West Winnipeg - 2014 / Beau & Beatrix

[The Peregrine Chick]

One of the chicks is curled up asleep on the roof where he can see Mom on the corner of the building, the other boy and the smaller girl have been going up/down the ramp almost as though they don't know where they want to be - nearer Mom or nearer their sib where he is very comfortably napping.  The bigger girl has lost a lot more of her white fluff in the last couple of days and is looking more like her siblings.

[newchick]

LOL!   

[The Peregrine Chick]

We are about 1/2 and 1/2 again - 2 chicks under the nestbox, 2 chicks in the nestbox ...

[sami]

Saw somebody sitting on the roof edge this afternoon - but traffic was moving too quickly and was a little too far away to tell who it was.

[The Peregrine Chick]

All the kids have been active today - the two males have been checking out the roof near the nestbox while the smaller of the two girls was the first to go from the box ledge to the roof edge!  Ackkkk!  Only sat there for a moment with Beatrix then retreated back to the box and her siblings as they were all settling down for a nap in the shade.  Once they have the hop-to-the-ledge and the ramp worked out they are quite happy to relocate to the shade under the box for short periods of time before coming back up to see if there is anything more interesting going on "upstairs".

[The Peregrine Chick]

Apologies, it was Beatrix hanging out with the kids, Beau just dropped in then took off again ...

[The Peregrine Chick]

The wind is much lighter today and 3 of the kids are a wandering about on the roof, exploring under the nestbox and the area immediately around the box.  Beau is parked on the roof just keeping an eye on those still (1 came back to nap) in the box and the little wanderers.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Your question was a good one Burdi, so no worries.  
And it would be nice if there was a one answer fits all sites but there isn't and the only way to figure out what could/does work best is to work through scenarios.

[burdi]

Just wondering... with this being a very windy location, would it help to add something they can grip on around the edge of their nestbox roof? Perhaps similar to the little strips on the ramp in Brandon?

But we will see what if anything might work and what/how we could keep it in place.

Thanks TPC, your explanation was very helpful. I see there is much to consider before proceeding with changes of any type.

Sorry I wasn’t clear, but initially when I read your post regarding Beau I knew he was just fine. My concern was for the safety of these birds during much higher winds, especially since the wind that caused Beau to lose his balance was only 25 gusting to 40 near ground level.

However I probably shouldn’t worry too much as it sounds like there are several other perches available within this setup, so these chicks may find something preferable to the top of their nesting box. Also, I suppose they might spend much of their time playing on the roof.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Just wondering... with this being a very windy location, would it help to add something they can grip on around the edge of their nestbox roof? Perhaps similar to the little strips on the ramp in Brandon?

We'll need to look at it - because the site is so windy we have to make sure whatever we put on, will stay on in all sorts of weather - even little things flying off a roof can cause damage to people, property, etc.  And to be fair, mostly the adults don't use the roof if it is windy, they sit on the roof walls, the box ledge, a couple of nearby supports, my observation was really just to illustrate how much stronger the wind was in WW than at the Radisson at that time.  Beau didn't even notice it, he just hopped back to where he wanted to be and aligned himself more aerodynamically in the wind and hey presto, no more problem with the wind.

As for the strips, not sure they will work in this case - remember that peregrines have long curved talons so when they stand on something, their talons make the tips of their "toes" upwards, so no like humans using strips to walk up.  The strips in Brandon was something we added but not really of much use in the end - the West Winnipeg chicks have a ramp that is on a much steeper incline and goes 2 or 3 times higher than the ramp into the Brandon box.  Didn't take the WW chicks more than about 10 minutes to figure out they could walk back into the nestbox once the first two went walkabout - no strips or treads or carpetting on that ramp, just plain wood.  But we will see what if anything might work and what/how we could keep it in place.

[burdi]

Thanks for explaining this TPC, although, since these parents sit on the nestbox roof at times, I imagine it won’t be long before their chicks try to join them!

Just wondering... with this being a very windy location, would it help to add something they can grip on around the edge of their nestbox roof? Perhaps similar to the little strips on the ramp in Brandon?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Chicks totally ignored the wind, hung out in the nestbox or napped on the ledge flat on their bellies both of which meant they were out of the wind.  It was only Beau and Beatrix who had to battle the wind when they were sitting on the nestbox roof - it's a flat surface with nothing to hang on to.  The sat on the wall edge with their back to the wind and on the box ledge where the chicks jumped from and the winds didn't bother them as much.  Watching both West Winnipeg and Radisson, you can sure see more wind at WW than at the Radisson even though the Radisson is higher.

[burdi]

 
... this site is windier (more & stronger) than any of our other sites, Radisson included

Example of how windy it is here right now, Beau is standing on the roof with his wings tucked against him and he just got blown diagonally the length of the nestbox - he caught himself no problem, but it is the kind of thing the chick will need to contend with.

I checked Environment Canada and the wind was recorded as NNW 25 gusting to 40 at 11:00. Although I’ve heard wind is stronger at heights and much worse if not sheltered, I’m curious how much worse it is at this site. Hang on little chicks! This is a little scary considering the gust that affected Beau today. I’m wondering (if compared to wind recorded at ground level), would it feel like double the strength way up there, or perhaps even higher?
 

[susha]

It's so amazing how these remarkable creatures are able (and required) to adapt to so many of our often hostile and certainly challenging weather conditions.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Wind has definitely picked up out in West Winnipeg, Beau has had to hunker down a bit while standing on the roof of the nestbox so as not to get blown around.

And just so folks know, both of our little escapees from yesterday wandered back up the ramp and back into the nestbox by bedtime, first one at 1921h, second at 2042h and then it was everyone into a pile and lights out.  All still in the box this morning. 

Everyone has been up on the ledge this morning except the largest or slowest to develop female.  She's been eyeing the jump, just hasn't made it yet.  Winds seem to be making hanging out in the box more appealing than yesterday (not surprised!!) - all the kids so far have been hanging out in the box with occasional stints on the ledge but no one has wandered back down the ramp or jumped from the ledge onto the roof.  Best still, none of the chicks have shown interest in the edge of the building like they did yesterday.  Now that they can get up/down from the box ledge, that seems to have filled their need to expand their horizons.

It is also interesting to see how they are becoming familiar with the wind ... this site is windier (more & stronger) than any of our other sites, Radisson included, so it is important for the chicks to be comfortable with the winds here so that it is one less thing they are spooked by when they fledge.  Example of how windy it is here right now, Beau is standing on the roof with his wings tucked against him and he just got blown diagonally the length of the nestbox - he caught himself no problem, but it is the kind of thing the chick will need to contend with.  Last years' chicks did very well, so hopefully growing up with these winds is the key.