My personal ramble

[Dumpsterkitty]

Maybe I've had a bit too much time to think these past 2 weeks, but my thoughts are honestly all over the place.  So I think I just need a topic to put them rather than piecemeal as the thoughts come up. And please do NOT take anything I post here as gospel truth.

I feel very badly that a lot of newbies are looking to us more experienced watchers looking for answers about what is going on when the honest truth is this is new territory for all of us.  I just don't know what to say sometimes, other than que sera sera.

And, as I said to a few people privately while we were in limbo waiting for the 2nd egg to be laid, the way my year has been going so far I REALLY need to have a successful nesting here this year. Expressing it out loud last time worked, maybe it will this time.

There has been a bunch of chatter about Archer two-timing being at the root of whatever is going to happen.  I personally am thinking differently.  I'm wondering if Beauty and/or Archer has an inherent fertility issue.  In 2010 Beauty laid 4 eggs.  2 hatched, the other 2 appeared to have been infertile.  It happens.  That may be what's happening here.  All the years of speculating about Pale Male's nest cradle...his age...yadda yadda...it was apparently Lola's infertility in the end.  Ranger & Hunter have eggs year after year after year...sometimes 2 clutches...never a hatch.  Sometimes that's just the way it is.

I personally don't think Beauty & Unity have any clue that there are eggs by Archer at the other sites.  They obviously now know that the other bird exists, but I think attributing anything happening-or not happening-because of the other nest site is a stretch.  If Beauty's eggs were going to hatch on 05/18 as all of our human counting predicted, they would have hatched on 05/18 whether Beauty was there or off fighting Unity.  It's too far into the incubation process for a change in alert level to change the outcome of a fertile almost ready to hatch egg...in my personal opinion.  The year Mariah was injured the eggs started hatching when they were ready even though she wasn't there.

Archer has been sharing the incubation duties.  Period.  Where he spends his off-egg time is really irrelevant to whether his eggs with Beauty hatch.  Again, my opinion only.  Just need to state my opinion for the record.

And even with all that, I am not giving up on these eggs until Beauty does.  Is it starting to feel like she might be giving up on them?  Maybe.  Only she knows for sure.

OK...I think that's all for now...it's all a learning experience.  Though I am a bit weary of all the "learning experiences" tossed my way lately...

[Lynne in New Hampshire]

Well said Ei!  We have to remember it is a privilege for us to be able to watch these incredible birds.  Who knows what happened when none of us were watching!  I'd say they handled things very well as the species  is still with us.

Hugs Ei!!

[margaret]

Well put, Ei.  I think we all realize that this is new territory for us here.  There is also so much information to recall/assimilate in trying to make sense of this.   I  think I posted earlier today...somewhere ...that this probably happens in the wild as well, except there are no cameras to document it, and maybe we are too up close and  personal with our falcons.  As MAK said too, we have to let nature take its course.  Sometimes it is not what we  humans want, but there is still much to celebrate.  Look to Linn, and Rhea Mae, and Quest...although we haven't had an update about her in a bit. 
Your "ramble" as you put it, was quite good! 

[Donna]

  Bravo!

[chlosmom]

dearest EI, et al.----I found your "ramble" profound and so true---
we as humans need to back off and defer to nature (who in all likelihood
knows what is best)---sure i 'd love to see some hatchlings--B"s U's---but that
isn't my call---that call belongs to nature-----and we as humans need to
show some humility and accept it---

[MAK]

  I found your ramble exceptional! You are the voice of reason and optimism on this forum. Even at a time when you should be down in the mouth.        Cheers to you Ei and your mom it's not an easy thing. 

[Bobbie Ireland]

Bless your common sense, Ei!

Slainte!

[anneintoronto]

Thank you, Ei.  What you said, needed saying.  And you said it so well.

Best wishes,
Anne in Toronto

[rssport]

Bravo Ei!
   Not that familiar with birds but if the eggs were nonviable wouldn't Beauty have discarded the eggs by now.
Also the weather was awful when she first started incubation, could that have slowed down their maturing?

[DianaR]

Well said, Ei. You summed it up beautifully. I believe that one of the greatest causes of human discontent is the belief that we have to know and understand everything, and know and understand the "why" of everything. We do not, and we cannot.

Sometimes, calm can only come when we learn to sit back and wait, and accept what comes, in the meantime using the words of the Chinese farmer in the old fable, "Maybe yes, maybe no! Maybe good, maybe not!"

[Braveheart2665]

TY Ei for your ramble - I realize that there are no concrete answers to this situation & several people asking on the social stream about things I know I don't have answers so it is hard. I was really looking forward to this year being my 2nd hatch but all we can do is watch. I saw something about. 2nd clutch - it is possible for them to have one then - I did not know. I continue to watch Beauty & Archer because I love these birds so much.

[margaret]

BH and many others of us. Go to Paul Hamilton's post on the San Francisco peregrines thread of the forum. He just posted a lovely and timely post from a PeFa watcher out in San Fran by the name of Glenn.  It is appropriate for us at this time I think.

[Joyce]

In light of Ei's comments...

After talking with Mark Nash yesterday, he explained that all of Southern Ontario has experienced a lower than normal nest count. Some with no eggs, others with failed nestsites. Apparently this has been documented previously, that the change in weather has a major effect on the birds.  Even falconers who breed and raise young, have experienced the same in a captive environment this year.  Mark mentioned the mild winter, very rainy and cold spring.  He said other factors can affect the nesting, but when this occurs over an entire region, it is most likely Mother Nature.

[Dumpsterkitty]

In light of Ei's comments...

After talking with Mark Nash yesterday, he explained that all of Southern Ontario has experienced a lower than normal nest count. Some with no eggs, others with failed nestsites. Apparently this has been documented previously, that the change in weather has a major effect on the birds.  Even falconers who breed and raise young, have experienced the same in a captive environment this year.  Mark mentioned the mild winter, very rainy and cold spring.  He said other factors can affect the nesting, but when this occurs over an entire region, it is most likely Mother Nature.

Thanks for checking with him, Joyce.  And I do consider Rochester to be "southern Ontario" since "our" birds obviously do.

[Braveheart2665]

TY Margaret for recommending that post - I finally found it & it was beautifully written. After Jemison got injured last year I did not know if I could watch again because it was so hard. But there is something about these birds of prey that draws me to them & they help remind me of what I need to be - Brave Strong Courageous - Survivors like myself. If you love something you must accept the risk of losing it & I love them w/ all my heart & the risk is worth it to me. After Calli fledged I started looking around for something to watch & found the Molly & McGee barn owls which are also beautiful birds. The first 2 owlets I watched hatch did not survive but once again I could not stop watching them. Now I have my own FB group of people who like myself love birds & nature & it has been a wonderful experience I would never of had if i hadn't heard about these falcons on the news. So I will keep on loving them