7 March 2020:

When Morela and Terzo are away from the nest, don’t worry that something’s wrong.

Yesterday morning Pitt employee Vanessa Guenther heard the peregrines outside her window and captured two videos that reveal what the peregrines were doing on the other side of the building.

Before dawn Terzo delivered breakfast to Morela. She began to pluck and eat it at the “dining ledge” and then…

6:40am: Morela clutched her breakfast and called to Terzo. He flew in and mated with her twice, then flew away. (video by Vanessa Guenther)

6:44am: Terzo arrived at the nest and called to Morela to join him. She brought her breakfast with her and they bowed for nine minutes.

6:56am: Morela left the nest, still carrying her breakfast. In the photo below she’s getting a better grip on it.

6:57am: Less than a minute later she was back at the “dining ledge” and the pair mated again (video by Vanessa Guenther).

Obviously Morela and Terzo have been busy elsewhere. Eggs coming soon!

(photos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh; videos by Vanessa Guenther)

p.s. Around 7:09am the pair came back to the nest for a short time, Morela still carrying her breakfast. She seems to have become confused about her role and almost tried to feed Terzo as if he was a nestling. He took the prey and presented it back to her. Finally she took it away and ate it. It was an American robin.