Peregrine Falcon Project Observaton Log 2

3/22 Temperatures overnight were mostly in the 40s and there was not much change all day. At just about 10:20 AM in Cleveland SW laid her third egg ... right on time, 2 days after egg #2. Sampling: SW remained on the nest 100% of the time for 7 hours straight, not even moving when Buckeye paid her a visit.
7:30 AM "bottom heavy"	10:20 AM "3rd egg dropped"
	Finally at 6:40 PM SW moved long enough to confirm 3 eggs in the nest. We'd say "active incubation" has definitely begun.
3/23 No precipitation over night. When the cameras came up today it was 36 degrees, and by 10 AM had only gone up to 37.9 degrees ~ burrrrr, however SW is keeping the eggs toasty warm. In 4 hours the eggs were only exposed for 2 minutes between 9 and 10 AM. It stayed between 37 and 39 degrees all day. The birds rarely left the nest. Either SW or Buckeye were on the eggs at all times.
3/24 If the pattern of an egg every other day continued, we should have had another today, but it was uneventful in terms of the egg laying. We read on the discussion board that sometimes the last egg takes a little longer, and our research told us eggs are laid in 2 to 3 day intervals so we haven't given up hope yet. We noticed something interesting about the weather and egg sitting ~ Sampling: 8-9 AM SW there 100% of hour temp. 44.1° F 9-10 Buckeye there 100% of hour temp. 48.9° F 10-11 eggs covered 98% of hour temp. 55.9° F It was hard to tell which bird was 11-12 eggs covered 81% of hour temp. 59° F watching over the eggs mid-day. 2-3 PM eggs covered 72% of hour temp. 66.9° F 5-6 SW on nest 100% of hour temp. 57.9° F We determined as the air temperature got warmer today, the parents felt comfortable leaving the eggs uncovered for a brief time ... It is important that the eggs stay at a fairly constant temperature for proper development ~ It is interesting that birds seem to instinctively know that the eggs will be OK on warmer days, but stay on them as the temperature drops or remains cooler throughout the day as was the case 3/22 and 3/23.
	Buckeye (on right) seems to be stopping by to check on the progress on the nest on the evening of 3/24. This is a good shot to compare both their sizes and colors in.
3/25 Awoke this morning to 4 eggs ... SW is using the cover of darkness to give us all a morning surprise. This shot is from the webcam between the 6 and 7 AM hour.
SW and Buckeye took turns sitting on the eggs most of the day. Sampling: 8-9 AM Eggs were covered 100% of the hour temp. 63° F 9-10 Eggs were covered 100% of the hour temp. 53° F 10-11 Again, eggs covered 100% of the hour temp. 46° F 11-Noon 100% of the hour temp. 43° F 12-1 PM Eggs were covered 98% of the hour temp. 42.1° F 1-2 100% of the hour temp. 42° F We know from our reading that Peregrine Falcons lay between 3 and 5 eggs in a clutch each year. SW has laid 4 eggs, the same number she laid last year. We are hoping for one more this year, but if all four of these are healthy and hatch we will be happy with the four. If she has another egg, we expect it will be laid sometime Thursday. Looking back to when we think active incubation started, our prediction for a hatch date is between April 25th and April 27th. In our reading we also found out that it can take up to two days from the time the chick first "pips" the shell to when it is completely hatched out.
In this series of shots captured 1 minute apart on 3/25, it looks like Buckeye arrives at the nest, asks permission to see the 4th egg, then "sniffs" it to get the scent... No, wait, that is SW returning and "Dad" showing "Mom" they are all still there ... it is still a little hard for us to tell them apart - especially when they are hunched down. Thanks Heidi in Cleveland for clearing that up for us	#1 #2 #3
3/26 It was a quiet day on the nest. SW and Buckeye shared the duties of keeping the eggs warm. There was a very brief minute between 3 and 4 PM when they were uncovered, otherwise the eggs were covered 100% of the day. The temperature started in the mid 30s and rose slightly all day long. by 6 PM it was 46° F ~ the warmest it had been all day. because SW didn't get up and move around very much it was hard to tell if she is getting "heavy" in the rear again with another egg. IF she is to have a 5th, it should be sometime in the next 36 hours - we think.
3/27 Another quiet, chilly, and cloudy day. The temperatures were in the 40s most of the day and dropping to 39° F at 7:00 PM. Both SW and Buckeye took turns on the nest. Except for 2 very brief, 1 minute breaks, the eggs were covered 100% of the day from the time the cameras came on until they went off. In those 2 brief times SW showed us there were still only 4 eggs. SW laid 4 eggs last year and the year before that too ... we are wondering if there is a pattern ~ does the female lay the same number of eggs every year?
3/28 Another quiet day, but much warmer (16-27° F difference). Despite the nicer weather both falcons stayed on the nest 100% of the day, over 7 hours of observation, except for 2 minutes at 2:54 & 2:55 PM ~ just long enough to see there are still 4 eggs in the nest. The 2 shots below taken from almost the same angle is a good comparison of the size and color of the birds. SW, the female, is larger and darker than her mate Buckeye, the male.
SW	Buckeye
Turning the eggs ... Are we a little heavy in the rear still? Egg #5???	3/28 2:55 PM ... 4 eggs verified