Hi all – It’s been a while, I know. But we have exciting news to share, so I’ll get right to it. A Fledgling Takes a (Too Early) Flight Two and a half weeks ago, I was watching the camera feed of the peregrine nest site when one of the fledglings decided to take a…
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It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been monitoring the falcons pretty closely and wanted to wait a bit so I could be sure to share good news! We have three chicks or eyases (as young falcons are called). Two reached two weeks old this past Saturday, the third turned two weeks on…
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While the world is pretty much shut down due to the pandemic, the campus grounds are thriving and full of color. Crabapple trees account for most of it. These “bridesmaids” to the past week’s spring debut are arrayed in shades from pure white to slight blush, cotton candy to sparkling rosé. They parade up and…
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Today, campus greets this May morning like a blushing bride – adorned in soft shades of white, cream and pink, wreathed in a sweet floral fragrance, with a light, airy train behind her as she treads lightly on a grassy path strewn with petals, serenaded by birdsong, basked in the golden glow of dawn. The…
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Not much to report this week yet. There has been a regular “changing of the guard” each day as the falcons swap brooding duties. As the time gets closer for the eggs to hatch, the female will take over exclusive control, so keep on eye on the male (hopefully!) bringing food. One note of interest…
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While most of you won’t be seeing the seasonal changes on campus for a while, I’m fortunate to live just a block away. So, every morning that I can, I take a walk. Usually I am looking for bird window strikes to help support Detroit Audubon’s effort to monitor migratory fatalities, but today I wanted…
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Hi all! Apologies for letting the blog lag for a while. Was sick a-bed (not coronavirus, thankfully!) and am just getting back on my feet. What Have the Falcons Been Up To? If you’ve been watching the webcam, it probably doesn’t look like much. Just sitting and waiting . . . and waiting. I did…
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After some concerns about the balcony being flooded, our falcon duo has surprised us with eggs! The first one may have been laid some time Saturday night/Sunday morning. As of this morning, there is a second egg! Not having observed this phenomenon before, I was a little concerned about them not being brooded and getting…
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Both peregrines were sighted on the clock tower of Old Main early this morning. While I haven’t entirely lost hope in their potential nesting yet, it may not occur this year. This is not unusual with new couples, not unlike humans. The pair are definitely making good use of the spring migration, though. This Wednesday…
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Spring songbird migration is well underway, with sparrows – song, white-throated, fox, chipping, towhee and junco – all over campus this morning. There were a few other songbirds – a wren, and golden-crowned kinglets – as well, and likely some other sparrow species I could not identify in the distance and dim morning light. …
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