"Don't worry, your daddy is out getting you breakfast." "I hope"

Beauty came in looking for Nest-overs to give them...needless to say, they weren't happy.

The already endangered population of whooping cranes may be in further jeopardy if the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico affects the birds' winter habitat and food systems, says an expert with the Calgary Zoo.

As BP works to stem the oil leaking from the ruptured well, the flock manager for the zoo's whooping crane breeding program says there is growing concern that what has already been spilled will wash up on crane habitat. It's also possible the oil will contaminate the shellfish, frogs and fish the birds feast on after migrating south for the winter.

"Right now, we can only wait and see how much longer this is going to be flowing and leaking and how far it goes," said Dwight Knapik, zookeeper at the Devonian Wildlife Conservation Centre. "Everything like this is a concern."

Experts have spent 65 years trying to rebuild the whooping crane population from the 21 birds left at the end of the Second World War to the 550 wild and captive birds alive today.

The cranes, which lay only two eggs per year and typically raise one chick, can't recover quickly from a dip in the population.

"It takes a long time for them to come back," Knapik said.

The only wild flock left in the world spends its summers in Wood Buffalo National Park and migrates south to the Aransas Wildlife Refuge in Texas. Birds raised through breeding programs -- including those through the Calgary Zoo program -- migrate between central Wisconsin and the northwest coast of Florida.

Aransas in Texas is at less risk for contamination because the prevailing water currents appear to be pushing the water east to Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, which will take the brunt of it, Knapik said.

But that could have an effect on the wintering grounds of the flock that has been trained to follow ultralight aircraft from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge to the northwest coast of Florida.

Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has said it will take years to restore environments and habitats affected by the spill. Hundreds of oiled birds have been picked up by wildlife rescue workers in five states, including Texas.

Nearly 700 endangered brown pelicans have died.

Knapik said one of the reasons experts are trying to establish more than one population of cranes by spreading out their summer and winter habitats is so one catastrophic event, such as a hurricane or an oil leak, won't devastate the entire population.

"You can't have all your cranes in one basket," he said.

The Calgary Zoo is home to 2 Whooping cranes

Morning kids!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRxnFB8OIHo

In the past few days I've gotten quite a few inquiries on the whereabouts of Trooper, the male. Folks aren't seeing him via the cams and are worried that he isn't around. He is present, he just hasn't been perching within view of the cams much. He is doing his part to care for the chicks by hunting. He is providing food but handing it off to Scout to feed to the chicks.  (Sounds like Archer) 

    
Recent News Title
6/11/2010  ::   Fledgling Activity
From yesterday's after hours watch and rescue reports, white took two flights last evening. Today he is perched high on a nearby building. Red has visited the ledge often and continues to investigate rooftops throughout the city. These two fledges should begin their flight/hunting lessons soon.
6/10/2010  ::

  The Latest on Blue
Blue will not be released to the ledge this week. Yesterday, his weight was 510 grams. The wildlife rehabilitator would like to get his weight up to 600 grams before considering the release. In addition, his feather development is delayed. We'll keep viewers updated on his progress.

6/9/2010  ::   Fledgling Update
White has remained on the ledge since he was rescued from a boxed in low rooftop yesterday morning. The adults are withholding food from him at this point so that he'll take flight again. Then, many of the food transfers will take place in flight. Red is on top of a nearby building. He's been taking some good strong flights the past two days. Blue should return from wildlife rehab tomorrow or Friday to be released on the nest ledge.


6/8/2010  ::   The Latest News
Red had a good flight from the roof and is on the nest ledge now. The rehabilitator would like blue's feathering to develop a little more before release. We're planning to return blue to the ledge Thursday or Friday of this week.

http://www.beleefdelente.nl/steenuil

Check out the 3rd video on the right (6-11) ...owlettes playing soccer with unhatched egg and they scored a goal!

2 tired girls.

  We have two fledges today at UB!  Pix to follow!   bguitar

Ohhhh good luck Sage. May they be strong on their first flights!

Same time different cam as ginha's pic. Beauty leaving with leftovers. Callidora wants "UP THERE" with mom.

Nice pics Bonnie and thanks for  the update on "Barbie". Congrats on "Athena", lucky you! 

!!! Weekend Update
June 13, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:

Just returned from out nest site and all three boys were on the ledge being fed by Jack!  He’s been present quite a bit the past three days especially in the mornings.

On Friday, both mom and Jack were doing flying displays in front of the ledge while the two older boys cheered and flapped.  Little Mercedes didn’t think much of it all and seems to have a preference for the corner right under the web cam.

Friday at about 2:30 in the afternoon and I went out to check on them and mom was doing fly bys with food in her talons right in front of the nest ledge!  Then she would circle over to the condo corner where she was hoping to entice one of the boys to.  Blackberry was definitely the most developed with barely any white left on him and he was running up and down the ledge as if it was a runway flapping his wings like crazy.

Yesterday both dotca and blackberry were standing beak to beak on the ledge flapping away.   Mercedes didn’t want to have anything to do with it and mom beak fed him in the corner before feeding the other two.

Tomorrow our official fledge watch begins so keep your eyes to the skies as I expect these boys will be going sooner than later.

Cute names:Blackberry, Dotca and Mercedes

Orville made it to the front of the box.
Feeding Callidora

Here she comes...stay in the back...no one will ever know you were out there!

Wow Joyce you can really see their Juvie feathers coming in. Brown!