Finally, I was able to capture and witness a feed. After so many days of missing it by a few minutes. Today, I just arrived and Rhea Mae began feeding her three little ones.
One egg still to hatch.
When I left work yesterday at 3:00pm there was still only 1 egg in the scrape. Today when I arrived at work it was 5:30am & I couldn’t se a darn thing, but when the sun came up & the female finally got off the scrape, I noticed that there were 2 eggs. I’m not sure if the 2nd egg was produced last night or early today. Mom was on & off the eggs quite a bit while I was there today so maybe she plans on having more as it does not appear that full incubation has started.
Yesterday was approximately Day 30 by my count of heavy incubation here at the Etobicoke nest site! As if to back up my calculations - Jack for the first time since last years chicks were here was perched in his old signage spot most of yesterday so I know something is up! He spent quite a bit of time here yesterday for the first time in quite awhile.
This morning I arrived on-site at 8:25 am. Jack was on his old perch and Mom was in the nestbox. Usually you can’t see her from the ground due to the height and depth of the nestbox but this morning I observed her tail and head flipping around quite a bit which tells me she is not laying very flat like she normally does.
Jack spent his time watching, clearing the pigeons and anything else he didn’t like the look for about a half hour which included me!! He actually flew over to where I was across the street and down the road and circled low above me three times which was quite intimidating.
He went back to his perch for awhile, satisfied that I was sufficiently cowed - which I must say I was! Then he flew out to the south, back and forth a few times as something must have caught his eye and the last time he came back with something in his talons. He then flew to the front ledge and was in the process of preparing Mom’s brunch when a poor misguided pigeon was attempting to land on the ledge and he just grabbed it in midair and that was that! That’s the second time I’ve seen him do that and it’s just spectacular to see! He then took his new catch and flew by the nest ledge and then headed towards the direction of his other nest site!
At 9:36 he arrived back at our site, swung around and grabbed his previous catch and went to present it to Mom, a few chups were exchanged and she took the offering and flew out of sight to the rooftop to enjoy her meal.
She took close to a half hour to enjoy her meal and then returned to the webcam, a few more chups to dad and she settled into cleaning her talons and giving herself a good preen which is how I left her at 11:00 am and Jack was still in the nestbox so she’s had a good break this morning!
Good morning, all, just to let you know that the falcons have been spotted this morning (Wednesday Apr. 28/2010) at 10:15 à 10:25 a.m. Male sighted in flight and on CP hotel SE corner (last year’s nest site) TWO females in air above at the same time (both were larger than the bird that landed on CP and of about equal size some “chasing” observed but male did not participate but was watching from a distance and followed when the two females headed north over the East Memorial Block). Heard calling KEE__YAAK_YAAK_YAAK from male when he was on the CP Hotel ledge; neither female responded as far as I could tell. There is a crow’s nest in one of the trees on the Place de Ville patio area (smoking area), and is in perfect sight line from the SE corner of the CP Hotel, female crow is currently brooding her eggs; perhaps this will become a “lunch-counter” for the falcons once the baby crows begin to fledge. Keep in touch and have a great day…
Scott
Back to the Sheraton this morning to try and resolve the camera problem. A quick peek into the nest ledge and there I saw two parts of an egg and Rhea Mae munching on another half of shell. Darn it! I didn’t have my pocket camera with me, so photos will have to wait until this week-end. I expect the other two eggs to hatch this weekend.
A segment of cliffs at Mount Minsi on the southwest side of the Delaware Water Gap has been closed by the National Park Service to protect a rare bird species.
The closure, which may last until early August, is aimed at protecting a pair of breeding peregrine falcons on the cliff face. The species is a Pennsylvania designated endangered species. The action is being taken in close consultation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
There are only about a dozen nesting pairs statewide. Prior to last year, all nests in the state were on buildings and bridges in urban settings. This is just one of two nesting attempts in natural habitat.
Read the full story of why the park closed a section of the cliffs to save rare falcons.
Thanks for the heads up by the Pennsylvania MNR.
As reported, in late March there were 4 eggs here which have mysteriously gone missing. Well I think it was because a 3rd falcon showed up & caused a trauma smash or the residents here destroyed the eggs, I’m just guessing. However, yesterday the new female laid her 1st egg. She is taking good care of it & the male is bringing in food for her. We are hoping that there will be more eggs & that they are viable. It’s late in the season but hopefully it will work out ok.
Just a quickly update to let everyone know that there are still 4 eggs being incubated, and everything seem sto be on track and looking forward to a hatch very soon.
On a rare occasion while watching the camera when the adults did a shift change from their incubation duties, I was able to capture a clear shot of the four eggs.
Archer and Beauty were incubating 4 eggs. That is until yesterday morning (4/27/10). We had noticed a dent or dimple in one of the eggs the day before, but hoped that nothing was wrong with it. Tuesday morning around 7:30 am, Beauty pushed one egg out from beneath her. That’s when we were able to see the large crack.
It didn’t take her long to dispose of this egg.
So, we here in Rochester are now waiting for the 3 remaining eggs to hatch, probably sometime around May 20th.
Incubation continues, no hatch as yet. CPF is working on the camera issue. Sorry. Cameras are fine and in working order, it seems to be more of an internet issue.