Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

PCPW scholarship Fund

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

For your holiday shopping, remember to use the Amazon Smile site to benefit our Scholarship Fund for a CalPoly Wildlife Biology Student. Click the link here https://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-1442299

Thanks for participating!

Bob and Heather

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Red right returning…

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Observation date: 23 August 2016

Additionally, if you watch these posts on Facebook, please go to the WordPress website and add your email to make sure you receive all posts. I had a bit of a problem with Facebook postings not linking up. ~Heather

Without having chicks this year or last, the south side Morro Rock peregrines have not been themselves, active and entertaining. To me they seem to be more like fixtures on a mantel when I am watching them. Somedays you see them, others you may sit for five hours and catch a glimpse just as you pack up to call it a day. In the past twenty years, I have been skunked about three times. In July and August of this year, I have failed to have seen them four different times even by trying to stay more than five hours each time.

The north side falcon frequents the rock every now and again. The three young from this year’s hatch have not been seen for at least five weeks, until today. Around noon while watching for the south side pair, which were not there at the time, when over the bay came a dark familiar wingbeat of a juvenile female falcon, passing between the red and green buoy markers, one hundred feet off the deck.

Young female at the rock Photo by Cleve Nash

Traveling down the bay, she made a sweeping left turn to approach the rock high over the old Indian trail. While traveling the face of Morro Rock, east to west, at speed, she strafed and tumbled an adult Western Gull.*

Strafing a gull Photo by Cleve Nash

My sidekick, Gordon and I said nothing until she rounded the windward side of the rock and went out of sight. After that we couldn’t shut up. It brought back times when we had excitement around the rock about two months ago.

Happy trails, Bob

Item: We are still here at the rock for the public to view these magnificent birds every day. Afternoons are best.

* Strafing and tumbling – Something young birds do to hone their hunting and flying skills.

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Amazon Smile…

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Be sure to go to our other website to read the latest post.

Amazon Smile…

Peace, Heather

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Aquatic bonanza…

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Hello friends,

We have moved to a new WordPress website. http://www.pacificcoastperegrinewatch.org

Please follow us there and sign up your email for new observations from Bob Isenberg. You may also click the Amazon Smile button to help fund our 501(c)(3) educational organization. Bob is continually out at Morro Rock, Morro Bay, California, USA teaching people about the life cycles and antics of these magnificent peregrine falcons. ~Heather and Bob

http://www.pacificcoastperegrinewatch.org

Observation date: 1, 2, 3 August 2014
Here in Morro Bay the falcons are playing second fiddle to the aquatic bonanza that has been gathering everyone’s attention for the last few days. Humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, sea lions, harbor seals, like a frothing cauldron, half a mile long, about a mile or more off shore. With the naked eye the humpbacks may be seen blowing and breaching. Killer whales, in a pack, chasing whatever. For a great view, 20 power binoculars or a scope was the ticket.
As for the falcons, we haven’t seen the young south side chick for five days. The two north side young that spent so much time on the south side have not been seen around the rock for two weeks. However, we have had reports from birders of juvenile sightings around the bay and sand spit.
Heather and I had a juvie chasing pigeons out our bay window. Both the adult birds are around the rock most of the day, not always in view, but there. Within a few weeks they will be completely gone. Who knows, maybe one will show up in your neck of the woods.
Happy trails, Bob
Item: Because of the hours that Bob spends at the rock, the juveniles may return when he is not there, maybe early morn or late evening.

Posted in juvenile, Morro Rock, peregrines, whales | Tagged marine mammals | Leave a comment

Western Gull and Double-Crested Cormorant

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

We just wanted to introduce you to a friend’s WordPress blog. She can give you more information on our Central Coast, California area. Her beautiful photos are often of birds that you might like to know about. ~Heather

Peace of Mind

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Sunday at “the rock”…

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Sorry to take so long to getting back to you good followers but, I have been trying to get confirmation. Many keen observers are always helpful. Here is what I’ve seen and believe is happening.

Yesterday, Sunday, the few hours that I spent at “the rock,” the female was in the eyrie and out of sight. The tiercel returned to “the rock” with prey. He went into one of his larders. The female, hearing his chupping on arrival, peeked over the edge of the nest site, thinking he would probably bring it to her. When he did not, she returned to brooding, not being off the eggs more than 30 seconds.

The tiercel then perched high above the eyrie on the skyline. You could see his stomach soiled with reddish brown dust from the nest. Most likely, he had previously been sitting on the eggs. I had to leave before I saw any incubation exchange. Today, I think that I will. So, I believe, that would make Sunday, March 3, 2013, the first day of incubation.

Happy trails, Bob

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Be patient…

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Please be patient while we switch over to the WordPress.org website. We will then be able to bring you an eStore and other upgrades! We look forward to expanding our capabilities on the web. Meanwhile, Bob will continue his observations out at Morro Rock, Morro Bay, California, USA. The peregrines are in a very exciting life cycle period since they are about to begin incubating eggs. He’ll let me know when he returns this afternoon.

Thanks for your patience. ~Heather

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Soiled, but not foiled…

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Soiled, but not foiled...

Photo by Cleve Nash

On the left you can see the female and her wet vent area. The male on the right has brought her prey to eat.

All signs, from observations, tell us that egg laying has begun. Cleve Nash and I have been monitoring the female very closely. Saturday she spent nearly three hours in the “diving board” eyrie, again on Monday, but not as long. We have both noticed visible soiling around the vent, which usually in an indication of egg laying. We, also, see that she is not so apt to do battle with the Red-tailed Hawks or the north side falcons. Let’s face it, you don’t get into a bar fight when you are nine months pregnant.

The tiercel is constantly bringing in prey, sometimes to her directly or stashing it in one of his many larders. If what we are seeing is correct, we should see incubation begin around the weekend of March 2-3. This will be confirmed by the tiercel taking his turn at brooding. In past years, watching this behavior, it seems the tiercel spends 35% of time brooding to the falcon’s 65%. The time off the nest that he gives her has to be spent eating, digesting and exercising so as to keep the muscles from atrophying. It is a delicate balance between the two to bring this about in a month’s time without the eggs being uncovered for more than a minute.
Happy trails, Bob

P.S. Before we had a WordPress website, we used Facebook to deliver information. This was our Facebook entry:

“March 4, 2012. This is the first day of brooding observed. At 12 noon there was an exchange. The female left the nest and the male went in to sit on the eggs.”

As you can see, we are only one day off from last year’s entry. That is if we are correct.

Posted in breeding, courtship, falcon, feeding, peregrines | 1 Comment

Favors in return…

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Favors in return...

“Simone” Photo by Cleve Nash

A lot of nice people were visiting Morro Bay over the four day holiday. Many were able to see the “tall ships” do battle outside the bay and many saw the falcons for the first time in their lives. A few of the lucky ones saw them breeding. You can’t imagine the comments from people who don’t know each other gather around a couple of spotting scopes when all this sex is taking place. How is it that people can talk for twenty minutes about a fifteen second interlude? The tiercel is still bringing her prey items either from stash sites or fresh kills and receiving sexual favors from her in return. Does this sound familiar?

While it was so busy and crowded in Morro Bay, Cleve Nash, a photographer who doesn’t care for crowds, took a short drive up the coast from his home north of here to San Simeon. It’s a cove with a beach and a pier that was used to offload materials and artifacts for William Randolph Hearst’s castle. In the parking lot, Cleve noticed a female peregrine in a pine tree. She flew to a pole where he noticed the unusual coloration around the mustache which connected to the sideburn, forming a circle. Cleve didn’t remember seeing this bird even though there are a few along that part of the coast.

I said “Call her ‘Simone.’”
Cleve said “I don’t know about that. My wife didn’t mind too much about my seeing “Doris” in Baywood, “Judy” in Morro Bay and “Shelly” in Pismo, but “Simone” just has a different ring to it.”
Happy trails, Bob

Posted in breeding, courtship, falcon, feeding, Morro Rock, peregrines | 2 Comments

Presidents’ Day weekend…

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

Presidents' Day weekend...

Photo by Heather O’Connor

As we continue to observe the antics of the breeding peregrines, this holiday weekend brought two tall ships, the “Lady Washington” and the “Hawaiian Chieftain” into Morro Bay, California. A delightful day in the low 70s with many visitors stopping by to see the tall ships and frequent copulations of our resident pair.

Just to review: Our resident falcons breed here around Christmas and New Years’ holidays in December/January, egg-laying starts in March, chicks hatch around Easter in April, fly by Memorial Day in May and by Labor Day in September, the parents chase them off.

As time passes, Bob will let you know the exact dates for each event this year.
~Heather