Alcoa Anglesea, Australia

[Annette]

News from Alcoa again.

Wednesday September 23, 2010
The Alcoa Anglesea water tower that provided the ledge for our previous nest box has undergone a renovation. Critical safety work has been undertaken removing the deteriorating ladders and stairways from the structure – see before and after photos of the water tower.
 
Prior to the work starting, we inspected the water tower for signs of a nest or eggs.  Luckily the water tower was not the birds' chosen nest site for this year, so work could proceed unhindered.  However, our two resident falcons Havoc and Ava kept a close eye on proceedings – see photo of Ava watching the work.

Water tower before http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/images/falcon_gallery/2010_09_water_tower_before_large.jpg

Water tower after http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/images/falcon_gallery/2010_09_water_tower_after_large.jpg

Ava is watching http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/images/falcon_gallery/2010_09_falcon_overseeing_maintenance_works.jpg

[Joyce]

Thanks Annette for keeping us up to date.  Is there any intention to put the nestbox back on the water tower?  That seems like the place the falcons like the most.

I wonder if Sheila was so distressed about her nesting place, that she was run off when Ava was demonstrating territorial behavior.  It seems that everyone assumes death, and I am not so sure.  Look what happend to Wind when Rhea Mae took over.  2 years later she appears.  And, when Kaver did not return, was it because he and Mariah were unable to renew their bonds at their nesting place, because it was taken down?  Perhaps like Mariah, she realized it was time to move on, and is out there wandering somewhere, or even with a new mate. 

There are so many questions that we don't have the answers to.  Now we are watching a new pair in Rochester.  It will be interesting to see how they interact in the off season, and then what happens in the Spring.

[Annette]

A new note from the site


Tuesday September 28, 2010
What’s in a name? Here at Alcoa Anglesea our Peregrine falcons have assumed human identities with official names bestowed upon them all. Our adult male ‘Havoc’ derives from the old English word hafoc for falcon (or hawk) dating back to the middle ages of falconry. Our new adult female has been named ‘Ava’ chosen as a derivative of avis of latin origin meaning 'bird'.

[MAK]

Thanks for sharing Annette!

[Annette]

There are news from Alcoa.


Wednesday October 6, 2010
After much detective work by control room operators, environmental scientists and our station chemist, the consensus is that Ava and Havoc have nested on the Power Station this year. The reason for the lack of certainty is that we are unable to view the location of their nest. The birds have chosen to make their home on our coal bunkers instead of the cosy nest box provided for them. Although we cannot see Ava sitting on a nest, evidence leading us to this conclusion includes the remains of dinner, white wash and the occasional head popping up over the beam!

Coal bunker

remains of dinner

white wash

head popping up over the beam

[Donna]

Sheesh, another Power thingy. These Falcons    anything that has to do with Power! Hope all goes well with them this season. A coal burner, could be nice and toasty...hopefully not too hot for them.

[Bobbie Ireland]

Sheesh, another Power thingy. These Falcons    anything that has to do with Power! Hope all goes well with them this season. A coal burner, could be nice and toasty...hopefully not too hot for them.

It's said that starlings - why esp starlings, I do not know - sit on chimney-tops because the smoke helps to rid them of creepy-crawlies. True or false? Maybe this is what Our Kids are doing...

Oh yeah - crows do this too - e.g. rooks, jackdaws.

[Donna]

Sheesh, another Power thingy. These Falcons    anything that has to do with Power! Hope all goes well with them this season. A coal burner, could be nice and toasty...hopefully not too hot for them.

It's said that starlings - why esp starlings, I do not know - sit on chimney-tops because the smoke helps to rid them of creepy-crawlies. True or false? Maybe this is what Our Kids are doing...

Oh yeah - crows do this too - e.g. rooks, jackdaws.

And sometimes they fall down the chimneys!

[MAK]

   Thanks for posting this Annette!   

[Bobbie Ireland]

Oh yeah - crows do this too - e.g. rooks, jackdaws.
[/quote]

And sometimes they fall down the chimneys!
[/quote]

You know, they do! I had forgotten! When we lived in Dublin, there was a scrabbling sound coming from the fireplace in the bedroom. On and on it went. And I, of course, immediately thought "rat"! But My Hero (Rod) had a look and out came a very sooty starling. Dazed but unharmed, we sent him on his way.

[Bird Crazy]

we have a cap on our chimney but we had a house sparrow stuck in our dryer vent once. little stinker flew around the basement for half an hour until we could get it back outside.

[Annette]

News from Alcoa again.

Tuesday October 12, 2010
Ava and Havoc continue to spend their time around the coal bunker. Havoc announces very loudly when he is returning to the ledge – he must be proud of his catch of the day!

Falcon at coal bunker

[MAK]

   Boy that looks like a tough location to spot a falcon!  Thanks Annette.

[Annette]

Today I read this note.


Wednesday October 20, 2010,
Sitting ... waiting ... watching, but no activity at the coal bunker. The lip on the bunker makes it impossible to visually confirm the presence/absence of eggs however we would expect Ava to be sitting tight on the beam if there were eggs to incubate. The monitoring continues!

[Annette]

A new short note.


Tuesday October 26, 2010
Looking all too casual this morning, Ava sits preening on the Power Station while Havoc rests on the water tower.  Not the attentive behaviour one would expect of parents who should be egg sitting or feeding chicks.