Laura James-Reim

Blogger

This will be a difficult post for faithful falconheads, but I feel you deserve to know what is going on in the Market Tower nest box.

Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. That is a dead adult falcon in the nest box.

FALCONCAM: Keep an eye on the Downtown falcons

To quickly answer any questions that might be popping into your mind

I believe it is KathyQ but that is not definitively confirmed the body will remain there so as not to disturb the resident falcon pair and disrupt any egg-laying that may occur.

Yes, the other falcons may use the body as a source of food as they will treat it as any other prey species.

They may also remove the body after it has served its purpose for them – or they may not.

These are some hard truths. And I know some of you will be terribly offended and terribly sad. I understand.

We do have reason to look forward. An single egg appeared Friday morning. We'll keep track to see if the new female lays more.

But, as I have always said, this is nature and how we react is our human nature but these birds first and foremost are driven by survival and propagation of the species. What else birds might feel or think, I do not know. My belief is that they are not just driven by natural instincts but that is MY belief.

If you are still reading and not turned off by what you see and read, here’s my pretty well thought out theory as to what happened. On the afternoon of March 23, a long-time falcon observer and reporter in Chase Tower reported hearing a whole lot of squawking over at Market Tower. Now, those buildings are in decent proximity to one another so it is not surprising if there was a disturbance occurring near the nest box, he could hear it. He then witnessed a battle between a falcon on the nest box perch with a falcon in the nest box. A third falcon was observed buzzing by the nest box – my assumption it was the male.

So we know that we now have an unbanded female in residence, which leads to my conclusion that KathyQ was trying to ward off that female and died in a battle defending her territory, fittingly inside the home she ruled for so many years. Now I think that is the noblest way a falcon can die – they are fierce, furious and glorious birds and from knowing KathyQ all those years, I can imagine this battle, that she would die rather than be chased off, even though she was almost 19 years old.

Why keep the camera the way it is for all to see? It is still important to monitor the peregrine population and DNR would like to band as many chicks as possible in Indiana. This camera view is the only way we have to see what is going on in the box – i.e. whether we will have eggs - so we have to live with what we see. You always have the option to not look in.

I am always startled, amazed, confounded and emotional when it comes to these birds and it seems they always have a surprise up their wing. In that regard, they have not disappointed. And I am always learning.

I’d appreciate no harsh comments and no condemnations. It is what it is.

Take care, falconheads.