Nest Box Updates
Just a week after the last of Mariah’s five eggs hatched, all of the eyases are thriving and growing like weeds! Feedings occur several times a day, as often as every 1½ to 2 hours. The two pictures below illustrate just how much they’ve grown.
The picture on the left was taken on May 12. The one on the right is from earlier today. You can see how much bigger the eyases have gotten. Look closer at the picture on the right and you’ll see a layer of darker heavier down feathers coming in. The young nestlings’ metabolisms are also maturing, allowing them to regulate their own body temperatures. That’s means Mariah and Kaver can leave them uncovered for relatively long periods while they both go out hunting. With both parents hunting their chances of catching food increases, and at the same time they’re able to supply more food to their rapidly growing eyases.
The chicks will continue their amazing growth rate for another five weeks or so. By the time Banding Day comes, they’ll be more than halfway to their fully grown size. When they leave the nest near the end of June, the eyases will be as big as their parents!
Speaking of Banding Day, we’ve set the date! Mark your calendars for Friday, May 30th. Sometime around 9:30AM we’ll get started. Traditionally Banding Day is the high point of the Rochester Falconcam season. We’re still putting final details in place, but we expect to follow the winning formula we’ve used in past years, including bringing all the action to you as it happens on the Rochester Falconcam’s cameras. And how will the eyases get their names? For 2008 we have decided to invite a number of deserving groups to submit names for the hatchlings. We’ll update you with more information as the date gets closer.
In other news, this year’s falcon watchers can get a great view of the nest box and take a break from the sun! Kodak, Rochester Falconcam’s partner, has purchased a covered canopy and seats that will be installed in the Kodak parking lot at the corner of State Street and Morrie Silver Way. We’re grateful for Kodak’s generosity and their willingness to provide a comfortable spot to watch all the fledgling action this year. The canopy is due to be installed around the end of May. As soon as it’s ready we’ll bring you more news and share some pictures of our new Falconcam Watchers HQ!
We’ve recently added some new clothing and merchandise to The Scrape, Rochester Falconcam’s online store! Our Spring 2008 collection includes shirts in two new designs that feature last year’s four fabulous fledglings, Ananta, Grace, Linn and Sacajawea. New mugs and mouse pads are available in our Stuff for Home section too! Head over to The Scrape and check it out. Proceeds from all your purchases go to support the Rochester Falconcam! And here’s a sneak preview… We’re working to bring you some new and exciting merchandise choices including high quality embroidered clothing, office, travel and gift items!
-Jess
May 18th, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Cool thanks for the news!!! 🙂 😀 🙂 😉
May 19th, 2008 at 2:11 AM
Great pictures and great site !
May 19th, 2008 at 2:27 AM
Where’s Kaver been this weekend – or have I not been on when he’s been home?
May 19th, 2008 at 3:45 AM
@Jen- He’s been around Jen, as you can see from the picture at the top of this post, which was taken just today! Mariah does most of the feeding though, so Kaver is usually in and out of the nest box pretty quickly.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Great job, you guys! Those three pictures tell a great story. Thanks for sharing.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Hope mom & dad are there to cover them tonight or they may freeze. I had 38 this morning….
May 20th, 2008 at 12:15 AM
I’m so glad all is going well with Mariah and Kaver they are doing a wonderful job.. Is the news about Rhea Mae’s one baby true??? How sad if it is… Can’t wait for the 30th, it will be a great day to watch the Banding and I can’t wait to hear all the names…
May 20th, 2008 at 3:21 PM
I cannot wait to hear who the “deserving groups” are that will do the honors – the falcons know nothing about their names and they carry no meaning for them, but they mean a whole lot to the folks who name them.
May 20th, 2008 at 6:59 PM
I just love it when Kaver takes care of the little ones. I just went on and there he is feeding his little ones. It was said to hear the news about Rhea Mae’s baby. I can’t wait to hear all their little names and find out how many boys and girls we have up there. I feel like they are all mine I watch them so much.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:25 PM
Gee by the looks of all the feathers in the nest box-the are eating like champ’s…. There is enough feathers there to make a Pillow..LOL Glad to see they are doing well…
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:25 AM
7:23 on Wed eve. I always feel some relief when I see a parent on the light standard. I came back twice. Now I can go to my room in comfort. Thank you Mariah (or Kaver) !!
June from Cape Cod.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:48 PM
I know you assign different people/organizations to name the eyes’, but I was just wondering why one of them have never been named “Rochester”?
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:04 AM
http://shakymon.com/thruway/archive/MainCamera_HighRes/20080522/MainCamera_HighRes_20080522-2000.jpg
ok this picture is kinda scary.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:47 PM
THOSE ARE GREAT PICTURES..THANKS ALOT YOU GUYS..GOOD JOB…LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE. I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW BIG THEY ARE ALREADY, AND THE DARK FEATHERS ARE COMING THRU.
May 26th, 2008 at 2:41 PM
I hope they are going to grow up strong and healthy!!! You guys ROCK!!!!!!!
June 5th, 2008 at 1:33 AM
one of the baby birds appears to be bleeding near the foot. 6/4/08
June 8th, 2008 at 10:46 PM
I can not get the pictures to download today. It keeps asking for user name and password…..is anyone else having this problem?
Please help,
Thanks,
Karen
June 10th, 2008 at 1:37 PM
What is the thing sticking out from one of the eyases wing? It looks very long?
Thanks
June 10th, 2008 at 11:18 PM
I guess it is the transmitter and she does not look like she is doing so well with it, is this normal till she gets more used to it??
June 14th, 2008 at 7:43 PM
What is the red on the front of Quest?
Thank you…
August 28th, 2008 at 1:27 AM
That “red” in front of Quest is the harness holding her transmitter onto her body. Have you seen the photos? She allowed a photographer to take her pictures in the Cape Cod area so that we can be updated with her life! 🙂 She looks fantastic!