MN / Elk River - 2008-22

[Pchemist]

Oh, that was TOOOOO funny!  One chick went under mom's legs to get to the food!  Mom took it away and restarted feeding, but that's enterprising behaviour!   

[Pchemist]

Dinner TIME!

[eagle63_1999]

omg did anyone see that, the 3 of them tugging on a piece of food all at the same time tooo funny

[Pchemist]

Growing those new feathers must be itchy business.  There's a lot of preening going on in between nap-piles.

[Liz]

It's incredibly windy there today.  I had to turn down the sound because of the constant noise of the wind past the microphone!

[Pchemist]

So, there's a chick pile and a watchful mom.  It's amazing that you can actually see changes in the chicks from one day to the next - they are bigger and less fluffy-white each day! 

[Liz]

Absolutely frozen, and not moving!  Poor girl!  And MORE lightning -- what a tough life they have, too.  The feathers on her head are all sticking up.  Ruffled.  But cars are driving by, so the pic isn't stuck.  Her life sucks.  She SHOULD let dad come in to help! 

[Liz]

And again, poor Mum is sitting there, staring at the light that's keeping her awake.  Does she ever sleep??

[Pchemist]

Lots of wing stretching and experimental flapping going on....  Looking forward to watching their flight feathers come in!

[Pchemist]

HAH!  nice poop shot over the ledge.  Well done!

my my what full crops they have.   

[deedream]

oh , Mom/or Dad has returned with Food.  Oh my, had to turn my speakers down.  They are really hungry.  My goodness.  Following Mom right around. lol

[deedream]

Wow I have had this cam on for well over an hour and the chicks have been left completely alone.  Seems long.  One little one woke up and stumbled about and went over to the edge, did some shrieking, guess looking for Mom and/or food!  Finally went back to the pile for more sleep.

[The Peregrine Chick]

I can certainly see what I can do.

The Peregrine Chick

[Donna]

Tracy
Any chance of you finding out and letting us know the sex of the Elk River babies and if the people there named them?  (or did I miss it ?)

[Pchemist]

Tracy, these chicks seem younger than when you banded ours last year.  Is it just the distortion of the fish-eye lens, or do they seem smaller to you, too?    

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No they are more than a week younger than we band our chicks - they hatched out on the 25/26 May which makes them 18 days old.  We don't band until minimum 21 days, usually a couple more "to grow on".  Elk River however has a very experienced peregrine person working with them, so I have no doubt that they have it all in hand.

Thanks.  I knew they had to be experienced - after all, who just willy nilly goes up on a crane to grab chicks and band them???  I'm glad they cleaned the camera lens.  They also removed the egg that didn't hatch.  Glad to know my powers of observation aren't whacky.