Tower Nest - 2013 / ? & ?

[Kinderchick]

Very, very interesting discussion between you two, TPC & RCF. Lots to think about, both from the bird's perspective and the Recovery Project's perspective.

[The Peregrine Chick]

I was just thinking about the nest box that was installed in late Oct 2011.  They wouldn't be able to see much from that location if it is sitting on a roof floor. It was my understanding that the falcons like to see what is going on outside as far as they could see.  It seems to me that they prefer this north location better.....they can see for miles in three directions. 

Actually the roof nestbox is close to the edge of the roof its just hard to see and it's at about the same height as the catwalk on the towers.  They've been making scrapes in the box both this year and last, so it is of some interest.  And its higher, got more view than the West Winnipeg site and we can't nuke those birds off there! 

Technically, every site is different.  We know the birds like the catwalks on the towers at this site, but we can't access the catwalks but we can access the roof, so from a project perspective, if we can get the birds interested in a rooftop nestbox that would be a good thing.  So the nestbox is within site of the catwalks, about the same height and in a safe location.  If they did/do nest on the catwalks, the box is also close enough that if we had to/wanted to move them for safety's sake (remember the last chicks were predated from the catwalk) then we could and the parents wouldn't have any problem making the move. 

As for the cubby, it is a decent location though a bit small for growing chicks and it could be a very messy nestsite but hopefully our box design will help reduce that and the risk of bacterial/fungal infections from one year to the next. On the downside the cubby faces north so it is very exposed to bad weather (wind and rain).  Wild peregrine nests tend not to be north-facing and in fact recovery project nest siting guidelines were to avoid north facing boxes/sites.  However, if that is where they want to nest, we will work to find a way to keep them, their chicks and their nest safe.

[RCF]

I was just thinking about the nest box that was installed in late Oct 2011.  They wouldn't be able to see much from that location if it is sitting on a roof floor. It was my understanding that the falcons like to see what is going on outside as far as they could see.  It seems to me that they prefer this north location better.....they can see for miles in three directions. 

[The Peregrine Chick]

When you were there did you put anything in the opening that they can scrape or is it just a bare floor? 

It is still bare floor.  What can't be seen from your photo is that there is a second half to that cubby behind the back wall that is visible.  In order to be able to access the box and the chicks safely, we've had to custom design a box that fits, is accessible, transportable and which is 4-season - the inside of the cubby opens into the building so it has to be winter-proof.  Once we are sure they are actually nesting there we can get either a temporary box under them or the final box around them without the parents abandoning the eggs.

I should say that if they haven't started laying, an earlier report from the site had them interested in the ravens' nest and apparently they have been in the nestbox on the roof as well.  Hopefully they will choose a site soon and we will know whether we need/can get a box under/around them.

Looking forward to your next photos ... 

[RCF]

When you were there did you put anything in the opening that they can scrape or is it just a bare floor? 

[The Peregrine Chick]

I'm thinking they are going to or already have laid eggs in this opening in the wall on the north side. I managed to get a photo of them bowing to each other.  I read they usually do this over the scrape where they are going to lay eggs.

Courtship:
The birds “bow” to each other by leaning forward with their heads low and their tails held high. They make an “ee-chupping” sound. Both the male and female bow and vocalize over the scrape and may touch bills. The male offers food to the female, which takes it from his talons or beak, often accompanied by ee-chups or loud vocalizations.

http://falconcam.travelers.com/falcon-behaviors.html

Great photos RCF! 

Usually the adults are past the bowing in the scrape stage before they start laying is our experience but that may just be because our birds are all experienced and returning pairs.  Remembering the copulation we were watching back when we installed the cams at McKenzie Seeds, I would say they were just getting started at that time.  Add three weeks minimum to get the "buns in the oven" and yup, they could be starting to lay or they may be starting in the next week and this bowing is the end of the pre-lay stage since this is a new pair at this location.

Next task will be to watch for when they start incubating .... 

[RCF]

I'm thinking they are going to or already have laid eggs in this opening in the wall on the north side. I managed to get a photo of them bowing to each other.  I read they usually do this over the scrape where they are going to lay eggs.

Courtship:
The birds “bow” to each other by leaning forward with their heads low and their tails held high. They make an “ee-chupping” sound. Both the male and female bow and vocalize over the scrape and may touch bills. The male offers food to the female, which takes it from his talons or beak, often accompanied by ee-chups or loud vocalizations.

http://falconcam.travelers.com/falcon-behaviors.html

 

 

[Rose]

Spent an hour or so out at Victoria avenue east around noon. Lots of action on the north side of the building (river side), lots of aerial displays, soaring, hovering in mid air, harassing the Raven chicks or maybe the workmen?? . All the time we were there, one or both of the Falcons were in the framed hole on the north side. They didn't seem to go near the area where the nest box has been placed (south building roof)

[RCF]

This morning we saw one of the falcons in the cubby hole on the north side of the building, it then flew out and around to the north tower on the top catwalk. Then a few minutes later another showed up with a food gift for the bird on the north tower then went and perched on the railing of the south tower to preen.  So I am assuming the bird on the north catwalk was female from their behavior.

Male
 

Female
 

[The Peregrine Chick]

 
Here we think the male is banded and the female is not but we aren't sure as the birds were flying and perching and flying and copulating in and around the towers so we aren't sure who was flying based on what we saw copulating.  What we are pretty sure of is that the banded bird had a black band on its right leg and a silver band on its left.

Well, I was a little confused about the banded bird.....if it was male or female ?

We were confused too and perhaps still are.    Dennis and I were looking at the photos at the Tower and we think the male is banded not the female, not the other way around.  But we don't have size as a consistent marker because of the shell game the birds were playing when we were there.  So looking at the feet/wrists, how the band looks, the kind of plumage on the bird, trying to assess relative size on/from a photo, we think that the female is unbanded and the male is banded.  Or we might still be confused 

[RCF]

And yes, Dennis has photos and maybe we might be able to identify the female, but we will have to wait and see.  The female was not being highly appreciative of Dennis' presence and desire to photograph her, but he did manage to get a glimpse or two I believe.

 
Here we think the male is banded and the female is not but we aren't sure as the birds were flying and perching and flying and copulating in and around the towers so we aren't sure who was flying based on what we saw copulating.  What we are pretty sure of is that the banded bird had a black band on its right leg and a silver band on its left.

Well, I was a little confused about the banded bird.....if it was male or female ?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Hopefully Dennis's photo's will tell us which one is banded.

Which one?  we think the male. 
Who it is?  Dennis answered that one perfectly 

[photosbydennis]

grrrrr...no such luck    

[RCF]

Hopefully Dennis's photo's will tell us which one is banded.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Okay, same as with the Portage birds - one banded, one unbanded.  Here we think the male is banded and the female is not but we aren't sure as the birds were flying and perching and flying and copulating in and around the towers so we aren't sure who was flying based on what we saw copulating.  What we are pretty sure of is that the banded bird had a black band on its right leg and a silver band on its left.