Cool, thx Gavin!
When a 'nest fails' does that have a scientific or more technical meaning? Or is it a general term to describe any number of causes for not reproducing? I guess I'm curious if 'fails' means the pair actively worked on the nest and laid eggs, but the eggs broke, we're eaten by rats, eaten by another bird, or if the birds failed to do the dirty deed at all and conception failed... then they abandon the nest after no eggs? Just not sure of the timing of a failure.
Munge (and CruxLuv), as you are guessing, a "nest failure" refers to a cavity nest that a prairie falcon pair laid eggs into, or hatched nestlings from, that subsequently failed due to a few possible reasons (nest predators, human disturbance, extreme weather, etc.). In closure updates, I only refer to active nests in a given season that have been confirmed through observations. The Yaks prairie falcon pair did not nest this year but occupied the territory (along with Hanging Valley). Although they are continuing to loosely occupy those areas, it is too late in the season for them to begin nesting, and at any rate they are not exhibiting any behavior that would suggest they are considering a late season effort (they seem to be a very young pair that haven't quite figured it out).
In general, nesting efforts - where falcons lay eggs and proceed to incubate them - are rarely started later than March / April at Pinnacles. However, I did just confirm a prairie falcon pair in a remote slide wall area of the park that laid eggs early in the season, failed to hatch young, and have subsequently re-nested and laid a 2nd clutch of eggs. It is the first confirmed 2nd clutch prairie falcon attempt observed at Pinnacles in over 10 years. So... even though a 2nd clutch attempt by the Machete / General Balconies falcon pair is unlikely this year, it is possible, so I'll continue to keep an eye on those birds.
Probably more information than you wanted, but I hope that helps!
