Sunday, 7 February 2021
Though Terzo called at the Pitt peregrine nest as recently as 8am Friday I haven’t seen him on camera since. (Terzo on 5 Feb, 7:40a below.)
Meanwhile Terzo’s rival, Ecco, began visiting the nest frequently that afternoon. At every visit he tried to charm Morela but it didn’t always work.
On Saturday morning, 6 February 8:22a, Ecco made all the right moves of an ardent male peregrine. He stood tall, hunched his back and high-stepped back and forth. He bowed low and softened his voice to a whistle. He froze in place and dared not look at her as she perched above the camera … except he had to peak just in case.
It took more than two minutes to convince her to join him. The whole episode is six minutes.
It’s hard to say what has happened off camera. Did Ecco permanently chase away Terzo … or not? All we know is that Ecco has really turned on the charm.
Click here and scroll down to watch the National Aviary Falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning.
(photos and video from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
A note about the audio hum. The hum is *not* audible at the nest. It is an electrical artifact of the microphone. It comes and goes.
He certainly does strut his stuff, doesn’t he!!