This is a 2 week summary about Boone and Dee, the Kentucky River Peregrine
Falcons, who we hope will be the first Peregrines in modern history to nest
on a natural cliff.
Boone and Dee have now been together for 36 days. I have read that it
takes 30 days for a bond to form. It does appear they are well mated.
Copulation is happening many times a day.
Last week was as dramatic as I've seen and this week was so quiet I could
have nodded off...and maybe did once in awhile.
Last week....
They chased vultures and Dee hit one so hard that I heard the hit and saw
the feathers fly. There was a sonic boom of vulture wings as it dove to
avoid a second hit.
Dee drove several vultures through tree branches and down to the rocks.
There was one morning when the rising air currents must have been perfect
because both vultures and the falcons seemed very playful with each other
as they enjoyed the wind. They took turns chasing each other and it seemed
all play and joy of a beautiful morning.
I had a ton of luck when Dee did a stoop (dive). Somehow my camera focused
on the tiny, fast dot in the sky. Further zooming and cropping worked
quite well. Amazing aerial action and form.
I also saw Dee fly with 2 sticks; one at a time. Only after zooming and
cropping was I aware that she was constantly reaching down and biting the
stick. It appeared she was doing what fledglings do when practicing holding
prey and giving the death bite that severs their backbone. She also flew
with a large stick/log. It looks like a rifle and she chased vultures with
it in her talons. She's packing heat and figuring out a new way to rid the
area of vultures? I could not find anything on whether sub-adult or adult
birds regularly do this. If anyone knows; please let us know. I also do
not know if she got the sticks or if Boone gave them to her.
Dee is starting to molt her flight feathers and her ragged tail is looking
much better. By mid-July she should be in her full adult plumage.
No photos but I did watch Boone show off for Dee as she sat in a tree and
he would do aerials in front of her. I also saw what appeared to be a game
of "chicken" as they flew at each other at full speed with one veering up
and the other down as they met.
This week.....
Boone brought in a Blue Jay, formally presented it to Dee. She plucked it
for a short while but then abandoned it. Boone went back to it and prepped
it with blue feathers flying everywhere. It was then formally presented
again. Later they copulated while she held on to the Blue Jay. Dee having
prey during copulation has happened 3 times. She accepts prey, takes it to
a sturdy branch, calls to him and he responds. This takes place over a 15
minute or more time period.
Dee did some cliff exploring and increasing her abilities and knowledge of
her body and how small a crevice she can navigate..
Facebook stories and photos here. Remember DO NOT SHARE. This is a secret
page for Kentucky birders.
https://www.facebook.com/BooneDixie/
If you don't have FB you can browse through photos and titles that explain
what's happening on my Zenfolio site:
http://tinanauman.zenfolio.com/f207852288
Tina Nauman
Lexington, KY
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