Peregrine Falcon Update: 30-April-2006

Central Park South: Peregrine Falcons

Male on G.M. Building photo by B. Cacace 35mm film equiv.: 2,600mm | ISO: 80 | Shutter: 1/50 | Aperture: f/4	Female on G.M. Building photo by D. Bruce Yolton 35mm film equiv.: 1,600mm | ISO: 400 | Shutter: 1/320 | Aperture: f/8

Thanks to Bruce Yolton for permission to use the photo
of the female Peregrine Falcon.

Each evening there is generally some activity when visiting the park to view these Peregrine Falcons. Tonight when I arrived both falcons were on the north face of the G.M. Building.

At one point the female appeared agitated in the telescope and soon after lifted & chased another large Peregrine off the territory towards the west. This is the second time I've seen another female Peregrine being chased from the area this year.

Another highlight was seeing the female exchange positions with the male falcon at 5:53p.

I'm convinced that these Peregrines are incubating eggs. Their behavior is consistent. The male has been exiting from below the same fence each time the female has dropped from the fence above.

Central Park's Gapstow Bridge 4:50p — 8:10p

• by 4:50p male & female were perched on the N face of the GM Building. Male was near potential nest site. Female was 2 fences to the E.
• while trying to take photos the female moved to a fence 4 in from W edge by 5:15p.
• by 5:37p female looked agitated. She then pursued another female Peregrine W of GM.
• by 5:43p female returned to a fence 6 in from W edge of GM.
• Nest exchange: by 5:53p female drops down to floor of fenced area. Within a minute the male falcon appears at the base of a fence 5 in from the W edge of GM and then flies to a fence 5 in from E edge of GM.
• at 6:46p male Peregrine leaves area heading SE or ‘Manhattan E’.
• I left Gapstow Bridge around 8:10p. Neither falcon reappeared.

Related items:
• Peregrine Falcon updates — 2006: 13-Apr, 21-Apr, 24-Apr, 26-Apr, 28-Apr, 30-Apr, 4-May, 5-May, 6-May, 7-May, 9-May, 11-May, 12-May, 13-May, 14-May, 16-May, 17-May, 18-May, 19-May, 21-May, 22-May, 23-May, 31-May
• Earliest Peregrine Falcon Nest in N.Y.C.?
• Behavior of Peregrine Falcons in the N.Y.C. Region
      by Richard A. Herbert & Kathleen Green Skelton Herbert
• Obs. of Duck Hawks Nesting on Man-made Structures
      by Horace Groskin