Other Peregrine Projects > USA Peregrines
MN / Elk River - 2008-22
deedream:
are you watching the feeding just now? Noisy and my goodness they have grown. Wow!
Liz:
Boy, she sure is noisy tonight!
The Peregrine Chick:
Glad to hear the Elk River female is in better shape, from the photo I was sent, I couldn't tell where the bird ended and the last of the light in the box began. You should know that these birds have a crop which on a human would be right about your collarbone. All the food they eat begins the digestive process there. I have seen birds with legs in their crop with the foot sticking out their mouth and it sounds something like your descriptions. On most dead birds, you will see their feet curled into an "o" shape, so it could have gone around her beak. It is unlikely to have been something like a beer tab because its just not something the birds would bring in, something they would eat or something that would be in the box. I suspect it was something more organic - bones probably.
A note about calling the Elk River Station - if they could easily access the box (and I don't believe they can), the female would bolt from the nestbox, the chicks would be left alone, possibly scattered due to her hasty departure and unable to keep each other warm. Remember they can't thermoregulate and can't be left uncovered long at this stage. Meanwhile the Mother and perhaps Father depending on whether he is close by or off hunting would be trying to defend the nestbox and their young. No way to catch her to remove whatever might be caught and it could perhaps be impeding her ability to fly or breath while flying. So while it is fine to contact them, assume that they are getting lots of the same messages. Leave the time and a description and if you want your name and number for identification purposes, but don't expect a return call unless they need more details or if they have time, and from experience, that is a commodity in short supply on these kinds of projects.
I will tell Brenda how dedicated you all are to the Elk River birds and ask her if she knows what it was. I'll also ask when they will be banding and if they plan to name the chicks. I'll post whatever I hear!
Pchemist:
Feeding time (noon CDT) - still see one egg. But, they are still incubating it so there is still hope!
Enraptured:
Hi all,
Just got back from a long day away and I'm so glad to read all the posts about how well the mum is looking and that feedings are going well (lots of flying feathers, it seems! Must have been rather graphic!) and that the final egg may be on its way to hatching. I hope at this late hour that I may get to have a peek yet. Compared to yesterday and last night with both cams, today was completely Peregrine free and it was hard to be away!
Well Liz and Deedream, all's well that ends well, thank goodness! And thanks again for all your support last night and today! I do wish the photo I'd taken showed things a little better, because to me it really did look like the beak was through something and then the 'something' continued out in front much further past the end of her beak. Gladly, it doesn't matter anymore! Yahoo!
Have a nice quiet night tonight, and hopefully both our peregrine families will too. There seems to be some lightening going on in Minnesota. The sound doesn't seem to be working, so I won't get to experience a virtual-thunder storm! The adult on the chicks doesn't seem bothered at any rate, except that s/he looks soaking wet.
Thanks, Peregrine Chick, too for responding to the photo and worries in the posts. I think last night's worries were also fueled by the huge helplessness we felt and I know my lack of experience also added to my own concerns.
I've just seen the egg, still tucked under, right beside a chick. I sure hope the egg hatches and the chick survives. I think today is the third day since the first hatchings, isn't it? More crossed fingers, I guess!
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