U of Alberta - 2011 / ? & Radisson

[bev.]

this is from Sat july 23

Saturday july23 Am

Peter and Dave and Becky and I were at the site, Saturday morning.

The kids have moved down to Ed building for first time. They are also feeding and flying around Med Science. I still close my eyes a bit when they come close to the buildings,    but they put on some displays for us.

We like seeing them down there , as we feel  it is safer for them, as far as flying goes. And we get more exercise.

Mom was keeping an eye on who we thought was RG and BB ,and we assumed that dad took  YB out .

PM
Peter and I  went back in the evening. WE only had one kid in view and  one adult. I believe it was RG on Ed building, playing around on antennas and flapping her wings, and dad looking over her. .

So I went walking  in the rain. I spotted from the campus tower corner an adult on back of another building ,behind ED building and one kid on side. ( we call this an Ed extension. ) As I was walking around back of Ed building, 2 flew over head and there was some squawking. Not sure if both were squawking or not. (Too many trees in my way) . but I love the big trees.
Lots of magpies and ravens and squirrels and rabbits. could do without the ravens.

By now Peter had made his way down with the dogs. We went up on parkade by Ed building and saw no one . but as Peter was walking , he saw one fly over to Med science building.

So we started back. Now we have one on Med science building and dad on Corner of Ed building and that is all. I try never to leave till I see all 3 kids. (for a few weeks anyway)

So up to top of parkade across from Maz building. Mom is halfway down on her aerial, dad has moved to corner of chi-ching building and one kid is eating on corner of Med science building(where Becky works).

Then mom flies off  by  clinical  science and across behind parkade, next to us, and then down by Newton place.  We look over to Clinical science building and we have one tucked in, under nest box(we are assuming BB as that is his favorite place). then in comes another and flies up to top ledge on  north side of college plaza and one is till eating on Med science . so we have all 5 in view. time to go home.

[bev.]

I am sorry I have not posted here for a bit.

Just very worn out.

I will post more this weekend but the 3 remaining juveniles are dong great. RG is so strong after being rescued. the first day after her rescue was a bit stressful as she could not get height but by Wed she was flying high and never looked back.

YB is jsut a thrill to watch. He is the protector when adults are away. And BB jsut has to get stronger, He is flying great and can now tear his food better. He is the youngest and the runt and has only been flying for jsut over a week.

they have been moving down toward the Ed building but always coming back to nest area and College Plaza. that is why I am annoyed cam is down agian.

I will go and retrieve some of my posts form my other site.

Be right back

[Ellie]

Thinking of all of you!  I know you have had a lot of rain but was wondering how the Chicks are doing with their flying abilities now.  Stress, stress and more stress I am sure.  The saying is "No news is good news" so I will believe that and just say "Keep up the good work".

[birdcamfan]

that makes them no less important, than one that is named. It is their preference and I respect that.

. . . It is no  big deal.

Bev, I agree with you completely that "it's no big deal". Here we're used to having the local birds named and, like some others, I do like thinking of them with names. Having said that, though, watching them hatch . . . and grow . . . and fledge . . . and fly is no less amazing if they're not named, though. It's these magnificent birds themselves that keep us coming back to the cams and the forum!

I actually find it much easier to follow the action with your description of them by band color and gender. It's sort of like a name and really the only purpose of a name is to keep track of who's who so it all works.

[Linder]

Thank you Bev for taking the time to post after such long days out watching the young ones. I love reading your reports and it is almost like being there. I hope all continues to go well and look forward to more good news.
Your little YB sounds like quite the character, a real fool around but takes great care of his brothers and sister. 

[Saoirse]

that makes them no less important, than one that is named. It is their preference and I respect that.

. . . It is no  big deal.

Bev, I agree with you completely that "it's no big deal". Here we're used to having the local birds named and, like some others, I do like thinking of them with names. Having said that, though, watching them hatch . . . and grow . . . and fledge . . . and fly is no less amazing if they're not named, though. It's these magnificent birds themselves that keep us coming back to the cams and the forum!

[bev.]

just to make it clear, Edmonton is not the only site that does not name its falcons. RAdisson has a name because she was named in Winnipeg. I named M07 at WEber, Miss Edmonton and the biologists humor me But their names are not on record.

Tracy does not want a young one named after her in case something happens to it, The biologists here have been part of the recovery prospect and so they are used to just calling them by their bands. that makes them no less important, than one that is named. It is their preference and I respect that. 

A lot of other sites jsut say RG or WB , by their color band. It is no  big deal.

Now I am done

[bev.]

Monday night , when Radisson was attacked by an intruder, YB was  attacked also. He just stood up on the nest box roof and fanned out and cacked like crazy. He did not back down. We were so in awe. That was just  after we rescued RG.

These shots are courtesy of Jean(click on pictures



Radisson on aerial on Clinical and  intruder attacking

RAdisson

intruder knocked down and then it goes over to YB

intruder takes a swipe at YB and he fans out and cacks



Our brave YB


BB is laid back, but make no mistake about it. He is an excellent flier also. We must remember that YB had his first flight last Friday and RG and BB and GG had their first flights on Monday. Well RG sort of had a big leap on Sunday nihgt, but not really a flight.

We also have had a female juvenile come in  WEd   and Radisson and Dad chased her off. They dive bombed her and she huddled on clinical science , before taking leave. I am thinking she is the young female from Bell. that is the only one that would be flying that strong, so clsoe to Clinical. This happened at same time we were looking for BB , when he got carried off by wind.

So we have had lots of excitement , my heart could have done without

So we will continue to monitor our crew till about WEd. and then Peter and I will go out at our leisure and watch and enjoy.
I will be psoting picutres in the next few days. 

[bev.]

good afternoon,

I have been staying away for a bit after the loss of GG.   :'(After spending 13 hours there on Tuesday, watching her try to get high up on the Maz, I grew very attached. Now I was not supposed to do that this year.

GG on top of roof(click picutre)



I know others ,at other sites, including Manitoba, have losses but this one hit me harder than most. I spend 13 hours a day there, every day and Peter and others come, at 5 to relieve me   ,so I can go home, but sometimes I stay later. I am not saying this for a pat on the back or anything, it is just so you understand , that I get to know these kids very well. GG seemed so proud of herself when she ended up on an apartment on Whyte Ave, where she should not  have been. I would not have guessed that we would have trouble with her. She made the best first flight of them all. but on Tuesday, she could not get her height. And that is all I am going to say. I am  crushed.

By the way others come and watch also, in 3-4 hour shifts. we are very grateful for any help we get.  I just want to make that clear , as I am not on a glory trip.

I was out there, before 6am this morning , in the rain, and found all 3 kids and the 2 adults. Everyone is fine. 1 kid was on Windsor apartments(YB) and 2 were on the Maz.  Mom was on her aerial and dad on his. Dad made a fly by and got the kids all riled up and so off they went. YB flew over and the games began , for a short while. Dad went out and one kid  ended up high on clinical science and 2 on Maz. Marlene came out in rain , and after we had a coffee , I told her she could leave .( not that I order people around ) I am under the weather today so after another look , I felt confident that they would not do too much today.
 Just before I left ,Dad landed on Newton place and YB flew over and knocked him off his perch and stayed there. Dad came around and checked on the the other 2 and went in out of the rain.

Peter and Bob and Carol will be down there after work. Jean, who lives in the apartments, is keeping an eye on things from her place.  As I type this it is still raining.

Our 3 are flying well. Peter just loves this time. I look through my fingers ,at times, as they come so close to the buildings.  When the 2 boys were playing tag yesterday, mom came and played with RG.  They are so fast. RG has just amazed me, after her struggles on Tuesday, along with GG.
I watched them both glance  off the Maz  4 times. they just could not get the height that day. They are so big , that there was not enough room and they had not learned to circle around .

YB is our grown up. Even thought he can be a stinker, the adults seem to use him to help out the others.  When BB caught caught by the wind the other nihgt , YB flew out and brought him back, although we had to look for BB . BB was tucked in behind Jeans' building. On TuesdayYB was already in training, trying to catch the food ,dad had in his talons. He learns quickly.  BB joined in  on the action.

I guess I am long winded   ;)so this is continued on next reply  

[MayShowers]

I am new to reading about our Edmonton kids and I was wondering why they are not given names? 

Leanna, regarding your question, apparently the biologist here is the one who decided that none of the falcons should be given names so that there is no emotional attachment to them.  Ha!  A fat lot of good that does!  As we all know, it is too late for that!

Silly, silly biologist 

[Elaine L]

I am new to reading about our Edmonton kids and I was wondering why they are not given names? 

Leanna, regarding your question, apparently the biologist here is the one who decided that none of the falcons should be given names so that there is no emotional attachment to them.  Ha!  A fat lot of good that does!  As we all know, it is too late for that!

[Kinderchick]

Sure do hope you don't get sick, Elaine, given how soaking wet you all got last evening. Glad to hear of some sightings of YB, mom & possibly dad. Whew! Sure is nail biting action. Hang in there!

[MayShowers]

Hi Elaine L, it is good to hear that things sound more positive in Edmonton this morning.  If your rain yesterday was anything like the rain and wind we had here in Thompson Manitoba on Wednesday it wasn't very plesant out at all  

[Elaine L]

Hi, Kinderchick.  I still feel wet and abit under the weather today after being out in the rain so long last night; boy, you have to be tough not to get rundown or sick after a night like that.  Anyway, Peter reported on the BCAW Forum late last night that he and Becky looked around for a little while before heading home, and they think they saw Yellow Boy sleeping on the back of College Plaza, Mom showed up again and went back to her perch on the top of the heart institute, and they believe they saw dad flying around.  So, perhaps the evening did end on a positive note.

[Ellie]

Wow, what a night!   Hopefully all will be well when you check today.  Edmonton sounds like Brandon this year.............rain and more rain!  Hard to do anything in weather like that.  Mosquitos still bad also?   If the rain has disappeared the kids will be back out to play!