NSW - Charles Sturt University - 2017 / Xavier & Diamond

[burdi]

Update - Father and son

Published 21 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Very little prey coming in to the box in the last few days, just a grey lump, grabbed by Bali, who left with it.      Here he is, on another occasion, giving Dad a hard time.



VIDEO  20171121 father and son ledge
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171121-father-and-son-ledge.avi

VIDEO 20171121 father and son nest
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171121-father-and-son-nest.avi

You are probably wondering where Marragaay is, and so am I.   I’m not that confident it was her in the box, despite the measurements.  I think the camera has moved slightly and all the birds seem bigger than before.    I spent an hour in the woods opposite today and I’m pretty sure the family was elsewhere as all was quiet.

Anyway, I’ll keep looking and will let you know as soon as I get a good sighting.   We do know she fledged okay and is off the ground.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/father-and-son/

[burdi]

Update - days 4 and 5 since fledging

Published 17 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

It’s all good news.     I checked the time of the sighting of Marragaay yesterday and the willie wagtail saga and Bali was safely tucked up in the box at that time, so that’s a relief ie it must be her.   I’ve been down to try and find her based on Scott’s description, and it seems she’s moved on (those pesky wagtails are enough to drive anyone to depart).   At least she’s obviously made her way back to the woodland from the front gate, so is heading in the right direction, and is off the ground.

Bali goes from strength to strength with repeated excursions from the box, but getting quite pampered and very cheeky.    He’s mantling regularly and doesn’t seem comfortable eating until the adult has left, but is happy still to be fed by mum when in the mood.

Here he is nagging Diamond for food and being fed until she leaves with her prey.

Does she look better upside down, Bali?

VIDEO 20171117 ledge B nags Di
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171117-ledge-B-nags-Di-.avi

VIDEO 20171117 nest B amd Di
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171117-nest-B-amd-Di.avi

A severe thunderstorm warming for Orange is current, but I’ve just had a look at the radar website, and I think it’s going to miss us  (famous last words!).

Our choir is performing the Mozart’s Requiem with Orange Symphony Orchestra this weekend, so I have practices tonight and tomorrow, as well as the performance on Sunday afternoon (fingers crossed!), so may not get out here until Monday.   But I’m feeling quite relieved that both birds are on track.

Enjoy your weekend.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/update-days-4-and-5-since-fledging/

[burdi]

Update - The tiny scourge of the trees

Published 16 November, 2017 | By Scott Banks

It’s tough enough having to leap from 50 metres up in the air, with a solid roof below you and grass a bit too far away to jump in one bound. But when you finally manage to fly away from the danger of the water tower and safely alight a branch, which you’ll call yours for a day or two, someone else already  owns it. We caught a rogue fantail harassing our new fledgling, just because the branch was a bit close to the nest. And didn’t the fantail ensure our peregrine chick knew about it!

Peregrine fledgling with cheeky fantail (expand with a click)

We later identified the culprit, last seen wearing a black mask and black leggings, wandering up the dirt track, still wary of the large intruder up above. The fledgling actually tried a large distracting loop around the back of the tower and back in to the trees again, but was harassed by various fantails at different points in the lap, only to find the initial culprit was still guarding the nest!

At the same time there was a peregrine disturbance down the paddock further, near the pine trees, but couldn’t quite see as the issue was hidden just behind a hillock. With the parents around the tower these two peregrine youngsters should do well this season.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/the-tiny-scourge-of-the-trees/

Check out the above link to view Scott's "expand with a click" photos (they're huge!).

[burdi]

Update - Bali catches up

Published 16 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Bali has revisted the box three times since he has fledged.   And, whilst it is likely that the parents have found and are feeding Marragaay, Bali is getting lots of attention, too.   Since he returned on 14th he has had at least three juvenile starlings (from Xavier), 2 unidentified, (one possibly a large honeyeater), 1 pigeon (Diamond) and he has definitely grown.   Going by my rather crude screen measurements, he is pretty much as tall and wide as Xavier now.  And feisty!   Here is seeing off Xavier after grabbing the prey.  This was yesterday

VIDEO  15_11_2017 Bali sees off Xavier nesthttp://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/15_11_2017-Bali-sees-off-Xavier-nest.avi



VIDEO  20171115 Bali sees off Xavier ledge
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171115-Bali-sees-off-Xavier.avi

Today it has been raining, but not that hard.   At 1.15 pm Bali left and returned again to the box in a rather inelegant fashion.


Not the best landing, but safe and sound

VIDEO   20171116 crooked landing
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171116-crooked-landing.avi

I think I mentioned that I did find Marragaay yesterday.   She had worked her way down to near the  main entrance and was sitting on some pipes, not far off the ground.   I did try and catch her, but she is flying weakly, but okay, so she too off.  Unfortunately, she went out of my sight very quickly, so I wasn’t able to gauge the distance travelled, but she wasn’t flying high, so probably not very far.    She seemed fine.    I haven’t seen her since, despite considerable searching, but am expecting her to find her way back to the park opposite the nest box within a day or two.


Hello, Marragaay, how did you get here?

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/bali-catches-up/

[burdi]

Meanwhile, back at the nest, Bali was being fed by Diamond, however, soon after finishing his meal at 1536 hrs AEDT he suddenly picked up the remains and flew off with them! Diamond seemed to look a bit surprised and just sat on the ledge looking out for a while, but now I see that she is gone and Bali is back, relaxing.

[burdi]

Marragaay still hasn’t been spotted since yesterday, but Cilla will have another look around this afternoon. I was pleased to hear she had some help yesterday!

Cilla Kinross says:   
15 November, 2017 at 1:50 pm   

I’ve had young males that have needed assistance, too, so I don’t think one can draw conclusions from such a small data set. However, I’ll have a look at others’ work and see what they say and whether our finding support them.

Perhaps the more important question is: when do they fledge. If a bit before time, then females in particular are likely to struggle because they mature more slowly (you can tell by her fluffiness that she wasn’t really quite ready, I think).

And no, I wasn’t up early; sometimes insomnia gets the better of me. I’m now very dozy!

I’ll go and have another scout around this afternoon. There’s some quite heavy rain forecast.

[burdi]

Thank you, Alison. I’m also surprised to see that Bali made it back to the nest so soon! However, now I’m worried about Marragaay especially if she’s near the ground; Cilla had mentioned ground predators in that area (some time ago).

[burdi]

Cilla Kinross says:   
14 November, 2017 at 4:45 pm   

And we’ve found Marragaay, too. She was down near the water tanks below Dentistry, sitting on water pipe, just off the ground. She took off as I approached (to place her in a tree with a ladder) and flew towards the front entrance.

We (Tiffany and I) had a good look around, but couldn’t see her. She wasn’t flying that strongly, so didn’t go very far. She might have landed in some long grass and be well hidden.

I took a photo with my iphone, so will try and load that tomorrow.

A thunderstorm is brewing, so she might have a wet, hungry night.
Bali, however, is tucking into dinner in the eyrie, all creature comforts cared for! Having said that, the parents knew where she was I think as they were acting agitated when we were near her.

Cilla Kinross says:   
14 November, 2017 at 6:29 pm   

She would have been better off to have waited a couple of days and may have strained her wings a bit in that long first flight, but I’m sure she’ll be okay. Will keep an eye out for her.

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/bali-goes-home/

[burdi]

Update - Bali goes home

Published 14 November, 2017 | By Cilla Kinross

Well, I didn’t have to look for him for long.  He’s come back to the nest and is sitting there as I type, looking like Lord Muck.    This is not unheard of, but fairly unusual, particular so fast after fledging.   It’s a really long flight uphill for a young bird!

Now we just have to find Marragaay.    The bird spotted in the trees earlier this morning was probably this one as the observer (who is very experienced) said she thought it was probably the male.

Thanks to all those eyes out there helping to spot our youngsters.


Well, we know there’s nothing wrong with his flight
                   abilities – or his hunger!

VIDEO 20171114 Bali comes home
http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171114-Bali-comes-home.avi



Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/bali-goes-home/

[burdi]

Here’s another great YouTube video by Scott Banks, though I’m not sure why he cut it so short.

Two very bored peregrine eyases

[burdi]

Wow! Marragaay rules in Scott’s "midnight feast" video!

[burdi]

Update - More peregrine highlights, as we farewell the two fledglings for 2017

Published 13 November, 2017 | By Scott Banks

A couple more video (with audio) clips here from the past 2-3 days:

Marragaay’s dinner time, without sibling interruptions (great shot of feathers)

Marragaay’s midnight feast (the new IR illuminator is working so well)

Night time can be lonely when on one’s own

(apologies for mixing up the two descriptions and titles for the two fledgling launch videos previously; all fixed!)

Marragaay and adult Xavier

Source: http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/more-peregrine-highlights-as-we-farewell-the-two-fledglings-for-2017/

[Alison]

Thank you so much for the updates, Burdi! They are much appreciated.

I was able to access the ledge cam a few minutes ago, and there was Bali, back in the nest, looking quite relaxed! Very well done for the little guy to make it back to the nest so soon. I hope Marragaay is also safe, wherever she is.

[burdi]

Marragaay’s fledge - YouTube video by Scott Banks

2nd peregrine chick for 2017, Marragaay, bolts for the trees

[burdi]

Bali’s fledge - YouTube video by Scott Banks

Peregrine chick Bali departs the eyrie