KS / Topeka - Westar - 2019-20

[jadoo]

...wow, they're living on some pretty rough-looking gravel...

[kittenface]

 

[Alison]

Another article on the first hatch, which is also referring to Zeus as the male in the nest:

First falcon hatches on Mom's Day

Appropriately enough, the first of four peregrine falcon eggs nesting near the top of the Westar Energy building in downtown Topeka hatched Sunday afternoon — on Mother's Day.  Brad Loveless, directory of Biology and Conservation programs for Westar Energy, said Sunday evening that the first chick pecked its way out of its eggshell at 12:10 p.m.  Three more eggs remain to be hatched, Loveless said. The other eggs should hatch within the next few days.

"What normally happens is this starts a sequence where they continue to hatch," Loveless said. "We hope all four are viable, but we won't know until they start popping out of the eggs."

Two webcams keep watch on the falcons and their nest, located high on the south side of the 12-story Westar building, 818 S. Kansas Ave. People from across the nation and countries as far away as Australia have found the website and are keeping an eye on the falcons' progress.  Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the new chick may be hard-pressed to see it, however, as Hope — the female peregrine falcon that has been nesting on the eggs since they were laid between April 1 and 3 — is quite protective and is keeping the chick and remaining eggs covered most or the time.  The male peregrine falcon, named Zeus, also is in the nest.  Hope and Zeus first came to the Westar nesting box in 2004. Hope laid about four eggs in 2004, 2005 and 2006, but Zeus broke them each time before they hatched.

Wildlife experts considered this highly unusual behavior. However, things changed in 2007, when Hope again laid four eggs. This time, Zeus was able to break three of them before Hope incubated the last remaining eggs for a couple of days before it hatched. Since then, Zeus hasn't broken any more eggs.  Though the eggs were laid over a three-day period in early April, Loveless said, Hope didn't start incubating them until the final egg arrived. This was done to help keep the hatch time for all eggs as close together as possible, helping prevent any attacks from an older chick against a younger sibling.

"We have four eggs," Loveless said. "They've all made it to this point in time. They're about to hatch. Now, we're waiting to see how they'll behave and how they'll get along."

When the chicks are about three or four weeks old, an identification band will be placed around their leg, Loveless said. At that time, the gender of the falcons will be determined. Loveless said female falcons are larger than their male counterparts, something that can be determined even at three to four weeks.  The chicks typically will begin to fly as the weather warms up and will venture farther from their home on the Westar building. Eventually, with the onset of fall, the birds will fly south, some going as far as Central or South America.

source:  http://cjonline.com/life/2010-05-09/first_falcon_hatches_on_moms_day

[Kinderchick]

What fantastic photos, kittenface!  Thanks for posting them!  Almost looks like he's posing for the camera!  In the photos, you can even see the second chick attempting to hatch! 

[sami]

What a little sweetie!

[kittenface]

 

 

[The Peregrine Chick]

It looks like they may have renamed Doorly ... he is the one who broke the eggs and in the first article on this thread, "Zeus" is attributed with the damage.

I'll see about contact Weststar to get some more news ...

[Kinderchick]

So are the parents at this site Doorly & Hope or Zeus & Hope?

[Alison]

I'm glad the family tree link was useful, and very pleased that the first chick has hatched.

A short article on the first hatch:

First Of 4 Peregrine Falcon Eggs Hatches In Topeka
Monday, May 10, 2010

The first of four peregrine falcon hatchlings nesting in a downtown Topeka building decided to make its debut on Mother's Day.  Brad Loveless, of Westar Energy, says the egg hatched Sunday afternoon in a nest high on the 12-story Westar building. He expects the other three eggs to hatch within days.  

The birds have attracted attention around the world, thanks to two webcams that can be viewed at www.westarenergy.com/greenteam. But the chicks may be hard to see because their mother, named Hope, has been protective since the eggs were laid between April 1 and 3.  A male peregrine falcon, named Zeus, also is in the nest.  The two falcons built their first nest in a Westar nesting box in 2004.

source:  http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/93306399.html

This article also mentions "Zeus" as being in the nest - I wonder why.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Here's the official hatch announcement from Nick at Weststar ....

Falcon Watchers -

The first falcon egg has hatched. Yesterday, at approximately 12:10 p.m. the first chick pecked its way out of the egg. The other 3 eggs remain. We'll keep you updated on new developments.

[bcbird]

That is an easy way to read a family tree focused around one particular member.
Thanks, Alison.

[Kinderchick]

Thanks for the link to the Woodmen family tree, Alison. I'm just beginning to "get" some of the connections.

[Alison]

Think you are quite right - it should be Doorly not Zeus - Zeus was Doorly & Hope's dad.  Doorly is the offspring of Winnie who was a Brandon hatch and the grand-daughter of our original Radisson pair - Pop & Maud.  Hope is the daughter of Zeus and I believe his current mate ...

I always have to read these connections very slooooooowly, to keep it all straight. Is this the same Zeus who was in Brandon with Holly a few years ago?

This is Zeus who is at the Woodmen Tower in Omaha with his mate Hera. He was born in Rochester in 1994. Doorly was born in 1999, a son of Zeus and his then mate Winnie from Winnipeg. Hope was born in 2002, a daughter of Zeus and his mate Amelia.

Here is a link to Zeus's family tree:  http://www.woodmen.org/falcons/familytree.cfm

[Kinderchick]

Think you are quite right - it should be Doorly not Zeus - Zeus was Doorly & Hope's dad.  Doorly is the offspring of Winnie who was a Brandon hatch and the grand-daughter of our original Radisson pair - Pop & Maud.  Hope is the daughter of Zeus and I believe his current mate ...

I always have to read these connections very slooooooowly, to keep it all straight. Is this the same Zeus who was in Brandon with Holly a few years ago?

[kittenface]

We have a hatch