2011 Pictures from the Rfalconcam cameras

[Donna]

Beauty spent most of the night at the nest box. 2:36 she arrived next to main cam, where she spent most of the time.
4:30
4:35

4:53am, she left

[Donna]

Beauty at nest then took off.

[Dumpsterkitty]

   

And back again...

[Kris G.]

Hard to view these pictures of B at the nest.  This time of the year, that box should be  bustling with babies getting ready to be banded or to fledge.   I think it was about this time last year that Callidora and Jemison were getting banded, and preparing to fledge.  So happy that some of the falcon team will be watchers this weekend in Toronto. 

A sad time for our Beauty and for us. 

But like I said...somewhere, Kris, this year has had its ups and downs.
 Mr. T,  Unity -- being identified.  UP!
Quest is the big one for me.  UP! I' ve followed her with fascination since she was an egg. Her own little one?  UP!
Linn identified?  UP!  Raising young?  UP!
Stormin' taking over a nest?  UP!
  
And now all the other grand eyases of M and K hatching, fledging, breeding in  Cananda?   UP!
The watchers going up to Toronto to watch   Rhea Mae's young 'uns fledge?  UP!

It's been an emotional roller coaster, and yes, our own nest box is hard to watch, but there is balance in nature, and I keep telling myself we are learning a lesson here in balance.    Right now, not so "up"  but it's coming.

Maybe I should have clarified by saying sad for "me" instead of "us".  Yes, "ups" to all the other happenings (Mr. T was never identified because he was unbanded-that was just a name given to him, I think, by MAK) but I was really looking forward to Beauty and Archer's little ones. It's also hard to accept that Beauty no longer has a mate but hopefully this winter or next spring she will find a new one. It would be nice if Mr. T reappeared-he was cute and really liked B!

[carly]

Wait, did I miss something?  Has Beauty rejected Archer for good?  Or am I misreading?

[Donna]

Wait, did I miss something?  Has Beauty rejected Archer for good?  Or am I misreading?

No Carly, not at all. I think it's because Archer is spending most of his time at KP with Unity and Beauty is being left out. It is sad to watch her watch for him at the nest. 

[carly]

I remember going through the same thing here when Jack first hooked up with TR Mom and Angel was left on her own.  Thankfully it worked out in the end but I can't help but wonder if Beauty sees him over there with a female she fought with and it might remind her of her start here and raise her hackles a bit I'm sure.  I think it would be nice too if that cute Mr T showed up and then you'd have 2 couples.

[Kris G.]

Wait, did I miss something?  Has Beauty rejected Archer for good?  Or am I misreading?

No Carly, not at all. I think it's because Archer is spending most of his time at KP with Unity and Beauty is being left out. It is sad to watch her watch for him at the nest. 

Carly-Archer hasn't had much to do with Beauty since the last egg was disposed of. The only time he's coming downtown is to check on where Beauty is, to let her know he's watching her, and then it's back to KP-no bonding, no nestbox visits, no echupping, no tandem hunting- it's all Unity and KP.  He even is sleeping over there now-not spending his nights on Xerox with Beauty like he always did.  It's all very sad...Some watchers have said that they think it's because there are eggs supposedly over there still and that he feels drawn to Unity because of that or they might be trying to 2nd clutch.  Who knows for sure what turned him against his mate of over 2 years.

[carly]

Wow..I didn't realize it had come to that.  I knew he was there the odd time and you are right..it's likely the eggs as they do live to procreate.

Well not much you can do but watch and learn now really.  Not all females accept bigamous males I've been told, otherwise I"m sure they'd be alot more of them so we'll see what Beauty does.  On the plus side, I'm glad neither of them were fatally hurt and at least the line in the sand is drawn now.

[Dumpsterkitty]

OK...I may get blacklisted for this, but I really just have to say what's on my mind...

I'm having a lot of trouble reading all the posts about Beauty longingly looking north for her cad of a former mate who has forgotten all about her. 

Wishing for a new "faithful" mate for her or Unity is only inviting a territory battle where one of them is likely to lose their life. 

They are all doing what instinct tells them to do.  Period.  It may feel like a soap opera from our human perspective, but it's not.  It's nature doing what nature does. 

I surely do have my personal feelings about how the season has turned out so far.  I am sad beyond words.  But now is the time when we must be EXTRA careful to NOT be anthropomorphizing!

OK...off my soapbox...

[Bobbie Ireland]

Well said, Ei. Guess we just can't help it at times... our only human way of understanding, maybe...

[jeanne]

Sorry but I don't totally agree.  I don't think Archer's behavior is that common (though it is far from unheard of as we have seen from Windwhistler and Jack).  There is typically some form of continuance unless a mate does not show up.  This bird is consistent in that he is not consistent with one mate.  First poor Mariah and now Beauty.  There is nothing we can do because it is his nature but I personally would not rule out a territorial thing even without a new male.  Unity was at Kodak tower a short while back and Beauty went to Kodak Park.  If I ruled the bird world, Archer would either stay with Unity or find some other place and Beauty would find a suitable mate.  Same with Unity if Archer finds another falcon that he takes up with as seems to be his way.

[carly]

I do understand where you are coming from kitty.  I should add though that my thoughts are based more on science than feelings.'

I've corresponded with two avian biologists on this topic - in relation to my own site and both suggested that this is not the type of behaviour they like to see in peregrine pairs( one of them went so far as to say that something is wrong with the male and he's not 'wired' properly but I'm not qualified to agree or disagree on that one).  Not because of any emotional ideal but because it effects the chances of survival.

First and I've seen this at our site: eyases are much smaller than normally produced in previous years under similar weather conditions and source of food supply.

Second, it leaves the female (main provider/trainer/guarder, etc...) exhausted at the end of season and slower to recover her resources which leaves her vulnerable to a takeover by another female and/or at higher risk of injury.

Third, in training after fledge for flight skills and hunting skills is where I really saw a difference.  Angel had a difficult time tracking/assisting all her fledglings on her own and we performed more rescues than in previous years - with the exception being when females weighed 300 grams more than this year but that's a whole other issue.  

Hunting - Jack used to train the males to hunt medium sized birds which tiercels with their agility and smaller size have a much easier time catching.  Angel is a pigeon hunter - the boys last year had a hard time hunting and I believe this is what contributed to Blackberry's death after he was basically sent packing.  he was the best flier but he never was able to successfully carry his prey.  Several times I observed him hitting the building and having to drop his prey.  After the other two dispersed, he hung around begging for food constantly.  he was found on the side of the road, likely hit by a car while trying either to carry food or had gone to ground to get roadkill.

Now you could argue their chances for survival aren't great to start with and you'd be right but with two dedicated parents that give them the skills they need - I'd argue it ups their chances.  Both males and females play an important role in the upbringing of a falcon and both contribute different skill sets to their offspring.

Sorry if I didn't articulate that properly.  That being said I do try to be sensitive to other people's feelings on the topic - even though I understand the science/biology of it, I'd be lying if I said I didn't get attached to them and sometimes forget they're not like us !

[Dumpsterkitty]

I do understand where you are coming from kitty.  I should add though that my thoughts are based more on science than feelings.'

Sorry if I didn't articulate that properly.  That being said I do try to be sensitive to other people's feelings on the topic - even though I understand the science/biology of it, I'd be lying if I said I didn't get attached to them and sometimes forget they're not like us !

Thank you.  Scientific fact is what I think has been missing from the discussion. 

[Dumpsterkitty]

Sorry but I don't totally agree.  I don't think Archer's behavior is that common (though it is far from unheard of as we have seen from Windwhistler and Jack).  There is typically some form of continuance unless a mate does not show up.  This bird is consistent in that he is not consistent with one mate.  First poor Mariah and now Beauty.  There is nothing we can do because it is his nature but I personally would not rule out a territorial thing even without a new male.  Unity was at Kodak tower a short while back and Beauty went to Kodak Park.  If I ruled the bird world, Archer would either stay with Unity or find some other place and Beauty would find a suitable mate.  Same with Unity if Archer finds another falcon that he takes up with as seems to be his way.

I'm not saying it's normal...or that it will necessarily have a good ending...or there won't be a battle...  My only issue is projecting our human emotions onto the birds.  That's what we need to be cautious of.  We certainly can feel our feelings...I have a boatload of them myself...but we need to be careful to say they're our feelings.