falcon funnies and observations

Welcome to
PEREGRINE FALCON WATCH
Spring 2004

Goldie

Pages 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5 ... 6 ... 7 ... 8 ... 9 ... Banding Day ... 10 ... 11 ... 12 ...

Observations and "Falcon Funnies"

Watching the incubation process can be a little tedious as the birds do not do much. One of our falcon friends on the APK forum compared it to, "watching paint dry" ... However from time to time the cameras do capture the birds in an awkward position or with a funny expression, so we have added captions as to what we think they might be thinking and/or saying along with facts we know. Pictures are captured from the Ecocity Web Cams (Hourly pictures can be viewed here.), or taken by Mr. Scott Wright, who has graciously given us permission to use them here as part of our project.

3/12 "Yum! Dad cooked - fresh pigeon." - Jessie	The scattered snow showers in the Cleveland area are making for a cold day. Buckeye (left) has brought SW breakfast ~ probably a small sparrow. It is the male's job to provide food for the family while the eggs are being incubated and the young are brooded. Buckeye will also share in those responsibilities too, and from past seasons we know he is a great dad.	3/12 3:48 Our first glimpse of the first egg laid sometime during the night.
Dateline: Cleveland, Ohio 3/15 ......"WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 10 PM EST TUESDAY... LOW PRESSURE MOVING UP THE OHIO VALLEY TUESDAY WILL SPREAD HEAVY SNOW ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY AND TUESDAY EVENING. THE SNOW SHOULD START AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER 6 AM AND CONTINUE UNTIL TAPERING TO FLURRIES TUESDAY EVENING. TOTAL ACCUMULATION FOR THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 6 TO 10 INCHES WITH THE HEAVIER TOTALS EXPECTED IN AREAS FROM YOUNGSTOWN TO AROUND MEADVILLE PENNSYLVANIA. WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 35 MPH WILL ALSO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW CAUSING GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS." And the National Weather Service wasn't kidding! Below Buckeye is stuck on the nest for most of the day ... that POOR bird! Sometime before that storm the second egg was laid, but we didn't see it before the snow fell.
"Boy, this is cold ..."	"...and getting deeper."	"Some days it doesn't pay to sleep in ... you get stuck on the nest!" - Sam
3/18 The snow is almost gone and 3 eggs are now in the scrape...	3/19 ... and then there was 4!	Falcons lay between 3 and 5 eggs, with 4 being the average number. SW has produced 4 eggs for the past 2 seasons. It is hard to know if they will all hatch ~ we always hope. Incubation takes about 33 days ... give or take.

3/23 1:56 pm "Get back here."	3/23 3:58 pm "And what are you looking at?"	3/23 4:07 pm "Huh?"
3/23 4:14 pm "This doesn't look comfortable."	You can see the difference between the birds. SW (aka Mom), above, is larger and darker than Buckeye (aka Dad) pictured to each side.	3/23 5:11 pm "Yep, still there."
3/24 Buckeye carefully turns the eggs with his left talon. "Turning" the eggs is necessary so the baby develops properly. The birds also do this by shifting around when sitting on the eggs.	3/25 7:06 am "I say a little prayer for you ..."	3/25 1:22 pm "Is there no privacy?"
3/26 1:47 pm SW	3/26 A little stretch	3/26 6:39 pm "Sleep well little falcons. Mom is here."
Earlier in the day on 3/26 Mr. Scott Wright, ODNR's Nest Monitor stopped by the nest to check out the cameras and got a picture of SW (center) being very protective of her eggs ~ notice that sharp beak! Not something to mess with ... To the far right, SW is perched on top of one of the cameras ~ an opportunity to see what is bringing us this experience. Also, a chance to see the sharp talons (feet) ~ not something to mess with either! Photo used with the permission of Scott Wright, photographer and nest monitor for the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources.
3/27 1:55 pm Looks like SW is trying to get comfortable.	3/28 1:24 pm "Somebody call?"	3/29 1:34 pm "Now, where IS that snack?"
3/30 10:57 am SW At first glance we thought she was on her back ... but in fact has her head twisted around, preening her feathers.	It seems like SW is spending more time on the eggs this year than Buckeye ... Maybe he is afraid of getting stuck on the nest in another storm. Her favorite position seems to be facing the wall or with her right side toward the camera, while Buckeye, when on the nest, seems to like to look straight at the camera.	3/31 1:38 pm Speaking of storms - looks like a lot of rain or fog in the area
3/31 2:42 pm Raining again....	4/1 7:16 am Buckeye is gently rolling the eggs with his beak ~ necessary for proper development of the eyeses.	4/1 10:39 am The changing of the guard ~ SW coming on duty
4/1 11:47 am "Say what?" - Todd	4/1 5:53 pm SW "Exit - stage left." ----->	4/1 5:53 pm ...as Buckeye arrives for duty. This is a good example of the size difference between the male and female
4/8 12:29 SW Workers on the building keeping SW entertained.	4/8 1:19 pm SW Debriefing before hatch ~ a little over a week to go	4/8 1:30 pm "More entertainment?"