeye and SW have dive-bombed human window washers who came too close. One of the best stories Mr. Wright tells is when he watched a male chase the Goodyear Blimp during a Cleveland Indians game.
To watch the falcons live go to: http://www.falconcam-cmnh.org/news.php Our thanks to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for sponsoring the FalconCams and for the still. .
The photo of the turkey vulture is courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Thanks to Mrs. Fraley for the picture of Buckeye flying. The other photo is courtesy of Scott Wright, volunteer peregrine nest monitor. It may be used by children for school and/or personal projects, but please give Mr. Wright photo credit. All others must contact Mr. Wright directly for permission to use his photos.
