Author Topic: MN / Elk River - 2008-22  (Read 396808 times)

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Offline Baffled

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3538 on: May 19, 2014, 15:37 »
Mary Ellen really has been glued to the eggs and chicks these past few days. Sawatzke occasionally gets a chance to visit with them while she is finishing the meal, but she really doesn't let him do much except provide the food right now. He barely gets a few minutes with the chicks before she's back to send him away again. Maybe she'll allow him to be more involved when the chicks are a bit bigger?

Offline RCF

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3537 on: May 19, 2014, 15:27 »
I caught that too Baffled.  :)   Sawatzke sure took off when Mom came back hee hee!! 


Offline Baffled

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3536 on: May 19, 2014, 15:07 »
A feeding that started just before 3pm CDT reveals that the final egg has hatched; however, only two chicks were visible eating. The new one may have been hiding on the other side of the chick pile?

There was still some eggshell in the nest. Sawatzke nibbled on it while there was a break in the feeding when Mary Ellen flew off to butcher the meal. Now the meal is over, Mary Ellen is back on the chicks and consuming the egg shell.

Offline susha

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3535 on: May 19, 2014, 08:55 »
It is interesting to see that Mary-Ellen takes the remains of the meal out of the nest.

This is not the right place to post this, but I have been watching Pa and Vievie's family of four in the Netherlands, and the meal remains were rarely removed. A number of times, they all settled in on top of the leftovers after the chicks were fed! I guess this is just the characteristics of individual birds?

TPC:  How soon after hatching must/should the chicks be fed?

/quote]



Pa and VieVie were the same last year - very, very messy housekeepers!
« Last Edit: May 19, 2014, 17:58 by susha »

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3534 on: May 18, 2014, 22:10 »
It is interesting to see that Mary-Ellen takes the remains of the meal out of the nest.

This is not the right place to post this, but I have been watching Pa and Vievie's family of four in the Netherlands, and the meal remains were rarely removed. A number of times, they all settled in on top of the leftovers after the chicks were fed! I guess this is just the characteristics of individual birds?

TPC:  How soon after hatching must/should the chicks be fed?

First feedings are usually within about 6 hours depending on time of day (middle of the night mostly they don't fly/feed) or weather (raining they will wait out if they can)

Offline sparkster

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3533 on: May 18, 2014, 19:02 »
It is interesting to see that Mary-Ellen takes the remains of the meal out of the nest.

This is not the right place to post this, but I have been watching Pa and Vievie's family of four in the Netherlands, and the meal remains were rarely removed. A number of times, they all settled in on top of the leftovers after the chicks were fed! I guess this is just the characteristics of individual birds?

TPC:  How soon after hatching must/should the chicks be fed?

Offline Baffled

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3532 on: May 18, 2014, 18:48 »
And another feed at 6:45! Those two chicks are having a busy afternoon eating! Still one egg.
Not much of the feeding visible, as Mary Ellen is blocking the view of the chicks.

Offline Baffled

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3531 on: May 18, 2014, 17:25 »
Another feed just finishing.
Two eager chicks, still one egg without any obvious pips.
Previous meal (around 3pm CDT) was quite a large bird, plain black back with white front. (Maybe a water bird?) This meal was much smaller and lighter coloured.
As in the previous feeding, the female (Mary Ellen) fed the chicks.

Offline Baffled

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3530 on: May 18, 2014, 15:02 »
Lunchtime!
3pm and two chicks eagerly feeding, with one egg still to hatch.

Offline sparkster

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3529 on: May 18, 2014, 12:16 »
Very sad.   :'( It is such a privilege to be able to watch these wonderful birds, but difficult to see when things don't go well.

Offline RCF

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3528 on: May 18, 2014, 10:01 »
Looks like one baby was lost overnight.  :'(   Only one egg and two flufflies this morning when Mary-Ellen fed them.

Looks like they had Robin for breakfast.



Offline RCF

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3527 on: May 17, 2014, 20:26 »
Now there are three! No wonder the "eggs" were chirping so much.


Offline sparkster

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3526 on: May 17, 2014, 20:17 »
Now there are three! No wonder the "eggs" were chirping so much.

Offline sparkster

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3525 on: May 17, 2014, 19:44 »
Yes, that *is* a second one!   :-* :-*

Offline sparkster

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Re: Minnesota / Elk River - 2013-2014 / Sawatzke & Mary-Ellen
« Reply #3524 on: May 17, 2014, 19:39 »
There must be another hatch now, as I am watching it live and the chick has its little head in half of the egg.