Radisson - 2013 / Ivy & Princess

[ballywing]

WOW - Imagine having one family on the Radisson East Ledge and another family in the West Nest!! - What an exciting Peregrine season THAT would be downtown!  I guess that couldn't happen though, these birds are too territorial.... And poor Ivy is probably quite discombobulated about his former digs not being used by HIM this year. 

[GCG]

I have been trying to tell if there is a new scrape in the Radisson nestbox and after much combing through the recordings, I can say that there is and that from what I can tell (examining changes in pebble patterns), the scrape was initially made the night of May 29/30 and that I believe it has been tweaked as late ad May 3rd.  And the culprits are, I belive, Joli and Cowboy.  Does that mean they are going to nest there?  Don't think so, Ivy appears to be defending the nestbox at night pretty well - on May 1st he just velcroed himself to the box around two am despite another falcon trying to knock him off!  No visitations to the nestbox over the last couple of nights but one visit to the end of the nestledge where that cam is set up.  Can I be sure of any of the identities, of course not, oh-dark-thirty and all that  but Ivy and Princess are the only ones who have a vested interested in keeping other birds out of the nestbox and the "defender" I've been watching looks too small to be Princess, but whether or not she has been helping Ivy defend, I can't say, that appears to be taking place off-camera.

Like we need more drama here ...

I can say that there is and that from what I can tell (examining changes in pebble patterns), the scrape was initially made the night of May 29/30 and that I believe it has been tweaked as late ad May 3rd.

TPC, you are overworking yourself already. Scrape-May 29/30? Since our Royals appear to have nested on the East ledge, You, Eye Spy and Dennis have your work cut out for you this season.

[The Peregrine Chick]

I have been trying to tell if there is a new scrape in the Radisson nestbox and after much combing through the recordings, I can say that there is and that from what I can tell (examining changes in pebble patterns), the scrape was initially made the night of May 29/30 and that I believe it has been tweaked as late ad May 3rd.  And the culprits are, I belive, Joli and Cowboy.  Does that mean they are going to nest there?  Don't think so, Ivy appears to be defending the nestbox at night pretty well - on May 1st he just velcroed himself to the box around two am despite another falcon trying to knock him off!  No visitations to the nestbox over the last couple of nights but one visit to the end of the nestledge where that cam is set up.  Can I be sure of any of the identities, of course not, oh-dark-thirty and all that  but Ivy and Princess are the only ones who have a vested interested in keeping other birds out of the nestbox and the "defender" I've been watching looks too small to be Princess, but whether or not she has been helping Ivy defend, I can't say, that appears to be taking place off-camera.

Like we need more drama here ...

[Feather2Fin]

 I have been busy and away from the discussion and my computer for a bit. But, I wanted to thank all of you for your kind comments about the falcon photos.  BTW - Only the one posted by TPC was taken with a phone.  A camera was used for the others and that peregrine seemed quite content to pose and relax in the sun.  It was very special to see one up close. Peregrines are beautiful birds!

My cat, Bijoux,  is often the one who notices a visiting peregrine first. She will suddenly flatten like a pancake and sneak across the floor and up the wall below the window, so she can sneak a peak.  She definitely knows this is a bird of prey! Can't wait for the camera to go live. Let's hope it is a successful year for all of the chicks.

[moka]

I think we're all assuming it's Princess, who else could it be  - If it's not her, what a surprise that will be!!  - (YAY!!! - New Camera!!  )

Couldn't have said it better!

[ballywing]

I think we're all assuming it's Princess, who else could it be  - If it's not her, what a surprise that will be!!  - (YAY!!! - New Camera!!  )

[The Peregrine Chick]

The female is spending of her time on the eggs, which is not unlike Princess.  At the beginning of incubation she is very dominant, then she lets Ivy take over more of the duties and then she takes over more of the time as the eggs get closer to hatching.  The other problem is that I need her to park her butt either on the east side sign or the west side nestbox.  The east-side camera, the spycam, is on the 30th floor and the next ledge is on the 13th, so there is no way to even see legband colours let alone numbers.  Soon we will have a camera installed on the 15th floor on the east side and if we don't get her identity before then, the new camera will give us more opportunities.

[bev.]

still no positive ID

[irenekl]

I'd be game to go out there some morning and observe from one side if someone else wants to do the other side.  Could be kinda fun.  If you get curious enough Tracy before the recorder is on just let me know.

[susha]

Or I'll just have to get up a oh-dark-thirty and watch it in person ... 

TPC, are we not coming into the season when you don't sleep anyway...?

[moka]

We don't have a recorder on the east-side camera yet, but we will soon, and I'll hopefully be able to check both sides at the same time.  Or I'll just have to get up a oh-dark-thirty and watch it in person ... 

Hope things work out and that you don't have to be on duty at oh-dark-thirty!

Ivy seems like a very strong and determined bird. His great genes are continuing on...

[dupre501]

Interesting

[The Peregrine Chick]

All the nesting action may be going on on the east side of the building but the real excitement happens about 0500h on the webcam on the west side.  Every night Ivy roosts on the edge of the nestbox and I haven't been able to figure out if he's doing it because for the first time he isn't nesting in the box so he's guarding it or whether its just his preference.  I think its the former.  At about 0500h the last few mornings, he gets dive bombed by what looks like peregrines.  Its a blur and a flash in the dark but that's what the silhouette looks like.  And he doesn't budge.  They take a few high-speed flybys and he holds his ground then after a bit he leaves ... to follow or because he feels he can leave I couldn't say.  But he leaves and no one turns up at the box or in the box or at the ledge or on the sign, the box is basically empty and alone all day unless Ivy comes back to hang out on it, which he mostly doesn't.  Or at least not until about 2200h, when he parks himself on the box edge and remains there pretty much all night until the 0500h bombing run.  Now, if I had to take a guess, I would say this was Cowboy trying to assert a little dominance but it doesn't seem to be working.  One scenario I am going to have to check out though is that the bomber might be his female wanting him to take over on the eggs, but that would be highly out-of-the-ordinary.  We don't have a recorder on the east-side camera yet, but we will soon, and I'll hopefully be able to check both sides at the same time.  Or I'll just have to get up a oh-dark-thirty and watch it in person ... 

[newchick]

Pam & F2F - your pics are great - love the one with the cat! Last year the crows were landing on the balcony tormenting one of my cats.

The sun is supposed to come out today, but it sure doesn't look like it now

  Yes, I agree.  Nice pictures.  I too love the cat/falcon pictures.  The juxtaposition of the scenario can be felt.  TPC have we had any luck identifying the "hen" yet that's up at the Radisson this year?

[Jo]

Pam & F2F - your pics are great - love the one with the cat! Last year the crows were landing on the balcony tormenting one of my cats.

The sun is supposed to come out today, but it sure doesn't look like it now