Radisson - like clockwork, Ella has laid a 2nd egg - she has a thing about the middle of the night so finding the video sometimes takes a while. Egger was laid at 0125h CT this morning. Ella then napped on the eggs for 5 hours & 22 minutes.
#mbfalcons
Ella asleep on the nestscrape at dawn this morning - it was a very long night for her.
Pandemic on an early morning shift keep the egg covered until surrounding air temps warmed up a bit. You can see the size difference here between Ella & Pandemic
Our first egg of the 2026 nesting season at the Radisson.
Radisson - thank you Mother Nature, your timing was spectacular. After 2 excruciating weeks of bowing & scraping on the east nestledge, snow & freezing rain drove Ella & Pandemic back to the nestbox & as of 0417h this morning we have our first egg, nice & safe & dry.
#mbfalcons
Image of Pandemic perched on the edge of the east-side nestledge with an outline & arrow where his carefully crafted nestscrape is full of snow & ice. Fingers crossed, this is them moving to the nestbox this year!
Ella tucked up, half asleep in one of Pandemic's older, somewhat neglected nestscrape in the nestbox - hopefully this is her final decision for a nest this year!
Radisson - for the last 10 days I have been saying very bad words to Ella & Pandemic because they have been spending 98% of their time on the east-side nestledge. Thank you Mother Nature for the freezing rain & snow last night & today!
#mbfalcons
Radisson - thank you Mother Nature, a week of on/off rain might be exactly what is needed to dissuade Ella and Pandemic from nesting on the east-side ledge this year! 🤞🏻
Forecast @weathernetwork.bsky.social
#mbfalcons
💡 Cool Stuff
Thank you to Carolyne Christie for asking about the peregrines and @winnipegfreepress.com for publishing the story!
Photo of Pip by Dennis Swayze
www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communit...
@FPReviewWest #mbfalcons
Ella in the nestbox just after Pandemic left this am - they had been "bowing" & talking with one another for about 10 minutes, all part of their courtship ritual.
Radisson
I'm glad for snow/rain this week, anything to keep Ella & Pandemic from considering the east-side nestledge. Wet/cold is the biggest cause of chick mortality, so anything that gets them in the nestbox works for me! I have to add more gravel to the box this week though ...
#mbfalcons
Radisson
I can now confirm that Equinox has been evicted & Pandemic has (disturbingly quickly) transferred his affections elsewhere. The new female ruling the nestbox? Ella the Terrible of course, home right on time. Haven't seen Equinox & no sign/reports the eviction got physical. 🤞
#mbfalcons
💔 Heartbreak!
How does this happen? For the 3rd year, the quintessential wetland raptor loses - this year to a squinty-eyed, bad-tempered, albeit beautiful, winter rodent hunter! AARRGGHH! Now I have 364 days to explain why wetlands are essential for the survival of the peregrine!
#mbfalcons
DUC's Marsh Madness - WE ARE IN THE FINALS!
Last round & its btwn the Snowy Owl & the Peregrine Falcon. I know the owl is beautiful but Peregrines are charismatic, deadly, protective, maternal, cute as a button & now back home in MB!
Vote Now! (link below)
#mbfalcons
www.ducks.ca/marsh-madness
Radisson
Oh this new female is going to be contrary, I can just tell. Meaning more contrary than the average peregrine (average peregrine 🤣) So after finally getting a decent image of her to share, she gets all moody photogenic sitting inside the box as the sun goes down. Sigh.
#mbfalcons
Pandemic has been showing her the nestbox and the hated nestledge. Standard courting behaviour. He brought her food too - almost bigger than he could carry so the boy is serious!
Took me a day to get a look at Equinox - she was more cooperative than I thought she'd be. We'll get better photos in the coming days so long as she sticks around ... and Ella doesn't reappear wanting her box & mate back of course!
Radisson
After a few days of wandering, Pandemic is back at the Radisson & he's not alone. Seems he found a ladyfriend on his travels. They reappeared on Mar 20th & since she is unbanded, I've decided to call her Equinox (easy mnemonic). Very striking bird w her full black cap.
#mbfalcons
(Little blurry as he's a small peregrine a long way from the camera & I'm zoomed in to the max. ~TPC)
Radisson
Half of returnee's legband matches Pandemic's & given how comfortable he was in the nestbox yesterday, I don't have any doubt its him. He's been hanging out on the roof of the Alt Hotel, the Rogers Bldg & the Radisson sign today, places where lady friend(s) can see him clearly!
#mbfalcons
3rd Round of @DucksUnlimitedCanada's 2026 Marsh Madness is open!
The Peregrine Falcon is still in the mix - which seems appropriate our first peregrine returned to the Radisson before the first goose was spotted at Oak Hammock Marsh 🥳
Vote at ducks.ca/marsh-madness
#mbfalcons
Radisson - Someone's home VERY early! Definitely one of our earliest returns In my memory! I want to say it is Pandemic but Ella is just ornery enough to get back to defend her nestbox! Maybe tomorrow s/he will cooperate & show me his/her legbands!
#mbfalcons
@DucksUnlimitedCanada's 2026 Marsh Madness tournament is up & running! Just in time for the peregrines' return at the end of this month! And yes, the peregrine falcon, known in the past as a "duck hawk" is in the mix!
Cast your votes now
👉 ducks.ca/marsh-madness
#mbfalcons
@duc_manitoba
⏰ Countdown
Despite the talon-curling temps today (feels like -29c right now), we are 30 days from when at least one of our birds should be back at the Radisson. "Should" being the operative word, peregrines are notoriously bad at being where they ought to be, when they ought to be.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - Ella enjoying the sun this morning from her perch on the Alt Hotel sign. We are rapidly approaching when the last of our birds have left in past years. However Ella is tenacious & patient or maybe she's just waiting for me to put the nestbox back ...
#mbfalcons
Radisson - we have had more than a few amazing lightning storms this summer it seems - always worth the price of admission, even if they tend to come with rain - lots & lots of rain this weekend if the forecast is accurate.
#mbfalcons #mbstorm
video = youtu.be/__k-3_OmAMg
So nice of her to let me see her band - usually kids aren't still around so without confirming her ID this could have been a chick from pretty much anywhere
Radisson - unexpected visitor on the Radisson sign this am - Bella! Usually the kids are well on their way south by now. Does it surprise us that a daughter of Ella would be contrary? 🤣 Nice to see Bella has her great-grandma Princess' "crown" even if just this year.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - work has begun on the roof of the Radisson. The nestbox has been stowed away until the work is complete at which time we will reinstall the box with new gravel ready for the birds' return next spring. Pandemic is onsite & suspicious of the all the activity.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - we are royally annoying Ella today. Yippeee (not). Have to clean out & move the nestbox so work can be done on the roof. Not much time to do the work before the weather changes so Ella & Pandemic will have to rely on the Radisson & Alt signs for a bit.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - Ella perched on the nestbox this morning. She's puffed up and tucked down on her toes, not really surprising given the cooler overcast weather this morning. We'll see her more often like this as the time to migrate gets closer ..
#mbfalcons
Bella this am in the Alt Hotel sign. How do I know it's Bella? 1) note the narrow dark line on her cheek and the big white patch on her cheek - by this time nest year she won't have that there will be more dark on her head (cap) and cheek (malar stripe) a all our kids have this appearance. 2) it's hard to see in this image, but the cam shows she is brown not black/grey on her back. 3) and I know it's Bella because she was calling and looking towards the Radisson - given that Ella and Pandemic are still be much at home, an unrelated chick wouldn't have been calling so close to a still occupied/defended nestbox.
Radisson - had a surprise visitor this am - seems Ella & Pandemic aren't "empty-nesters" quite yet. That's Bella perched on the Alt Hotel sign (check the 📷 caption for how I know). She's survived her 1st solo adventures which (🤞🏻) bodes well for her on migration!
#mbfalcons
Radisson - Ella (on the T) & Pandemic (on the H) have been enjoying a very quiet afternoon on the Alt Hotel sign. Nice to see after their exciting nesting season! This is their chance to rest up & replenish their resources before they too head south for the winter.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - seems like Pandemic has decided to stop being camera-shy. Pandemic is on the H, Ella is on the N. Both are napping now after marathon preening sessions.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - Ella is making sure no migrating female takes a shine to her nestbox ... good for us as it gives us a wonderful opportunity to enjoy her company awhile longer.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - just as the rain started I spotted Ella tucked up on the Alt Hotel sign. She is able to keep an eye on her nestbox (my precioussss) and stay dry - for Ella that is a win-win.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - Ella has been hanging out on the box for the vast majority of the day. No sign of Pandemic or Bella. Bella, like lots of chicks, has likely already headed south. Usually the resident pair stays together for another month so 🤞🏻 we'll see Pandemic again.
#mbfalcons
Radisson - more napping for Ella, now on the box edge. There is a bit of a wind at the altitude of the box so she getting fluffed and buffeted some from time to time. She is a pretty bird.
#mbfalcons
