Great Spirit Bluff Falcons 2017

[MAK]

Both remaining chicks have fallen from outside of the nest box now. 

[carly]

Just saw on FB, poor babies and parents.  Hoping both are safe down there and parents can attend to them safely. 

[Donna]

http://youtu.be/nr6u8Z-KbAI

2nd one plunges!!  This was hard to watch!!!

[Carol P.]

 

[Kris G.]

From RRP FB page...

We are aware that Hamilton and Burr-D are out of the box at Great Spirit Bluff. The two falcons are around 28 days of age today and we have decided not to try to bring them back to the box. Michelle and Newman will find them and care for them until fledge, as we saw in 2013 and 2014. We will see if we can locate them with the camera, but we have no intention of going to the base of the cliff, which could drive them deeper into the tangle below. We are hopeful for both little falcons and will keep everyone posted.

We're getting questions on the box design and production at Great Spirit Bluff. Are the falcons falling because the perches are poorly designed? In short, no - but you can read more about the issue here: http://bit.ly/2qNSRsJ

John is thinking about ways to design the replacement box that will minimize problems with black flies. We are about 40% of the way through our banding season and it looks like black flies and weather plagued impacted many of our wilder sites this year. We'll talk about that later this week.

[Donna]

Had this cam going since early morning! I don't hear a peep, kak, scream......nothing!!

[Tapper Gal]

Had this cam going since early morning! I don't hear a peep, kak, scream......nothing!!

  Oh dear me,I so hope the babies survived their falls and that we hear good news.Watching the videos was sad and hope they can make changes to enhance safety.   

[Donna]

I can see where the adults perch and also they have been going down and up every few minutes, so I believe they are being fed! Hopefully!!

[Donna]

http://explore.org/live-cams/player/falcon-nest-cam?popoff=true

I'm hearing alarm calls now and see 3 flying!! Oh boy!! 3 what though???

[MAK]

Great Spirit Bluff Falcons ~ RRP ~ June 5th: "Just an update for everyone - We have been able to see that Michelle and Newman are perched in the trees below and are continuing to care for their eyasses. It's hard to hear sometimes, with the traffic noise, but we have heard vocals (yes, plural) and are hopeful that both are fine. We will continue to keep you updated as we have more information." ~Sherri Elliott

[Donna]

http://youtu.be/dAyUfrq6bEY


OOPS, YES, Kris, I goofed!! THANKS!!

I'm so happy for these kids!! 

[Kris G.]

http://youtu.be/dAyUfrq6bEY


OOPS, YES, Kris, I goofed!! THANKS!!

I'm so happy for these kids!! 

I am too!  I wasn't sure they survived! 

[patsy6]

Thanks for posting. I saw on Facebook that they had both visited the nestbox.  Another miracle for Great Spirit Bluff!   

[AlisonL]

The nest box at Great Spirit Bluff was taken down, and a new nest box has now been installed. Apparently this was done in an attempt to deal with the bloodsucking insects which have killed a number of chicks over the years.

The area has some very pretty scenery, but I still think that the site itself is too dangerous and unsuitable for chicks, with a sheer drop of some 600 feet from the nest box and no space for the chicks to strengthen their flight muscles before fledging. It has long been recognized in Europe that some kind of platform or deck or other exercise area is necessary to give the chicks a better chance to fledge successfully.

I wish that the new nest had been installed in a safer location.





More information:

https://www.facebook.com/RaptorResourceProject/photos/pcb.1509887962381151/1509876672382280/?type=3&theater

[Shaky]

The nest box at Great Spirit Bluff was taken down, and a new nest box has now been installed. Apparently this was done in an attempt to deal with the bloodsucking insects which have killed a number of chicks over the years.

The area has some very pretty scenery, but I still think that the site itself is too dangerous and unsuitable for chicks, with a sheer drop of some 600 feet from the nest box and no space for the chicks to strengthen their flight muscles before fledging. It has long been recognized in Europe that some kind of platform or deck or other exercise area is necessary to give the chicks a better chance to fledge successfully.

I wish that the new nest had been installed in a safer location.





More information:

https://www.facebook.com/RaptorResourceProject/photos/pcb.1509887962381151/1509876672382280/?type=3&theater

Is that a nest box or a cliff wart?