AB / Edmonton - Weber Centre - 2009-18

[bev.]

july 11th

Just got back from the Weber site. Had this all written and hit the wrong button. In any event, I got a call from someone at Weber advising that the female was down on the top level of the Parking lot and was injured. I went to U of A and got the carrying case and went to Weber where I met Gord Court our biologist. We found the bird and it was our young male chick. He looked perfectly healthy, however was precariously perched on the edge of the Parking lot facing one of the busier roads in Edmonton. Gord did not want to spook him so we managed to herd him to the back of the lot near to some lower roofed buildings. As he reached the back, he flew off, quite well I might add, and landed on a telephone pole at the back of Weber. The male adult was watching very closely so had the chick in site. As he was out of immediate danger, Gord advised that he should be OK and he would check on him later, as would Bev and I.

Our first rescue of the season on our first flight of the season. Hope all goes well from here on in. We will keep you posted

[bev.]

June 13

Peter and I made a trip down in rain last night as Gord said he would be putting in a chick or 2 . Do not knwo if one or 2 so wanted to witness evidence of feed.

yes, male was on antennae when we got there. Then he flew up to box and sat in front of box. I think Miss Edmonton told him to go an d get supper. And he complied.

He soared around and then off . I just love watchmaking them soar and then dive.

After a bit , in he came with prey in his talons. Of course, we were watching and forgetting to take pictures.

Miss Edmonton came out and retrieved prey and flew off to W with it. Usually she feed kids first but she ate , so we were wondering if no kid or kids. Male flew to aerial and then to front of box and went in eventually.
Miss E then flew around with prey in her beak and landed on another letter. Ate a bit more and then transferred prey to talons and flew around and up to box. Yes, she is going to feed. In she went and out came male. So we have a young one or 2. I have a feeling one

Short slide show. We were far away as we did not want to spook male. He will get used to us again but after all interference we did not want to stress him.

it was windy

http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x135/fullbrandt/2012%20falcons/?action=view&current=b0b88ea9.pbw

[bev.]

My life has been a nightmare but I do apologize for not keeping you updated here.  will try and change password so I can get going on new computer for this forum so here goes

I have been down at Weber since 6:30am Peter was down there from 3:30pm yesterday till 9pm and then we went back till 11pm .

So this is what is happening. Miss Edmonton laid 5 eggs, but we had some guys up on roof that were not supposed to be there and they were there a long time in cold weather. When Gord drove by and saw this he went up. Not a happy camper. He left and went  back to  get dummy eggs  and pull hers to be incubated. When he came back they had gone back up, so there will be regulations set up. They knew , as I notified them, and no one was to go up , but when you have people at building that do not understand English too well.....

Well , not sure how many are viable, 2 for sure.  so we have been  monitoring to make sure we always have 2 adults.

When Peter went yesterday he saw no exchange. But he felt it was Miss Edmonton , he saw. My stomach was in knots.  When we went back down, the male was on the last E of Centre, east face. Hoping Miss Edmonton was in box. I think the exchange was made on his way home  

As Peter described everything to me, I felt he had just missed an exchange before he got there. He had no binocs etc, as he went from work.

So this morning I was up bright and early to go and monitor. Took pooches with me. I had the male in view on aerial but no Miss Edmonton. I had my scope out , trying to make male, Miss Edmonton  Not that I want any harm to come to him, Finally just after 10AM a nest exchange was made.  

So all is  well. We have to make sure, as Gord will give her a chick or two in a few days.

So I have come  to the conclusion, that one day I will not see Miss Edmonton, and that will be a sad day for me,a s it was for Carly, with angel.  Those of us who have watching for years, are at a point where we are going to be saying goodbye to a lot of loved falcons, but because of them, we are more knowledgeable and we have falcons to watch. They hold special places in our hearts, but we know they have paved the way for others.

My biggest fear, is , who will monitor these wonderful raptors here, when I can do it no longer. There just is not an interest.

[bev.]

I thought I had posted here. sorry.
they have been canoodling and when we were there yesterday, Miss Edmonotn was on east letter. After about a half hour she went off flying around area and then flew up to box and chupped dandy male came out and she went in. He started preening when he came out.
so they are in incubation. I do not know if first egg or last, as it is cold here dn they are forced to keep eggs warm.
We will try and swing over there again in next few days, and check, Without cam I do not know how many eggs there will be but I will count from yesterday and be prepared to look when chicks come.

As usual I will try and post some picutres

Trying to get caught up in that area

[RCF]

Glad to hear your birdies are home! 

[bev.]

Up until tonight we have only had one falcon that we believe is the same male as last year. but tonight we have our female and i believe it is Miss Edmonton. Miss Edmonton has her black band on her right leg and her silver on her left. this falcon  has her silver on her left and she is on her letter  
but i will have to have Gord do with his scope.  I think Peter and I will splurge on a getter lens. I think that may be better than a scope. Not sure.

when we got there the female was at nest box and male on letter on east side. She then flew off and our camera jammed   . she flew to west side where we got a few good shots and I really think this is her.  you will see her silver band on her left leg ( but will have to positively Id , but I knowThey usually put silver on right but when she was rehabilitated Gord switched bands

 
female at box                                   male on east side

Smiles tonight. It has been such a rough season at a lot of sites I was watching, and then cams go up and I did not know what to think  Peter is setting up things on new computer so I am working quicker now. but some things are not here yet.

[Elaine L]

I dropped in here on my way home from the University tonight, and did not see any falcons.  It would have been nice to have a positive ending to the evening, but no such luck.  I think Bev and Peter plan on coming down here tomorrow, if they can, so I hope they have better luck.

[bev.]

Not to worry Elaine. at this time of year , they scope the are a lot , so we will keep checking

[Elaine L]

Gosh, Bev, no sign of the female?  I wish I had had a zoom camera so I could have got a good picture on Monday.  I am pretty sure, based on (my limited) past experience, that this was Miss Edmonton.  Anyway, I sure hope that whoever she is, she has not disappeared.

[bev.]

Peter and I were there for a few hours last night and only saw one falcon. We think it is the male from last year.  he was on the west side of Weber on the R . He does sit there occasionally. We will go down agian in next few days. We saw no signs of food on signs , or below.
 
It was cold and windy but one good thing came out of it, we found a new place to eat. Right across the street.

I sure hope my girl is back. I am looking at her on my wall right now. Gord gave Peter a pciture of her and the male form Clinical for me for Christmas. I have a wall of peregrines.

[carly]

Yay...I hope it's Miss E!

[Kinderchick]

The falcons are back.  I observed the female on the edge of this nestbox when I went down there about 12:30 this afternoon.  She called for the male, and sure enough, he took off from his perch at the back of the building and joined her in the boudoir for a canoodle, I presume...

Hip hip Hooray!

[RCF]

Great news Elaine 

[Elaine L]

The falcons are back.  I observed the female on the edge of this nestbox when I went down there about 12:30 this afternoon.  She called for the male, and sure enough, he took off from his perch at the back of the building and joined her in the boudoir for a canoodle, I presume.  He then returned to his perch, and the female returned to the edge of the nestbox.  I could not tell if this is the same pair as least year, but they both seemed very comfortable here, so I think it is possible; I expect that Bev and Peter would be able to identify them.

[bev.]

Still no falcons home . I expect them in a week.