Netherlands / De Mortel - 2015 / Pa & Miep-VieVie

[The Peregrine Chick]

Another day closer to the 10 day mark - that's a good thing.  And the first of the chicks is almost a week old, youngest is 4 days old, that's another hopeful sign - Princess lost her first a couple of years ago because she wouldn't get off it when it rained and I think just didn't get enough food in the beginning.  I could be wrong and it was wet/cold that got it but both are a problem when they are so young.  These tots have made it this far, few more days and they are over a really big hurdle and Miep-VieVie is able to shift focus.  Another good sign is that 1R has been in the box alone with the chicks (picture shortly after early hatches last week) and didn't seem to be aggressive towards them - just interested in the food.  When Miep-VieVie doesn't have to stay with the chicks she can be more assertive with him about stealing because she can leave the chicks alone for longer without harm.

[susha]

This is hard to watch.  Can see just three little ones - fourth might be behind the others.  One is so, so tiny.  They've been alone for a while...I guess (hope) mom is hunting.

[allikat]

1R is definitely taking the food away, ie: stealing.
Miep/VV and 1R were fighting over prey.
She won the first battle, but after a second attempt, 1R got his way and flew away with prey.
It would be nice if something snapped inside that head of 1R, but I'm not holding my breath.
Miep/VV is one amazing Momma falcon.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Actually, there are four chicks, but they are very small and not really getting enough food to grow as fast as they should.

We had something similar at West Winnipeg with Jules - not the no support from her mate Beau, but the small size of  her chicks early on.  It was the stress of the location, they were very fast feeders so the chicks were much smaller pre-banding age.  When we would move them at banding (I'm not suggesting this for this site), the parents were less stressed and the kids packed on the poundage.  Jules and Beau are not part of Radisson genetic line so their chicks are quite a lot larger than the rest of our Manitoba chicks - Annie was banded as a female remember, we didn't do that by accident, that's the size he and his sister Aggie measure out as.  Juliet came off the horrible nestsite and she's enormous to my eye and is still going strong at last report, so fingers crossed, one more week.

[Alison]

Actually, there are four chicks, but they are very small and not really getting enough food to grow as fast as they should.

If they can just make it past the first ten days, they should be able to thermoregulate and will have a better chance. It is a very difficult task for Miep-VV. I don't think she would become aggressive with One Ring while they are both in the nest, with four very vulnerable chicks at risk.

One Ring, however, is well fed. One of the pics I have saved of him shows him with a large crop.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Miep-VieVie is looking at him but from the screen captures not that aggressively ... that could be a good sign.  His behaviour towards her might be becoming more partner than scrounger (or maybe not) - could be his hormones are kicking in and he's responding to the chicks' requests for food etc.  She may not be "letting" him near the chicks because a) she doesn't know him well and b) he's not actively trying to brood the chicks.

First hatch was on the 22nd, third (there are just three here yes?) was on the 24th.  She's doing well - if she can get them all to the end of next weekend, their chances for survival should improve ... and 1R/One-Ring, might be more support or at least less interference.

[Alison]

Still no cams. Very cold and windy there today.

Miep-VV went hunting, was gone for some time and returned with a huge prey at 12:50 p.m.

[Alison]

Miep-VV earlier with One Ring, the perpetual scrounger:

 

 

[Alison]

The live cams are online.
I have been refreshing the other site (3 cam views), and still nothing.
The administrator wrote something on April 23rd about the interference.  It's a long message that can be translated.
I too, saw Miep/VV bring in the banded prey(s) - their forum has mentioned they are banded Dove's.  

I assume you are referring to Beleef de Lente? It is not a site I have ever used, but I did go over there to see if it was down too. The videos at that time were not loading, just spinning . . .

I read the message you referred to, in the Dutch version. I checked three Dutch forums, but found no reference to the cams being down on any of them.

I am suspicious that the ongoing problem between BDL and NK has not been resolved. When the cams were down before, people on the main Dutch forum were posting that they were ashamed and embarrassed to be Dutch, because of all the people around the world who were also affected by this infighting.

[allikat]

The live cams are online.
I have been refreshing the other site (3 cam views), and still nothing.
The administrator wrote something on April 23rd about the interference.  It's a long message that can be translated.
I too, saw Miep/VV bring in the banded prey(s) - their forum has mentioned they are banded Dove's.  

[Alison]

I have seen at least two banded pigeons brought in over the last couple of days; one had bands on both legs.

All three cams have been down since 16:39 on the two sites which I use. Don't know if they are just down, or if this is a continuation of the previous situation.

Nothing has been mentioned about this on the Dutch forum.

[susha]

All the prey that I've seen have been banded.

Same pattern seems to be happening with meals.  Miep-VV brings back food.  Feeds chicks and then One Ring comes to take the rest away.  Last night, there was a large chunk of leftovers that Miep-VV seemed to be keeping for another feeding or two and it got taken away by One R.  Again twice today.  It certainly means that the nestbox is cleaner than last year, but I wonder how much of this Miep-VV can tolerate.  Is she getting enough to eat herself?  She's doing all the work it seems.  Unless, of course, better scenario is that One Ring is the hunter and stashing food away and then taking the leftovers after a feeding...   Time will tell...

[allikat]

Yes, gemcitygemini, they are banded dove's (from what I read on their forum).

[RCF]

I have just looked at the nest cam and I am shocked by what I see. There is remnants of prey. But what is shocking is there is a band on one of the talons??? Has anyone any knowledge of what it is or what has happened?  

I had a look and took a screen capture. There are a lot of banded pigeons there, so I think that's what it is.    I will post the scap if anyone asks to see it.  

[GCG]

  I have just looked at the nest cam and I am shocked by what I see. There is remnants of prey. But what is shocking is there is a band on one of the talons??? Has anyone any knowledge of what it is or what has happened?