!!! Oshawa Lake Ridge Hospital peregrines are on site and getting ready to lay eggs!
March 26, 2015 - Oshawa - Oshawa Activity
Mark Nash Reports:
March 26th - 2015
A quickly update on the Oshawa Lake Ridge Hospital peregrines. I was able to spend several hours today out in Oshawa after having delivered the new nest box that the CPF has built for them to provide a more hospitable nesting habitat for their resident peregrines. I was delighted to catch both peregrines in view, and I was lucky enough to have arrived on site with camera in hand when the “love-birds” were involved in courtship and mating activities with one another.
It would appear that the peregrines have decided to focus their attention on a lower roof top elevation as a possible location to lay their eggs this season, in comparison to the higher roof top elevation that they used last season. All of their attention during the three plus hours that I was on site, was focused entirely on this lower elevation.
Actually, after taking a close detailed look at this lower elevation, it appears to be a much better choice to nest, given that it has protection from both sides as well as a back wall that will protect them from any driving winds and rain. This particular spot emulates the typical “ledge” type nesting environment that peregrines look for when selecting a nest site. As we know only too well, peregrines typically don’t nest on the “top” of cliffs and prefer the safety and protection of a ledge on the side of the cliff. In this case, (and with most of the urban nesting peregrines), this particular elevation surrounded by walls on three sides is just that, a “big ledge” on the side of a man made cliff.
The other good news, is that I don’t see that this elevation is any more challenging to install the nest box on, although, it does remain to be seen when the time comes, as our initial plans was to install the new nest box on the other higher elevation roof top where they had nested and laid their egg last season.
While we have no visual confirmation of any eggs having been laid this season here at the Oshawa Health nest site, (and given the both birds were visible at the same time for over an hour, and copulation was observed during my visit), it is not likely that any eggs have been laid as yet given these events. (Also, in consideration of the cold unseasonal temps that we are still experiencing), if there were egg(s), the female would not have been off her incubation duties for this length of time if there was in fact any eggs,,,,,,
The colder temps usually have the females down in full time incubation regardless almost from the get-go regardless of the amount of eggs that they have produced.
It was obvious that neither of the resident peregrines were involved in any sort of incubation during the three hours of my observation period.
That being said, copulation has obviously begun, and egg(s) are very soon to follow!!!
I have attached some photos, (although not very good ones) as it was still spitting rain, somewhat misty and still quite breezy and cold! So there lies my excuse for such crappy photos! Hmmm, maybe I Just can’t admit to being a crappy photographer.
Stay tuned,,,, as there are more updates to follow………….
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