Radisson - 2014 / Smiley & Princess

[Helen b]

 :(mom just removed the damaged egg from the nest. 

[Liz]

the chicks sure have plumped up in the last 24 hours!  And I agree, Smiley is doing a great job.  He's funny to watch this evening.   

[bccs]

Big Daddy Smiley is minding the kids right now.
He's had a great day with them, thanks Princess.

[bccs]

Hey Dagny,

It doesn't take long to learn, Just keep up with the posts of the old timers.
That's how I did it. And these people have a wealth of knowledge that they are most happy to share.
The members of the forum are great, and most willing to help out.

[Dagny]

Hey Dagny,

Two chicks an two eggs. The one by the back wall is a shell from one of the hatched chicks.

Bccs

Thanks, Bccs.  This is only my second year of observing and I obviously have a lot to learn.  

Dagny

[bccs]

Smiley is back on the chicks and eggs after the feeding.  
In all these years, I have never seen Princess step back so much from the nest so soon.
Wow, wonder what this means?   

[bccs]

It looks to me as if there is one egg with the chicks and one over by the back wall.  I'm using Safari.  Does anyone see it better?
 

OK, Princess moved, now it looks more like 2 eggs with the chicks.

Hey Dagny,

Two chicks an two eggs. The one by the back wall is a shell from one of the hatched chicks.

Bccs

[Dagny]

It looks to me as if there is one egg with the chicks and one over by the back wall.  I'm using Safari.  Does anyone see it better?
 

OK, Princess moved, now it looks more like 2 eggs with the chicks.

[bccs]

Feeding time. If you have sound, you can hear Princess talk to them while she feeds them.
I'd love to get a grant to study these sounds, as a lot of them are repetitive but different in sequence and the kids respond to the different chups.

[bccs]

It must be a tad warm in the nest box right now. Smiley is on the chicks and eggs and is doing a little open beak panting.
He's had a lot of nest time today and is proving himself to be a great parent.

He sure is bccs. For all her snarkyness, Princess has chosen great males, Trey, Ivy and now Smiley.

Yup Moka.

Trey was great for his tidiness and devotion to the chicks, Ivy, wow, nobody went hungry -ever!

Smiley, well enough said, I am in love with him. 

[bccs]

For a first time Dad, this guy is amazing. He's been on the nest for a couple of hours now. He is hovering, not sitting on the chicks, he has his back to the sun so the kids aren't exposed to the direct sun and they are not too hot.
Hardwiring kicking in at it's finest.

Smiley, you rock.  

For anyone who is interested, I have discovered a sure fire way to distinguish Princess and Smiley when all you can see is the back of them.

[moka]

It must be a tad warm in the nest box right now. Smiley is on the chicks and eggs and is doing a little open beak panting.
He's had a lot of nest time today and is proving himself to be a great parent.

He sure is bccs. For all her snarkyness, Princess has chosen great males, Trey, Ivy and now Smiley.

[bccs]

It must be a tad warm in the nest box right now. Smiley is on the chicks and eggs and is doing a little open beak panting.
He's had a lot of nest time today and is proving himself to be a great parent.

[burdi]

Smiley sure talks to the kids a lot when he is on the nest. Way more than Princess.

Awww - what a sweet Daddy!

[bccs]

Smiley's on again and has been for about 1/2 hour.
Looks like Princess is relaxing about his skills.
He's alert and watching everything.