NSW - Charles Sturt University - 2017 / Xavier & Diamond

[burdi]

Update - Project systems maxed out

Published 7 October, 2017 | By Scott Banks

Apologies to all for the streaming difficulties – the server is maxing out and running for most of the day right now at its peak. Every so often the server may hang, but the streaming app restarts every hour at the moment, and every 12 hours the computer itself reboots, so if the vision hangs, or won’t show up, give it an hour or so and hopefully it will come right again. It doesn’t help that I’ve ducked out of the country for just a couple of days either!

BIG changes to come for the off-season, with tests on new streaming capabilities. There have been plenty of suggestions but most of them require big financial investment and infrastructure which we don’t have yet. Lots of homework to do, but as long as Diamond doesn’t realise any of this is happening all will be well in the long run.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/project-systems-maxed-out/

Thank you for updating us from afar, Scott; good luck with the changes you have in mind!

[burdi]

Live streaming problems continue to make it difficult for many people trying to follow this site (often on and off or out of sync), and it’s difficult to make sense of what is happening when the cams fall out of sync.

[burdi]

And now the cams are down again! Hopefully someone there will soon find a fix.

[burdi]

Update - But so clumsy!

Published 6 October, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

That Xavier might be getting better at feeding, but he needs to watch his feet!  He also needs to prepare the prey better as this was a very rough pluck, which to his credit, he realised, and hence the hasty exit.   Macropus = large feet, which is the name of the primary Australian subspecies.

Plenty of food coming in, sometimes rejected (does Diamond prefer parrots to starling…?  .mm, not sure, she certainly takes anything if hungry).   Hard to keep track of whether the food is fresh or stashed – important as I don’t want to count double prey.   Stash in previous years has normally been in the box, but rarely this year.

I have to leave for Sydney in three hours, so unless something dramatic happens (eg resurrection), I’ll sign off for a  few days.   I don’t have the recording software when I’m away for the office, but might be able to answer queries.   I can also put up new thread if this one gets too long.    There is at least wifi at the venue at Uni Sydney.


These birds are not called ‘macropus’ for nothing!

VIDEO  20171006 Clumsy Xav short







Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/but-so-clumsy/

Check the above link for a video by Cilla.

Currently, the cams are both working!

[The Peregrine Chick]

As of 1120h CST (Wpg) / 0322h in NSW - all quiet in the nestbox.  I'm going to assume it is Diamond on the chicks in the top corner of the image .  She's not tight down on them so I'm going to assume it is warm right now in NSW.  Diamond has her head over shoulder and tucked under the top of her wing.  She's seems to not be disturbed/perturbed in the least.  Lots of feathers in the nest box so going to assume dinner for the chicks went well.

[Alison]

From where I am located, the Orange site has been pretty much down since late last night. Neither camera will load; only a black rectangle for each. The information page gives either "Can't be loaded" or "Cannot find server", depending on which browser is used.

I keep wondering what is happening with the third chick, who appeared to be stuck in the shell as of yesterday. I hope Diamond, Xavier or a human will provide some assistance for this little one.

[burdi]

Update - Xavier is learning, I think

Published 5 October, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Xavier is clearly somewhat bemused by the notion of feeding the chicks.    Diamond feeds the older chick until it falls over full, then the little one gets fed.  That makes sense as it ensures at least one chick survives during hard times.  But Xavier hasn’t quite got it.  I think he is rather hoping that both chicks and egg will take the food if he just leaves it near them!   Last year, he wouldn’t go near the chicks, except to trip over them occasionally, so it’s an improvement.


Xavier gets closer, but no food actually makes it where it needs to be!


VIDEO  20171005 X almost feeding chicks

Not much change with egg3, but I’ll keep an eye on it.

Cilla

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/xavier-is-learning-i-think/

I didn't include the video "20171005 X almost feeding chicks", but you can find it in the link above. Anyhow, after watching the video my impression was that Xavier did very well with the feeding! Hmm ... well, I am pretty tired, so maybe I’ll try watching it again another day.

[burdi]

Update - Two down, one to go

Published 4 October, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Thanks for all your updates, videos and alerts. As usual I’m struggling to keep up with you.    I’ve been kept busy trying to record all the comings and goings and identify all the weird and wonderful lumps of food coming into the nest, including one with long red legs that I suspect is a water bird.  Others have included the usual starlings and possible rosellas and pigeons.  Very few whole birds, alas, making identification very difficult.  I’m thinking of simply categorising by size, using some type of image enhancer that will help with measurements of the body (assuming I have that, at least!).

I’ve read various estimates of incubation, worldwide:  26-32 days, 28-33 days;   Australia:  average of 33 days.    If we assume incubation started within a day of each egg being lain, as it did, then the first two took 35-36 days, which is already well beyond normal, but as Ingrid pointed out, it was the same as last year.   Perhaps Australian birds are slower cookers.  If no. 3 hatches tonight, it will be about the same time, assuming this egg was the last one lain (that was a little late, too).   And if the worst comes to worst, two is better than one and certainly better than none.

It does seem as if both Xavier and Diamond are trying to help the chick out, but I’m not sure if I’m reading too much into this.  Xavier was having a good peck!   He could just be hungry….sorry!



Xavier tries to ‘free’ chick?




VIDEO 20171004 X helping pip short

And then Diamond has a go.

Diamond’s turn

VIDEO 20171004 Di rolls egg short

By chance they have the same position in the box, so it gives you a good idea of the size difference.

I also have  a nice shot of the family.

Xavier greets 2nd chick




VIDEO  20171003 X meets 2nd chick

Scott is away for the next week or so.   I am around all of October apart from two weekends in Sydney, including the coming one, that I can’t get out of and means I shall get even further behind.  Thank goodness, at least the storage of video is working well at the moment.  In fact, I can go back over a month if I need to.

I’ll need to go soon, so will hand over to the night shift. Diamond hasn’t let me see the egg with its large crack for an hour or so, but maybe you’ll have better luck.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/two-down-one-to-go/

I've omitted the three videos as well as three of the pics, but you can find them in the link above.

[burdi]

I’m still not able to clearly see what is going on with the overdue remaining egg, though (from what I’ve managed to see today) I’m thinking that much of the movement we’re seeing is simply from a small fluffy feather stuck near the opening....     

[burdi]

Thank you for all the info, Alison.

[Alison]

A few minutes ago:



I hope the third little one will be able to finish hatching successfully.

[Alison]

Diamond was feeding the chicks around 0639 hrs when the last remaining egg was displayed for a while - with a good size pip! I zoomed in and there appeared to be some movement inside the hole - but definitely not clear. Hmm, saw the hole again at 0757 hrs - so will see what happens later.

Thanks for the good information, burdi!

Pics from earlier; still two chicks and one unhatched egg.

 

[burdi]

Diamond was feeding the chicks around 0639 hrs when the last remaining egg was displayed for a while - with a good size pip! I zoomed in and there appeared to be some movement inside the hole - but definitely not clear. Hmm, saw the hole again at 0757 hrs - so will see what happens later.

[Alison]

I’m glad you were able to catch the second hatch, Alison, and it’s nice to see your pics of this family; the chicks are adorable!

Hi burdi,

Glad to see you too are following the Orange falcon family.

This was the next feed; once again, Xavier delivered food to Diamond. Until the chicks started to hatch, I had not seen him bring any food for some time, although he would incubate.

 

 

[burdi]

Ah, now that is nice to see on a wet cold day in Winnipeg when I can only find one peregrine perch on a sign downtown and you can almost see her thinking it is time to leave for warm climes ....

Yes, we’re lucky to be able to see other falcons and their chicks, especially when our falcon season is ending ... though lately I’ve not been able to keep as close a watch on the cams as I’d like. But I watch when I can and have never tired from that beautiful view of their trees.