Hi All,
I am sure that many are enjoying watching these falcons bear the weather and protect their eggs. You have probably noticed that both the male and female falcons take turns at incubating the eggs. This allows the second bird to hunt for prey, drink water, and maintain their territory. What percentage of time do you see the female incubating compared the male?
One observation that many have made is that the female falcon is larger than the male. At times this size difference is striking, other times it can be less clear. Don't forget that birds can control each feather on their body to 'fluff up' or to compress their feathers against their body to be more streamlined. One artifact of the size difference between males and females is that larger females can take larger prey items to be eaten by the falcon "family".
I hope to be able to make a visit to the site to survey what the falcons have been eating of late. I will keep you posted when I am able to do that. In the meantime, be in touch with questions and share the BRI Peregrinecam with your friends. Observing the nest is likely to grow very exciting if indeed all four of the eggs hatch!
Until next time,
Patrick Keenan
BioDiversity Research Institute
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Thanks for the update Patrick....will we have another 'pellet test'? I need to improve my grade!
ReplyDeleteJ in S.P.ME
i just was watching the falcon , looks like one egg is a bit uncovered...this might be the cause ? of only one egg hatching last year.. the falcon is faceing with its back , to the web cam..
ReplyDeleteAny idea when the first egg may hatch? My sixth grade class likes this cam the best since they can watch live action.
ReplyDeleteSunday 3:00 pm a squirrel appeared and the female spread her wings and looked at him very menacingly and the squirrel decided he had best leave. Got to see all 4 eggs... no hatches yet.
ReplyDeletewatching the web cam .. at about 7:38 pm , 4/19/2010, the female falcon went what looked like a defence pousture, and was watching something run around the nest box... i think it may have been a squirrl.... not sure if a red or grey...either a very brave one or perhaps might become fast food, later this year..
ReplyDeletei just read on the chat thingy , ( the other web cam u-tube ) ?? that a chick has hatched about 8 pm 4/23/2010 i thought i saw something in the front of the falcon , that is on the eggs..i thought it might be an egg shell..have to wait till tomorrow to see if i get a peek at a new falcon chick ...
ReplyDeleteI just read that # 2 hatched ....( read that on the chat thing on the u-tube site )
ReplyDeleteOOOPS !!! my bad.. the chat i refer to is on ustream. not u-tube..my error
ReplyDeleteHow adorable! 2 chicks being fed by Mom, a very attentive Mom. It will be interesting to see how she feeds all 4, if they all hatch.
ReplyDeleteJudy in Western Maine
Sunday 4/25 She's feeding three now! How cool.
ReplyDeleteStill 3 chicks on Monday morning 7a.m. Maybe this will be the opposite of last year and only 1 egg will not hatch. It's amazing to have three!!
ReplyDeleteJ in S.P.ME
All 4 eggs have hatched.. the 4th one hatched some time around 4 pm 4/46/2010.. all 4 were feed about 5:30 ish pm ....lets hope they all survive, and gorw up to fledge..should be fun watching them all grow and play...
ReplyDeletei ment 4/26/2010, not 4/46/2010...guess i better look before i type..LOL
ReplyDelete2/28 2:40p.m. Just saw all 4 being fed, and all are looking good to this untrained eye. Yesterday I couldn't watch as #4 seemed to be having such a hard time getting close to food. Today he looks almost as strong as the other 3!
ReplyDeleteJ in S.P.ME
04/29 @ 10:15
ReplyDeleteHooray ... just watched a meal delivered and 4 beautiful chicks fed.
The camera switch gave a fantastic view! Thanks ...
JAM in IL
Hi All,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the posts and your great monitoring. I have been very busy. How wonderful to have four chicks this year...now we need to cue in on our banding effort.
Best,
Patrick