ON / Hamilton - Sheraton Hotel - 2008-21

[ballywing]

UPDATE

June 10, 2010 - Falconwatch Coordinator Brad Asseltine reports: If you checked the webcam today there's a good chance you saw four birds sleeping. It was another restful day for the brood. When not at rest the chicks could be seen preening, stretching, exercising and eating. And eating. And eating. The image at left, taken just after 19:00 this evening, shows Madame X and three chicks during one of the many feedings. (Chedoke was there too, but just out of camera range.) At this point the youngsters are changing so fast, as they continue to grow and lose their down, that they look different every day. There were times today when there was so much down in the air it looked like it was snowing in the nest. Strong gusts of wind this afternoon were a bit of a worry because the chicks are still small enough that a good strong gust might blow them right off of the ledge. Speaking of off the ledge, Peter was flapping hard enough to slide himself backwards. Not quite flying, but soon.

[ballywing]

UPDATE

June 9, 2010 - Falconwatch Coordinator Brad Asseltine reports: Things were pretty quiet in the nest today. With this morning's rain and the cool weather the chicks didn't do much more than eat, sleep and stretch. When they were awake they could be seen exercising and pulling out their fluffy down. A few times Peter combined preening and exercising when his down feathers stuck to his beak. All four are looking browner every day, as can be seen in the image at left, taken at 09:30 today. Chedoke, younger by two to four days than the others, is still quite white but appears to be healthy and full of energy, especially at feedings when he's the most aggressive of the four. Joseph is getting more comfortable up on the ledge with his brother. Henderson made some attempts to get up today but couldn't quite make it. Tonight they're going to bed on full tummies, having been fed just after 19:00 and again at 20:00.

[ballywing]

UPDATE

June 8, 2010 - HCPP welcomes 2010 Falconwatch Coordinator Brad Asseltine. Brad reports: It was another beautiful day in downtown Hamilton. The chicks are currently exchanging their cute fluffy down for brownish flight feathers. All seem to be healthy and were eager to eat when offered food. During a feeding at 18:40 Joseph made his first jump up onto the ledge. That makes it Peter, Henderson and Joseph who have been on the ledge. Come on Chedoke! (We can tell the chicks apart easily this year because each one has a different coloured piece of plastic tape on its metal number band.)

Having gained a little confidence, Joseph hopped up to met Madame X at the next feeding, which took place at 19:22, and tried to take the entire bird from her. After a little tug of war, and nail biting on my part, Joseph lost his grip and fell back into the nest. He then popped up for a third time and helped himself to the food while Madame X fed the others. Peter also spent time on the ledge (that?s him in the image at left, taken at 10:30) and all four chicks could be seen practicing their hops and wing flapping throughout the day. Three up and one to go!

[msdolittle]

what a great video.  thanks for posting the link Ballywing

[bcbird]

What great close up shots of the chicks during banding!

[2kawaii]

Notice in slide show they have a fancy carrying case they used for the chicks unlike TPC and her fancy Home Depot buckets.   Whatever works I suppose....

[Kinderchick]

Great slide show ballywing,  I wonder if that guy has any puncture marks in his shoulder from Madame X  

Yes! What a great slide show! The talons on those chicks were formidable!   I was wondering if he had puncture marks on his shoulder too, RCF! Madamme X sure did make a valiant attempt to defend her nest!

[carly]

Thanks so much for posting the slideshow, wasn't Madame X magnificent!! 

[sami]

Wow, that's a little too close for comfort.

[RCF]

Great slide show ballywing,  I wonder if that guy has any puncture marks in his shoulder from Madame X   

[ballywing]

Fantastic Slide Show of the Banding....

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/video2/Falcons/

[ballywing]

LOOKING FOR NOAH

June 7, 2010 - The Hamilton area has had more rain in the immediate pre- and post-falcon banding period than any of the Falconwatchers can remember in all 16 years the Peregrines have been at the Sheraton Hamilton. In the photo below, taken Saturday afternoon, Henderson (BIG yellow feet) was on the ledge, possibly calling for Noah to come by with the Ark and offer help.

Falcon feedings are being carefully monitored to gauge not only how much food is being brought to the nest, but also how much each individual chick is getting right in its mouth. We are grateful once again to our Technowhiz, Charles, for setting up the webcam so we can see what is happening, and at ten second intervals! Stay tuned - here they grow!

[ballywing]

Latest news from the Hamilton Falconwatch site:  June 5, 2010

Several Falconviewers have commented on the low weights of all this years' chicks compared to weights in other years and at other sites.  At banding the low weights and apparently small amount of fungal disease present in their mouths were evaluated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. They were deemed not of enough concern to warrant any action other than returning the chicks to the nest.

The OMNR, which is the controlling authority for all matters concerning these birds, has asked HCPP/Falconwatch to continue to monitor their progress. The picture below, taken just before 09:00 today, shows Madame X and the four chicks during another feeding. As expected, they are showing considerably more dark feathering than on banding day.  After another night of heavy rains the youngsters do not seem to be any the worse for wear, but Monday's forecast offers hope for better conditions.

[sami]

When I saw him just lying there for so long, I really thought it was game over. So glad it wasn't!

[bcbird]

Thanks for passing along the good news on the little one.  So often it seems to go the other way.