Saturday, March 15, 2008

Cobb Island



It's such a gift to be able to watch these special creatures during their reproductionproces, watch their behaviour. Compare it. It's everywhere the same. Standing with her egg(s) in front of her. Keeping it warm, leaving it for a short while. No incubating yet.
Yesterday the beautiful Cobb Island Falcon laid her first egg. After that we saw how the male came in to see the egg and get familiair with his first eyas to be. That's perfectly normal behaviour. The male always stays close to the female during the proces of laying. But never inside the nestbox, but outside on the ledge. Last year I watched Ma of De Mortel lay her first egg. It was cold and in was raining cats and dogs. The wind was blowing round the Tower. But Pa, Super Pa, he stayed with her. Sitting on the ledge in front of the box in the pouring rain. Never left. She was in labour and was eechupping to him, he was wailing back. It moved me to see the bond between them. After the egg is laid the female shakes her feathers and moves on the egg, but she stays in place for about 30 minutes. Then she makes way for him.
Buckeye of the Terminal Tower has been watched while he came in the nest after SW laid her egg. he touched the egg with his bill and then he moved his tongue over the egg, to taste it. Isn't that fantastic, how the male peregrine bonds to the eggs! Yesterday on Cobb Island we saw the male come in as well to celebrate the first egg! In between egglaying the female is indeed pooped out. Well yes she is tired, lethargic and stays in the nest most of the time. Sleeping. The male takes care of good food for her , so she's able to produce all the eggs. Eyases is a matter of both parents from the very first beginning until fledge.

Terminal Tower









SW looks like she's in labour. She's been sitting in the box for 45 minutes, but no egg yet. Come on girl!

Rochester


Mariah and Kaver, they both spend a lot of time at the nestbox.
Read the latest news about Linn , one of the 4 juvi's of last year at Imprints:

Heidelberg

James River Bridge


Elizabeth is already in her 9th day of incubation.

Indianapolis


Kinney is spending so much time in the scrape, preparing it and seemingly enjoying it. It seems he is really trying to make everything perfect for his lady and his new family.
And the last three nights watching KathyQ arrive around 8 pm at night (about the same time every night) to assume the posture has been amazing to observe. Standing nearly motionless for hours in one spot - in a trance-like state - you can almost feel inside yourself the egg that is ready to make its arrival into the world.
Well, it will arrive when it is supposed to arrive.

Harrisburg

Harriburg peregrine in the nestbox sraping a bowl.

Oberhausen

Eemsmond



2 eggs, the 3 Dutch ladies± NIjmegen, Eemsmond and De Mortel are all three with 2 eggs. Quite a coincidence!

Derby Peregrines

Nijmegen




They both take very good care of the 2 eggs. They take turns in keeping the eggs warm. No real incubation here. She looks very gravid, so there will be more eggs.

Rome: Aria

Cobb Island



Proud mother with her first egg. More to come. She looks over her shoulder if her mate is nearby.

De Mortel : a 2nd egg!!












Our own beloved S2 of The Mortel has laid her second egg. Because the webcams are not working yet people went into the Tower to see if there was already a second egg. And there is!
First Dad is sitting on the eggs, then he gets up and we are able to see the two wonderful eggs. The proud mother is outside that moment, but gets in as soon as possible to take care of her prescious eggs.
And looks in the camera: ahh you are all there again! See what miracle has happened to me, I will be a mother for the very first time.....
We all love this falcon, she brought us despair and greeve and then she gave us so much happiness and joy. She so much deserves to become a mother now.
She has been en is still my inspiration for writing my extensive website.
On the Dutch De Mortel Forum you can watch the video of S2 with her eggs:

Zurich video





One of the Zurich peregrines, think it's the male is preening in the afternoon.

Heidelberg




Changing the guard: Phönix takes over from Aurora. She will eat now and relieve herself from droppings.