PA / Harrisburg - Rachel Carson Building - 2008-21

[Enraptured]

This fledging stage is really a nail-biter! The number of things these chicks have to overcome just to make it out of the nest is amazing.

Seeing as the 'undecided' chick didn't fledge first, maybe it really is a she!?!

Glad Silver Girl had a successful day (fingers crossed, though!)

[Liz]

Bravo for her!!!!  (Or is that, "Brava"?)  Gotta admire that perseverance!

[skygirlblue]

First fledge this morning~Silver Girl...She first flew to another part of the Rachel Carson  Building (building with the nest box) but didn't quite make that and ended up on the sidewalk. She was rescued (uninjured~whew) and placed on the roof of the Rachel Carson Building...well, it didn't stop there...she left again...landing in some netting at a construction site next door.  Then she flew across the street, aiming for a lower building, but didn't make that one and landed on the roof of the building right next door. She was eventually located and we received a pic around 4 pm.  All looked well....she was walking around..and in the last pic, she was zonked out in the shade...No other report at this time...but no news is good news...Still 3 juvies on the ledge...hopefully no one else will decide to go this late n the day... 

[skygirlblue]

Well, an uneventful day today...lots of flapping, yelling and running up and down the ledge...but only during the morning.  It has been unusually hot in Harrisburg the past several days..mid 90's...so by mid morning the juvies are pooped.  They spent the majority of yesterday and today chasing whatever shade they could find.  Very little prey being delivered...don't know if its due to the heat or the parents withholding food to encourage fledging...We think its the heat.  Even when there is prey, the kids are just leaving it alone...and waiting until its cooler to eat...tempers have been flaring and Mom has really been yelling at Lil' Dad and chasing him off the ledge...Well, that's the news from today...

[skygirlblue]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Falcon Watch begins tomorrow (June 9).  They are getting very close to fledging...It seems I was just watching them hatch yesterday!!!!  they are very active this morning...running up and down the ledge...lots of flapping...playing with feathers, attacking their reflection in the window....should be a tense and exciting week.

[Enraptured]

You're not kidding about 'up close and personal!' Wow. I think I'm glad we don't see all the feeds quite so graphically, but it was good to really see what does go on!

I love today's pics with the little 'mohawk' hair do each of the chicks is sporting with their down sticking up on their heads! So cute!

Thanks for the site referral!

[skygirlblue]

"Up close and personal" pics taken by Reenie....she works in the Rachel Carson building~home of the Harrisburg falcons....just follow the link and click on the individual dates.  It will give you an idea of what P & T's kids are gonna look like...Enjoy!!

http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=90&mforum=peregrinefalcon&sid=eb086b52c779e8ff8a097887a2865148

[skygirlblue]

The Harrisburg eyases (hope I spelled that right~that's why I always put "kids".. ) have really discovered the ledge...they are romping everywhere and scaring us half to death!!!!  Mom and Lil' Dad are keeping very watchful eyes on them...and dad has discovered that if he gives a screaming little one a feather, it "pacifies her" and he can go back to dozing.  A few of the chicks have discovered the microphone and decided its a great play toy....they are way too funny....

[skygirlblue]

Second cam is now up and running as of this afternoon...but they still gotta tweak it...hope they are able to do that tomorrow...

[skygirlblue]

A little info on the Harrisburg kids....there are 4...the 5th egg did not hatch.  They were banded this past Thursday (5/22).  3 females and 1 undecided  , so they put a female band size on just in case.  There originally were 2 cams.  Currently, only one...and that's the long view that you are seeing.  We are trying to convince the "powers that be" to reactivate the second cam...especially now that the little ones are really roaming.  There are ways to take pics off of the streaming.  Peregrine chick gave an excellent explanation on how to do that....that may be under technical issues...but I will have to go back and look.

Gotta run....hope to be back later....

[The Peregrine Chick]

Seems that there are quite a number of this year's nests that are hatching late, and no the Radisson nest isn't outside the range of incubation periods, so its not quite time to start worrying.

[Enraptured]

Sorry Birdlover, I meant to answer your question about hatching, not laying! The falcon wire news link says three of the 5 eggs hatched on May 2, but doesn't indicate when the 4th egg hatched. I was able to see four chicks, but not 5, so perhaps the fifth didn't make it.  The incubation period seems rather long - March 22/27 - May 2 - hopefully that means that if Princess and Trey's eggs don't hatch in the next two days, that there's still a good chance of viability!

[Enraptured]

I read through the falcon news on this site and it seems the first three eggs were laid March 22 through 27, 2008.  

If you can't see any chicks, try back later. I eventually figured out that when the chicks are in the 'box' area, they are almost impossible to see, but when they come forward and over that pipe encasement, they are very visible and with the audio on, it's great! Apart from all the trains, planes, and automobiles, plus a weird distorted sound that is continuous, within the space of 45 min I heard the adult and the chicks squawk (or cry -- sorry I  don't know the terminology) and also the chicks footsteps as they moved around.  I'm not sure how to see the second camera view -- it says there's two cameras...

The slideshow of the 2008 family and they gallery of photos from several years have some fabulous photos.  Does anyone know how to save any of these photos?  On the Hamilton sight, it was very easy to save photos and even invited, but the same options don't seem to be offered by right clicking over a photo.  Any legal way around this, or would this lack of options indicate copyrights and inability to save photos from their collection? Some of the photos are obviously copyrighted/owned in the gallery, but in the 2008 chicks slideshow there are some great webcam photos that are hard to pass up!

[BirdLover]

When were they hatched?  They are beautiful!

[dupre501]

2008 NESTING SEASON

There is live streaming video of peregrine chicks at www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/

There is a wide ledge with the nest box on it, as well as a perch where one of the adults often sits.  Since these chicks are a bit older they do not require the adult to cover and protect them.