frieda and Frodo

[jeanne]

Finally, a post from the frodocam site:



Greg Czechura
Monday, September 28, 2009 at 03:11pm
 

Sorry about being a poor correspndent this year. I am afraid that some other projects have been keeping me very busy and even out of the Brisbane office. In addition, there haven’t been any solid leads about where F&F are breeding (or if they are breeding). The good news is that they are being seen and have been so throughout the year. The sightings have been made throughout the area that is suspected to be their territory (all the places where we have seen them over the years). The same seems to be true for the other city pair.

The problems with the sightings and reports that have at the moment is that they don’t tell us much apart from what the birds are doing and where they are heading. To a large extent, all the new buildings appearing on the city skyline are making tracking of the birds for any length of time a bit of a problem (they don’t always emerge from behind an obstructing ediface where you would expect). The new buildings are getting taller and that will impact on nest site selection. Also, with all the construction, F&F may have moved to a quieter spot. Finally, it is possible that they took advantage of the good rainfall earlier this year and we have just not detected an early nesting. Certainly, some wild pairs have done this in mid-2009. If there are any further developments, I will let you know.
Cheers
Greg

[Donna]

Finally, a post from the frodocam site:



Greg Czechura
Monday, September 28, 2009 at 03:11pm
 

Sorry about being a poor correspndent this year. I am afraid that some other projects have been keeping me very busy and even out of the Brisbane office. In addition, there haven’t been any solid leads about where F&F are breeding (or if they are breeding). The good news is that they are being seen and have been so throughout the year. The sightings have been made throughout the area that is suspected to be their territory (all the places where we have seen them over the years). The same seems to be true for the other city pair.

The problems with the sightings and reports that have at the moment is that they don’t tell us much apart from what the birds are doing and where they are heading. To a large extent, all the new buildings appearing on the city skyline are making tracking of the birds for any length of time a bit of a problem (they don’t always emerge from behind an obstructing ediface where you would expect). The new buildings are getting taller and that will impact on nest site selection. Also, with all the construction, F&F may have moved to a quieter spot. Finally, it is possible that they took advantage of the good rainfall earlier this year and we have just not detected an early nesting. Certainly, some wild pairs have done this in mid-2009. If there are any further developments, I will let you know.
Cheers
Greg

Thanks jeanne, I've been meaning to check the site. I miss F & F too. Hope they have a better year this time.

[Lizz]

Hurray!  I check the F&F site every few days for news and have been frustrated for about 10 months with no news.  I was afraid that something terrible had happened.  This is wonderful news.  There are fewer watchers and a much larger number of tall buildings for the falcons to hide among.  Hopefully we will continue to hear from Greg and will soon be able to follow F&F like we used to.

[jeanne]

I was thrilled to see this too!!  They seemed to move after a failed nest site- I think their little ones died.  I was thinking too that they might not have enough people to really look! 

[jeanne]

It took me awhile to figure out what this woman was saying (I am in duh mode) but apparently they had a close encounter raptor style


From the frodocam site:


Hi everyone,

My sore head of 5 mins ago tells me that it may be our building that they are nesting on. I just read your update and because of a previous head slamming incident of another staff member went to our roof to check it out.

Our building is in Mary street near Felix street.

regards

shut eye
Ladybird of Brisbane CBD (Reply)
Fri 02 Oct 09 (11:22am)

Hi Ladybird, Sorry to hear about your sore head. However, that is a sure sign that you have ventured very close to the nesting spot.

Peregrines have a fairly limited area close to the nest where they will actually strike an intruder - unlike say Australian Magpies that defend a very wide area. They sort of have a series of zones where they pass from agitation to intimidation to active defence.

If you you and others are being struck, then it means that you are probably within a few metres of the actual nest. If it was a bit further away, then they would perch nearby and adopt an agressive stance or fly/swoop low overhead. In both cases they would be very vocal. If intimidation doesn’t work then they will strike. I fear that the way you are accessing the roof may be leading you straight into the actively defended area.

Please keep me informed. This is the best lead that we have had in the last two seasons.
Greg Czechura
Wed 07 Oct 09 (10:37am)

[schlaf374]

thanks for posting this. I had to giggle a bit with the beginning.  Great to know Fruda and Frodo are going strong

[Paul Hamilton]

She seemed quite a good sport about it.  Evidently, Australia is a place where getting whacked on the head by a large bird is a frequent occurance.

Paul

[dale]

She seemed quite a good sport about it.  Evidently, Australia is a place where getting whacked on the head by a large bird is a frequent occurance.

Paul

well, as we recently saw in sizzling hot Kakapo-on-zoologist video footage, it definitely occurs in NZ!!  -dale

[Donna]

F&F are still in business
Greg Czechura – Monday, October 19, 09 (01:48 pm)

I have just received another report that confirms that F&F are still in the area around Admiralty Towers and that they are nesting at the moment.   

That's good news!!

[Donna]

F&F are still in business
Greg Czechura – Monday, October 19, 09 (01:48 pm)

I have just received another report that confirms that F&F are still in the area around Admiralty Towers and that they are nesting at the moment.   

That's good news!!

OOPS, I forgot the rest of the story:

An recent e-mail from local resident Anne contains some very interesting information about F&F.

Anne has recently observed a Peregrine attack and force a White-bellied Sea-Eagle to ditch into the Brisbane River near Admiralty Towers. She describes the attack as vicious.

Attacks on other raptors by Peregrines are common but what is unusual here is that the Sea-Eagle was flying low enough to get itself into difficulties. Sea-Eagle often fly along the Brisbane River but they usually do so at heights where the Peregrines don’t regard them as a threat (and where most people don’t notice them).

This Sea-Eagle was having a really bad day. Once it ditched, it narrowly avoided being struck by a City-Cat ferry before it drifted out of sight. It reappeared after about 10 minutes and was flying low and slow before ditching a second time without any assistance from the local Peregrines. One can only assume that it was thoroughly exhausted by the experience: the Sea-Eagle’s ultimate fate is not known.

Anne’s report confirms that F&F are still around and that they are nesting (otherwise the attack on the Sea-Eagle would not have been pressed so hard). 

[jeanne]

That poor other bird but this is great news for F/F!!