U of Alberta - 2011 / ? & Radisson

[bev.]

7:11pm

Well mom brought food to Yellow again on mesh. blue was on   wrung and  decided , not this time and went over there also.

Oh Crap!! Female is now on wrung and she is not ready to be.  Whew!!! She went back in. I am not sure I want to go tomorrow.   
Now she is out again. 

[bev.]

6:35pm Wednesday july13.2011

Sorry I did not have Peter put in a message but at the time I was alone.( I did have 2 people stop by today and help and Becky came during her lunch so I could........ :sunrolleyes: )

Yellow band went over to mesh at about 11:15 this morning.  the other 3 looked on in Awe.  He is a stinker. He did lots of flapping and still has quite a bit of white.

With so many in box and all the rain, they have not had the room to flap. Now they do. mom and dad kept doing flybys, without food to get him over there. The adults seem to know that they  are not ready as they are not doing flybys with food.

At about 12:30pm RAdisson dropped off a whole bird to Yellow band and  the others wre none too happy.

the 3 in the box did not get any till after 3 . And  then 20 minutes later she dropped off another bit. Yellow band quickly flapped over there and grabbed it ,as he went into box on right side. Little piggy :sunsmile: 

But he soon came back out on wrung and then back to black mesh. :sunsmile: I think he was sstuffed.

the 3 inside seemed to get enough as they all lay down for a bit and wre quiet for quite awhile.

The adults sat on college plaza and Windsor apartments, quite a bit and then after a fly by mom would sit on aerial on clinical science. Dad would stay on Maz after his flybys.

When Peter and Carol and Bob cam I left. I stink Elaine will be there at 7pm. When I left yellow was resting 0n mesh and the other 3 wre n box and Radisson was on aerial on Windsor apartments and I think Dad must have been hunting.

Now for some ZZZZ'z and  then off  bright and early tomorrow again. I have someone there with me most of day tomography, to keep me awake.

I really do not think any of the are ready yet but yellow may try.

Cheers

[Kinderchick]

Thanks for all of the updates regarding your fledgewatch activities, bev & Elaine. Very busy time for all of you, with 3 nests to watch! Sounds as if you are getting all of the rain we have had here in Manitoba recently, particularly in the Brandon area.

[Elaine L]

Four of us at the CSB last night until about 9:45 p.m.  The chicks are very crowded in the nestbox, but no sign yet of wanting to leave.  Whenever the parents flew by, they lined up like little troopers, expecting food, and screamed like crazy when it was not forthcoming.  Mom caught a pigeon about 8:00 p.m., and was taking her time defeathering it, so dad came over and told her to get a move on, and then the feathers really started to fly.  She then flew over and dropped the food in the box for the hungry chicks, didn't stick around, and I don't blame her, the box was very crowded, and those chicks just mobbed her.  We don't want to see her get bitten by these rowdy kids, as happened in Manitoba.  Later, dad put on a aerial show for us, flying around and over us, while mom stayed on the corner of the heart institute.  The kids could see her, but it looked like they were not looking for more food, and were settling down for the night.

[bev.]

we have quite a few fewer people this year and more birds, but will do the best we can.

rain again yesterday  and it looks like more of same today. Will someone please turn the tap off
Not even good for farmers now, unless they have rice paddies

Parents did quite a few flybys yesterday ,showing the kids where to fly to and how to do it. No flybys with food yet so they must know they are not ready.

There were 3 food drops before noon yesterday , one of which Radisson fed to chicks and Peter saw one at 8:30 last night and it was just dropped.
Lots of flapping by yellow band male
July12

Christening of grandson today so site will be alone for part of day but hopefully inclement weather will keep them in.
Peter took day off work and so he  and another watcher are there now , since 6 am. He will head home shortly as christening is this morning.
there was a food drop after 7:30 , which was partly fed to them.

So hopefully no fledges till this weather smartens up. I do not think they are ready yet.

[bcbird]

Ugh rain!  but if it keeps the chicks grounded a few more days they will be bigger and stronger.
Good luck to all involved with fledge watch in Edmonton and surrounds.
You have a lot of babies to watch this year, Bev!

[bev.]

Thanks Elaine, for posting that our watch starts tomorrow. I really do not expect action till after Wed. but this year has been a strange one and you never know.

It the water tap in the sky ever shuts off, maybe they can get wingzercising.

We are quite short this year but we will do what we can. We will pot when we can.

Eyes to the sky

Bev

[Ellie]

Wow I had forgotten that there were three nests to look out for.  You need lots eyes on the sky for sure.  All the best of luck with the fledge watching and a good outcome for all the chicks.  Will be thinking of all of you and will check in to see how everything is going.  GOOD LUCK ALL, INCLUDING CHICKS!

[Elaine L]

Fledge watch down at the Clinical Sciences Building at the University of Alberta starts tomorrow.  Bev and Peter have been trying to round up as much help as possible to watch these four young chicks.  Many people have to be at work during the day, so it makes it harder to get those "eyes in the sky" during a crucial time period.  Plus, there are so many buildings around and close to the Clinical Sciences Building, it is hard to see where the fledgings land.  We also have Genesee and the Weber Centre, all set to go about the same time.  Busy times here.

[Moonstar]

Love the pictures bev. thanks.  I can't believe how much they have grown.  Just sooo cute.

[bcbird]

I especially like the one of all four in a row at the front looking out.

[Doreen]

Great pictures Bev! Thanks for sharing.

[Kinderchick]

... My concern was a chick jumping but they appeared to stay in back of box.

Oh no, glad to hear there was none of that yet, bev. Will be thinking of you next week as you begin fledgewatch. Hang in there.

[bev.]

well we had our meeting for our fledge which starts on MOnday. it will be day 37 for oldest and I do not want to take any chances.

It is going to be a long 2-3 weeks. we have two females red and green bands , 2 males, yellow and blue bands.

one male is so big that it may be female??? We will see.

When we got to clinical ,the parents were buzzing the top of the roof, as there were firemen and firetrucks all over. Some firemen were on the roof. I talked to them,to let them, know why they were being buzzed and they were very cooperative. They were not on roof long and it turned out that there was smoke coming from a garbage can in basement.  My concern was a chick jumping but they appeared to stay in back of box.

I am going into this with much apprehension but I am hoping for no casualties. ( as we all do) . It has been a rough year this year and i think I am taking a long break after this,.
the mosquitoes may help them through their flights , they are so numerous and big

a short slideshow just showing our big chicks. I have been getting them to work on cam2 but so far no cigar.

[BirdLover]

Thank you for all you do for the birds out there bev. and for keeping us posted.
The pics are great!  I love the ones of the parents soaring.