U of Alberta - 2010 / ? & Radisson

[bev.]

I am finally starting to update.

I will start with yesterdays activities.

On Friday Aug 20, Blue band female needed to be rescued. I did not post as I did not want to alarm anyone. I was bad enough   .

What happened is that she landed in an exhaust fan at the Swine research facility at the U of A farm. This is quite a distance from Clinical science. The folks there, turned off the fans right away, when they heard her. They immediatley phoned one of our biologists at the Uni, who  in turn phoned Gord. ( I have to add here, that last Thursday and Friday we had a lot of smoke in our area due to fires in B.C. The winds carried them here and at times it was hard to see. I am thinking she may have not seen where she was landing. I am also thinking that this may have been what caused Red deer males accident also. It was hard to breathe at times also. )

She was extracted and  Gord took her to his home. He hosed her down. (one foul smelling bird, he said   I wonder why   . but he said she appeared to be in good shape and he would observe her over the weekend and probably release her on Monday(yesterday). so we waited.

Luckily she only had one primary feather missing in tail but other than that was in good shape. Gord tethered her and took her bands off as he does not like them in metal cages. (They should not have bands on when they are tethered) I learned a lot of things this year from Gord.
So at about 2:20pm yesterday, Peter and I were invited to see her off with Gord. Becky , one of our fledge watchers, who is doing research at the Uni, just happened to be out looking for the guys, so we invited her to come and watch.

What a thrill. Gord released her from on top of parkade where we watch the falcons. He had a hood on her when we arrived and then asked me to hold her as he had to put bands on her.OMG I was just so excited. Then he had to put another band on her but he had to remove tethers. Peter held her then as I felt he was stronger. Did not want her to fly away with the hood on. this was indeed a highlight for us all. Her new bands are 98
                                                                                          W

then Gord took her,and put her on his glove . He took off the hood. what a gorgeous falcon. Love at first sight. Dad (who had been on the moon of the Suite hotel ) flew over to ledge of college plaza. We were not ready for her to go when she did but she just flew with the wind. It was windy. she flew off south, into the wide open spaces  Sorry no pictures of that as we all watched to make sure she could get height and fly. She just went  with the wind and could fly into it . she kept flying higher and turned back towards us. Gord was so pleased with her flying. The missing primary feather did not affect her at all.  Mom and Dad went after her at first. It was a concern. They chupped at her ,  and gave chase, a few times but she just kept cacking and coming back.   We were all just holding our breaths.But finally they recognized her and she flew up on to Heart building roof . In a bit she flew over to a ledge on College plaza and there was some lunch. Gord was wondering what she was dong there. And we told him ,there was usually a meal  on those ledges.
Shortly after Red band came flying in cacking. We heard him before we saw him. He was on top of heart building and  he was cacking at mom who was on top of Clinical science building. Dad was back on moon on Suite hotel.  He then flew over to extenison building ,(adjacent form Blue band)still cacking. I think Blue ate his lunch  

We lost sight of REd when we went to ground level but Blue was still on ledge when we left.

I will post the pictures and then I will start and do back reporting and post picutres. We knew Red was still around as we saw him Sunday night .

what a day  

[bcbird]

Thanks for posting news of the kids, Bev.  Sounds like their training to become self sufficient grown up falcons is coming along nicely. 

[bev.]

As of Sunday we still have the kids in view. these guys love to stoop gulls.

I have tons of picutres to post but still monitoring Weber.

[bev.]

I have not downloaded pictures from recent visit as I am doing a mini fledge watch at Weber.  
but last night  after the Weber  Peter and I blew through campus and were treated to both youngsters chasing an adult that had food in its talons. This was behind the education building.Red band male is such a squealer . Blue is more reserved. Red rested on the back of the Ed building and adult was not far away. then out of no where ,blue flew in and the chase was on.  Peter went to follow them and spotted an adult coming out of the vent behind Ed building. I am assuming mom, as they were there last year.
It was hard to tell who got the food. They then put on an aerial display but it was hard to get pictures of that.

One gentleman stopped to let us know one of the kids was stooping gulls but was not successful. that was probably Red

we saw all 4 falcons and that always puts a smile on my face.  
I will post a few shots of what I have when downloaded.

I am always happy when they get to the Ed building. Much more open.

[RCF]

Thanks for the updates and photo's. Luv the pic of the sun! 

[sami]

Great photos, as always! Thanks, Bev!

[msdolittle]

Thanks for the updates and photo's!

[bcbird]

Thanks, Bev.  It is great to get a report of healthy happy juveniles.  Thank you for the pictures of this family. 

[carly]

Outstanding photos Bev!  Very happy to hear Radisson and family are doing well!  Talons are crossed for Miss Weber's little one too 

[Kinderchick]

Thanks for your reports, bev and for all of your photos!  Had to wear sunglasses to view the last one! 

[bev.]

august 5 continued


dad

dad on back of college plaza

red

red on back aerial of college plaza



red on north aerial



red on north aerial

not sure who

sun

[bev.]

august 5th continued
Blue







REd

[bev.]

August 5.

Becky and Cave had texted Peter and told him they had seen Radisson and Blue on back of Education building.

We were at WEber building putting up posters and checking things out.
then we went to Clinical science and spent a few hours.
At first no one was in sight. We walked all over. so we had a bite to eat.
when we came out, Blue was on back of Newton apartments and across form her, on a set of Red and cream aprtments, at  the back ,was Red.(will have to find name of those).

Blue then flew off and circled around Red, and then flew off in direction of Heart building. I went walking and then I saw the both of them playing in the air over the heart building. Up to this point ,they were both so quiet. but they were vocal as they played. What a sight to see. Peter was having problems with the camera so did not get shots of this. they were in rare form and then flew off west.
We walked and looked and then went up to our parking lot and in flew dad. He perched on back south corner of College plaza. After a bi the flew around back and we later saw him tucked in for the night.

In flew Red, cacking up a storm. He flew in where dad had been, and then flew around and we left him perched on an aerial on north side of COllege plaza. He had flown around where dad was sleeping for night , making a lot of noise. We wee sure it was hm by his sound but then got band.

WE saw a falcon  land on cranes further  out but not sure who, as it was dark

On our way home the sun  was glorious.  a few shots of that as well

On Friday night BEcky and Dave saw our two youngsters on their way to football game. We will go done sometime today.


REd on building behind Newton apartments(he is lighter in color than Blue)

Blue

Blue

Blue flying around red and then off

Blue

[bev.]

Finally a report. august 4, 2010

Our falcons ,at Clinical Science, are doing well.  I want to thank-you for all your kind words.  We could not do this with out the support of other volunteers, like Becky and Dave, and Elaine and Carol and Bob and Barb and Lisa, and Rosemarie, and the list goes on. This can only continue ,as Long as we have support.

On August 4, Peter and I went down ,but the camera was out of juice . We did see our family of 4 though. Blue female was on the extension buidlding and then along came  dad . She knocked him off and then flew  to the back south side of Newton apartments. Dad proceeded to defeather some prey,  and eat on the extension buidlding. Blue must have been full ,as she did not argue.
  We walked around and found Radisson , on vents of chi-ching building(building across from EArls) .  this was a favorite spot of hers last year.  We found Red male ,on a tower adjacent to Eduction parking lot. He was there for a bit and tried to stoop a few pigeons and then flew off the south. when we walked back, Radisson was in same spot , Blue was still in her spot and DAd had moved to the moon ,on suite hotels.

[Kinderchick]

Yes, thanks for all of your reports, bev, and for your fledgewatch vigilance. Have a great long weekend at your family reunion. We have a son getting married this weekend.