Author Topic: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)  (Read 34483 times)

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Offline allikat

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #106 on: May 18, 2009, 11:13 »
Isn't that called labor of love TPC?? ;)

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #105 on: May 17, 2009, 19:54 »
Oh My Gosh!!  little Alphonso is so sweet.  That's going to be a lot of work for the keeper as TPC says...every 4 hours for a feeding. 

Been there, done that ... on a rooftop ... at 2am ... ::)

Offline carly

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #104 on: May 17, 2009, 17:47 »
LOL!  Heh..I think in this case that would make me Mrs Robinson!!  I'm too tired to do the maintenance and upkeep that requires..lol ;D

Offline maggieblue

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #103 on: May 17, 2009, 17:44 »
Both chick and keeper are adorable!
Hey Carly if you are unattached forget about that Aussie security guy.  Go to Italy and visit Luigi!  ;D ;D ;D

Offline allikat

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #102 on: May 17, 2009, 17:20 »
Oh My Gosh!!  little Alphonso is so sweet.  That's going to be a lot of work for the keeper as TPC says...every 4 hours for a feeding. 

Offline birdcamfan

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #101 on: May 17, 2009, 17:17 »
Both chick and keeper are adorable!

Offline carly

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #100 on: May 17, 2009, 17:13 »
Oh my god, cuteness overload!  Kim from Italy has posted 2 photos of little baby Alphonse (the rescued one) and he's just adorable.

On this page, scroll down and prepare to have your heart melted  :-*

http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=993&start=150&mforum=peregrinefalcon

Offline birdcamfan

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #99 on: May 17, 2009, 15:21 »
Thanks, I wasn't sure if I had simply missed what happened to him but it seems like it's just a big mystery. I hope things turn out okay. She sure has her hands full with all those chicks.

Offline carly

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #98 on: May 17, 2009, 14:07 »
Whew...good to know.  I think they are just emotional over his loss...they've been watching the two of them for several years.  Although I wonder how they can tell they are same as they aren't banded!  Our poor peregrines get blamed for everything, kestrels, sheep....really!!

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #97 on: May 17, 2009, 12:37 »
The claims about Felix are because someone noticed he had kestrel feathers in his mouth during defeathering the other day...

I would initially take that with a big grain of salt.  Individual feathers are notoriously difficult to assign to a particular species of bird.  Our birds eat shorebirds and there is no way on camera that we could tell one shorebird species' feathers from another shorebird species' feathers unless it had a yo-honking big purple spot on it.  Besides, European Kestrels are not small birds - 32-39cm (body length) whereas peregrines are 34-50cm.  Peregrine wingspan is greater and they weigh more however.  So while not impossible, keep in mind that the kestrel is as capable a hunter/defender/protector as the peregrine, better some would say because they are smaller and quicker in the air at close quarters.  The peregrines would risk serious injury to themselves going after the kestrel (and vice versa) something no predator can afford and their is no real profit in it - the kestrel/peregrines are not interested in each others chicks, they tend to hunt different prey (bigger bird = bigger prey items = more food) so not rivals in the strictest sense ...

I'd look for something much more mundane, collision with a building, a vehicle, high-tension wire ....

Offline carly

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #96 on: May 17, 2009, 11:36 »
One theory seems to be that the falcons..namely Felix of the Felix and Aisha nest may have had him for lunch...but no one knows.  No body found so he may indeed have fallen prey to a predator.  They've been nesting together for a few years according to the web site so no way he would leave her and the babies.

The claims about Felix are because someone noticed he had kestrel feathers in his mouth during defeathering the other day...they are still hopeful he may show up as of last nights posts I read.  Some think maybe he's injured somewhere and can't get back to her.

Offline birdcamfan

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #95 on: May 17, 2009, 11:31 »
Did anyone ever find out what happened to Nembo? I was just reading back and didn't see anything that indicates that they know what happened to him. Just thought someone that follows their forum might know. Kestrels are one of my favorite birds and it has been heart breaking to see the challenges they have gone through here and at the Dutch site where the male also disappeared after a clutch of 5 eggs was laid. That nest was abandoned.

Offline allikat

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #94 on: May 17, 2009, 11:26 »
Wonderful to see her feeding her cuties...
I love the little chirps to her babes... :-*

Offline carly

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #93 on: May 17, 2009, 11:24 »
Yay..Rebecca came in and I think she has food in her talons!!  Good job mama!!

Offline allikat

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Re: American Kestrels - Italy / Birdcam (Rebecca)
« Reply #92 on: May 17, 2009, 10:33 »
Great news on little Alphonso! 
I'm so happy and releaved that Rebecca and her chicks are being looked after so well.  Good news all around!