Great Spirit Bluff Falcons

[Kris G.]

Jonathon, the only eyas that was found and rescued, was fostered in the nest box at Red Wing Grain and successfully fledged June 25th!  Good news about these young ones after all!   

[Donna]

Thanks MAK!! 

Jonathon fledged on June 25th! It was noticeable yesterday that only two falcons remained in the nest box at Red Wing Grain, where Jonathon was fostered, so Mr. Howe (GSBDweller) drove to Red Wing and got photos showing Jonathon after his successful fledge. His two female nest mates are still in the nest box. This photo is Jonathon at Red Wing Grain.

To view the other photos that Mr. Howe took, you can click on this link:
http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/GSBDweller/library/2013%20Fledging?sort=3&page=1

In other good news, we also have video of one, possibly two, of the falcons that had fallen from the nest box on June 17th at Great Spirit Bluff, that have now fledged and can be seen flying in the area below the nest box. Here is a video highlight of one or two of them flying:
Our First Flyer on the Bluff! Stolt?? 6/25/13

We'll do our best to keep everyone updated. Congratulations to the Great Spirit Bluff fledglings! And thanks to Mr. Howe for the photos.

To view the cam for Great Spirit Bluff, click on this link:
http://www.ustream.tv/greatspiritblufffalcons

Jonathon

[MAK]

No problem Donna! 

[Donna]

Jonathon - Named after our son who put in the GSB web cam as his Boy Scout Eagle project.
Stolt (male falcon) - Named after a student in the LaCrosse area who recently passed away unexpectedly.
Mandy (female falcon) - Named after a young woman who has been missing in our city (Eden Prairie) since 5/1/13.
Toni (female falcon) - Named after a friend/husband/father who passed away just days ago from a battle with cancer (Tony).

Correction, Jonathon is not the male at RW, it is Stolt. They confirmed the band yesterday. All along they thought it was Jonathon. 

Only 1 male has fledged in the bluff, it is Jonathon, the 2 females have not fledged yet. Any day now.

June 24th

5.11 am another large barge 12 units - this one heads DOWNriver. wonder how they pass each other?
5.30 am  more screaming, increasingly higher pitched, definitely AT LEAST  2 chicks
5.34 am parent kakking -  Parent flew toward river kakking
5.39 am I hear a Falchorus - a whole chorus of falcons!
5.47 am  Renewed screaming by chick - is it closer?  Man that lil bird is insistent!
It looked like Mom flew up from trees below box, circled, went in below zoomcam, then chick screemed, she may have left one and went to another
6.10 am  More screaming - those chicks sound like they havent eaten in a week!
7.00 am  THe screaming just continues - the kids cant STILL be hungry!?

Travis, the dad watching the kids from the ledge above nest.

[MAK]

Jonathon - Named after our son who put in the GSB web cam as his Boy Scout Eagle project.
Stolt (male falcon) - Named after a student in the LaCrosse area who recently passed away unexpectedly.
Mandy (female falcon) - Named after a young woman who has been missing in our city (Eden Prairie) since 5/1/13.
Toni (female falcon) - Named after a friend/husband/father who passed away just days ago from a battle with cancer (Tony).

Correction, Jonathon is not the male at RW, it is Stolt. They confirmed the band yesterday. All along they thought it was Jonathon. 

Only 1 male has fledged in the bluff, it is Jonathon, the 2 females have not fledged yet. Any day now.

June 24th

5.11 am another large barge 12 units - this one heads DOWNriver. wonder how they pass each other?
5.30 am  more screaming, increasingly higher pitched, definitely AT LEAST  2 chicks
5.34 am parent kakking -  Parent flew toward river kakking
5.39 am I hear a Falchorus - a whole chorus of falcons!
5.47 am  Renewed screaming by chick - is it closer?  Man that lil bird is insistent!
It looked like Mom flew up from trees below box, circled, went in below zoomcam, then chick screemed, she may have left one and went to another
6.10 am  More screaming - those chicks sound like they havent eaten in a week!
7.00 am  THe screaming just continues - the kids cant STILL be hungry!?

Travis, the dad watching the kids from the ledge above nest.

The parents are obviously making the best of a tough situation. Birds should get more credit for using their brains, which the experts say they don't have much of. Just my opinion...
Good news none the less that at least 2 have survived their ordeal! 

[Donna]

Jonathon visits the nest. BOY is he LOUD!!!

[Bird Crazy]

Jonathon - Named after our son who put in the GSB web cam as his Boy Scout Eagle project.
Stolt (male falcon) - Named after a student in the LaCrosse area who recently passed away unexpectedly.
Mandy (female falcon) - Named after a young woman who has been missing in our city (Eden Prairie) since 5/1/13.
Toni (female falcon) - Named after a friend/husband/father who passed away just days ago from a battle with cancer (Tony).

Correction, Jonathon is not the male at RW, it is Stolt. They confirmed the band yesterday. All along they thought it was Jonathon. 

Only 1 male has fledged in the bluff, it is Jonathon, the 2 females have not fledged yet. Any day now.

June 24th

5.11 am another large barge 12 units - this one heads DOWNriver. wonder how they pass each other?
5.30 am  more screaming, increasingly higher pitched, definitely AT LEAST  2 chicks
5.34 am parent kakking -  Parent flew toward river kakking
5.39 am I hear a Falchorus - a whole chorus of falcons!
5.47 am  Renewed screaming by chick - is it closer?  Man that lil bird is insistent!
It looked like Mom flew up from trees below box, circled, went in below zoomcam, then chick screemed, she may have left one and went to another
6.10 am  More screaming - those chicks sound like they havent eaten in a week!
7.00 am  THe screaming just continues - the kids cant STILL be hungry!?

Travis, the dad watching the kids from the ledge above nest.

The parents are obviously making the best of a tough situation. Birds should get more credit for using their brains, which the experts say they don't have much of. Just my opinion...
Good news none the less that at least 2 have survived their ordeal! 

just about all animals are smarter than they are given credit for being...except man he is given more credit than he deserves sometimes. (at least for some of them)

[Donna]

TONI  
LEFT - June 29  -  RIGHT - June 17th
The loudest falcon returned to conquor the perch she fell from on June 17!    

Mom with food and kid on nestbox perch, Michele feeding - who? - Toni?  screeming like a banshee
FINALLY!  June 29 almost 8:00 pm  a juvie perches on the nestbox perch.
Michele comes and feeds her.  It can ONLY be Toni!

My analysis
I think we have both Jonaton and Mandy flying up top of bluff
Mandy sat so still, so sweetly thru pouring rain.  
This has no confirmation but Mandy was quietest, and the first to go down on June 17th.
One fledgling sits so quietly and so sweetly I just dont believe its lively Jon.
Toni was the noisiest and the last to fall. I think she's screeching below.  She really scared herself on the 17th.


VIDEO
Mandy sitting atop the bluff preening after rain.  She is the sweetest young falcon.
Next video pans to Michele with food on ledge
We need 7:30-8:30pm video June 29 of Toni on nestbox perch!
Great Spirit Bluff Falcons, Great Spirit Bluff Falcons raptorresource on USTREAM. Birds


Seems all 3 survived the fall and are all flying around the Bluff!! PHEW!!!


The accidental fludge
June 24, 2013 I have put the fall of the 4 falcon chicks on this separate link
The accidental fludge, all 4 chicks gone same day.  Special photos and notes in sequence show why each fell.
So desparate to get away from hoardes of biting gnats (bugs) they went out to perch before they were really ready.
I believe Michele WANTED them out and downstairs - away from bugs.
http://cj.myfreeforum.org/about4326.html


People love Darkness instead of Light because their deeds are Evil.
John 3:19

Too bad some love Evil and hate Light - even any imagined hint of Light.

GSB has shut down the SS overnite SONday, June 30th.  Wicked people came on and began throwing insults.   
I left SS for an hour or so - TWICE - on SONday because of them.

Those of the Darkness will be delighted to de-Light GSB - sadly. its easy to tell who is of the Darkness and they are driven to destroy the Light.
Dec.rules allow Darkness no hint of Light.

Children of Light, lets wait til Monday see what happens.  I emailed GSB.  Pray he doesnt let Darkness, Evil win.  Its been the single refuge for us.

Environmentalism is a religion, its a cult, and its NOT of the Light.

[MAK]

TONI  
LEFT - June 29  -  RIGHT - June 17th
The loudest falcon returned to conquor the perch she fell from on June 17!    

Mom with food and kid on nestbox perch, Michele feeding - who? - Toni?  screeming like a banshee
FINALLY!  June 29 almost 8:00 pm  a juvie perches on the nestbox perch.
Michele comes and feeds her.  It can ONLY be Toni!

My analysis
I think we have both Jonaton and Mandy flying up top of bluff
Mandy sat so still, so sweetly thru pouring rain.  
This has no confirmation but Mandy was quietest, and the first to go down on June 17th.
One fledgling sits so quietly and so sweetly I just dont believe its lively Jon.
Toni was the noisiest and the last to fall. I think she's screeching below.  She really scared herself on the 17th.


VIDEO
Mandy sitting atop the bluff preening after rain.  She is the sweetest young falcon.
Next video pans to Michele with food on ledge
We need 7:30-8:30pm video June 29 of Toni on nestbox perch!
Great Spirit Bluff Falcons, Great Spirit Bluff Falcons raptorresource on USTREAM. Birds


Seems all 3 survived the fall and are all flying around the Bluff!! PHEW!!!


The accidental fludge
June 24, 2013 I have put the fall of the 4 falcon chicks on this separate link
The accidental fludge, all 4 chicks gone same day.  Special photos and notes in sequence show why each fell.
So desparate to get away from hoardes of biting gnats (bugs) they went out to perch before they were really ready.
I believe Michele WANTED them out and downstairs - away from bugs.
http://cj.myfreeforum.org/about4326.html


People love Darkness instead of Light because their deeds are Evil.
John 3:19

Too bad some love Evil and hate Light - even any imagined hint of Light.

GSB has shut down the SS overnite SONday, June 30th.  Wicked people came on and began throwing insults.   
I left SS for an hour or so - TWICE - on SONday because of them.

Those of the Darkness will be delighted to de-Light GSB - sadly. its easy to tell who is of the Darkness and they are driven to destroy the Light.
Dec.rules allow Darkness no hint of Light.

Children of Light, lets wait til Monday see what happens.  I emailed GSB.  Pray he doesnt let Darkness, Evil win.  Its been the single refuge for us.

Environmentalism is a religion, its a cult, and its NOT of the Light.

Great news that they all survived-nothing short of miraculous! 

[Donna]

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/39979612/highlight/426183  Falcon comes to visit

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/39958231/highlight/426111 Bob Anderson and John clean the nest and cams.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/39361099/highlight/418769 Pellett, young falcon
 

[Donna]

http://www.ustream.tv/greatspiritblufffalcons?utm_source=crowd-live-backend&utm_medium=visit-channel&utm_campaign=notifications  They are Live again! Remember the kids all jumped last year because of bug infestation? Hope they fixed the problem!

[Donna]

What's going on at Great Spirit Bluff? We've been getting a lot of questions about it since Saturday morning, when Michelle was spotted lifting and nibbling at one egg in the morning and eating another in the afternoon. Why was Michelle eating her eggs? Why aren't more eggs hatching?

Michelle laid five eggs beginning on April 4th. Falcons, especially smaller males, often struggle to incubate that many. One egg broke up on May 9th, Michelle ate a 'hatching' egg on May 18 (we think the embryo suffered cold-related developmental injuries and died during hatch), and Michelle removed an empty egg from the nest this morning, May 21. The egg must have frozen and cracked, emptying its contents but leaving the shell relatively intact.

At present, we have one eyass and one unhatched egg in the box. We don't know whether or not the remaining egg will hatch. It hasn't burst yet, but Michelle has also left it un-incubated for relatively long periods of time. Michelle and Travis won't curtail hunting or feeding activities, so the young falcon (or falcons, if the second egg hatches) will reap the benefit of abundant food.

Bob commented that he'd seen more egg-eating this year than ever before. The extreme temperatures may have contributed to more freezing and breakage than usual, especially since falcons don't start full incubation until after the third egg is laid in a four-egg clutch, or the fourth or fifth egg is laid in a clutch with more than four eggs. Cracked, dead eggs won't hatch, and they provide falcons with an important source of protein, calcium, and calories.



http://youtu.be/sDfE0F2Y14A
Eating egg!   So sad for them  

*Raptor Resource Project3 days ago
 
I'm thinking prey remains might have been stuck to the egg, since she never appears to have penetrated it with her beak and she tucked it back under her instead of eating the whole thing. We've seen eggs eaten at Sherco, Allen S.  King, and the TV loft this year. Egg eating tends to happen quickly and the entire egg is consumed. Sharing the video to see what Bob thinks - I'll get back to you. Thanks!

from fb

[patsy6]

Thanks for the update, Donna.  Sometimes nature can be very cruel.  I hope the eyas does well and that the other egg hatches.  And that they can keep the bug population down this year!   

[MAK]

 

[Kris G.]

Read on BCAW that the chick fell out of the nest tonight trying to get away from the bugs!