NSW - Charles Sturt University - 2018 / Xavier & Diamond

[burdi]

Juvenile returns home

Published 18 November, 2018 | By Cilla Kinross

One of the juveniles, Gaama (the female) I think, based on the size compared to the adults, who were doing a lovely dancing courtship just before she arrived.  Here are the links

Video, parents courting and juvenile arriving (ledge cam) https://youtu.be/KwVOhxUB4Pg

Video: parents courting and juvenile (nest cam) https://youtu.be/aAgIBzcbGYc

Video:  juvenile leaving https://youtu.be/XNKGsuOSZyA


And a couple from Friday night, while I was watching flight training

       

Diamond - on the left ... and (Cilla thinks) this is Budhin - on the right

How beautifully they posed for Cilla!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.  Let’s hope we get a few more visits!

Direct link to this entire update by Cilla Kinross

Courtesy of FalconCam Project

[Alison]

I’ve been watching the chicks flying between the roost tree and the top of the tower every afternoon.  They are both flying really well and there is no reason why they shouldn’t visit the box.  But sometimes they don’t come back.  There doesn’t seem to be any reason why or why not.   Usually they come in looking for leftovers, but they might be so well fed, there is no need.

Thank you for posting the updates and pics, burdi! It's great to see the fledglings doing so well.

At least one of the fledglings has now made it back to the nest box, and is at the nest right now! Can't tell which one.

[burdi]

Nice sunset photo in this update. 

Flight training

Published 16 November, 2018 | By Cilla Kinross

I’ve been watching the chicks flying between the roost tree and the top of the tower every afternoon.  They are both flying really well and there is no reason why they shouldn’t visit the box.  But sometimes they don’t come back.  There doesn’t seem to be any reason why or why not.   Usually they come in looking for leftovers, but they might be so well fed, there is no need.

These photos were from yesterday afternoon and evening.   Have a lovely weekend everyone.    Cilla

Diamond, landing

All four in tree at sunset

Click here to go directly to entire update which includes more photos by Cilla Kinross.

Courtesy of FalconCam Project

[burdi]

Decamped to roost tree

Published 12 November, 2018 | By Cilla Kinross

The family spent a few days on the water tower – with no juveniles accessing the scrape – before moving holus bolus to the a small copse of trees in paddock just out of sight of the ledge cam – just up and to the left a bit.  They have used these trees for roosting and flight training in previous years, but usually they spend a few days or up to a week in the trees opposite the tower.   This year stage has almost been by-passed!

The photos show Budhin, Gaama, Gaama, Gaama in her tree, all three (left to right: Xavier, Budhin and Diamond) in the dead roost tree, Xavier, and three of Diamond (two in flight, not the greatest pictures, I’m afraid).

Gaama near roost tree

Budhin on branch of roost tree

Gaama in her tree

Xavier, Budhin and Diamond in dead roost tree

I think they will now spend a week or so between these trees and the tower, while building their flight skills.   The parents will hunt and then drop the prey to give the youngsters practice at catching prey in the air before starting to hunt themselves.  They don’t seem that interested in hunting yet.  I watched potential prey birds come and go at will from their roost tree yesterday (when these photos were taken).

This is quite a dangerous time for juveniles.   Collisions with power lines and trees are not unknown.  We had one youngster hit a tree while chasing prey and hurt her leg. This apparently healed itself according to a witness, although I still have my doubts about that…. They will also get more aggressive to humans (particularly me!).   They will also start to move further afield as their skills increase, but I think we will have the pleasure of their company for a while yet.  And they could still visit the nest box (they usually do), often chasing a parent with prey.   Our box is not a particularly easy target for landing, however (compared to the top of the tower, or a tree, for instance).

Here is a video of a changover of adults in the box very early this morning (Xavier arrives and leaves, Diamond arrives), followed by juveniles apparently chasing Xavier (you’ll have to look hard, as they are very small!).

https://youtu.be/oslrZQfzQzc

I’ll be out and about most afternoons on foot with my camera to try and get some photos.  Diamond is not at all happy with this approach, so my visits have to be short for this reason.

I’ll update this site every couple of days or so, unless there is something dramatic.  The live youtube stream is still busy with chat and I’m updating the google hangout as well.

I haven’t included all of Cilla’s photos, but you can click here to go directly to this update.

Courtesy of FalconCam Project

[carly]

Wonderful news!  Thanks for sharing that!

[burdi]

Wonderful news in this update from Cilla!

All four safe, high on the tower

Published 8 November, 2018 | By Cilla Kinross

For the first time that I can remember, I have the whole family on the roof.   This was just half an hour ago.   Not much of a photo of the four of them, but does provide some evidence that we can say that the fledge was successful.  It takes quite a strong juvenile to fly all the way up to the top of the tower.

Four on the tower

 

Entire update with more photos by Cilla Kinross can be seen here

Courtesy of FalconCam Project

[burdi]

How nice to see an update from Scott. 

A brief visitation to Orange campus library window

Published 7 November, 2018 | By Scott Banks

This morning one of the two fledglings mysteriously appeared at the window to the CSU Orange campus Learning Commons. Wary of people walking past but also quite tolerant, and no-one disturbed the personal space. It’s not often peregrines venture this close to humans! It’s a rainy day so it was a great spot under the eaves to stay dry, but has now flown off. An unidentified adult was watching from up on the soaking wet tower overhead but there was no cause for alarm. The lightning storm above Orange last night didn’t affect campus power, nor the peregrines.

         

Entire update by Scott Banks can be seen here

Courtesy of FalconCam Project

[burdi]

Many thanks for the updates on these two very cute litte chicks, burdi!

Both of them fledged yesterday. I did not see them fledge, since YouTube would only provide hang-and-spin-on-black yesterday. 

Cilla has now posted an update, and has rescued Budhin from the ground.

I hope Gaama is also okay.

Thank you for the update, Alison. Those cute little chicks have sure grown!

I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having trouble watching YouTube. I was able to watch the chicks fledge on rewind and each fledge looked great to me!

Love those photos by Cilla!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Diamond is at the nest right now. I wonder why she is spending the night there, instead of staying with her fledglings.

Our birds do this too.  Particularly at the Radisson and Logan - the adults sit often sit through the night at/on the nestbox after the kids have fledged.  Usually turn up before sunset, may make a last flight around and then will be gone dawn/pre-dawn the next morning.  Mostly our adults don't actually hang out with the kids once they have fledged.  They might be sitting nearby (usually much higher) keeping an eye on the kid, but when we spot kids, very rarely is Mom or Dad within a 100 metres of them unless the kid has flown to where Mom or Dad is sitting and Mom/Dad have decided to stay in place despite the kid(s) presence.

[Alison]

Diamond is at the nest right now. I wonder why she is spending the night there, instead of staying with her fledglings.

[Alison]

Many thanks for the updates on these two very cute litte chicks, burdi!

Both of them fledged yesterday. I did not see them fledge, since YouTube would only provide hang-and-spin-on-black yesterday. 

Cilla has now posted an update, and has rescued Budhin from the ground. Photos from the site.

Budhin on the ground:



What a handsome little fledgling he is:





I hope Gaama is also okay.

More pics and videos at the link:

http://www.gumtreecs.com.au/wordpress/and-theyre-off/

[burdi]

This morning, Budhin (I think) was back on the ledge again. They’re getting a lot of exercise by running back and forth across the nest and when food is dropped off it seems that Gaama is usually the first to grab it, though I’ve also seen Budhin grab it first. Gaama got the food first this morning and ate peacefully for a while, then Budhin took over after winning in a tug-of-war!

So they’re getting along well and learning to eat pretty good on their own, but at times they still need and enjoy some help from a parent - such as when Diamond fed both of them at 9:34 am.

[burdi]

Xavier and Diamond sure have to be careful as the kids often keep trying to bite at them, especially when they stop by without food! Although, I think Diamond has been doing an excellent job of handling them. She’s very experienced - and brave too!

Yesterday morning the chicks were wingercizing and their fluff was flying all over the place, then Budhin sat on the ledge for a couple of minutes. I don’t know if that was the first time he tried out the ledge, but it was the first time I saw him there.

[Alison]

Wing and tail feathers are now coming in:

 

[Alison]

Two well behaved chicks:

 

After being fed, each chick found some leftovers to work on: