Rfalconcam Forum

:hatch1:  The 1st of 4 eggs has begun hatching for Kathy Q and Kinny  :clap:   

Seems like 4-ever ago, she laid them... :2thumbsup:

Now it is 1st BABY!!  :clap:   :2thumbsup:   

 :crybaby: :hatch1: YAY!!

 :hatch1:  :hatch1: :hatch1: 10:30 last night - 2nd Indy baby - they are reporting 3 empty shells this morning!   :2thumbsup: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XpmkcoIY8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XpmkcoIY8)

Geneva - Female, band is 14/E, black over red. This name was submitted by Lynn Berney from Goshen IN. I know Lynn to be a long-time falconhead and passionate about Kinney and KathyQ. Who is this bird named after? Gosh, just one of the most famous Hoosier authors ever who happened to be a woman. Yes, this glorious bird is named after Geneva (known as Gene) Stratton-Porter, a woman way ahead of her time, an author at her prime in the early part of the 20th century. She wrote wonderfully descriptive books about her love of nature and a particular swamp in NE Indiana, called the Limberlost which she came to know and love intimately - snakes, bugs, plants, trees, birds, wildlife - she loved it all. She had millions of fans all over the world and wrote books such as The Girl of the Limberlost (highly recommend it if you haven't read it) and Freckles, among others. I believe Gene would be honored to have such a magnificent bird of prey named after her. Make history little Geneva like your famous namesake - you already have the admiration of folks worldwide.

Hatton - Male, *V/*B, black over red (the * indicates the letters lay on the side as you look at the band). This name was submitted by Joyce Swoveland of Terre Haute IN, another longtime falconhead. So thrilled to be able to say this little male is named after Liz and Chris Hatton who operate For the Birds of Indiana. They are bird rehabilitators extraordinaire. Anyone who followed the blog in 2008 may remember the saga of one of the juveniles named Magee. The Hattons took him in to begin his path to healing as they so willingly do for hundreds - gosh, probably thousands - of birds of all shape, sizes, colors, and ages. I was lucky enough to visit the Hattons hospital (really their house) when Magee was a resident and it is an amazing field hospital for injured winged friends. Here's the kicker - they don't fundraise and they do it all voluntarily. This is a labor of true love and if you have a chance to talk with Liz and/or Chris, you can immediately feel this. So little Hatton, don't you even dare think of making a visit to your namesakes place - unless you just want to pass over and say hi/bye on your way to a wonderful falcon life.

Maxie - Female, band is 15/E black over red. This name was submitted by a new falconhead, 6-year old Marshall Millard of Indianapolis. Marshall attends Spring Mill Elementary and as his mom said, thanks to Marshall's teacher, the class was able to watch the Ks since KathyQ laid the first egg. There is no particular reason for the name Maxie but Marshall certainly has learned much while watching the life cycle of this falcon family. As his mother said, "He loves keeping up with this and makes a point of teaching us that these chicks are important because the peregrine falcon is almost extinct." Thank you Marshall for your enthusiasm and thanks to young and old concerned folks all over the world, the peregrine falcon that almost did become extinct has made a remarkable comeback. But we need to be ever vigilant and as Marshall has made me aware, you are never too young (and in my case, never too old) to learn about things as magnificent as peregrine falcons. I sure hope that this female falcon will reach her Maxie-mum potential and go on to create many more new generations of little peregrines so Marshall can continue to enjoy their world.

Coach - Male, *V/*C, black over red (the * indicates the letters lay on the side as you look at the band). This name was submitted by Lisa Legan of Indianapolis. Anyone in central Indiana - gosh, probably all over the country, must have heard about the marvelous story of the Butler Bulldog basketball team that made their way to the final game of the NCAA tournament this past April? If not, what rock were you living under? (said with an affectionate smile). As Lisa said, "Coach Brad Stevens guided his team through that amazing frenzy with such grace and maturity that I believe one of these beautiful falcon babies should be named after the coach." May this little falcon find success and greatness just as the Coach and his team did this year!" We agree. And maybe he can help "coach" his brother and sisters in the art of flying.

My racing friend, Gigi, was a participent at yesterday's banding of the Indy Falcons and she sent the following that I thought I'd share with all of you. 

Hi Janet,

Our Indy falcons were banded today and I was honored to hold one of them after he was banded.  Hatton was named honoring Liz and Chris Hatton of For the Birds of Indiana, where I spend every Tuesday volunteering.  Since I was busy holding Hatton, I have no pictures.  I am waiting for friends to send me theirs and then I will share with you. 

The link is to the IndyStar falcon blog and the following text is the excerpt regarding Hatton the tiercel.

On the site are 3 videos
1. inside the conference room [I am in it briefly wearing a beige jacket holding Hatton]
2. outside as John Castrale from DNR is gathering the chicks and fending off parents
3. Chris Hatton in front of the vet's clinic talking about Magee and his recovery

http://blogs.indystar.com/falconblog/

Hatton - Male, *V/*B, black over red (the * indicates the letters lay on the side as you look at the band). This name was submitted by Joyce Swoveland of Terre Haute IN, another longtime falconhead. So thrilled to be able to say this little male is named after Liz and Chris Hatton who operate For the Birds of Indiana. They are bird rehabilitators extraordinaire. Anyone who followed the blog in 2008 may remember the saga of one of the juveniles named Magee. The Hattons took him in to begin his path to healing as they so willingly do for hundreds - gosh, probably thousands - of birds of all shape, sizes, colors, and ages. I was lucky enough to visit the Hattons hospital (really their house) when Magee was a resident and it is an amazing field hospital for injured winged friends. Here's the kicker - they don't fundraise and they do it all voluntarily. This is a labor of true love and if you have a chance to talk with Liz and/or Chris, you can immediately feel this. So little Hatton, don't you even dare think of making a visit to your namesakes place - unless you just want to pass over and say hi/bye on your way to a wonderful falcon life.

Go Gigi! Nice she got to hold Hatton.  :clap:

That's great!    :happy:

Easy little piglets   :hysterical:

I sent Gigi a message earlier, so I hope to have something to report soon.  Of course, she may still have Indy 500 guests...

Just got this from Gigi:

"Yes, he is fine. We think he was blown off the building during a storm last night.  A building security employee made some calls and he ended up at the local animal control.  I was there at 10 am when they opened to retrieve him.  He was fine so we took him back to the 31st floor and released him.  Immediately KathyQ "joined" us and as far as I know everything is still okay.  I volunteered at the Hattons today and just returned. We were on the local news.  Here is the link:" 

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/23755797/detail.html (http://www.theindychannel.com/news/23755797/detail.html)

:yahoo:

 goodnews:   I like it!    :clap:

I would like to get to the Tony Stewart store in downtown Indy on Friday or Saturday before the Brickyard (let me know if you "need" anything), but one of our big projects is that I told Gigi, I'd help her put together a Kodak or Shutterfly book of her Hatten experience.  Rich and Frank will gladly go play with guns and cars, so as long as we feed them, all will be happy.  MAK - this is going to be Smoke's year - I feel it!   :2thumbsup:

Thanks for asking Janet but I don't need anything. I hope you're right about our boy cuz I'm not feelin' it.(not yet anyway)   :wave:   

INDIANAPOLIS -- After a near miss earlier this week, another young peregrine falcon is missing from its downtown roost.

Volunteers said the banded bird was spotted on a car in a downtown alley below its home on the 31st floor of Market Tower on Thursday.

Images: Downtown Falcon Chicks Get Tagged

As people stopped to take pictures, they said a woman came out of a nearby building and drove off with the bird still on the windshield, according to an entry in the Falcon Blog.

"Patrol members have looked in the immediate area but no luck. No telling how far the bird hung on," wrote falcon watcher Laura James-Reim, who said volunteers searched Thursday night with no luck.

On Tuesday, another of the young birds, named Hatton, was returned to the tower after it was found on the ground outside a building at Ohio and Capitol. Volunteers said the bird likely had an unsuccessful flight or was the victim of Monday's storm.

The peregrine falcon is an endangered species in Indiana, which is why the birds are being closely watched. Four new chicks were welcomed in April.

Anyone who sees a banded bird is asked to call Richard at 317-697-9922 or James-Reim at 317-403-5503.

HOW DO YOU NOT know a falcon is riding on your windshield???????????????????

OMG!  I agree, Donna!  They needed Linda W. from Canada who stopped the bus when one of Rhea Mae's daughters was on top!

A couple of things happened - the gal in the car was an airhead and the folks around the car were happy snapping pictures.  No P-Petrol people were around.  AND certainly no mouthy Jersey Girl who would have shouted, "lady!  There is a big birg on your car - watch it!"

what the H E double toothpicks is wrong with some people, she needs to have her hind end kicked more than likely the poor thing came off and got run over by another car.  :(

New post today:   :(

No Easy Way
Life is sometimes difficult and hard. Especially for young, juvenile, barely fledged falcons just starting out in this world.

There is no easy way to say it. I picked up the body of Coach this afternoon from the 4th floor roof area of the AT&T building at 220 N. Meridian.

I know this is always hard on falcon watchers, but I hope we prepare all of you enough to know that the first year of life is extremely precarious for these young birds. I fully believe that Coach died doing what a falcon loves to do - chasing something at lightning speed, intent on his prey, going the next step to adulthood, fulfilling his purpose.

I am only theorizing but I believe he hit the glass building at a higher level and fell to the 4th floor roof. He was in a tuck position and his feet were slightly balled up - and I am sure he died on impact with the building, that there was no lingering or slow death.

From all accounts this happened on Monday, June 28th. I took his body to a DNR office to see if it will be in good condition for an education mount. I didn't have time to assess this today and will need to check with John Castrale on next steps.

Many, many thanks to my old friend at AT&T, Larry Smith (Smitty), the property manager for the AT&T buildings. We go way back and he knows of my love and involvement with the birds and was so helpful in getting the information to me and assisting me in the recovery of Coach's body. Thanks to his co-workers also.

I'm so sorry everyone. Yet I still am joyful - we have 2 surviving girls and I know we all hope they are successful.  

Poor Couch.  :'(

Thanks for posting this, as I didn't get a chance to.  As an additional fyi, and this one hurts, my friend Gigi also told me that "her" falcon, Hatton (2nd male) went MIA and is presumed to be dead as well.  :( That leaves the 2 females remaining. 

 :( :pray:

My feelings exactly.  I'll have to see how Gigi feels about it, but my plan was to spend parts of Friday and Saturday before the Brickyard 400 putting together/designing a Hatton photo book for Gigi.  It would be a bittersweet effort, so it will be up to her.  I'm certain that our hubby's will be out and about doing guy stuff and more than happy to leave Gigi and me!

How sad  :(

Hope all goes well with the two females!!

Suzanne

It was one of the females that landed on a car, was driven away, and later recovered.

They found the one who landed on the car???  I tried going on the site but didn't really follow it too faithfully! 

I know it is nature and these little ones have such a high mortality rate but it is so devastating to see it happen.  When they are in the nestboxes, I cherish the moments because they are safer than when they start venturing out (infections aside). 

I didn't hear they had found the one who took a car ride?! 

Yes, they are much safer in the nestbox...in the outside world there are buildings, glass walls, fast moving vehicles, so many things to fly into!  Every one is a treasure to watch!

Suzanne