And Then There Were… Three!
Yes, that’s right my friend, THREE EGGS!
Wow, am I ever glad I hedged my bets in my previous article. Mariah has never gone this long between eggs, but that’s what’s great about watching these falcons– they always show you something new.
I’ll see what I can learn about such a long period between eggs, and share what I find with you when I do!
Specto Subitus! (Expect the Unexpected!)
-Jess
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:23 PM
Jess, you are a superb teacher! Thank you for all of the information you are supplying to us! I have a question about the time inbetween eggs. Is it possible that Mariah did have an egg after the 2nd but before this “3rd” but not in the nestbox? The timing seems to me to be right — if she normaly had eggs approx. 54 hours apart (give or take…) then she could have had one elsewhere… Is this possible? Again, thank you for all of your hard work!
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 PM
how do u know which baby is which?
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:31 PM
@Marcia- Thanks for your comments! At this point anything’s possible. As far as we know, Mariah has never laid eggs in a location other than the nest box, but she’s engaging in a lot of “firsts” this year, so who can say? The timing is right for this one to be egg #4 as you suggest. If it is, the location (or indeed the existence) of egg#3 is anyone’s guess. I hope to know more about this very unusual situation soon.
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Thanks Jess for all the info. Just love this site ! Hope everyone will support this site with a donation no matter how small….
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Do the females tend to ‘slow down’ in their egg laying when they get older? Was thinking like menopause in humans where the hormones begin to cease, etc. Thanks for your information as the ‘action’ progresses in the nest box.
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Marcia has a great point. However, I am wondering if an egg could be lost “in flight”. I have seen smashed robin eggs or intact ones lying strangely in the grass or on a sidewalk, much as human babies are sometimes born in the taxi on the way to the hospital…
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:57 PM
Hmm. . . wonder if they slow down their egg-laying cycles as they age?
April 2nd, 2007 at 3:09 PM
# 3 and still going strong Jess your great enjoy this year all about our Mariah makes it easier to understand. Mariah has been so good in the past cant see her dropping an egg. But anything can happen. Her eggs look the same as the past perfict I hope it wasnt an Aprial fools joke.
April 2nd, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Logan, a student in our third grade class has a question. We couldn’t find a topic that it fit with, but maybe you can answer it for us anyway.
“Have people ever touched these falcons?”
Thanks for all the great information on this website. We have really enjoyed learning about Mariah and Kaver.
Mrs. House’s Class
April 2nd, 2007 at 4:24 PM
Yippee for number three!!
Jess: Thanks for all the information, the younger members of my family find it so informative, fer better than me doing my best to explain things to them. What a learning curve they are on, and as it is the Easter holidays, the evenings are spent glued to the site.
April 2nd, 2007 at 5:45 PM
My teacher showed my class your website.She has been showing her stundents for over ten years.I have a question about the eggs about how long will it take for them to hatch and if only a couple hatch what will
Mariah do if the eggs don’t hatch?Thanks your site makes school more interesting!
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:16 PM
Thanks for all the great updates and info! The new website is great!!
Have a question about the whole incubation vs. just maintaining temp on eggs. Since she does still appear to be laying eggs, is the longer time between laying mean a longer time between the hatchings as well, or was she probably not really incubating like it appeared?
Thanks,
Tracey
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:31 PM
HI~ I love the updates and watching these falcons. This organization does such a great job getting the public involved and relaying accurate information. I miss working with the raptors at the Watertown zoo! Especially the owls but, you are right, they always find some way to surprise you!! I thought Mariah looked gravid Friday and was waiting for an egg, and waiting, and waiting, etc. I was starting to get worried. Do you think it is possible she was egg bound?? We went through a similar experiance with one of our parrots. Just curious.
Thanks,
Amanda
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:35 PM
HURRAY for 3!!! I was rather sad last night; then I was thinking that maybe the cold affected Mariah’s egg production. Jess, Your knowledge is amazing. Thanks for all the info. We can’t get enough of it. There’s so much to learn. I love watching the cameras and can’t wait to watch the little birds. The improvements to the website are fantastic.
Thanks.
April 2nd, 2007 at 10:09 PM
Wow! Just wow! I’m so glad she’s back again :3 I’ve been watching her and Kaver and the eggs/chicks for about…six years? Maybe five? Anyway, I only just thought to check the cam again this morning and I got a pleasant surprise! I usually catch the very start of her egg-laying, but, like Mariah, I’m setting a First this year. xD I hope she lays five eggs again…that would be wonderful. :3
~ Ashira
April 2nd, 2007 at 10:33 PM
My 5th grade science classes are loving this website. We haved learned about so many topics while watching these beautiful falcons. The education these birds have provided us with is immeasurable. Thanks for the information. We are eagerly waiting for what will happen next!!
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:25 AM
Thanks for all the helpful Information!
Is it possible that Mariah could have sensed something wrong with the way a potential 3rd egg was developing and chosen to “dump” it by laying it somewhere else?
April 4th, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Where is Kaver? I haven’t spotted him around the nest box or sitting on the nest.
April 4th, 2007 at 3:26 PM
Jess — Has anyone taken a look at the photos taken on March 31? I thought I saw some that day when Mariah looked “heavy with egg.” Might support the idea that she laid an egg elsewhere, or that there was something the matter with that egg.
This is a fascinating site.
Thanks for your commentary. It really makes for more knowledgeable viewing.
April 4th, 2007 at 4:40 PM
I’ve seen him around; he was on the nest this morning. =)
April 4th, 2007 at 6:39 PM
I saw Kaver sitting on the eggs a couple hours ago….
April 4th, 2007 at 7:34 PM
We are thoroughly enjoying this site. Thank you!!! Do the cameras rotate sometimes? Camera 1 was aimed directly down the street (is it Lake Ave.?) for a bit of time (thought the mount was broken or loose). Also, the main camera does not always seem to be in sync with the others. Just wondered if you maintain some kind of remote control.
It’s hard to tell which falcon is sitting on the eggs sometimes. I’m guessing the female is the one more “ruffled” looking at times and the male is always “sleek” looking. She takes life a whole lot more seriously – ha, ha….
April 6th, 2007 at 5:18 PM
I also think there may have been an egg “miscarriage” of #3 and what we see as three would have actually been 4 if all had gone well. There is a similar drama in Cleveland where one of the eggs broke shortly after it was laid. If that had happened here during the night, Mariah may have simply devoured the shell and gone back into production. Mariah has not been a 3- or 4-egg falcon in the last seasons.