Manitoba Peregrines > U of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
U of Alberta - 2010 / ? & Radisson
bev.:
I am finally starting to update.
I will start with yesterdays activities.
On Friday Aug 20, Blue band female needed to be rescued. I did not post as I did not want to alarm anyone. I was bad enough :).
What happened is that she landed in an exhaust fan at the Swine research facility at the U of A farm. This is quite a distance from Clinical science. The folks there, turned off the fans right away, when they heard her. They immediatley phoned one of our biologists at the Uni, who in turn phoned Gord. ( I have to add here, that last Thursday and Friday we had a lot of smoke in our area due to fires in B.C. The winds carried them here and at times it was hard to see. I am thinking she may have not seen where she was landing. I am also thinking that this may have been what caused Red deer males accident also. It was hard to breathe at times also. )
She was extracted and Gord took her to his home. He hosed her down. (one foul smelling bird, he said ;D ;D I wonder why ;) ;) . but he said she appeared to be in good shape and he would observe her over the weekend and probably release her on Monday(yesterday). so we waited.
Luckily she only had one primary feather missing in tail but other than that was in good shape. Gord tethered her and took her bands off as he does not like them in metal cages. (They should not have bands on when they are tethered) I learned a lot of things this year from Gord.
So at about 2:20pm yesterday, Peter and I were invited to see her off with Gord. Becky , one of our fledge watchers, who is doing research at the Uni, just happened to be out looking for the guys, so we invited her to come and watch.
What a thrill. Gord released her from on top of parkade where we watch the falcons. He had a hood on her when we arrived and then asked me to hold her as he had to put bands on her.OMG I was just so excited. Then he had to put another band on her but he had to remove tethers. Peter held her then as I felt he was stronger. Did not want her to fly away with the hood on. this was indeed a highlight for us all. Her new bands are 98
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then Gord took her,and put her on his glove . He took off the hood. what a gorgeous falcon. Love at first sight. Dad (who had been on the moon of the Suite hotel ) flew over to ledge of college plaza. We were not ready for her to go when she did but she just flew with the wind. It was windy. she flew off south, into the wide open spaces Sorry no pictures of that as we all watched to make sure she could get height and fly. She just went with the wind and could fly into it . she kept flying higher and turned back towards us. Gord was so pleased with her flying. The missing primary feather did not affect her at all. Mom and Dad went after her at first. It was a concern. They chupped at her , and gave chase, a few times but she just kept cacking and coming back. We were all just holding our breaths.But finally they recognized her and she flew up on to Heart building roof . In a bit she flew over to a ledge on College plaza and there was some lunch. Gord was wondering what she was dong there. And we told him ,there was usually a meal on those ledges.
Shortly after Red band came flying in cacking. We heard him before we saw him. He was on top of heart building and he was cacking at mom who was on top of Clinical science building. Dad was back on moon on Suite hotel. He then flew over to extenison building ,(adjacent form Blue band)still cacking. I think Blue ate his lunch :) :)
We lost sight of REd when we went to ground level but Blue was still on ledge when we left.
I will post the pictures and then I will start and do back reporting and post picutres. We knew Red was still around as we saw him Sunday night .
what a day :-* :-*
bcbird:
Thanks for posting news of the kids, Bev. Sounds like their training to become self sufficient grown up falcons is coming along nicely.
bev.:
As of Sunday we still have the kids in view. these guys love to stoop gulls.
I have tons of picutres to post but still monitoring Weber.
bev.:
I have not downloaded pictures from recent visit as I am doing a mini fledge watch at Weber.
but last night after the Weber Peter and I blew through campus and were treated to both youngsters chasing an adult that had food in its talons. This was behind the education building.Red band male is such a squealer . Blue is more reserved. Red rested on the back of the Ed building and adult was not far away. then out of no where ,blue flew in and the chase was on. Peter went to follow them and spotted an adult coming out of the vent behind Ed building. I am assuming mom, as they were there last year.
It was hard to tell who got the food. They then put on an aerial display but it was hard to get pictures of that.
One gentleman stopped to let us know one of the kids was stooping gulls but was not successful. that was probably Red ;D ;D ;D
we saw all 4 falcons and that always puts a smile on my face. :) :)
I will post a few shots of what I have when downloaded.
I am always happy when they get to the Ed building. Much more open.
RCF:
Thanks for the updates and photo's. Luv the pic of the sun! 8)
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