Rfalconcam Forum

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam#id2934623 (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam#id2934623)

They are now incubating 3 eggs and below is a blog about the nest with great info about Raptors and the "amazing process of egg incubation."

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/ (http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/)

 :hawk: Thanks Kris!  :2thumbsup:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam#id2934623 (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam#id2934623) Fired up again!

Remembering the Franklin Institute dad on Father's Day:

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/2012/06/remembering-dad-on-fathers-day.html (http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/2012/06/remembering-dad-on-fathers-day.html)

What a beautiful tribute to a great dad! Thanks

 :clap:

After the loss of dad last year, T2 stepping in to help mom raise her and dad's kids-there is good news, bad news and Great News this year!

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/ (http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/)

Cam link (not turned on yet):

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam#     (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-franklin-institute-haw-cam#)

 :thumbsup:

The webcam is now live-Mom and T2 are busy building their nest!

1st egg for T2 and Mom!

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/ (http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/) 1st hatch!!  :clap:

 :hatch1:

2 hatches and big crack in remaining egg!

 :hatch1: :hatch1: :star:

3 RTH's hatched here this year- Peanut, the lone male, and the "formel twins".  Sadly, one of the twins flew hard into a window this afternoon playing with her siblings and died on impact.  Fly free, F2.   :sorrow:

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/ (http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/)

Oh shoot, they were doing so well too!  :(

Clarification on my post-there are 2 tiercels left-the twins were male and female with the lone formel being deceased.  From what I've read in comments, they're going to preserve her body and use her for educational purposes.

Posted today:

One of the surviving brothers has hit a window at Moore College (same area where the female hit a window and died from injuries) and suffered a concussion.  He's at a rehab facility and they hope for a quick release.

Just goes to show, no matter how long they have been flying, there is still a danger. Bless him and hope he will be OK. Hope our juvies do well also and don't get too cocky!

Agreed!  :yes:

2nd FI RTH has died  :sorrow:

From FB:

I am very sorry to have to post this message from Rick Schubert, Schuylkill Wildlife Clinic Director:

Important notice

The RTH from the Franklin Institute died last night.

We are unsure exactly why this happened, although it is not surprising when an animal has severe blunt impact trauma from flying into a window and then falls a long distance to the ground. There is often internal damage and organ rupturing that cannot be seen, felt, or detected. The majority of red-tailed hawks do not make it to adulthood.

Both the Clinic staff and Dr. Boutette did everything possible for the bird.

This is the reality of wildlife in the city. For four years with the Hawkcam we had fairy-tale endings, which is far from typical. Typically, the world of humans and the world of animals collide and life is brutal, ugly, and short. That’s why wildlife rehabilitators are here, to undo what little damage we can and to alleviate what suffering we can. Now we have to move on and focus on the other four hawks we are currently caring for, as well as the thousands of other animals. Hopefully the last fledgling will survive and fly off and life will go on for these hawks and all the other wildlife.

 :'(

 :(

The only survivor of this year's 3 RTH juvies, Peanut, has been found down and was taken to a Vet.  The hits just keep coming... :(

Just saw that on fb, someone saw one down near the Parkway, waiting for someone to retrieve it. So so darn sad that all 3 had met with trouble.  Good grief!!  :(

Update on Peanut:

Update on P-Nut's condition. He was lying flat in the grass, sometimes w/wings spread out like he was mantling, sometimes w/wings drawn in. When I approached he was alert w/head feathers out and beak open. He wanted to get away, but did not seem to be able to coordinate his escape. I was able to grasp him w/gloves and get him into a box. Rick examined him and found nothing obvious wrong. Appeared not to have broken wings/legs; had feeling in his toes; eyes/pupils focused/dilated normally, but he seemed disoriented. Rick thinks he may have been "rolled by a car". He's had fluids and meds and is resting comfortably in a dark environment. Please don't call the clinic. Let Rick watch him and report when he has more definitive information.

That's promising!! Thanks

That's what they said about the last one-just a concussion and dead in a week.  Hoping better things for this one.  This is the first year in 5 yrs that any have been lost-a really bad yr.

I'm thinking positive thoughts for Peanut!  :pray:

Hawk may fly again with help!   Hit by car

http://philly.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx (http://philly.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx)

Last of three baby red-tails was hit by a car — but saved.

It’s been a bad-luck year for the redtailed hawks nesting on a ledge of the Franklin Institute.
DINKO MITIC / For The Inquirer
Peanut flies over the Parkway before his mishap on Tuesday, emitting his trademark red-tailed hawk high-pitched cry.
Two of the youngsters died this month after flying into windows at Moore College of Art, just around the corner. The third was found Tuesday morning on the ground next to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
He was alive but injured, and was taken to the wildlife rehabilitation center at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Roxborough. Rick Schubert, director of wildlife rehabilitation, determined that the bird had likely been grazed by a car, perhaps hitting the windshield.
So, after four years of all the young hawks surviving — a “fairy tale,” Schubert said — the perils of urban life may be catching up to them.
“Animals and the world of humans collide, and it’s usual brutal, violent, and short — for the animals,” Schubert said.
Even in the wild, two out of three young hawks never make it to adulthood, perhaps sometimes because they are unable to find food.
“They might not be the strongest, smartest, quickest ones,” Schubert said, “and they don’t survive.” Add the compounding factors of the urban environment — “the lights, the roads, the cars, the buildings, the cats, the poisons, and everything else” — and it’s amazing the Franklin Institute’s baby birds have done so well. ( At least until growing up and disappearing into the wild blue yonder.)
Then again, no wild bird has the watchful eyes of the Franklin Institute hawks. These birds have been stars of a webcam since they started nesting on the third-floor ledge in 2009.
And every day in recent years, more people come out to gawk at and photograph them.
Last year, when the adult male was killed by a truck on the Schuylkill Expressway, a witness knew about the celebrated hawks and posted on the “Franklin Hawkaholics” Facebook page.
Miraculously, another male arrived and the female accepted him. The nest continued.
On Tuesday, when the third hawk of this year’s nest was found injured — the last to hatch and the first to fly; his fans dubbed him Peanut — it was his Facebook following that came to his rescue.
Most of the regulars were elsewhere, watching the empty-nesters — the mother atop a roof near 20th and Callowhill, or the father at 15th and Vine.
Franklin Institute communications manager Sean Tobin spotted the bird on his way to work. He summoned the director of facilities, Mark Harmon, the museum’s unofficial liaison with the watchers.
Harmon stood over the injured bird, and, not having phone numbers at hand, posted “hawk down” on Facebook.
Carolyn Sutton was five minutes away. She arrived with heavy gloves and a box — always at the ready in her car.
The East Falls resident is a volunteer with the wildlife rehab center, and every day of nest season, for five years, she has gone downtown by dawn to monitor the birds.
Sutton drove Peanut to the center, where by afternoon he was in a darkened area to keep him calm, awaiting X-rays.
The two birds that flew into Moore windows were less lucky, but the first at least was preserved as a specimen at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
“It might seem strange to have red- tailed hawks as window kills,” said collections manager Nate Rice, “but we get virtually every major group of birds,” including peregrine falcons, shorebirds, songbirds, woodpeckers, owls, rails, and others.
Moore spokesman Roy Wilbur said the college is planning to install banners featuring students’ work in two large windows over the entrance — where they consider collision risk the highest.

“We’re just so devastated about the other two,” Wilbur said. “We’re hoping Peanut is OK.”

Posted the whole article as some have to sign in to read this: Philadelphia Inquirer

Thanks D!  :pray:

Franklin Institute Hawks Killed After Crashing Into Glass



PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The deaths of two of the Franklin Institute hawk fledglings after flying into windows points to a worldwide problem.

For five years, the growth of the Franklin Institute nestlings has been followed by fans around the world — through the nest cam, the Franklin Hawkaholics Facebook page, and the Hawkwatch at the Franklin Institute blog . Although the original adult male hawk, dubbed Dad by fans, was killed last year, the fledglings from the first four broods are believed to have survived to migrate in the fall.

Blogger Della Micah says the deaths of two of this year’s fledglings serve as a wakeup call.

“The 80-90 percent mortality rate for red-tailed hawks in their first year is absolutely proving.” Micah says the manner in which the fledglings died opened her eyes to a widespread problem. “I certainly think the birds hitting windows that they can’t see definitely raise awareness for me.”

Muhlenberg Biology professor Daniel Klem has devoted his career to the study of bird-glass collisions. He says it’s impossible to know exactly how or what birds see — so researchers study their behavior for insight.

“Birds just really behave as if clear and reflective windows are invisible to them.” Klem says that every year, window strikes claim the lives of about a billion birds in the United States alone.

But he says it’s preventable. “It’s very important that you destroy the reflection, so you don’t get the animals being deceived by the facing habitat and sky that’s mirrored in the pane.”

That can be done on a residential scale with decals or screening. On a larger scale, Klem has been pushing for the production of glass with a pattern in the ultraviolet range that birds can see, but we can’t.

With more glass-clad green buildings going up, says Klem, the need grows more pressing.

“It doesn’t matter what they label their ‘green’ buildings,” Klem said. “A building’s never green if it’s killing birds.”

Della Micah says the way in which the two young hawks died may help spur change.

“I hope if there’s good which can come from this, is that people really take a look at any large sheets of glass for which they’re responsible, that a bird potentially, could fly into, and try to take some of the appropriate measures, to make it more bird-friendly.”

CBS Philly

“It doesn’t matter what they label their ‘green’ buildings,” Klem said. “A building’s never green if it’s killing birds.”

Good point. Also true of wind generators.

Paul

Saturday morning (Aug. 3) Update: Peanut made it through the night; he's resting in a dark /quiet cage, and continuing to receive supportive care. 

Come on Peanut!!

We're rooting for ya Peanut!  :pray:

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/08/11/franklin-institute-red-tailed-hawk-on-the-mend/ (http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/08/11/franklin-institute-red-tailed-hawk-on-the-mend/)

Peanut on the mend 

 Schubert says Peanut couldn’t use his legs at first, but now, he’s sitting on a perch. There’s one big sign of improvement — the bird is loudly demanding food.  :heart:

Good to hear!

http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/ (http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/)

Update: Peanut is flying! 

Sweet!  :2thumbsup:

Just saw this update on Peanut!

Greetings hawk fans. Although you probably suspect it, since someone spilled the beans, I'm happy to report that today Peanut was released to an excellent undisclosed location. He is flying, soaring, and hunting. He will be supported with food drops to ensure he gets his bearings. It's the perfect spot for a hawk - lots of prey and perching, but not too many human-caused dangers. Thank you all so much for caring so much, and for the donations to the clinic. Fly free and live well, young hawk!

                  Wonderful news!!!   :2thumbsup:

 :yahoo: :mbanana: :bguitar: :dance1: :thanks2:

YAY, I'm so happy!! Go Peanut!!!  :heart:

http://youtu.be/WWxlmrAprtc (http://youtu.be/WWxlmrAprtc)

This is a bummer...posted on the Franklin Hawkaholics FB page:

Over the last 5 years, this group has been privileged to see Mom and Dad and then Mom and T2 raise 15 hawks at the Franklin Institute. In that time, a fine community has evolved with the shared interest in the observation of this nest.

Over the past two days, Carolyn Card Sutton and today, both of us, have observed T-2 and Mom gathering materials for nest building, but they are flying them to the light platform over the train yards at 30th Street. Unless their behavior takes a sharp change, it looks like they will be establishing a new nest there.

It is largely inaccessible, and view-able only from a distance. For all of us who have been enthralled by their story, this is difficult news. The platform has no nearby trees or buildings, and they are sandwiching the nest between the bottom of the lights and the platform that sustains them.

Last year, Mom and T-2 attempted to build a nest at the Glaxo Smith Kline building but abandoned that effort and moved back to the FI, although it was at an earlier point in time. We can hope that is what they will do again.

Of course, we will continue to monitor the situation, and will post some pictures of what we were able to see today, but we wanted to prepare for what might be a disappointing season of observation.

A posted comment said that this is a very dangerous area and it's where Dad was killed a couple years ago...will be very bad for fledglings.  I've watched this site for 5 years and this is so disappointing to hear after all the tragedy of last year.

                          :(

Very sad news today:  

I have bad news to report. As you know, we have not seen T2 since St. Paddy's Day. I asked our contact at Amtrak to have yard workers take a look around. The track inspector reports that workers saw a dead hawk on the tracks earlier this week. They knew about the nest and have seen no action there since that time. I guess we have to accept the fact that we have lost T2. RIP brave hawk. You will always be our hero.

Fly free, T2.   :crying:   :sorrow:

 :(

Shoot!!   :(