NSW - Charles Sturt University - 2017 / Xavier & Diamond

[burdi]

Update - Family still intact

Published 16 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Diamond having booted Bali out of his bed in the box and both birds apparently having made kills, I was expecting a quiet campus today, but no..both the juveniles are still here.   This is Marragaay on the roost tree this morning:

When I went to the university this evening to change the screen recorder, Marragaay was doing her usual trick of screaming around the tower after Diamond, who again took refuge in the box.   Xavier meanwhile was on the tower, studiously ignoring the shenanigans.   And as I drove home, both youngsters were on the roost tree, Bali quiet, Marragaay careering around.

And Bali came into the box today briefly, too: Bali lands

See more at the FalconCam Project.

[burdi]

Update - Now Bali the hunter

Published 14 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

I’m still stuck with screen recorder, but I have had a go at making a small video.     The format is normally mkv, which I know most of you don’t like, but when I renamed it, it turned into a mp4 (like magic).  Is that any better?  A couple of screenshots, too.    Here Bali is arriving with his prize, which I haven’t identified but is medium sized passerine.  This happened just over an hour and a half ago.

Bali with prey video

Bali arrived in the box last night at just after 3 am.  Dirty stop out!  It’s amazing how they can fly in the middle of the night.   I understand they occasionally hunt at night, although I’ve never witnessed that with our birds.

Very late (early?) arrival of Bali last night

Xavier was in the box much of yesterday afternoon and both adults have brought prey into the box.   Nice shot here of Di leaving.

As I came into the university this evening to reset the recorder, Marragaay was chasing Diamond around and around the tower screeching her head off, before Di escaped into the box.  Amazing sight and sound!

Off home soon!

See more pics at the FalconCam Project.

[burdi]

Bali left the nestbox this morning at 0515 hrs AEDT in Orange, NSW, where they're expecting a high of 33°C today - so it will be very hot up high in the nestbox!

[burdi]

Update - Mother and daughter on tower

Published 12 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Just as I was leaving work, I heard a ruckus from the tower.  Marragaay was nagging Diamond, and being seriously ignored.  M took off, followed by D and I managed to snap her leaving.

Marragaay nagging Mum

Diamond leaving tower

When I got down to vantage point to the roost tree, there was an adult and juvenile (eating), but I couldn’t be sure who was there.  I’m hoping it was Xavier and Bali as I haven’t seen Xavier for over two days, which is highly unusual.

Cilla has seen Xavier since writing this update, so all is well.

See more pics at the FalconCam Project.

[burdi]

Update - Marragaay the hunter?

Published 11 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

I’ve just scanned the weekend’s tapes – much slower process than with the proper software.   In fact, I think I’ll just move my bed into the uni!

Of interest, was the fact that Marragaay spent much of Sunday in the box  after consuming prey.  Unfortunately, I missed her entry, but she when the screen unfroze, she was clutching the starling.   So I don’t know whether she brought it in herself or whether it was dropped off for her.  Did anyone see this – it was between 1100-1103 h (am) on 10th December (yesterday)?  Of course, even if she brought in the prey, it doesn’t mean it was her kill – she might have taken it from one of her parents in mid-flight as part of her training.

Marragaay with her prize.

And Diamond brought in what was left of a pigeon, which she ate herself (at least most of it; I missed her take-off).

No sign of Xavier since yesterday very early morning.

Bali still using box at night (but not tonight, it seems , as the box is empty as I write at 10.25 pm.   And I saw him in the roost tree this afternoon.

And time to go home!

See more pics at the FalconCam Project.

[burdi]

Update - What a trio

Published 8 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

I had a bit of luck tonight.  Both juveniles were in the dead tree. I watched them flying about (I’m not quick enough to photo them in flight, alas) and then settle close together in the tree, to be joined later by Diamond (Mum), who was not at all impressed with my presence, but didn’t actually attack.  At first it was poor light, then the evening sun shone through the trees picking out our duo and then the trio.

In the shots with Diamond, she is on top, then Bali with Marragaay lower.  Note how she is much bigger, and still a bit fluffy.  Nice shot of Diamond last.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/what-a-trio/

[burdi]

Update - Taking bets on Bali

Published 6 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

For some reason my post last night has not appeared.  The Milestone recording software is still not working, but I’m really keen to record at the moment, especially the movements of Bali (and Marragaay if she appears) and how long they hang around using the box.

So I’ve managed to get some screen capture software (Movavi).  This is going fine, but I have to be there to jog the screen when it hangs ie refresh the browser, so not much use overnight and during the morning.  I’m not sure how to overcome that, except to try and install it at home, which will require pretty heavy data usage.  We are on NBN wireless, which is okay, but not unlimited.  And I don’t fancy waking every hour to refresh browser!

So your screen capture shots are really useful, especially those of Bali leaving and other early morning activities.  Many thanks to those who sent them in.

Bali arrived quite late last night about 8.30 pm and was gone by 6 am.

Anyway, what are bets for how long he/they hang around?  We did have a juvenile female stay until about late January, often overnight in the box with her mother (old Swift).  But last year both juveniles were seen no more than three weeks post-fledge (ie now).

Cheers

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/taking-bets-on-bali/

[burdi]

Bali has been spending the night in his nest box quite regularly.

This morning it was very foggy in Orange. The temperature was 10.0°C when Bali left the nest at 0534 hrs AEDT. Currently, the relative humidity is still 99%, but the fog has since cleared.

[burdi]

Update - FalconCam Project is down but not out

Published 1 December, 2017 | By Scott Banks

The other day campus experienced a really dangerous power supply “fluctuation” which almost destroyed some of our computer equipment. It wasn’t a power outage as much as it was a cycling of power, no power, power etc, which (as some may have seen before in computers) can ruin a computer  for good. Basically the surveillance server won’t reboot properly so we’re going through Windows diagnostics to get it going again, but also the streaming server ran out of disk space (??), hung on a dead screen, then managed to delete the streaming app that we made! So for now the streaming is offline, and will be until we can correct the server.  We’re VERY lucky our servers survived (so far) as a monster “Uninterruptible Power Supply” in the same rack blew itself up (AU$15k-18k gone!). The fluctuation wasn’t a normal situation for computers or UPS units to handle so there will be a few days of repairs and restorations. Luckier than the power pole down the road that flamed up and burnt out in the process!

When I can get the equipment all back online with some stability I’ll advise.

We’ll have it fixed in…. no time…

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/falconcam-project-is-down-but-not-out/

[burdi]

Update - Switch to fieldwork

Published 1 December, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

It looks like the power pole has done more damage than a simple power outage and both the streaming servers and the recording software have been damaged, although the computers themselves are still functioning.   Scott is burrowing away trying to fix things.    He did get the streaming server going for a while, but I believe that’s out again too.

Meanwhile, I will keep an eye out for our youngsters in the field, which I love anyway ……just wish I had more time.

Here is a rather fuzzy picture of Marragaay at sunset last night and Bali the day before on the tower.

Youngsters getting out and about (Bali, male,

above; Marragaay, female, below).

If anyone has information about who has been using the box, particularly at night since my last recording: 5 pm on Tuesday, I would be grateful, as I’m pretty sure all the data since then has been irretrievably lost.

The weekend is forecast to be wet, so probably no more updates until Monday.   Many thanks for all your support, donations and comments.

I should mention, too, that I gave a talk to Rotary a week or two ago and they are giving us $200 towards a platform to be erected outside the box to provide a bit more space for flap practice (hopefully, not falling through the gaps).   Just need to come up with a design that can be effected inside the box, to avoid the cost of a large cherry-picker!

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/switch-to-fieldwork/

[burdi]

Update - Bali brings in some prey

Published 28 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

No, I can’t tell whether Bali killed this himself (and I’ve no idea what it is).   Probably not, as it is very well dressed, but it is another milestone for him.

Here he comes, screeching and mantling

VIDEO 20171128 Bali brings prey
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171128-Bali-brings-prey.avi

Marragaay still has not returned to the box, if she has been there at all, which I now doubt, but I did see her this morning in the dead roost tree (without Bali).   He and Diamond spent most of the night together quite companionably on the night before last when there were storms.

There is widespread rain coming to Orange, starting with thunderstorms tonight and some heavy falls Friday and Saturday.  I hope they have stocked up as these can be lean periods for the birds.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/bali-brings-in-some-prey/

See the entire post at the above link.

[burdi]

I’m very thankful that Cilla persisted in searching for Marragaay and love the photos she took of Bali and Marragaay in the trees … nice to see that little brother and big sister managed to find each other. 

[burdi]

Thank you again for all the updates, burdi!

You are very welcome, Alison, and thanks to you as well for the update!

[Alison]

Thank you again for all the updates, burdi!

At last, there is good news of Marragaay.

Madame Marragaay makes an appearance

Published 24 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross
 
Every night before heading home, I check all the usual haunts, particularly a large dead tree in a paddock a few hundred metres from (and within clear sight of) the nest box. This was the tree in which our three youngsters used to congregate last year.

But every night, there was no luck until tonight. Fortunately, they were both there, so I could be sure it was Marragaay.

I crept a bit closer (keeping a wary eye out for the parents, and sheltering under a large yellow box). Marragaay was originally in a different (live) tree then flew to the dead tree to join her brother and looked every bit a peregrine in flight. Well fledged!

I’ll sleep well tonight.

Bali is the first photo and is higher up in the tree.

Photos by Cilla Kinross. Bali on the left, Marragaay on the right.

 

More photos at the link:

http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/madame-marragaay-makes-an-appearance/

[burdi]

Update - European peregrine sees off predators

Published 23 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Peregrine Falcon Video 

Amazing footage of a peregrine (I think on south coast of UK) chasing huge pelicans and a large snake.

Cilla

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/european-peregrine-sees-off-predators/