Peregrine Parenting 101

[Carol P.]

Peregrine Parenting 101 - Mariah & Kaver - Carol P on 6/29/11
We know that each pair is different.  Different habits and habitats.  Different behaviors and actions.  
Most of my knowledge comes from watching Mariah and Kaver for many years.  Studying them really.  I love to Watch them and learn about them.  Either on Falconcams or in person.  They fascinate me.  So, back to Mariah and Kaver.  To me they were outstanding parents.  Nothing would stop them from caring for their young and making sure that each and every one of them was taken care of.  From the littlest eyas to the largest.  All were taken care of.   We would see Mariah first feed the larger eyases that pushed to the front.  When they had their full, or she determined they had enough, she would switch to the other side of the nest box in a flash.  Now the little ones were in the front.  If a larger eyas attempted to push the little ones aside, Mariah would step between them, leaving the smallest in front of her.  This was amazing behavior to me.

Something changed in 2006.  Mariah was badly injured.  By herself, she could not care for or feed her young.  When Kaver pulled that eggshell out from under him, I knew immediately, something was wrong.  Where was Mariah?  She had never missed the hatch of one of her eyases.  That year Kaver became a superdad.

I was talking to Kenn on the phone.  He was getting video snippets off of main cam.  We ended up sending them to Peregrine experts in the US & Canada.  We needed their advice.  While I was on the phone with Kenn, he got really quiet.  He said "OMG!"  I said "What! What's wrong!"  Kenn said in a hushed, incredulous voice, "He's feeding her."  Kaver was doing something the "experts" said a Tiercel would NOT do.  Feed the female if she were injured.  Not only was he feeding her, she was taking the offered food and feeding the three eyases below her.  You have to understand, Mariah's foot was badly injured.  She could not put weight on it.  When she flew, it dangled below her.  When she landed, she usually collapsed and fell forward.  Landing on one foot was hard.  When Kenn said those words, I started to cry.  I admit it freely.  What could have been a tragic year, turned into a very good summer.  Mariah healed and three young eyases learned to master the skies of Rochester.  One was Sabrina aka Valiant, who is nesting and raising young at the Ogdensburg bridge and one is Rhea Mae.  

Let's use this area to post information about Peregrine parenting.  Whether it be Mariah & Kaver, Archer & Beauty, Rhea Mae & Tiago and any other Peregrine Pairs.  I think this would be an invaluable tool.  Feel free to post, but try to keep it on topic.  Post anything you know of or remember about Peregrine family life.  

[carly]

I never tire of hearing that story, just beautiful..thank you Carol.

[dharrington]

Soooooo touching/caring Carol.  Thanks.   

[jeanne]

So touching, Carol!  Mariah and Kaver are the best. That year, with a hurt Mariah, was both touching and heartbreaking.

 I remember the Kodak light.  It would go on at the tower and Mariah would make sure all her young were in for the night.  I also remember when Rhea Mae went down one of those darn smokestacks. Mariah, Kaver and her siblings moved from the Kodak tower to the catwalks above where she was

[jeanne]

Kaver feeding Mariah-- from the cameras

[rushhen06]

 

[Dumpsterkitty]

One parenting skill that always fascinates me is the flying assist...a new flier starts getting tired on a long flight and starts losing altitude.  Then Mom or Dad or both arrive and fly under the youngster, sometimes touching, boosting them higher and higher until they get where they're going safely. 

The first time I heard of Mariah doing it I couldn't believe she was so talented, though we KNOW she's the best peregrine Mom ever .  Then I heard of another, and another...someone reported a Buffalo parent-was it Stella or BB?-doing it just recently.  Apparently it's all part of peregrine parenting 101!

[Carol P.]

Kaver feeding Mariah-- from the cameras

Oh, thank you for that picture Jeanne!  That's it exactly!   

[Carol P.]

One parenting skill that always fascinates me is the flying assist...a new flier starts getting tired on a long flight and starts losing altitude.  Then Mom or Dad or both arrive and fly under the youngster, sometimes touching, boosting them higher and higher until they get where they're going safely. 

The first time I heard of Mariah doing it I couldn't believe she was so talented, though we KNOW she's the best peregrine Mom ever .  Then I heard of another, and another...someone reported a Buffalo parent-was it Stella or BB?-doing it just recently.  Apparently it's all part of peregrine parenting 101!

Yes, Ei.  I posted that Stella flew with Lehigh and guided him safely to a lower building before returning to the Central Terminal.  Just like Mariah guided Isaura back to the Kodak Tower.  Last year, when Jemison took off for the first time, Beauty was right there with him making sure he didn't go too far from the Times Square building.  You never get tired of seeing this.   

[jeanne]

Kaver feeding Mariah-- from the cameras

Oh, thank you for that picture Jeanne!  That's it exactly!   

I treasure that picture.  I remember how worried we were about her.  She used to stretch out in the nestbox and we would watch, so concerned.  Then Kaver brought in food.  That sweet precious boy.  I remember how he would fly in front of the nestbox as if to try to coax her to fly.  They were awesome parents and awesome partners.

[Donna]

That was the best year watching. I remember it so well. I think we all cried. That was also my first trip to Rochester and I had the privilege of seeing the Juvies hanging out on the Pedestrian bridge. Plus the watchers! I believe Shaky is looking at Kaver on OCSR.
Shaky

Who knew back then that this would be the home of another Falcon family. I took this pic as I thought, what an angelic building!

[Shaky]

That was the best year watching. I remember it so well. I think we all cried. That was also my first trip to Rochester and I had the privilege of seeing the Juvies hanging out on the Pedestrian bridge. Plus the watchers! I believe Shaky is looking at Kaver on OCSR.

It's the wrong time of day, and the scope is pointing the wrong way. More likely it's pointed at a falcon on the FCT.

[Donna]

That was the best year watching. I remember it so well. I think we all cried. That was also my first trip to Rochester and I had the privilege of seeing the Juvies hanging out on the Pedestrian bridge. Plus the watchers! I believe Shaky is looking at Kaver on OCSR.

It's the wrong time of day, and the scope is pointing the wrong way. More likely it's pointed at a falcon on the FCT.

OK, it was one of them! That's where Kaver was hanging out at the time. DT

[margaret]

 
Just read this now, Carol.  Lovely narrative about M and K's devotion to their young and to each other.