MN / Great Spirit Bluff - 2016-22

[The Peregrine Chick]

TPC I'm confused by Chance and her refusal to fledge. She hatched on May 31st. Newman and Zooey are doing their best to encourage her to take flight. 

https://explore.org/livecams/raptor-resource-project/falcon-nest-cam

If she hatched May 31st she is 48 days old which isn't overly long for a female chick.  If it were 58 days I'd be more concerned ...

In the old days we used to say the norm for fledging was 35-40 days for males, 40-45 days for females. Over the last very many years we know that this is just a general average.

We have small chicks and have males and females fledge regularly between 35-38 days.

We have had solo chicks that fledge as soon as they can which is very often way before they "should".

And we have some who take longer because they are literally bigger, or won't leave their siblings or just don't want to fly yet.  We had chicks stay past 50 days - as I recall, Vesper who got grounded after fledge on time from the nestledge stayed in the nest box and on the ledge after we returned her until day 55 or thereabouts - so another two weeks. 

The Radisson chicks this year fledged together at 41-42 days of age ... neither is particularly large but they didn't show any real interest (maybe because of the heat?) and then were unwilling to fledge without the other. They haven't had any problems so waiting suited them.

If she were one of our birds I would just sit back and keep any eye on her. Her parents may be willing to tolerate/indulge her for the moment, but they will eventually go to tough love.

Do keep us in the loop on Chance ... she'll eventually chance it 😉

[GCG]

TPC I'm confused by Chance and her refusal to fledge. She hatched on May 31st. Newman and Zooey are doing their best to encourage her to take flight. 

https://explore.org/livecams/raptor-resource-project/falcon-nest-cam

[The Peregrine Chick]

Couple more weeks and Chance will likely be too big and feisty for GHOWs to risk coming up against her if they want to stay unscathed.

As a solo, likely her parents are a bit more attentive (she's likely more demanding than if she had siblings). It is also likely that she won't wait at all once she thinks she's old enough to fledge. Solos don't like being on their own ....

Will be interesting to see what happens .... good luck Chance!

[GCG]

The lone chick, known as Chance was banded yesterday and is a female. I hope this chick will grow to fledge successfully. Last year, the 2 chicks were taken by GHO's.

[GCG]

Have not been on this site in awhile. I know that only 2 eggs hatched and 1 died. The surviving chick has grown to the present gangly stage. I can only hope it lives to fledge. Last year, the 2 chicks were taken from the nest by GHO's. 

[GCG]

At long last, the 1st of the 3 eggs has hatched and Zooey is snacking on the shell. It is doubtful the 1st egg, laid April 16th is viable since she never began incubating until the 2nd was laid on April 26th followed by a 3rd shortly thereafter. Hopefully there will not be a repeat of last year when the chicks were snatched by a GHO.

[GCG]

Hmmm interesting case ... I think I would be inclined to think that egg 1 is from an earlier liaison. I have found that most of our new pairings take longer to court in the spring than our already established pairs when they first return.  We did have something similar a few years ago when we had eggs in the west side nest box as eggs were being laid on the east side ledge at the Radisson.

RCF captured Zooey laying the first egg : April 16, 2021, 15:45 and posted.
The 2nd egg was laid April 27th, followed soon after by a 3rd. she (mainly) and Newman share incubation duties.
I still question if the 1st is viable since neither of them remained in the nest until the 2nd arrived. But........

[The Peregrine Chick]

Hmmm interesting case ... I think I would be inclined to think that egg 1 is from an earlier liaison. I have found that most of our new pairings take longer to court in the spring than our already established pairs when they first return.  We did have something similar a few years ago when we had eggs in the west side nest box as eggs were being laid on the east side ledge at the Radisson.

[GCG]

The resident male Newman arrived early as usual. There were an abundance of females, including Nova, the resident female who later had a territorial fight with Nina.  Prior to the fight Newman "got busy".
Juvie - 02/25
Nova - 02/25
66/N - 02/27

Lisa 53/W - 03/04
Amhran 92/X - 03/05
Nina M/04 - 03/07
Following the territorial fight, both Nina and Nova vanished and UB7 showed up. Newman was enchanted, now named Zooey and she is now the resident female.

[The Peregrine Chick]

1st and 2nd eggs were laid 11 days apart. And now a 3rd egg this morning.  Since there was virtually no incubation after the 1st, I thought this nest would not be successful this season. And now? Zooey began incubating in earnest after the 2nd egg was laid. She appears to be following her instincts now. 

Was there a change over in mates here? Or a fight? or??  Do we know when these two were first seen together?

[GCG]

1st and 2nd eggs were laid 11 days apart. And now a 3rd egg this morning.  Since there was virtually no incubation after the 1st, I thought this nest would not be successful this season. And now? Zooey began incubating in earnest after the 2nd egg was laid. She appears to be following her instincts now. 

[The Peregrine Chick]

TPC Is is possible for a 2nd egg to be laid 11 days after the 1st?  And I seriously doubt the 1st is viable. Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

There are actually two questions here ... which of 2 eggs laid 11 days apart might be viable?  Good question.  The eggs are sort of inert (if you will) until incubation start though they do need to be kept at a minimum warmth/coolth (ya, know that isn't a word, but you get my meaning) before incubation begins.  It can take up to a week between the first and last egg in a nest and incubation usually starts 5-6 days after egg 1.  Will be interesting to see what happens here ... going to rely on someone to report on what does happen 

[GCG]

TPC Is is possible for a 2nd egg to be laid 11 days after the 1st?  And I seriously doubt the 1st is viable. Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

[GCG]

Just when it looked as though there was no hope for a 2nd egg, sometime last night Zooey laid an egg. A video (in comments) shows her laying the egg. I'm shocked. There are now 2 eggs and Zooey is incubating. I'm happy to say..."I was wrong!"

https://explore.org/livecams/falcons/peregrine-falcon-cam

[GCG]

I seriously doubt there will be another egg and this lone egg is not viable. The lone egg was laid a week ago. It it were viable, I think Zooey would be incubating consistently but sadly, she is not. At times Newman is incubating more than she, but even he does not stay long.