Author Topic: KS / Topeka - Westar - 2019-20  (Read 27821 times)

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Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #123 on: June 26, 2012, 15:27 »
From Topeka - lone chick died at fledging ... Edison was a great-grandkid of Trey & Princess (think I have the "greats" correct) ...

We're sorry to report that after a few flight attempts off our downtown Topeka rooftop, our young falcon, Edison, has been found deceased on the rooftop. It appears that after an unsuccessful flight attempt, he had a mishap that resulted in a neck injury that was fatal.  Peregrines may typically live to be 12 to 15 years old; however, the mortality rate for young falcons is higher than 50 percent.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to watch our falcons' progress this spring, submit and vote on your favorite falcon names and email us your feedback. Your interest and support of the falcons is heartwarming. We're hopeful for a more successful season next year. We'll continue to send updates on parents Nemaha and Boreas.

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #122 on: June 19, 2012, 10:03 »
From the folks in Topeka ...

About 10:45 a.m. Saturday, June 16, our male falcon chick left the nest box. He spent the morning running around the Westar building ledge. We had no sightings shortly after his departure, but are confident that he spent some time testing his wings in downtown Topeka.  Mom and dad will continue to help feed the chick and show him around until he is able to fend for himself.

The winning falcon name of Edison  was submitted by several watchers and was voted on the most times (40% of the vote).  Thank you to everyone that took the time to submit falcon names and for taking the time to vote for your favorite.

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #121 on: June 07, 2012, 14:48 »
Voting for chick names has started ...

Thank you for the name suggestions, there were well over 100 submitted. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just three.

Potential names:
  Lindbergh - After Charles Lindbergh, famous aviator
  Edison - Inventor of the lightbulb
  Topeka - In honor of the city. Was submitted several times.

Vote for your favorite name - Please, only one vote per person.  Link to vote:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S896X8H

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #120 on: June 03, 2012, 15:59 »
Here's the note I received from the Westar folks as well ....

We're sorry to report that this morning one of our falcon chicks took a fatal fall from the nestbox.

Even though the Peregrine Project has approved our current nestbox design, we're convinced  that changes can be made to hopefully lessen the chance of this happening in the future. We?ll make the changes after this falcon season. We'll continue to get the best advice we can and make adjustments to give our birds their best chance for survival.

Falcon chicks are commonly lost to falls in nature. Statistically, the mortality rate the first year is higher than 50%. We understand this is a sad time and there is a level of human emotion attached with the falcons. We would also like to remind everyone that these are wild creatures.

Offline RCF

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #119 on: June 02, 2012, 14:25 »
Tragedy at Topeka again the same chick fell but did not survive this time.   :'(

http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?p=193901#p193901

Offline GCG

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #118 on: June 02, 2012, 05:14 »
I would like to know why they were even disturbing the birds the day after they were banded?  Did they forget to do something on banding day...........seems kind of stressful for the birds.  :(

watch after we band the Radisson chicks next week, its a comforting sight when you work with them to see them get down to napping or eating or whatever relatively quickly after going back in the box - granted we try to facilitate that as much as we can.  When they start to fly however, it seems as though a switch is flipped, like their first flights reveal possibilities and options that they just couldn't conceive of - dealing with fledglings is entirely different.  A chick that 20 days before was acquiescent during banding will take chunks out of you when you retrieve them after going to ground at fledge time.


 ::) you wouldn't be talking from experience, would you, TPC? If memory serves, Winnipeg, summer 2010. Remember, keep your thumbs tucked in!  :o
« Last Edit: June 03, 2012, 15:33 by The Peregrine Chick »

Offline RCF

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #117 on: June 01, 2012, 15:42 »
Well, here's what happened yesterday and somebody else posted that sometimes spraying the chicks gets them wet and heavy so they won't be inclined to try and fly.

posted by kittenface
http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?p=193635#p193635

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #116 on: June 01, 2012, 09:48 »
I would like to know why they were even disturbing the birds the day after they were banded?  Did they forget to do something on banding day...........seems kind of stressful for the birds.  :(

With the use of webcams, the birds get "disturbed" alot less than they used to and in the wild, they get disturbed frequently by other birds and predators if they can get close.  The downside of the webcams is that they freak more, so get stressed more than they used to it seems (not enough data to say that for sure).  Peregrines and peregrine chicks aren't fragile we just don't like to needlessly disturb them.  Every nestsite and pair are different.  Jules and Beau are spooky easy to disturb and they really really get disturbed and stressed.  The Radisson birds generally not so much though the level of stress individual birds will put up with varies.  Princess is more easily stressed off the eggs/chicks than Trey was or Madame.  Together Madame and Trey would stay on the eggs pretty much no matter what happened.  Interestingly, before webcams we used to get hit by birds pretty regularly by one or the other or both of a pair.  Since webcams, it happens less, almost as though the birds aren't used to the disturbance so are still trying to figure out what the best response is to the "threat".  In the old days, you had to check the chicks at laying (twice, sometimes three times to get an accurate incubation start date) and then when they were hatching in order to get as accurate and age for banding.  After the first or second visit on the roof - say to check for a scrape and then after the first egg was laid, the pair knew who you were and where you were going to go - made it easy to determine a plan of attack (aka bombing run).

But back to your question RCF - 20 minutes or thereabouts to band and 5-10 minutes to spray the chicks and maybe another 10-20 minutes through the course of the season to adjust replace cameras, is not a problem if done efficiently and not at a time when the chicks could be negatively impacted by weather etc.  Working with the birds mean one should keep the disturbance you can control to a reasonable minimum - I daresay if they decided there was a need to spray it was probably not something they were expecting the day before - it would have been so much easier for everyone if they could have sprayed them then.  Fortunately, chicks tend to spit and hiss but generally settle down quickly after being disturbed - watch after we band the Radisson chicks next week, its a comforting sight when you work with them to see them get down to napping or eating or whatever relatively quickly after going back in the box - granted we try to facilitate that as much as we can.  When they start to fly however, it seems as though a switch is flipped, like their first flights reveal possibilities and options that they just couldn't conceive of - dealing with fledglings is entirely different.  A chick that 20 days before was acquiescent during banding will take chunks out of you when you retrieve them after going to ground at fledge time.

Offline RCF

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #115 on: May 31, 2012, 22:49 »
I would like to know why they were even disturbing the birds the day after they were banded?  Did they forget to do something on banding day...........seems kind of stressful for the birds.  :(

Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #114 on: May 31, 2012, 22:27 »
...I could see they had a bottle and were spraying the chicks under their wings, so they must of been spraying for the lice they sometimes get.
Is this usual, TPC? Have you ever had to spray any of our Manitoba peregrine falcons? ???

We've never done it and I don't know of others who have but that may just be because it's not remarkable enough to mention when we are talking "shop" ...  I'll ask around and see what I find out ...

Offline Kinderchick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #113 on: May 31, 2012, 22:03 »
...I could see they had a bottle and were spraying the chicks under their wings, so they must of been spraying for the lice they sometimes get.
Is this usual, TPC? Have you ever had to spray any of our Manitoba peregrine falcons? ???

Offline RCF

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #112 on: May 31, 2012, 13:24 »
I wondered what they were doing because they banded them yesterday.   ???   I could see they had a bottle and were spraying the chicks under their wings, so they must of been spraying for the lice they sometimes get.

Offline RCF

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #111 on: May 31, 2012, 12:56 »
I caught this on the web cam just a bit ago.  Both standing in the corner in last pic. The parents are still kakking as I am typing this.



 


Offline The Peregrine Chick

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #110 on: May 31, 2012, 09:21 »
Update from the Westar Energy Gang yesterday,

Our two young falcons were banded successfully today. We believe we have two healthy males. Photos are down a little ways on the falcon webpage.  Just a reminder that you have until Friday to submit potential falcon names. If you would like to change your names because both falcons are believed to be males, that's fine also.

Offline RCF

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Re: Kansas / Topeka - Westar - 2012 / Boreas & Nemaha
« Reply #109 on: May 25, 2012, 16:46 »
The chicks are getting bigger and so are their voices.  

Video - http://youtu.be/6CPbceyfu_8