The resident female was just on the eggs, now outside the nest. She looks to be ok. 3:00 pm.

Thank you for that update, Carol. I hope Cadence is also okay.

Nemaha laid her first egg about 12:21 p.m. Topeka time:









She is a beautiful falcon. I was also able to read her bands: black/red 97/H.

[First egg for Topeka!]

First egg for Topeka!

The birds at this nest are Boreas and his mate Nemaha, who are both offspring of 19/K and Alley at the Lincoln, Nebraska nest.

I first saw Boreas at the nest on March 28 this year, and Nemaha on March 30.

Neither bird was at the nest this morning, but a little while ago Nemaha was in the nest and remained there. A few minutes ago, I had the privilege of seeing her lay her first egg!

https://www.westarenergy.com/peregrine-falcons

[In memory of a fine peregrine]

Very sad news from Derby today. It appears that the long-time resident male, the only male who has ever claimed this nest, has either been displaced or has died. Now there is a new male at the nest, with a band on one leg.

So sad to lose this great tiercel, who was always one of the very best. He and his long-time mate were extremely bonded. He was a great Dad and an outstanding provider for his family, which in most years included four chicks. I will miss him. 

From the Derby site:

In memory of a fine peregrine

It is perhaps appropriate to look back on the life of the male who, until recently, had been present on Derby Cathedral probably since 2004 and possibly before that.

This wonderful photo of him was taken by Graham Whitmore in one of the very early years.



He looks as if he's waving to an adoring crowd below whereas in fact he was just about to preen his head:
As you can see his eye ring and cere (at the base of his beak) are a bright yellow indicating a mature adult so we think he was at least three years old in 2006 and possibly older. So this year he would have been at least 14 years old we think.

Within a week of the first platform going up (in April 2006), the male had flown down to it and enticed his new mate to follow. That first year three chicks were eventually reared, several weeks later than in any subsequent year due partly to the very late arrival of their new nest and partly perhaps because this was the female's first clutch.

Our city peregrines are a good deal safer than those living out in the countryside so whatever has happened to him, he's certainly enjoyed a far longer life than most other males in the county.

Unless he was already dead when the newcomer turned up there will certainly have been some sort of fight since males don't relinquish their hold over a female or a nest site without one.

It is unlikely his body will ever be found....but it isn't impossible if, perhaps it is on a Derby roof somewhere.
Most other urban peregrine pairs we are aware of have changed mates for whatever reason much more frequently than Derby.

At another urban nest site in Derbyshire, the male has changed at least three times in only some seven or eight years since breeding first started there.

One male probably flew into the building it was nesting on in a bad storm, another was found dead, presumed to have been killed by an intruder and a third was found dead and on xray had shot in his body.

So the change at Derby is quite a shock to us having had the same pair all these years. Together they have reared 37 chicks to the fledging stage, a very high productivity rate.

So as a new era starts, there's a lot we owe to our 'old' male.

The Project Team

http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.ca/

The two eggs this morning:

The first egg, yesterday afternoon:

I don't know why people were saying that about the eggs either, Carly. It seemed strange to me too.



Someone was incubating just a little while ago:

4:32 a.m.

No birds visible on any of the three cams at the moment.

Thank you so much for your excellent report, Carol. It's good to know that everything seems calm in Buffalo.

Rhea Mae has remained at the nest:

This poor girl has been through far too much, and needs to be taken into care. She is so courageous, and I do not want to see her lose her life. It is obvious that she will not survive without help.  

Some late night pics:

She is so tired, but she is not allowed to rest.





She has not eaten, and Cadence has not left her in peace during the night.

Good to know, Carly, thanks.

The male does seem to want the eggs, but if he is continuing to bring his mate food, he wants her there too.

Both came back again; the male in the nest, and his mate outside. I know it's her since I had a momentary front view just as everything went down again.

I hope her mate will bring her some food, and maybe stand guard while she eats.

Internet connection keeps dropping. Grrr...

Doing the same thing here. I thought it was just my deathly slow Internet, combined with ever-crashing Firefox.