Nova and Neander’s eggs are showing signs of the eyases inside hatching! What we call a PIP! It’s bittersweet, but very happy news! Nova stood up from the eggs to take food that New Guy brought in for her. We got our first really good look at the eggs.

There are good size pips in the darker egg and the white egg. These were the first two eggs that Nova laid. There also appears to be the start of a pip in the third egg.

We’ll keep watching and report updates.

Sadly, we believe that the male that has been coming to the nest box most of yesterday and today, is not Neander. The last verified sighting of Neander was yesterday (4/22) at 8:00 am at the nest box.

So where is Neander? We know he injured his left leg and needed to use his wings for support and balance last Friday. He also closed his right eye a lot. It seemed that he was improving.

How was he injured? One watcher, Brian H, reported seeing two falcons chasing each other east of the Times Square Bldg. Watchers Carol P and Larry O were out Sunday morning. Neander was flying well and seemed to be very attentive to Nova and their eggs. He spent time incubating the eggs while Nova was out, spreading her wings and chasing a juvie Bald Eagle out of the area.

Later, Sunday morning, Neander settled on the Wilder Chimney. A juvie Peregrine Falcon flew in from the south and circled above the Times Square Bldg while Neander ee chupped a warning for the youngster to move on, which the juvie did, flying south over the Genesee River. Neander did not move from the Wilder Chimney. When I ended my watch, all was quiet and peaceful. No territory battles were witnessed.

Monday, Neander was seen and seemed to be improving. He was still limping badly, but was very attentive to his family.

On Tuesday and today, we were seeing a behavior change by Nova and who we thought was Neander. The male made a lot of frequent visits to the nest box platform. In all cases, Nova did not budge from the eggs. She would wait for him to leave before flying out for a quick break and returning.

After looking closely at the pictures posted by Rfalconcam, we could see differences that had not been noticed immediately. There was a little bit of white above the cere and the black hood was shaped differently than Neander’s. Also, there was no white feather on the left wing. Plus Nova’s behavior change told us that this was not Neander.

This morning, three watchers (Dana, Kathy O & Carol P and Lou too!) spent the morning walking and driving around the area looking for Neander. Shaky and Ei, controlling the Rfalconcam cameras searched all the places our cameras could reach. Neander was nowhere to be found.

During the time we were there, the New Guy (NG for now), spent time on the Times Square Bldg, keeping guard.

On camera, NG was seen bringing in food for Nova. He left it on the platform for her. Only when he left, did she move off of the eggs to take it. Thankfully, he is bringing in food for her.

Just before we ended our watch, NG went to the First Federal Bldg (OCSR) to retrieve a cache from the 2nd Ibeam down. He flew around with it, landing on top of Camera 4. The bit of food dangled from his beak. Nova came out of the nest box, but couldn’t reach the food, so she quickly went back into the nest box to lay on the eggs. NG, jumped down to the platform, but when Nova didn’t move, he took off with the food, heading towards the back of the Times Square Bldg.

There are so many questions that need to be answered. Where is Neander? We will continue to look for him. Will Nova accept NG? So far, she has not allowed him to get near the eggs, but she has accepted food from him. The eggs are peeping and getting ready to hatch. These are uncertain times for us. The Rochester Falcon Watchers are a dedicated and passionate group that care very much for our Rochester Falcons. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this situation and report anything new. I’ll be saying a prayer that Neander is ok and found soon. cp

Roof work at the Powers Bldg is starting soon, and we will be shutting down cameras, electronics, and internet connection to prevent damage. They will be turned on again after roof work is finished later this summer.

In the meantime, our cameras at the Times Square Bldg will be on 24/7 to catch all the action when Nova and Neander’s three eggs hatch. Keep watching!

After spending the overnight incubating the eggs, Nova stood up at 6:06 am. Neander flew in and landed on the end of the nest box platform at 6:11 am. He made his way to the nest box, and sat down on his eggs.

Neander stayed on the eggs until 6:41 am, when he stood up and left. A couple minutes later, Nova returned.

As you’ll see in the video (link below) that Rochester Falcon team member Dana made from the stream, Neander is still very wobbly. But he does seem improved from yesterday. I was very happy to see him this morning! We’ll continue to keep an eye on him.

Here is the link to Dana’s YouTube video showing Neander coming to the nest box this morning.

cp

At 4:25 pm, Neander entered the nest box while Nova was incubating the eggs. To those watching the live stream, it wasn’t his most graceful entry. You could tell that something wasn’t right. He was leaning a bit to his left. Nova left and Neander laid down next to the eggs, not on them.

From the pictures, which I’ll post at the end, you could tell that his left leg was bothering him. He made no attempt to lay on the eggs. Thankfully it was a very warm day here in Rochester, NY, with temperatures in the 70s.

Neander slept from 4:26 – 6:08 pm. He stood up and moved to the front of the nest box where he stood for awhile. We could see him lift his left leg to attempt to scratch. He was able to put some weight on it, but you could tell it was bothering him.

He wobbled out to the end of the platform, using his wings for balance. He waited for Nova to fly in and land nearby. At 6:13 pm, she entered the nest box to continue incubating their eggs and Neander took off. In the next Rfalconcam still picture, I could see that he landed on the Wilder Chimney, where he remained for awhile before again taking off.

So we know he somehow injured his left leg, but he can move it and put a little bit of weight on it.

The DEC has been contacted and we’ll be giving them updates. At this time, because he is flying well, there is nothing we can do except keep an eye on him.

Through the years, many of our falcons have had injuries and healed well. We hope Neander will do the same!

Then there were three!

Very early this morning, when most of us were sleeping, Nova laid her and Neander’s 3rd egg at 4:32 am.

It wasn’t too long before Neander came in for his first look.

At 6:46 am, Neander brought in breakfast for Nova. She accepted his food offering and left with it while he entered the nest box to guard his eggs.

So, will Nova lay a 4th egg?

Nova has been averaging approximately 63 hrs between eggs. If she lays a 4th egg, it should arrive Thursday evening around 7:32 pm, give or take.

Many thanks to Rochester Falcon Team member Dana for making a YouTube video from our streaming video of the arrival of the 3rd egg and early morning activities!

EGGWATCH #4 begins! Keep watching!

cp

At 1:49 pm, Nova laid her (& Neander’s) 2nd egg! It was approximately 63 hrs since she laid her first egg.

This 2nd egg was very pale in color compared to the very dark red egg already in the nest box. Peregrine Falcon eggs can vary greatly in color from pale creamy to a deeper reddish-brown. They often have darker markings, including blotches or spots of brown, red or purple. We’ve had very light colored eggs before and they’ve successfully hatched.

Nova settled on the eggs and didn’t give us a good look at them until Neander entered the nest box to check on Nova and the new arrival.

If Nova lays a 3rd egg, it should be sometime early Tuesday morning. EGGWATCH #3 starts now! Keep watching!

Rochester Falcons Team member Dana made these two videos from our streaming video. Thanks so much Dana!

This first YouTube link is for the arrival of Egg #2.

This second YouTube link is for Neander’s First Visit.

cp

Once again, Earth Hour is nearly upon us. Assuming Nova isn’t in the process of laying another egg, we’ll be following our tradition of shutting off the cameras for one hour on Saturday, March 22nd at 8:30 PM EDT.

https://www.earthhour.org/

We are very happy to announce the arrival of our first egg of 2025! At approximately 10:43 pm last night (3/19), Nova laid an egg in the Times Square Bldg nest box! Let the 2025 Rochester Falcon season begin!

Both Nova and Neander are staying close to the nest box guarding their precious egg!

Rochester Falcon team member made this YouTube video of Nova, Neander and the arrival of the first egg. Thanks Dana!

If all goes well, their 2nd egg should arrive sometime Saturday morning, or later or…. well hopefully sometime Saturday! 🙂

THE EGGWATCH CONTINUES!

As you know, we have two nest boxes set up in Downtown Rochester. Both were originally installed to give the Rochester Falcons a choice after the Kodak nest box was taken down. The nest box at the Times Square Bldg was their choice!

This summer, the Powers Bldg will be doing work on their building. Due to this, netting was placed over the front of the nest box located there. This was done to make sure the falcons would not go there.

Nova and Neander haven’t shown any interest in this nest box, but as our viewers know, we’ve had a pair of pigeons that have used it by laying eggs there. One year, a couple of their eggs actually hatched. It did not end well for their young.

The DEC has been notified.

So, let’s watch the cameras at the Times Square Nest Box as EGGWATCH continues. We believe that Nova is very close to laying her and Neander’s first egg of 2025!