To the falcon fans among you, here's an update in the
love life of Tacoma's downtown male peregrine.

His female companion of the winter jilted him a month
and a half ago. Then two weeks ago, after he had absented
himself from his usual haunts for a little while, he
showed up again with a new female companion--a subadult
who is apparently in transition molt.

Yesterday morning, on a ledge the Key Bank building, the
two falcons no-doubt-about-it did IT, emphatically and
(apparently) enthusiastically treading.

In three years of watching the male search for commitment,
I've seen him attempt copulation with several partners, but
I've never seen him unambiguously succeed, as he did yesterday.

So even though the outlook for producing young'uns isn't real
promising, given the male's gloomy record and the lack of
prime nest sites--well, who knows.

--Jim Lyles, downtown Tacoma