They're back. The Falcons of Water Street, New York.

probably the rent. We keep eagle and peregrine nest sites under strict rent control.

Interesting info on bald eagles.

bald eagles were almost EXTINCT in the lower 48 until the 70's when the ban of DDT combined with introduction of a few breeding pairs and young eagles were mover down to the 48 tates. Since 1972, the dramatic rebuilding of the egale population from Maine to California has been dramatic.
Yes, Alaska and Canada still have most eagle pairs in the wild but the lower 48 has increased at a close to a 1.15% increase per year.
The state of PA had but 2 breeding pairs in 1970. Today there are almost 300 pairs in the state of PA alone.

Golden eagles and ospreys have followed the population recoveries, (as have peregrines"

We saw many eagle's on nests on telephone poles when we took a train ride from Toronto to Vancouver. This was many years ago.

YAY

Despite the snow last weekend Adele laid two eggs. These are early !!
http://www.55water.com/falcons/

Joe(I like the webcam. It's new)Nation

hava cigar

B-)

Three eggs !

http://www.55water.com/falcons/

Joe(hoping for more)Nation

four eggs, if gone to term, will produce possible only one sibling that survives. Two or three will not be fed properly and will either starve or be killed by the siblings.

Its sad but theyve learned that, with eagles, anything over 2 eggs usually have that turnout (peregrines are worse because they tear chunks of meat to feed the chicks) while eagles , after the first few days, just DUMP a fish into the nest an the chicks tear it apart.
In the old days, "hacking" was the term for stealing one of three eggs from a nest and incubating it and rearing the chick to be transplanted into areas where the eagle populations had crashed.

just re-read 2006 entries in this thread

some great memories of Miss Noddy there

You are most certainly right, I do recall one year where this pair of birds raised four long enough for all of them to fledge.
The fledge-ing didn't go so well with one killed right away and a second ending up in a nearby park unable to fly.
ah
Nature.
Joe(hard to get to be alive)Nation

That was a lucky occurence > I suppose the abundance of pigeons and rats to serve as food for the kiddies was responsible for them making it to fledging

they've just announced a fourth egg

Frank is on the nest right now

There seems to be PLENTY of birds for the birds to eat, they appear to be mostly not pigeons (darn it) but sparrows.
No rats at all.
When the chicks get big, then come the meals of pigeon a la rooftop.
Joe(Now there are four eggs)Nation

Five eggs.
http://www.55water.com/falcons/

Joe (Holy Cow)Nation

Our eagle pair has lost a chick. The damn thing fell out of the nest.
Ah yes, the circle of life

aw.

I hate when that happens.
Joe(life isn't played with a net.)Nation

Five eggs....

any day now,,,,,

Joe (Here we go) Nation

Now THIS is bird watching..

Egg watching?