Eggs or No Eggs at KP! That is the Question!

[Donna]

Thank you so much Carly, it all makes sense, well kinda. Who knows what will happen next season. It's not a good situation, if you ask me. I'd love to see Unity with a new mate and Archer with Beauty. I really don't see that happening and hopefully, if it is the trio again, better things will come of it. We need BABIES!!!

(Don't need any battles either if a new male comes through)

[MAK]

  Carly thanks for the insight. It has been a perplexing year for us here and we are afraid next year will likely have the same result as this year. I too, would like to see another tiercel with Unity but that could mean a bloody battle and no one wants that. Only time will tell! 

[margaret]

Thank you Joyce for a  great explanation and helping me to understand a bit more of what is going on. 

[rssport]

Since the first mention of the pigeon poop nest box I have had concerns about if eggs had hatched would the eyases have survived. Cryptococcus is very dangerous fungus for humans and I would think birds also. Has there been any discussion for installing a nest box at KP so adults and hatches would have a safe place to raise their family and not spread it to Beauty's nest.
Rita - Syr


www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/epi-pigeon.shtml

[Carol P.]

I spent a few hours at KP this morning and Unity was again laying down in the scrape, like she's incubating.  Archer was up inside the pigeon box, which is very close to the scrape.

The whole time I was there, neither moved, so I was not able to get a look at what she's laying on with the scope.  I'll try again later.

All of this is very interesting, but I freely admit that I have no idea what's going on here.  This is all new to us and all we can do is observe and report, which we will.  We'll all learn together.  

As to the question about the pigeon poop hole aka scrape.  I asked Mark about that and he wasn't too concerned.  I continue to keep the DEC updated on what is going on and hopefully next year a nest box or tray can be installed.  - Carol P.

[rssport]

Thanks Carol,
I did not want to bring it up in the beginning as there was enough upsetting stuff going on at the time.

[Carol P.]

Thanks Carol,
I did not want to bring it up in the beginning as there was enough upsetting stuff going on at the time.

You're welcome!   

[Braveheart2665]

Wow so much information & in the end it's all up to the falcons & all we can do is watch

[Bonnie]

Just read on twitter that there are two eggs and Unity is incubating.  The question was will the eggs hatch this late.  I was at fledge watch in Richmond VA in 2009 on Aug 22 and 23 watching the second clutch take flight.  If the eggs manage to hatch next week, 40 days later is Aug 25.  Yes, it gets cold erlier in Rochester than in Richmond.  Nothing is impossible.  There may be fledglings in Rochester yet!!  And they may even get a mild fall.

[Kris G.]

Just read on twitter that there are two eggs and Unity is incubating.  The question was will the eggs hatch this late.  I was at fledge watch in Richmond VA in 2009 on Aug 22 and 23 watching the second clutch take flight.  If the eggs manage to hatch next week, 40 days later is Aug 25.  Yes, it gets cold erlier in Rochester than in Richmond.  Nothing is impossible.  There may be fledglings in Rochester yet!!  And they may even get a mild fall.

Anybody have an idea when hard incubation began?

[schlaf374]

Kris,
I remembered that Joyce had tweeted something about U looked like she was in incubation mode . It was on July 3. reply #5111.
 If the eggs are viable hatch should be early August maybe around the 6th. Fledge would be in September. 

Also everyone, please remember Rochester usually has a mild September and October. The earlieest snow I remember was October 31.

[margaret]

Kris,
I remembered that Joyce had tweeted something about U looked like she was in incubation mode . It was on July 3. reply #5111.
 If the eggs are viable hatch should be early August maybe around the 6th. Fledge would be in September. 

Also everyone, please remember Rochester usually has a mild September and October. The earlieest snow I remember was October 31.

I think our October and Novembers have been mild in recent years.   Sometimes even our Decembers aren't all that bad -- or am I just getting used to these upstate winters after all these years ? (Hated them when I first arrived here?)    It's usually the Jan-March that are pretty ugly. 

[jeanne]

Really, would it matter? Zephyr was here through winter because he was at the brighton site with Beauty.  So it might not make a difference if it is late. 

[Joyce]

I wonder if the 2 eggs MAK posted in her June 17th FalconWatch report are the one's she is sitting on now?
photo/MAK

After MAK alerted us of eggs at the scrape, I checked my pics and found 2 eggs in a photo on Sunday June 12th, 5 days before.  Old or new eggs?


Here are some pics of today's watch at 3:16 pm:
     

On my way home I check to see if Beauty is on Xerox.  Sometimes it is so dark, that I have to use my camera to tell.  This was taken at 9:27pm:

[Donna]

This whole egg thing baffles me. Even if these are NEW eggs, she just started laying on them. If these are OLD eggs, did she just suddenly feel inclined to start incubating? Maybe it's a long over due reaction that should have been done like long ago. I don't even think Google can help me with this answer.

Great night shot that looks like day Joyce. Thanks.