Radisson - 2011 / Ivy & Princess

[The Peregrine Chick]

She was still at the box at 0550h when one of the adults flew by and dropped off food - Ivy I think by the size - she took it off down the ledge to eat it, then came back to the box for a sit and a preen then was off for the day by 0605h.

Of course... Beatrix, no doubt takes after her mother! 

I think you may be right Allikat - I think she has the most prominent "crown" of all the Princess' kids and she definitely has attitude 
She's not a big female - when she was checked out by Wildlife Haven, I had them weigh her and she came in at 800g which is at bottom of the female mass measurements, so while she is bigger than many of our recent females, she's still at the small end for females.  And yes, she was fighting fit and fat when the folks at Wildlife Haven checked her so her light weight was due to nothing but her size!

[allikat]

She was still at the box at 0550h when one of the adults flew by and dropped off food - Ivy I think by the size - she took it off down the ledge to eat it, then came back to the box for a sit and a preen then was off for the day by 0605h.

Of course... Beatrix, no doubt takes after her mother! 

[photosbydennis]

Yep...I'm not going near that box till some time in Jan...lol

[Leana]

I was wondering how the nestbox got all cleaned out and ready for the next season... another task on TPC's endless To Do list.  I can't imagine how nasty that job will be! 

[Saoirse]

I have a sneaking suspiciion that the boys have started to fend for themselves at this point and she's not quite there yet so she's hanging out here where she knows her parents can supplement her meals.

I was wondering about that -- you have a great knack for answering questions just before they're asked! As for the cleaning job ahead . . . ummmmm . . . you definitely need a raise! 

[The Peregrine Chick]

1341h

Beatrix is still at the nestbox, or rather lying down in the back of the nestbox in the shade like she did before she fledged.  I have a sneaking suspiciion that the boys have started to fend for themselves at this point and she's not quite there yet so she's hanging out here where she knows her parents can supplement her meals.  The boys are probably heading off on their own now and she's been left behind.  But it won't be for long, in another week, she'll be off too I suspect.

For a moment I thought there were two chicks in there , but no, the other "chick" is actually a huge pile of prey remains in the corner nearest the inside box cam. Not looking forward to cleaning out that corner 

[The Peregrine Chick]

1227h

Its windy and there's a bit of rain in downtown Winnipeg and Beatrix is sitting on the north edge of the nestbox ... the wind is alot stronger up high, she's having a bit of trouble finding a comfortable spot

[bcbird]

... a relatively lazy start to the day for Beatrix.

Ah...breakfast in bed is such a treat!

[Saoirse]

Wow, that's a relatively lazy start to the day for Beatrix -- good to know she was safe and sound "at home" for the night, though.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Beatrix was the chick who came home last night, though someone else came to visit briefly (a minute or two) just after 0230h.

She was still at the box at 0550h when one of the adults flew by and dropped off food - Ivy I think by the size - she took it off down the ledge to eat it, then came back to the box for a sit and a preen then was off for the day by 0605h.

[The Peregrine Chick]

...Females disperse further than the males and in fact, more of our females survive to nest than males based on observations...

Interesting. Why do you think that is, TPC? Is it because more males fight to defend nestsites and are killed in action, so to speak?

Its a usual dispersal pattern with birds, one gender tends to stick closer to the natal area, the other disperses further.  With peregrines, females go further, males stay closer.  Its the same with mammals.  Don't know about reptiles, amphibians or fish.  It allows for greater genetic variability within a population.

[Kinderchick]

...Females disperse further than the males and in fact, more of our females survive to nest than males based on observations...

Interesting. Why do you think that is, TPC? Is it because more males fight to defend nestsites and are killed in action, so to speak?

[The Peregrine Chick]

So great to hear that the birds are still coming back to the nestbox at night. I was wondering, do you think that juvies who return to their nestbox often are more likely to make an effort to return, at least to the area, the following year, TPC? Have there ever been any studies done with regard to this? Did Ivy return often to his nestbox when he was a juvie here in Winnipeg? Or is there no way of predicting where a bird will end up? Is it more related to their pairing up with a particular partner?

We rarely see previous years' chicks at their natal sites following fledging unless they are actually taking over the site (i.e., T-Rex, Trey, Ivy in Winnipeg and Zeus, Keener-Screech and Brooklyn in Brandon).  Females disperse further than the males and in fact, more of our females survive to nest than males based on observations.

Ivy didn't return to Winnipeg until he paired up with Lucy in 2007.  And no, there really isn't any way to predict who will end up where.

[Kinderchick]

So great to hear that the birds are still coming back to the nestbox at night. I was wondering, do you think that juvies who return to their nestbox often are more likely to make an effort to return, at least to the area, the following year, TPC? Have there ever been any studies done with regard to this? Did Ivy return often to his nestbox when he was a juvie here in Winnipeg? Or is there no way of predicting where a bird will end up? Is it more related to their pairing up with a particular partner?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Had a look at the playback from last night this morning and Carson turned up about 1730h yesterday for a little while then returned with a "friend" after 2000h when it was raining.  Both birds came in near to each other on the ledge so I'm suspecting Carson and Cade even though we have seen Carson more often with Beatrix.  Second bird (Cade?) took off right away, Carson came down the ledge to the ledge cam and was hanging out in the corner. 

When it went dark I could see him moving on the ledge and onto the nestbox edge (2300-0200 approx) then back along the ledge until this morning when a second bird, which looked to be same size hopped on the ledge as well and the pair of them waddled off down the edge.  Too wet to tell the colour on the second bird for sure but I think it was Cade again.  Anywho, they toddled off down the ledge, "Cade" all the way to the nestbox edge and then Carson took off from the ledge and "Cade" took off after him a few seconds later.  And yes, they left at their usual time - 0532h today.