Author Topic: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess  (Read 109553 times)

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Offline moka

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #29 on: March 18, 2016, 19:07 »
I agree, that crown does look like OUR Princess. Here's hoping that since the construction cranes are gone, she will be more amenable to the nice, comfy nest box. Fingers crossed.

Offline bcbird

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #28 on: March 17, 2016, 16:35 »
Ooh, that back of the head does look familiar!

There was a lot of rather "princessy" yakking going on as she inspected the snow between her perch and the nestbox floor.

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #27 on: March 17, 2016, 14:16 »
The ONLY reason I would hope it's not Princess is that she seems to have a frustrating love of the dreaded East Ledge for nesting.  :( - But she is our legendary Monarch, so how can I NOT hope it's her? Here's hoping for Princess - and that she makes good choices this season!  :P

She's pretty good at switching between the two sites ... 2013 was her last year with Ivy and it was on the ledge (Tenzing & Hillary), 2014 first year with Smiley who loves the nestbox it seems (Vimy & Chapelle) and 2015 was on the ledge with a sad ending that would have been much sadder a week to 10 days later.  So maybe this year, she'll come west - particularly now that the cranes are gone from the construction site across the road.  One of the birds has already been spotted by Dennis using the Alt Hotel sign!!  (we have to take his word for it though - it was much too foggy to see anything with the camera that day!  ;) ;D)

Or you can pray for rain on and off for the next 2-3 weeks - a damp nestledge vs a nice dry nestbox might be enough to convince her.  Have to wait for the snow to leave the box though - she wasn't keen about wading through the snow to get to the dance floor at the back (where there is not so much as a snowflake).

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #26 on: March 17, 2016, 14:11 »
Here is a decent screen capture despite the flat light that makes me think that perhaps Princess may be home ...



... but she's had lots of girls over the years, though so far no one has had a crown like hers ... will keep working on getting that band number. 

Both their band numbers though I'm 99% sure the male is Smiley - have 2 of 3 digits confirmed which means the odds are more than good.

Offline susha

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #25 on: March 17, 2016, 13:26 »
Maybe Smiley can be more persuasive this year ;)


Offline ballywing

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #24 on: March 17, 2016, 12:58 »
The ONLY reason I would hope it's not Princess is that she seems to have a frustrating love of the dreaded East Ledge for nesting.  :( - But she is our legendary Monarch, so how can I NOT hope it's her? Here's hoping for Princess - and that she makes good choices this season!  :P

Offline moka

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #23 on: March 17, 2016, 11:06 »
Your eyes must be tired in the spring.

So, we watch, or you watch and we wait...

Here's hoping it's our pair.

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #22 on: March 17, 2016, 10:35 »
Saw some light coloured feathers on the back of the female's head this morning when she finally decided to hang out on the nestbox edge but can't say that it is Princess, the light was just not good enough to tell.  She does have bands on the right feet (coloured band vs USFWS) but I can only say that the coloured band is dark, not if it is black, black/red or black/green.  Why is this important?  Black - definitely not Princess, probably another Manitoba female.  Black/red - not Princess unless the red is blood from a meal covering the bottom half of her band (unlikely) but it could be Joli from West Winnipeg.  Black/green - definitely could be Princess but need to read the numbers as she is not the only female with a black/green leg band.

Who ever she is, she is friendly with the male who I'm pretty convinced is Smiley, just missing a clear look at one number on his leg band.  Pretty friendly but not so inclined to come dance with him in the nestbox if it meant wading through the snow!  video = https://t.co/1OSWTzfzS3

Offline newchick

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #21 on: March 14, 2016, 15:02 »
How exciting!  Think "Nestbox" this year please.

Offline Kinderchick

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #20 on: March 14, 2016, 00:26 »
This is great news! The season has begun. :D

Offline bev.

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #19 on: March 13, 2016, 18:43 »
yeah. I hope ours wait a bit though. I ma not ready

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #18 on: March 13, 2016, 13:40 »
Top digit on the male's band is a W so am pretty confident that Smiley is back - just nice to get a look at the bottom numbers to confirm - could be the light making it harder to read on the green part of his band, could be the cam dome is a little messy from the long winter (we clean all the cams when we do spring housekeeping on the nestbox) or it could be that the bottom half of his band is more worn in which case it will be increasingly difficult to read his band each year.  Whatever the reason, we'll get him positively identified but I think it is him.

Will let you know when I get even a half decent look at those bottom numbers/letters.

Haven't see the female at all today - could just be the weather or maybe she was just passing through.  Not unusual for us not to see the female at the next box often or well-enough in the first couple of weeks after they return - there are lots of places to sit and until she's ready to entertain his advances in the box, we may not get a good look at her.  But we'll keep trying, nice to at least get a peak at the colour of her leg bands.

Offline ballywing

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #17 on: March 12, 2016, 18:52 »
Oh Wow, didn't expect that so soon  :o - wonder who they are?? - Welcome back... and whatever you do - NEST ON THE WEST!!  ;D

Offline Pam

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2016, 17:50 »
And we're off for another season!

Offline RCF

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Re: Radisson - 2016 / Smiley & Princess
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2016, 16:41 »
 :) 8)