MN / Elk River - 2008-22

[carly]

The chicks are 1 month old now so they should be ready to fledge sometime within the next 10 days or so.   

Not sure if this is the same mom as last year but found this about her on the web:

http://www.raptorresource.org/blog/2007/07/great-river-energy-falcons-im-not-sure.html

Now that I've read this I'll have to check out her feet more closely!

[JL]

I swear the chicks are onto us - the way they stare into the camera and even peck at it.  How long until these babies fledge?  I'll definitely miss watching them when they leave.  Any background on the age of the parents?  Just wondering if they're a couple of younger or older birds.   

[free5ia]

Thanks Carly!  It is hard to get spacial perspective with the cam - glad to know there is room for one to hide from the camera ... my heart won't jump into my throat the next time I can't see them all!   

[carly]

Heh..a little punk rock band with mohawks    They sure are cute bunch of little brats, I will miss them once they are gone!

[eagle63_1999]

The chicks all look like they are sporting mohawks with the way the down that is still on their heads.

[carly]

   Parent looses tug of war again for food.  Parent tried though but they're too much for her now I think..one bird is a happy camper tho - other 2 sitting there stunned.  I can see why they send their kids off happily in the Fall..hehe..probably need the 6 months just to recover from all the trauma!!

[carly]

Pffft..another food drop and same little piggie grabs it from parent - tug of war - piggie wins and runs into corner but other 2 give chase and wrestle it away from him.  Parent runs for life!

[carly]

The one that got the food went into the corner and napped after he stuffed his face - it's the corner closest to the camera so that may be why you didn't see him/her.  I was watching so I saw him go in and kind of disappear.  And yes they are too young to fledge yet.

[free5ia]

I only saw 2 chicks at Great River/Elk River this morning ... but now when I just went back all 3 are there again.  ARGH!  Did one fly and come back? Is it too early for that?  There doesn't seem to be much room for one to hide from camera view now - in the 4 days that I missed seeing them they grew SO much.  Can anyone comment on my chick mystery this morning.  I swear I only saw 2 of them 15 minutes ago!

[carly]

8:43 am food came in, one grabbed it and ran in corner and ate it all while other 2 cried.  I think that must be dad who brought it in, he seems kind of scared of them and just kind of drops the food and runs whereas mom seems to know how to control the situation. 

[Enraptured]

SO, I still think "two females, one male" is right -- two seem to be noticeably bigger than the other one. 

I've been thinking that, too, Liz, especially because one of them has more black feathers (so would be male) than the other two. I think TPC mentioned one time that males grew black feathers faster and so it's the females who have more bits of down showing by fledging time.  Was it ever announced after the banding? I can't recall.

[LouLouBelle]

wow, feeding frenzy! I think just one actually got fed...

[Liz]

All lined up at the ledge, screaming for a bedtime snack! 

[Liz]

Since I didn't see it (and not sure why I need to know! ), is it the blur at the top middle of the camera shot? 

[LouLouBelle]

too funny, girls facing out bobbing their heads and the little boy in the middle with his beak open... hilarious!