De Mortel: flightaction

Derby Peregrine Project: 3 eyases evening feeding

This morning there where 3 eyases in the scrape: the third egg had hatched! We are all so very happy with this great succes. Of course congratulations to all the very hard working people of the Project who have made it possible that we can watch this so special event in the life of the peregrine falcon. After all reproduction is the main thing in the life of this bird of prey.

In a special entry of this day on my Peregrine Blog you will find over a hundred pictures of the first and second feeding of the 3 hatchlings.

http://falcoperegrinus-froona.blogspot.com/2008/05/derby-3-eyases.html

And do visit the Derby Blog to read all about the latest news of the hatchlings and the great DVD they have presented this week about the peregrines of Derby Cathedral . A must-have for all peregrine lovers.

http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.com/

Oberhausen: a lazy sunny morning

Rochester: getting closer

De Mortel: eyases on the run

This is "my own nestsite" in De Mortel. And of course I'm very envolved with the peregrines overhere. It is very touching to watch how very devoted S2 his to her first ever eyases. The way she protects them, holds them close, she is very attached to them. Of course all mothers are. But there is absolutely a difference between nestsites. The way Mariah of Rochester en SW of Cleveland are devoted to their hatchlings, is comparable with this S2.
The 4 eyases are all hatched with time difference to eachother, so it makes a very nice pic, these 4 of different heights. 3 On the move, the youngest pressing himself to his mother. It is a joy watching this, my own nestsite. We are so vert happy with this succes, and grateful to our new sponsors Alticom , Internl and Eco farm De Biezen. Without them we would not have been able to present the footage to the world.

Zwolle: shadows on the wall

James River Bridge: 26 days old

In their fourth week of life, the chicks undergo significant changes almost daily. Around day 25, the brown tips to the secondaries become clearly visible, and the number of coloured feathers visible on the breast increases noticeably. Behaviourally, they are rarely resting on their tarsi anymore at this age.

Cobb Island eyases

Oberhausen: pigeon soap

Here we go again, the daily pigeon soap. One hour later than usual, but Mom brought in a just caught pigeon. And the three rascals took it immediately, pulled and pushed in into the nestbox. No doubt load screaming. And there they where, with the headless pigeon. One stood on top of it. It all looked very raptorial real, but the problem was that it stopped there. They just don't have a clou how to get to the meat with all those darn feathers around it.
Mom walked behind them to the nestbox and just stood there watching. Looking into the cam as if she was thinking, they'don't know what to do, but I will teach them a lesson once more.
And again she did the right thing. She left.
The little male was right behind here and screamed to her, but she had enough, she flew off.
And it took a long time before she came back. Only one of the juvi's had managed to get a bite out of the neckwound of the poor pigeon. The other two just laid themselves down on the ledge. No meal today.
How educational. They do watch when she is plucking. They have to learn it that way. It's clearly not instinctive, this plucking affair. I've seen more nestlings having big problems with plucking. But once they have thorn off a few feathers it's bingo, that's the way. I wonder how long it will take these three.
In the meantime it is hilarious

Rome: one very assertive eyas!

It is really amazing how agressive this one eyas is. She grabs prey that Vento brings and is really intimidating towards him. This eyas is as big as her dad and he does not go into an argument with her. She almost attacks him when he brings prey. She grabs it, mantles it and torns the pieces of meat of it. Little sister is much nices and stands aside and gets nothing. That will be a very hard lesson to learn. Shy raptors do not survive.
Only when Aria brings prey the little fixen does not get her way. Aria just keeps on holding on and puts her in her place. It is great watching this behaviour of parent and offspring.

Terminal Tower Cleveland

Copyright Scott Wright




Copyright Scott Wright


Copyright Scott Wright


The eyases are now 13 days of age. Buckeye and SW are leaving them longer alone. But Buckeye is always close. Most often setting on one of the nestcams high above the nestsite keeping an eye on things. Or getting his hungry family a flicker from teh square below for dinner.

For this day I am inclusind 3 fabulous recent pictures made by Mr. Scott Wright. I am very grateful for his permission to use his pics for my Falco Peregrinus Website. He makes amazing photographs of SW and Buckeye. Mr Wright works for the Ohio Division of Wildlife for many years and knows this peregrine couple very well.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?alias=www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife

Zurich

In their fourth week of life, the chicks undergo significant changes almost daily. Around day 25, the brown tips to the secondaries become clearly visible, and the number of coloured feathers visible on the breast increases noticeably. Behaviourally, they are rarely resting on their tarsi anymore at this age.

Brighton Sussex Heights: 8 days old

The chicks have already grown considerably relative to the size of the eggs they emerged from. They are covered with fine white down, and in some places the pink skin still shows through (e.g. the crop, when full of food ).

Zwolle : 10 days old

Heidelberg eyases: 22 days old

The amount of black protruding along the edge of the wing indicates that the flight feathers continue to develop at a rapid rate, but it isn't until the wing is spread that the state of development can be fully appreciated. Unfortunately it is not very well visible in these webcams. Other ones give a better look on the development of the flightfeathers. These two eyases are doing fine.

See for a detailed picture view of the development on this special page:

http://falcoperegrinus-froona.blogspot.com/2008/04/eyases-growth-and-development.html

De Mortel in de morning

Four hungry eyases in teh morning waiting for breakfast. S2 leaves to get some in some beautiful flightaction.
The 4 chicklets are stepping into their thirdweek, and are beginning to enter the "hunchback" phase, during which they are often seen in the pose above, with their feet splayed out in front of them and their head angled forward.
They begin to move around as can be seen in the pics. S2 keeps an eye on things.

Nijmegen: 14 days old

When chicks are this age they are beginning to enter the "hunchback" phase, during which they are often seen in the pose above, with their feet splayed out in front of them and their head angled forward.

Eemsmond: so sad

48 days ago the Eemsmond female laid her fourth egg and they are incubating their eggs eversince. With the same percistance as the first day they keep turning the eggs.
Not knowing the eggs are not viable they will go on. The sight of the egg keeps the prolactine hormone level up. So they will go on breeding. If anyone took the eggs out in time, they would start a second cluctch. But no one will. So they will have no eyases this year.
Theu will probably stop after about 60 days. The hormone levels will change by the influence of the time of year, the temperature and their own molt cycle.
Nevertheless, the sight of this breeding female among all the eyases everywhere is kind of sad. Next year maybe new chances

Cobb Island: 2 weeks old

The Cobb eyases are exactly 2 weeks old today. They've grown into little chicklets, Very well visible on their bodies the tracks where the feathers will grow. The little bubs are the featherfollicles, See also:

Hatchtable updated

With the hatches in Derby and Harrisburg it looks like this.

Oberhausen: late night snack

After a day full of juvenile adventures the 3 rascals enjoy an evening snack. They do their daily Tai Chi stretches with wings and legs and dream of days to come.
When they do know how to grab a pigeon and pluck the thing. They have a still a lot to learn, although they do think they are a full grown raptor already. Maybe tomorrow...