In a dramatic series of events that no one could have foreseen any hope of a clutch in 2012 dimmed with each passing day. It all started with a territorial battle between Beauty and Unity in February. Beauty was found on the ground seriously injured and would require much rehab. Unity then claimed the nest box and mated with Archer. But just as she was about to lay her first egg in March Archer appeared with injured legs possibly from a territorial battle. He was not able to recover and I believe he did not survive. Alone with her egg she then began mating with the new male in town Dot.ca. And then the unthinkable, in April Unity is struck and killed by a car and that very same evening Beauty who has been released returns to the nest box. Two events, both caused by human intervention, one leaves us angry and grieving and the other brings us happiness and hope.
For our Beauty, although she appears a bit disheveled, is one brave and determined falcon. But there will be trouble in the days ahead as both her and Dot.ca claim the nest box as their own. I believe they are both confused about the loss of their original mates and uncertain of each other. Dot.ca dives bombs Beauty at the nest box daily but she is not going anywhere. Although it is frustrating and difficult to watch she is not harmed. Other males show up and attempt to mate with Beauty but Dot.ca chases them away. Finally after three weeks of this a sight to behold as we witness bowing between them in the nest box. Is it possible they will finally come together and mate . On April 29th we get our answer as bonding is witnessed between them. But is it too late in the season for a clutch ?
In the middle of all this drama a little egg has sat in the nest box. Laid by Unity after she mated with Archer and then orphaned, most certainly well past the possibility of being viable. And yet she remains waiting and I name her Angel Egg. She is ready when on the 16th of May Beauty lays a miracle egg and then another on the 19th. Hope soars once again for a 2012 clutch. Now the wait began to see if either of the eggs would hatch. Beauty had been under much stress, suffering injuries and then the initial harassment from Dot.ca. Would it affect the eggs ? Beauty begins incubating and Angel Egg remains next to the two eggs. Dot.ca immediately takes to the egg sitting job but Beauty is not to thrilled about it and often kicks him off 'her' eggs. But one early June morning it is Dot.ca on the eggs when the shell breaks beneath him and he is quite surprised to find his newborn son.
And so after months of trial and tribulation on June 20th, 2012 a miracle PEFA finally hatches. We wait to see if the other egg will hatch as well but it doesn't so there will be only one. But after everything that has transpired one is more than expected and there is much rejoicing. Beauty is once again thrilled to be a Mom and this only child will get her undivided attention. Dot.ca is also eager but is an inexperienced first time Dad. He makes rather a mess of the baby while attempting to feed him but soon gets the hang of it.
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Dot.ca feeding eyas
Banding day comes on July 13th. Angel Egg is removed from the nest box at this time but she has left a lasting presence that will forever remain . The eyas is a male and the name chosen for him is Orion. A constellation of course, with a long O, but is not until I am downtown watching sometime later that I realize I have mispronounced it and so to me he will always be Orion pronounced like Oreo. A good laugh I have over this but at least he will require no other nickname. As an only child with no other siblings to play with Orion finds a little stone named Orville in the box and befriends him. Orville has been around since the Mariah and Kaver days and is part of the Rochester falcon legacy. Orion plays with Orville by pushing him around the box and often sleeps beside him.
On August 2nd Orion takes his first flight off cam 4 the opposite ledge of Times square . He is now officially a fledgling. He takes several more flights and ends up on a Times Square windowsill where a watcher works and we get a great video clip of him resting there. Over the next few days as his flights improve he will find the Frontier Com Tower known as the falcon jungle gym. A great place to learn and practice on and there he finds an abandoned nest which he likes to play in. On August 18th Orion flies back to the nest box to check on his old friend Orville. He manages to get him out onto the deck where he apparently thinks Orville should fledge from like he did. But alas Orville can not fly and he ends up on the sidewalk and street below in several pieces. Orville will require some serious rehab. Orion continues his flying lessons and keeps his parents very busy as they teach him the ways of the falcon.
Well written Linda, miss that boy!
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