Alcoa Anglesea, Australia

[Annette]

New update from Alcoa

Tuesday November 9, 2010
There has been significantly less activity at the Power Station from Ava and Havoc.  Discussions with the Victorian Peregrine Project have continued and whilst we held some hope that there was still time for Ava to settle at a nest site this year, as the days pass it becomes more likely that Ava and Havoc will miss this breeding season.  We hope that next year our nest box will be accepted and Ava and Havoc will be a successful breeding pair.
 
This will be the last update for 2010.  However if any news comes to hand, you will hear it here first.

[Donna]

   
      
Alcoa Anglesea Peregrine Falcon Webcam
 
Tuesday August 8, 2011
Welcome back!  The 2011 Peregrine falcon breeding season at Alcoa Anglesea is just around the corner.
 
Havoc and Ava have been present around the station for a couple of weeks but unfortunately there is no evidence of the pair visiting the new nest box from 2010.  Regular patrols of the Power Station have commenced in case Ava finds it more appealing, however there is no evidence of a 'nest' on the structure at this stage.

[Annette]

Last report from Alcoa

Monday October 3, 2011
Well folks ... we have an egg! Actually, we have two!! Although, before everyone gets TOO excited, it's not all good news. As you can see from this photo, one egg sits abandoned on the ledge while Ava is sitting on another (which she kindly revealed some time later).
 
So where is this mystery nest? Ava has chosen to nest on the ledge of one of the coal bunkers of the power station. In fact, it is on the exact same ledge that we reported in this exact same week last year that Ava had selected to nest. We'll do our best to keep monitoring Ava and keep you up-to-date.

An abandoned egg
http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/images/falcon_gallery/2011_10_03_ava_001_large.jpg

Ava sitting on another egg
http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/images/falcon_gallery/2011_10_03_ava_009_large.jpg

Coal bunker
http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/images/falcon_gallery/2011_10_03_bunker_shot_large.jpg

[Donna]

Guess they did not like the new nest. Hope this one hatches. Thanks Annette.

[Donna]

Tuesday October 4, 2011
Monitoring Ava at the ledge on the coal bunker is a little tricky.  Hiding behind the edge of the U beam, it's difficult to get a good vantage point.  So imagine I'm on my hands and knees peering through a 50mm (2") diameter hole in the concrete floor of the coal conveyor building above.  Now you'd think I'd be fairly inconspicuous.   Apparently not!  As you can see, I might be watching Ava but Ava is certainly watching me!

Wednesday October 5, 2011
The egg is out of sight today.  Ava may have moved further along the bunker ledge out of the range of my peep hole or it may have rolled to a similar fate to egg number one.  As the female Peregrine Falcon usually lays one egg every 48 hours, there should have been a second egg today.

[MAK]

  Wow that's one hell of a way to falcon watch! 

[Donna]

Wednesday October 12, 2011
This egg certainly gets around!  Today it is further along the ledge at the very edge of the frame I can photograph.  Of some concern is more often than not, the eggs appear to be unattended and/or uncovered when I drop by. 

 
 
Tuesday October 11, 2011
The egg is back in view today.  Over the last few days, Ava had the egg tucked in the corner behind the vertical beam hiding it from our vantage point.  Havoc visited the ledge today and looked like he might take a turn incubating.  But he wasn't there for long before taking flight.


Havoc
Havoc leaving

[Donna]

   
      
Alcoa Anglesea Peregrine Falcon Webcam
 
Wednesday October 19, 2011
The second egg has been out of sight since Thursday last week and the ledge noticeably absent of Ava.  Havoc is missing from his usual vantage point.  All indications are that the nest attempt has failed. 

[Annette]

I read this wonderful news in another forum:


We are currently having sporadic visits from the falcons, but they haven’t settled into a permanent nest site this year yet.

Yes, we have relocated the nest box this year as well. As you may remember, the box was relocated to a new spot near our ash ponds, but the birds chose not to use the box in that location. This year we have moved the nest box back to the power station, and it is in a location close to the bird’s nesting spot in 2011. So we are currently keeping a keen eye on the box to check for signs of activity, but there is nothing to report as yet.

Until we know if the birds will use the nest box in its new location, we won’t be connecting up the web cam. We plan to post regular updates on our website once we have something to report!

[Donna]

Cool Annette, would be nice to watch them this Winter!

[Kris G.]

I read this wonderful news in another forum:


We are currently having sporadic visits from the falcons, but they haven’t settled into a permanent nest site this year yet.

Yes, we have relocated the nest box this year as well. As you may remember, the box was relocated to a new spot near our ash ponds, but the birds chose not to use the box in that location. This year we have moved the nest box back to the power station, and it is in a location close to the bird’s nesting spot in 2011. So we are currently keeping a keen eye on the box to check for signs of activity, but there is nothing to report as yet

Until we know if the birds will use the nest box in its new location, we won’t be connecting up the web cam. We plan to post regular updates on our website once we have something to report!

That would be great if they did decide to nest there!

[bev.]

Glad they realized their other \location was just not a sound location, and put it back at Power station. I would think they would nest there as they laid eggs there last year on smooth surface.

[Donna]

Alcoa Anglesea Peregrine Falcon Webcam 2012
Monday 3 September, 2012
I spy with my little eye something beginning with…..n!  Yes, that is right; after many patrols of the power station structure we have finally found Ava and Havoc’s nest this season complete with three eggs!  However we aren’t counting our peregrine chicks before they hatch, particularly as the pair’s previous nests on the power station structure haven’t provided successful outcomes.
 
This year the pair has chosen a different area of the power station structure to nest on than previous years. Ava has chosen to nest on a ledge just under the seventh floor of the power station.  This location is much more accessible than last year, so we will be able to keep an eye on the progress of the nest and provide regular updates.
 
The power station’s Environmental Scientist Lisa Mills has been keeping a close eye on the pair and recently snapped Havoc providing for his mate. His right claw contains something fluffy, grey and squawking which he passed over to Ava.  He then proceeded to intimidate Lisa out of the immediate area!
Stay tuned...





GOOD NEWS, so far! 

http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/info_page/falcom_webcam_archive_2012.asp

[Dumpsterkitty]

The found a proper scrape...excellent!

[MAK]

Love the open beak pic!