4:35 pm  djc

I see Quest has not improved her housekeeping skills since last year...girl after my own heart   

Mine too! 

That video is AMAZING.....crunch crunch!!    Thanks for posting!! 

Evanston Public Library to hold annual falcon banding ceremony

Do not be surprised if you see falcons swooping over downtown Evanston in the next few weeks.

May 30th banding

http://dailynorthwestern.com/2013/05/21/city/evanston-public-library-to-hold-annual-falcon-banding-ceremony/

http://psdispatch.com/news/apbusiness/727177045393999175/4-falcon-chicks-living-on-NY-NJ-bridge-are-banded

AP) Four peregrine falcon chicks roosting high above the Hudson River on the George Washington Bridge were pronounced healthy Tuesday and fitted with tracking bands to help biologists keep tabs on them.

http://youtu.be/upn_aUlTz-I Thanks Kris G

2 girls and a boy

http://ntufalcons.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/falcon-names-go-to-the-polls/  Vote for the girls name, boy was named Earnest.

http://www.freep.com/article/20130522/NEWS04/305220091/Falcon-chicks-in-Macomb-County

It's 2 boys, Wayne & Oakland for Macomb County.

he is so cute



  Some pics of Kendal by Ann. 

beauty's doing an awful lot of talking to her eggs this morning!

[web album here]

Some unfortunate news at Holcim, the female has apparently abandoned the one egg. That's all we have about that situation. Let's hope the pefas stay and defend the nest, and we will see them be successful next year.

At UB, we saw Yankee and Dixie on MacKay Tower and I uploaded some pix on a web album here.

Album doesn't open Sage, say's sorry!

Wow! We went to CT today and immediately spotted this bird right where Diamante always perched! Looked with the binocs, grabbed the camera, I hope, hope, hope... And I am sure enough to post it in this thread! What do you think, Joyce?

Diamante

Gleig

  I would say YES!! It looks just like him!!

What???
She's talking to her eggs and I think they are talking back!!

1st hatch   

 

Two Chicks Confirmed in Waterloo
May 11, 2013 - Kitchener - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Bruce and I headed out to the Waterloo territory to confirm or deny my observation of a hatch on May 7th at the CTV studio where Statler and Caster had chosen to nest in the communications drum on the tower.  When we arrived, Statler was in the drum and looking like a muffin top.  Based on photographs and observation that I had made previously from the same watch location, I could confirm without doubt that she was elevated and not lying flat in the base of the drum.  Caster was sitting above her on the center drum arm and was sleeping the day away.  The weather was cold and crisp so Bruce and I were in for a good ole fashioned sit in.  For an hour and a half neither of the adults moved much.  Caster stayed on the center arm of the drum and Statler, although sleeping, shifted and shuffled a great deal.  Several times she re-arranged her position but it was always with wings low and small movements.  She was not revealing a thing.  By 3:30pm, Caster moved to the top of the drum and then finally took off to the north and out of view.  Statler continued to sleep in her elevated position and again was not willing to share what she hid beneath her.  At about 4pm, Caster came whipping up King St. with food and Statler waddled to the front of the drum.  She took off over King and met Caster in the air for a most incredible food drop!  She caught the prey and flew up to the top of the drum to prepare it.  All this time Bruce and I were on that drum and not so much as sneezing as this was our chance, our one opportunity to see whether the news was true.  As the drum environment began to cool, we caught movement in the back.  First one, then another began to move and we could clearly count two little heads moving in search of Mommy and her warm belly.  It was a full 10 minutes before Statler returned to the drum and began to feed the two visible chicks in turn.  I snapped as many pictures as I could but from the high school it can be really difficult to catch the detail of the feeding.  Caster had since landed on the top of the drum and was watching closely as his offspring were being delicately cared for.  As the feeding finished, Statler consumed the remaining prey and snuggled back down on top of her brood.  This is when Caster began to alarm.

We scanned the sky for what caught Caster’s attention and at first we couldn’t see a thing.  Then out of nowhere, in comes a large and dark bird circling.  This was most definitely another falcon and a female at that.  Caster met her out in the air above the hospital as she was circling closer and closer to his family and it was a no holds barred battle between the two.  Caster eventually escorted this female by force out of the territory and to the west.  But she came back.  Within minutes they were once again locked in battle with Caster being the aggressor.  He smacked, dove and flashed talons at her in a complete defensive rage.  This time the two battled out to the east and Caster saw her out of range before returning.  Five minutes later, she was back again!  This time Caster was out of patience and went absolutely ballistic on her.  Full stoops and full contact was all we could see from Caster as he let loose on this intruder that threatened his newly hatched family.  She was again escorted out to the west and this time did not return.  But Caster was wired and was not spent yet.  A Harrier came loping through to the north of the tower and he took out all of his angst on this bird who was now beating a most hasty retreat, one that we haven’t seen in a long time!  Caster was on fire and this bird knew it.  It was amazing to watch this little male doing what he just did with two birds that were much larger by comparison.  He did an awesome job!

So, we have a hatch.  This is conclusive and without doubt.  The amazing staff at Waterloo Sun Life and the local community watchers have already mobilized and the resident pair has the full support of the people who adore them.  Congratulations Waterloo on your miraculous hatch!!

 Pictures will follow very shortly as they are edited.  Check back soon!!

WOW!!!! He's fierce lil guy!!