merlin rescued from the dinner menu of a peregrine at sea: We picked up this adult male merlin last night from our friend Dennis who was on this trip yesterday and also noticed the commotion going on in the water a mile off the Atlantic Ocean . Seems the juvenile peregrine had hold of the smaller merlin and released it when it managed to fly out of the water . The merlin seemed soaked and couldn't manage to escape and was netted to safety. It has some injuries from being grabbed by the much larger stronger falcon including blood in its eye, a puncture wound on top of his head and torn flesh on its back above its tail from where it was held . Its a miracle its alive and after a shocky night was more alert and active today. It's still not out of the woods yet and has a long road to recovery but certainly would've eventually drowned if not plucked out of the cold choppy waters as it was pretty windy and chilly on the water .Thanks to all involved who cared enough and extended themselves to give this little fighter a chance .


the top of his head has a puncture hole where the peregrine sunk her beak into his scalp
having some quail meat for breakfast. you can see on his upper mandible the talon puncture from the peregrine attack. [right where the feathers start]

I did not get to see any whales or dolphins yesterday. I did, however, get to experience American Princess Cruises' first animal rescue at sea. The small sharp skinned hawk was rescued from the larger falcon. Kuddos to the crew on a job well done!


Wow see the Falcon?

From fb: Just home to find one chick must have gone for maiden flight. She's (I'm assuming she as she's large!) sitting outside our window, just down other end of kitchen. Emily has taught her to do exactly like she does. — with Emily Falcon.

Time flies and so do juvies!!

 Since B was on HSBC at the time, this may not be a falcon! 7:26am

It's a problem with the software on the computer that controls the camera. The software hasn't changed and therefor behaves the same way with the new camera as it did with the old one.

K thanks!

[Have a great Birthday]

Have a great Birthday

  Main went out right after this pic! Shaky, you working on it?

http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/2013/10/02/eagle-photo/?pmcode=CJDA1VH139&_mid=2637451&_rid=2637451.1112928.18651

This photo went viral quick on fb. I'm sure some of you have seen it, well here's the story! 

Most likely B  djc

George the peregrine falcon from Grand Forks took flight again last week, a month after he mysteriously stopped flying.

He was taken to the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center in St. Paul in mid-September after he turned up grounded at Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Since now is about the time he would migrate and leave his parents' hunting territory, the Raptor Center released him down in the Twin Cities instead of bringing him back to Grand Forks, said Julia Ponder, the center's executive director.

George's sister Stella was also grounded last month, but she only needed to stay at the Raptor Center for two weeks before being released back in Grand Forks. The cause of her inability to fly was unknown as well.

The two are members of a peregrine falcon that have nested for several years on UND's water tower.

Working theory

George was thin and dehydrated when he came to the Raptor Center but otherwise there seemed nothing wrong with him, according to Ponder.

The center does see birds that can't fly occasionally and the reasons are often not clear, she said.

Ponder theorized that the birds simply hurt themselves in a way that doesn't leave a mark -- maybe they struck a window and got stunned -- and couldn't hunt.

"For you or I, we lay in bed and somebody brings food and we get better," she said. "For birds, if they can't hunt they can get down pretty quickly."

A week-long injury could prove very dangerous, especially for a novice hunter like George, she said.

He, Stella and a third sibling, Anson, hatched this year.

Ponder said the first year is the most dangerous for peregrine falcons, the rough rule of thumb being only half will survive. It's possible the survival rate is actually even worse, she said.

After the first year, they tend to do much better.

Return flight

It's unlikely George or Stella would return to Grand Forks after the winter, according to Ponder.

That hunting territory belongs to their parents, Terminator the Matriarch and an unnamed male who arrived here this past summer.

After they can fly and start to hunt on their own, young peregrine falcons usually hang around their parents' territory and get help hunting before their first migration, according to Ponder.

When they head back north in the spring, they'll usually come back to the general vicinity of the area they hatched in, but will try to carve out their own territory.

Territory size can range from a few miles to more than a dozen miles. Scientists say it may be based on how much game is available.

Most of Terminator's children are not accounted for, but Eve, hatched in 2011, was found injured in St. Paul in May, according to the Midwest Peregrine Society's database. The Raptor Center treated and released her near Alexandria in June.

Grand Forks Herald

Oh so sad. I don't think he should be raising baby O's, they are very sensitive and need momma!! What a shame. 

[MAKfalcon (MAK):]

MAKfalcon (MAK): B&DC on top ibeam NE side OCSR-both with their backs to me and what beautyful backs they are!

Link:
http://twitter.com/MAKfalcon/statuses/392254691003740160

FB is being non-cooperative this morning, won't let me post the tweets or anything! UGH!!

Special report
Day 8
October 20, 2013 at 11:00 PM

Skippy was not thriving, she was not eating or drinking, and was lethargic. This afternoon I tried:

Putting drops of water on her beak with an eye dropper
Putting bowls of food in the heat lamp area (which I expanded by getting a second heat lamp) so she would not have to move to get food and water.
Putting food granules on the floor around her
Putting minced lettuce around her
She did not really respond, and so I contacted the avian veterinarian specialist (who I have been updating on these chicks) and she made an emergency night call. (I turned off the camera while she was here).
After assessing Skippy, she decided that tube feedings with recovery fluids were in order, and started her on flagyl antibiotic. She taught me how to do the tube feedings and loaned me her steel feeding tube and other supplies.
I will be doing tube feeding 5 times a day until Skippy is eating and drinking vigorously on her own. I will continue the antibiotics for 7 to 14 days.
Hopefully she will rally and start going strong again. (And I do not know the gender of any of these chicks, I just call them "She")

[Thank you for your dedication every morning!! ENJOY!!]

Thank you for your dedication every morning!! ENJOY!!     

Trying again....Shaky, what do you mean it said mainframe?? I just copied the url from the pic!! I never had a problem before!! 

Click on the picture in my post and you see the error.

Hmm Annette, beats me! Weird!!

Must have posted from something with autocorrect on...

I don't have autocorrect! I did nothing different then I always do! It was just a thang!!

Trying again....Shaky, what do you mean it said mainframe?? I just copied the url from the pic!! I never had a problem before!! 

Click on the picture in my post and you see the error.

Hmm Annette, beats me! Weird!!