Photo: Linda Woods
About a year ago I started to write my website about the Bird of Prey I love with all my heart: the Peregrine Falcon. For the chapter about the development from eyas to juvenile I decided to use the Rochesters 2006. A year in which so much went wrong. Mariah got wounded to her foot. Dead eyases, one with a neurological disorder which died as well. But the three strongest ones did survive. They where lively and healthy. Kaver took very good care of his eyases and his wounded partner. The three girls got bigger and stronger and Mariah's foot got better by the day.
48 days I described and illustrated with many pictures of these extraordinary 3 eyases who turned in to beautiful juveniles. Rhea Mae turned out to be a born flyer when she fledged.
Aura, Sabrina and Rhea Mae. I became very attached to them.
Photo: Linda Woods
In the autumn of 2007 Mark Nash from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation reported that Rhea Mae has taken up residence on the Downtown Sheraton hotel in Toronto, Canada. It appeared that she had displaced the previous female, Wind, and she and the resident male Tiago had been observed exhibiting courtship behaviors such as bowing to each other and flying together.
I was thrilled! This little white darling has grown into an adult peregrine. And a very beautiful one she is! Rhea Mae and Tiago stayed together during the winter and started up courtship this spring. Yesterday she laid her first egg ever! And somehow I'm so proud of her. I wish her so well and all the luck in the world. Hope, know, she will be a great mother, like her own mother Mariah is. Who laid her first egg of 2008 on the 27th. How magnificent nature is!
She fooled us all, this lady did. We really thought she was going to lay her second egg of the season this morning. But she did not. As the evening falls over Rochester, there is still just one egg. Mariah is known for her irregular layingsequence. In 2006 she managed 106 hours between 2 eggs. So we just have to wait and see.
SW and Buckeye incubating. They are turning the eggs every hour carefully. Inside the embryo's are growing fast. SW ( 8 years old) and Buckeye (12 years old) are great parents. Together they have fledged many strong and healthy juvi's.
Because he is so handsome this peregrine fellow, I can't resist him. Probably no eggs here this season, but what the heck, he is adorable.
The final days before hatching. The eyas will break the membranes in order to get to the aircell. For the very first time it will breath. The aircell contains enough oxygen for about 24 hours. As soon the eyas has used all the oxygen the neck begins to spasm and the eggtooth will pips through the eggshell. It takes the little one for over 24 hours to free it self from the shell.
Aria is picking up stones and moving them. It's typical behaviour of all peregrine falcons. Both male and female disply this behaviour. 
Photo: Linda Woods
Photo: Linda Woods
5 minutes ago Lil Mom gave birth to her 4th egg!! Again a miracle to watch.
Two days left. Real exciting! The eldest eyas will probably hatch within 2-3 days. We are looking forward to welcome you in this world. 
