MN / Elk River - 2008-22

[Enraptured]

Hi Everyone,

Just got on this morning and gritted my teeth before checking on Elk River. By the time I actually did pull myself away last night is was into the early morning hours, too.  

I am soooo relieved to see those chicks moving underneath this adult and I can definatley hear them -- kind of a squeaky cry if I had to describe it.  I can't tell if this is the same adult or not. I don't recall seeing those Princess-like white tufts on the crown of it head, but maybe that,s just down sticking out...it looks like rain came and it's quite bedraggled!  
Unfortunately I have to be away today, but will stay watching for half hour or so.  I haven't received any replies to the pms to Tracy, so no update on that so far.  I pray this isthe same adult and she's all fixed up and back on track!

So glad those chicks are moving!  I do hope that egg hatches successfully. After fearing they were all going to die or come to harm last night, it's so lovely to hear and see these chicks. A feeding would be ideal so we could see the other adult and hopefully relieve all our worries!  

 

[Pchemist]

I really really think the fourth egg shows pipping.  I don't think I'm just being wishful.  I hope I get to see it hatch!   

[deedream]

I just peeked, this does not look like the same bird.  I hope it is.   The white around the throat and stuff looks different.  Are you going to monitor the web cam for awhile?  Maybe some others will too this morning and see if both parents are okay?  They feed about every 2 hours, the other bird will come and sit on that first bar to the left and stuff, they squawk and make an awful racket when the other one comes around.  The one last nite never spoke and couldn't open her mouth even, for hours and hours and hours, frozen like a statue like Enraptured said, and ruffled up on the back, and squatting awkward like with wings kinda kinked out and kids crying and she never budged.  Horrid to watch.Fingers crossed for them all.

[deedream]

oh gosh, I am glad someone went and looked.  I have been so upset all night.  Only slept about 3 hours.  Its 9am here and I was up until 3:30.  I have been having coffee and surfing around, but could not bring myself to look this morning.  Feelling helpless.  Maybe I can stand to take a peek.  I have to  away for most of the day, so I didn't want to see her still like that and/or worse then go away feelling so bad.  It is what happens when we watch nature, I know, but its sooooo hard.  Need to take good long healthty breaks from this maybe so I have something else to think about, especially when we have something going wrong.  I thought all nite, oh my,,, we may lose 4 possibly 5 falcons over this.  We so wanted Tracy's input on this and we know she was talking to the person that is coordinating this nest box cam a few days ago,, so hoped she could get in touch with them and maybe give us some sort of news on it.  Tough nite for Enraptured Liz and I, all caught up in it. 
Thanks Falconista.

[Falconista]

Hey guys. I'm not really sure what it is you were seeing but I can't really see anything on the beak of the falcon thats in the nextbox right now. Maybe there has been a shift change and its the other parent, but the one that is in there now has been opening their beak a bit and has been shifting around a little bit. S/he is preening a bit at the moment actually. I don't know if this makes you feel any better but I'm not seeing any signs of distress at the moment. I also still see a bit of egg peeking out from underneath the adult so I don't know if that egg still hasn't hatched or if its just a leftover bit, but I'll keep watching for you!

[Enraptured]

Well, I'm going to have to call it a night and get some shut-eye. I just wish our Peregrine friend could do the same.

I've been watching her now for just over 5 hours and in the last two hours, she still hasn't moved a muscle!  She did blink and she did actually move her head slightly once or twice, but has always gone back to this same, statuesque position and remains all fluffed up, looks tense or at least not settled, and never ever closes her eyes for a snooze or looks around, or...whatever falcons normally do during the night.  I keep hearing the chicks, very occasionally, and it doesn't sound like all three of them, but one or two.  Mum never moves to settle  in or gather the chicks up, or anything. She just stays stock still.  There's been a slight breeze at times and I noticed that the white thing may not be as rigid as we thought becuase the bottom potion of it seemed to blow in the breeze a little bit.

Anyway, as most of you will get here before I do tomorrow, I just wanted to give an update as of 2am Minnesota and Winnipeg time and to let you know that she truly hasn't moved, nor closed her eyes, nor communicated or tended to the chicks apart from sitting on them. Sometimes it's only the blink of her eye that indicates she's living and breathing!  She truly looks very uncomfortable and I can only hope that this observation is due to my own major lack of experience watching falcons, especially at night, rather than this Peregrine being in shock, or very distressed, or unable to care for herself or the chicks.    Dad is still completely absent.

I'm glad you emailed the power plant, Liz. I so hope this mum and her chicks manage to hang in till tomorrow. The night still seems very long, especially if she continues to be a statue, sitting so tensely, geathers bulky and ruffled up and my eyes wide open.!

Another 20 min gone and she's till a statue in the same position as the last several hours....

Maybe there will be good new waiting in the morning! G'night all.

[Enraptured]

I didn't see the thing during the feeding, but she mostly had her back to me. Then when she did move around she had the remainder of dinner in her beak. I only noticed it when I came back in from watering plants...

[deedream]

I keep hearing what sounds like dogs barking,  but it has to be the chicks. She is just sitting there poor thing.  Not even laying down. Yes its definitly the chicks, she isnt moving just staring into space. So sad.

[Liz]

Heck, you're right!  I can see it again.  Darn.

[deedream]

well if the feeding was two hours ago, it wasn't on her beak then I take it?  Must have happened after, or maybe it is some type of bird bone or joint.  Hard to see now, but did look more silver, although the whole picture has got that silver greyish blue look to it.

[Enraptured]

I just sent Tracy the pic I took. She's still not online, but hopefully once she is, she'll be able to offer some reassurance from her experience and knowledge!  So hard to watch and to know that this mum is going to have to get through the night like this. I'm hoping that the dad will bring in some food really soon, and hopefully the mum can attempt to get her own and see if the thing will budge if the eats. I am worried, too, like you that she won't be able to eat properly.

[deedream]

yes there is two parents.  but she has been doing all the feeding.every 2 hours or so

[Liz]

I'm concerned it will stop her from feeding them too.  Is there a dad around?  I haven't actually noticed if there are two different adults there.

[Enraptured]

I just took a pic as well and will figure out how to send it to Tracy so once she's online she can see a little bit of it.  This poor falcon, she's really tossing her head a lot right now...my picture is getting so bad though that I can't tell if she's just preening.  I agree and also know, from my earlier look an hour ago when the view was really clear, that the thing is well and truly stuck onto her beak.   

I agree, we can't do anything from here and our worries won't help.  We'll have to keep our fingers crossed it all works out well, without harm or too much distress to the mum or her chicks...

Thanks for looking with me! It's helped to share my concerns.

[Enraptured]

Before I first posted, I'm pretty sure I did see her open her beak, but no sound came out and she only did it once, so I'm not 100% sure she did, but I was watching specifically for that and at the time was a little relieved.  The picture quality is getting really poor now, so if and when Tracy does take a look, she'll have hard time seeing anything. 

I wonder if they actually have anyone monitoring the cam, especially seeing as these two aren't banded...