IN / Fort Wayne - 2009-18

[Alison]

...well I'm wondering if maybe ovulation becomes a bit sporadic in some older falcons like it does in humans..I know apples and oranges but hey you never know!!??  

They are still together and bonding so that's good, perhaps they will have young again and surprise everyone!  They certainly still look young and spry  

They do both look good. Freedom is 15 and Roosevelt is 14. With older birds (not just falcons) it can happen that fewer eggs are laid, and the hatch rate can drop somewhat, but that doesn't by any means always happen.

And if they don't have eggs, they have already made an incredible contribution to the peregrine population over all the years they have been together.

[Alison]

It isn't too late for them to nest at this point, but with every passing day the likelihood becomes more remote. They are a great pair, and have had many babies in the past.

Here they are bonding yesterday. Freedom had had a very big meal:
 

 
Freedom                                                                        Almost glowing in the dusk, before leaving for the night

[allikat]

You're right Carly...never give up hope!

I just wasn't sure if it's too late to nest this year or is there still time?

[carly]

Alison, when Emma came last week with Falon the Falcon and we discussed Quetesh, she told me that Quetesh lost her desire to mate at about age 14 or 15.  Of course after that she was part of the CPF teaching program so they never tried to breed her again.  But remembering this comment and reading about those senior falcons that didn't mate for a few years and then suddenly did...well I'm wondering if maybe ovulation becomes a bit sporadic in some older falcons like it does in humans..I know apples and oranges but hey you never know!!??  

They are still together and bonding so that's good, perhaps they will have young again and surprise everyone!  They certainly still look young and spry  

[allikat]

I was wondering what was going on at this site...is it too late for this pair to nest?

[Alison]

There are still no eggs at this nest. It looks as if this will be the second year in a row for Freedom and Roosevelt to have no eggs, with no apparent reason. Both falcons continue to spend a lot of time at the nest and continue their bonding behaviour.

Freedom at the nest today:

 

[Alison]

Still no eggs at this site. Freedom and Roosevelt did not have eggs last year, although they have raised many chicks in the past. I still think there may be eggs this year. I don't feel that age is a factor, and don't know why last year they had no eggs.

This year, Sir James and his mate Elizabeth at the James River Bridge in Virginia are incubating four eggs. He is 19, and the oldest known breeding male. Her age is unknown, since she is unbanded.

 
Roosevelt at the nest today                                                  Freedom

[maggieblue]

Wonderful pictures of this handsome pair, thanks.   It is great to hear about their history. 

[Alison]

Freedom and Roosevelt are one of the great falcon pairs. Freedom was born in Indiana in 1994, and Roosevelt at the Rhodes Tower in Columbus in 1995. He is the older brother of Buckeye at the Terminal Tower in Cleveland. Freedom and Roosevelt have been together since 1997.

 
Roosevelt                                                                       Freedom


Both in the nest box (Roosevelt on the left)

[maggieblue]

2009 NESTING SEASON

This is an interesting site to watch.  The resident pair, Freedom and Roosevelt have been very active at the nest during the past two days.  The view here can also be very amusing as several times I have seen pigeons hunkered down on the ledge just outside the nestbox.  They may be O.K. while they are there but I have to wonder how safe they are when they are coming and going. Looks like there shouldn't be a shortage of food here.

http://www.aep.com/go/FalconCam