What’s Happening at the Nest?
Some viewers may have noticed that the beak of the female (95/AK) is currently more blunt than that of the male falcon. This is the result of an injury that occurred prior to the launch of the Falcon Cam. Though we have no way of knowing the specific circumstances that led to the injury, it was almost certainly caused by some sort of collision.
The sharp tip of hooked raptor beaks helps them to consume their prey by allowing them to tear off small bits of flesh. Even with the tip of her beak missing, the female appears to be in great body condition and is behaving normally, which indicates that she has been able to successfully feed herself. Despite the injury, we anticipate that she will still be able to contribute, along with her mate, to hunting for and feeding any chicks that are hatched. Read the rest of this post…
The female falcon inspects the fourth egg before maneuvering it into place alongside the other three eggs.
Just after noon on 3/27 the fourth egg was laid! Assuming this is the last egg in the clutch, we can expect hatching to begin sometime between April 26th and April 28th.
Five-egg clutches are relatively uncommon in peregrines but not out of the realm of possibility. The original Richmond falcon pair, which nested downtown from 2003 to 2016, had only one 5-egg clutch during their tenure. If a fifth egg is on the way, falcon fans can expect to see it laid sometime within the next 48-72 hours.
If you were tuning into the Falcon Cam last night (3/24) around 10:45 pm you likely saw the arrival of the third egg. If a fourth egg is on the way, we expect it to be laid sometime between Sunday (3/26) afternoon and Monday (3/27) evening.
The female falcon (right) enters the nest box to spend some time atop the three eggs, relieving the male (left) who was previously sitting on them.
- Read more updates in the archive…
Internet service to the Falcon Cam provided courtesy of Comcast Business.
The DWR Falcon Cam follows the breeding season of a peregrine falcon pair that nests in downtown Richmond, Virginia. The nest box is located atop the Riverfront Plaza building. If you’re in the area, look up! You may catch a glimpse of the famous birds! We hope each year that the pair will once again choose to nest at this site, so that our camera may provide an educational experience for all to enjoy.