West Winnipeg - 2014 / Beau & Beatrix

[dupre501]

Looks like it was Beau.

[dupre501]

Just before 7 pm, one bird on the SW corner.

[The Peregrine Chick]

0845h - Beatrix is sitting on the front edge of the nestbox, two kids are lying on their bellies in the sun, two kids are sitting up and doing a little walking about the nestbox.  They look great

[Kinderchick]

So glad to hear all 4 chicks survived yesterday's rain & are doing well.

[The Peregrine Chick]

All the chicks are fine at West Winnipeg.  They were lazing in the sun for most of the morning, no parent with them (likely on the corner out of sight).  Hard to count them because it really was on amorphous white chick pile.  Eventually the novelty of being parent-less, dry and "tanning" wore off and they decided to try their beaks at preening.  They are novices still but learning and it gave me the opportunity to count heads - one, two, three four. 

[dupre501]

I live not too far from the WW nest site. When I emptied my rain gauge this morning it had 3.75 inches of rain in it (about 9.5 cm) - that is for the whole weekend.

[dupre501]

We went out at about 2 p.m. and spotted one bird on the SW corner of the building. Since it was raining, we assumed the other was in the nestbox on the chicks, so didn't look any further.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Beatrix has been on and off the chicks a few times over the last hour - think she is looking for Beau to bring in dinner.  Hard to hunt in the rain though, no one flies when its raining.  All the chicks were sitting up bright eyed and alert so they look fine from what I can tell.  Beatrix is back on them now and/but I can't tell if it is raining at the box too wet.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Beatrix is clamped down on the chicks in the box - pretty sure not a drop of rain can get under or over her.  According to the Weather Network, rain is suppose to finish between 2100 and 2200h tonight. 

Looking ahead more rain on Thursday and for what it is worth, a bit more next week on Monday and Tuesday.  Temperature trend however is good - warming to about 30C over the next two weeks.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Beau was on duty for a short bit, now Beatrix is back on and can't see so much as one chick feather from under her ... and yes, it is still raining at the nestbox ...

[birdcamfan]

Just checked a nearby weather station and 12mm of rain has fallen since midnight, about 2mm/hour.  More rain to come though ...

Here's the link to Doppler Radar for southern Manitoba - http://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/manitoba/weather-radar

Winds are shifting to the south so the nestbox should be more protected from blowing rain so long as the shift isn't temporary.  Back corner of the box - walls and some gravel look drier so Beatrix and the kids may have an easier time this afternoon (fingers crossed).


There is enough rain/humidity now that all the box cams are starting to fog up some ....

Looks like we might get the flip side too if the system doesn't start heading east a little more quickly.

[Kinderchick]

...Beatrix's... got them completely out of sight and has her face to the wall so the kids are as protected from the rain and breeze as they can be.

That's good to hear. She certainly sounds to be a great parent.

[ballywing]

Hang in there Beau & Beatrix!!! You're doing a super job.... just a few more hours to go as rain should end early evening. Keep up the great work of mumbrella-ing all those kids!!   

[The Peregrine Chick]

Just checked a nearby weather station and 12mm of rain has fallen since midnight, about 2mm/hour.  More rain to come though ...

Here's the link to Doppler Radar for southern Manitoba - http://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/manitoba/weather-radar

Winds are shifting to the south so the nestbox should be more protected from blowing rain so long as the shift isn't temporary.  Back corner of the box - walls and some gravel look drier so Beatrix and the kids may have an easier time this afternoon (fingers crossed).

There is enough rain/humidity now that all the box cams are starting to fog up some ....

[The Peregrine Chick]

1158h - and it is pouring in West Winnipeg - sheeting down with small drops and fortunately little to no wind.