AB / Edmonton - Bell Tower - 2012-17

[bev.]

a lot of nest sites have 5 eggs. there were a lot of them this year. I do nto like 5 eggs but I have no control 

[newchick]

5th egg?  If so, that's very unusual.

[bev.]

egg 4  late april 25

lots of nest exchanges here

There may a fifth egg. it is so hard to tell here

here is confirming 4

 

[bev.]

egg number 3

april 23 things appear to be going well. lots of exchanges

[bev.]

here is her taking food to box

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qz3bWYbdhA

[bev.]

we have 2 eggs here also. and we know it is E4 and Big red , just by habits

Egg number 2 spotted by my friend at 5:30 am april21 but going lookin gin DVR now



time  was about 4:07am april21. may have been a bit earlier but that is what I could pinpoint

[bev.]

we knew we may have an egg and cam went up today afternoon and we have egg1

we will now have to try and figure out when

when cam first went up I know this was an egg



and night cam confirmed it

[bev.]

2016 NESTING SEASON

Peter and I worked hard to monitor this site from ground and we knew we had a pair here this year

a few pciutres form april17

female



female in the stance



canoodle



male flies off

 

[bev.]

we found E4 about two weeks ago.

 Gord went down after kids were born at U of A and found a pair of falcons on Telus toll building. ( he knew this would be a good time to scour area) you can see Bell ledge from there. When he went up there were 3 chicks and a dud egg.
 
 yesterday morning he went up to band and there were 3 female chicks and he ID E4 . He is not sure , till he checks pictures if it is Big Red or not. He swept area clean as he does not want them nesting there again. It is a real bad area but E4 was ready to drop eggs and so I guess , to get away form conflict, she went there.
 we do know there was a fight down at Bell and we believe it was females. we know Big REd came back a few times briefly and then no more and cam is frozen, so who knows.we think Big red was trying to persuade her back but too late

[soaring west]

2015 NESTING SEASON


We have major construction in the area and there is terroritial fighting going on downtown and no nesting at the camera area as of today.

[Kinderchick]

it was a hard year here this year. Lots of human , unnecessary interference...

I have prepared a video of the year . Red and E4 were great parents, under bad circumstances

this site really tears at my heart. We need to do more here. I just do not know quite what yet.
E4 and Big red were perfectly capable parents but they had to deal with human stupidity.

I am not quite sure how we deal with that.  But I will do what I can to keep cams up and in order.

but here is a review of their year.
I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CjVNHNfQ3Q[/youtube]

Thanks for the video/slideshow, bev... It does sound as if E4 & Big Red were good parents. They did the best they could, under the circumstances, as did you & Peter.

[bev.]

it was a hard year here this year. Lots of human , unnecessary interference.

Our adults did the best job thye could wiht all hat was going on. Peter an dI and a firned noticed that the kids were getting antsy and adults not feeding till later in day, which had kids very unsettled. so Peter and I went down and Day before July 1 we noticed ropes for window washers in  on side of nest box area. the adults were nto going near box. . they were on defensive.
just before we left we saw an adult go in with a big prey( around 6pm) and we confirmed by phone with a friend watching cam. first food of day for kids. let Gord know right away, and he phoned them as he wa going out of town. but when the cat is away the mice will play.
we have them on video, taking pictures of ledge and box from their platform, and talking etc. I cannot say the words I have for them.

so our kids were always well fed but very early in morning and later in day. the kids went out on ledge much to soon. They were looking for food and adults.
Gord could only band two as one was way out on ledge and he was not going to risk it falling. we were at banding and we banded one mlae and one female . by size, the other was a female.

So needless to say, kids were very all over the p.lace. And unfortunately cam went beserk ( could not see all of ledge we needed to )but we think we had two survive. On the day of our fledge watch at U of a , I saw 2 kids accidentally go off ledge. Peter went down and looke d for them, and Gord looke d and so di d securtiy. We did nto find them but by watching cam and a faithful friend watching, we know we had one returning and getting and getting fed and maybe two.( we wre looking at size) then cam went dead.

And now they will be building a huge , high , glass skyscraper on west side o f Bell. It is suicide there as far as I am concerned. but I wil nto get into that.

I have prepared a video of the year . Red and E4 were great parents, under bad circumstances

this site really tears at my heart. We need to do more here. I just do not know quite what yet.
E4 and Big red were perfectly capable parents but they had to deal with human stupidity.

I am not quite sure how we deal with that.  But I will do what I can to keep cams up and in order.

but here is a review of their year.
I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CjVNHNfQ3Q[/youtube]

[Kinderchick]

Your pics are great, bev! As you have said, the chicks look to be well fed.

[bev.]

they have been eating more duck and little things with long legs , than pigeon but there are enough pigeons here LOL

[sparkster]

Wonderful little chicks! I think I am glad I am not a pigeon in Edmonton.