First hatch at 19:06.!!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
James River Bridge: Hatching in progress
The hatching process takes after the first pip about 12 hours before the eyas has cut the eggshell into 2 halves. So it will not be untill sunset that the first one will hatch.The parents are very excited and restless, and keep on looking down at what is happening. We cannot hear what is going on, but the little ones are screaming from within the eggs. And the parents are reacting with chup sounds. It is a very wonderful bondingprocess to watch and to listen to.
Oberhausen: eyas died.
Well the cams where back in business for just a few hours. Long enough to see that there are only 3 eyases left. The little one did not make it. I was afraid it would not be able to compete with his elder sibblings. In the first days it did not get anything to eat. How heartbreaking it may seem, it is the rule of nature. Only the strong ones will survive.
In the peregrine falcon the last egg of the clutch is a kind of ensurance. If something happens to egg 2 or 3 there is always one left which can take that place. It is very difficult, rather impossible to get all 4 eggs to hatch on the same day. The growth of the eyas in the first days is extraordinary. So one day left behind is hard to catch up, let alone 2.
Only very good and experienced parents will manage to get all 4 or even 5 eyases to fledge.
Well, it;s sad but I like to think that the youngest one was allowed a glimps of life just to taste it. And the next time it will hatch first and live long and prosper and soar the skies of our wonderful blue earth as a mighty peregrine.
Little one you have touched the life of millions who watched you hatch and where concerned about your wellbeing, That alone makes you special. Untill next time.
In the peregrine falcon the last egg of the clutch is a kind of ensurance. If something happens to egg 2 or 3 there is always one left which can take that place. It is very difficult, rather impossible to get all 4 eggs to hatch on the same day. The growth of the eyas in the first days is extraordinary. So one day left behind is hard to catch up, let alone 2.
Only very good and experienced parents will manage to get all 4 or even 5 eyases to fledge.
Well, it;s sad but I like to think that the youngest one was allowed a glimps of life just to taste it. And the next time it will hatch first and live long and prosper and soar the skies of our wonderful blue earth as a mighty peregrine.
Little one you have touched the life of millions who watched you hatch and where concerned about your wellbeing, That alone makes you special. Untill next time.
Terminal Tower Cleveland
Breeding still going on overhere. The building is being worked on. The birds (Well SW) would not take over the eggs if the guys were near the nest working. She would only come in when they took a break at 10 then again at lunch and the afternoon break. Is the only time SW would come in. She took over the eggs during the 10AM break. Now that the one platform has passed the nest (Note this is the one that will be going up and down all the time) to make it all the up to the top many trips will be made building the lift 6 sections at a time. Report from Scott Wright.
The rope in the last photo is a there because of this work. SW has adapted in the meantime as well.
It is amazing to see how the birds cope with this intrusion. They just keep on breeding and are not alarmed. The way those city peregrines have adapted to life and noise of the big city is exeptional.
Nijmegen: beautiful dawn
No sign of the intruder from sunday, fortunately! Incubation goes on for another 10 days.
Hatching
The hatching process of the eggs in James River Bridge is the highlight of this day. It's awesome that we can see and watch it so close.
But what is going on inside. How does that tiny creature get him or herself out of the eggshel, out of it's incubator. That is quite a job and don not underestimate the enormous lot of energy this must take. Making the escape is a proces that takes many hours. From the first pip to actually hatching can take over 12 hours.
About three days before hatching, the embryo's head burrows beneath the right shoulder so the beak is positioned under the wing & against the two membranes separating the embryo from the air space at the large end of the shell. Sometime that same day, due to oxygen depletion, the beak pierces through the membranes into the air space & pulmonary respiration begins.
The little chick is starting to make sounds as well, a very weak shri-shri-shri is coming from within the egg. From alle eggs that are in this stage. The little ones are telling eachother to hatch too, so all of them hatch after eachother with little time interval.
About a day later, with a dwindling oxygen supply, the embryo begins to kick, to twist and to thrust its head and beak backward, until the eggtooth pips the first hole. The chick can now draw breath. As fresh air enters the shell and circulates, the membranes inside begin to dry, and the blood vessels within those membranes begin to shrink. At this moment, both eggs in James River Bridge are in this stage.
The embryo continues to pip, kick and twist. Small cracks advance counter-clockwise by millimeters around the big end of the shell. A special "hatching muscle" on the back of the chick's neck swells to several times its normal size with a great influx of fluid from the embryo's lymphatic system. Testosteron is catalysing this. The swelling accentuates sensory signals sent through the neck, stimulating the embryo to further activity. Eventually, the cap of the egg is cracked enough. The embryo pushes it off, unfolds from the tuck, and escapes from the shell.
But what is going on inside. How does that tiny creature get him or herself out of the eggshel, out of it's incubator. That is quite a job and don not underestimate the enormous lot of energy this must take. Making the escape is a proces that takes many hours. From the first pip to actually hatching can take over 12 hours.
About three days before hatching, the embryo's head burrows beneath the right shoulder so the beak is positioned under the wing & against the two membranes separating the embryo from the air space at the large end of the shell. Sometime that same day, due to oxygen depletion, the beak pierces through the membranes into the air space & pulmonary respiration begins.
The little chick is starting to make sounds as well, a very weak shri-shri-shri is coming from within the egg. From alle eggs that are in this stage. The little ones are telling eachother to hatch too, so all of them hatch after eachother with little time interval.
About a day later, with a dwindling oxygen supply, the embryo begins to kick, to twist and to thrust its head and beak backward, until the eggtooth pips the first hole. The chick can now draw breath. As fresh air enters the shell and circulates, the membranes inside begin to dry, and the blood vessels within those membranes begin to shrink. At this moment, both eggs in James River Bridge are in this stage.
The embryo continues to pip, kick and twist. Small cracks advance counter-clockwise by millimeters around the big end of the shell. A special "hatching muscle" on the back of the chick's neck swells to several times its normal size with a great influx of fluid from the embryo's lymphatic system. Testosteron is catalysing this. The swelling accentuates sensory signals sent through the neck, stimulating the embryo to further activity. Eventually, the cap of the egg is cracked enough. The embryo pushes it off, unfolds from the tuck, and escapes from the shell.
James River Bridge: Hatching on it's way!
Two eggs at James River Bridge are having pips. Last night/early morning I could see how restless Elesabeth was. Expecting hatching I watched her for hours. And this morning two pips where visable: so two out of the four eggs are hatching. Very exciting indeed!. A moment ago Elisabeth left the eggs for a minute. The pip is a whole lot bigger now and I could see the little one inside the egg moving. It really is very, very special to be able to see that. A special thanks to VAFalcons in Virginia for bringing this to all of us!
Watch the hatching live :
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