MN / Elk River - 2008-22

[Baffled]

Mary Ellen really has been glued to the eggs and chicks these past few days. Sawatzke occasionally gets a chance to visit with them while she is finishing the meal, but she really doesn't let him do much except provide the food right now. He barely gets a few minutes with the chicks before she's back to send him away again. Maybe she'll allow him to be more involved when the chicks are a bit bigger?

[RCF]

I caught that too Baffled.     Sawatzke sure took off when Mom came back hee hee!! 

[Baffled]

A feeding that started just before 3pm CDT reveals that the final egg has hatched; however, only two chicks were visible eating. The new one may have been hiding on the other side of the chick pile?

There was still some eggshell in the nest. Sawatzke nibbled on it while there was a break in the feeding when Mary Ellen flew off to butcher the meal. Now the meal is over, Mary Ellen is back on the chicks and consuming the egg shell.

[susha]

It is interesting to see that Mary-Ellen takes the remains of the meal out of the nest.

This is not the right place to post this, but I have been watching Pa and Vievie's family of four in the Netherlands, and the meal remains were rarely removed. A number of times, they all settled in on top of the leftovers after the chicks were fed! I guess this is just the characteristics of individual birds?

TPC:  How soon after hatching must/should the chicks be fed?

/quote]



Pa and VieVie were the same last year - very, very messy housekeepers!

[The Peregrine Chick]

It is interesting to see that Mary-Ellen takes the remains of the meal out of the nest.

This is not the right place to post this, but I have been watching Pa and Vievie's family of four in the Netherlands, and the meal remains were rarely removed. A number of times, they all settled in on top of the leftovers after the chicks were fed! I guess this is just the characteristics of individual birds?

TPC:  How soon after hatching must/should the chicks be fed?

First feedings are usually within about 6 hours depending on time of day (middle of the night mostly they don't fly/feed) or weather (raining they will wait out if they can)

[sparkster]

It is interesting to see that Mary-Ellen takes the remains of the meal out of the nest.

This is not the right place to post this, but I have been watching Pa and Vievie's family of four in the Netherlands, and the meal remains were rarely removed. A number of times, they all settled in on top of the leftovers after the chicks were fed! I guess this is just the characteristics of individual birds?

TPC:  How soon after hatching must/should the chicks be fed?

[Baffled]

And another feed at 6:45! Those two chicks are having a busy afternoon eating! Still one egg.
Not much of the feeding visible, as Mary Ellen is blocking the view of the chicks.

[Baffled]

Another feed just finishing.
Two eager chicks, still one egg without any obvious pips.
Previous meal (around 3pm CDT) was quite a large bird, plain black back with white front. (Maybe a water bird?) This meal was much smaller and lighter coloured.
As in the previous feeding, the female (Mary Ellen) fed the chicks.

[Baffled]

Lunchtime!
3pm and two chicks eagerly feeding, with one egg still to hatch.

[sparkster]

Very sad.    It is such a privilege to be able to watch these wonderful birds, but difficult to see when things don't go well.

[RCF]

Looks like one baby was lost overnight.     Only one egg and two flufflies this morning when Mary-Ellen fed them.

Looks like they had Robin for breakfast.

[RCF]

Now there are three! No wonder the "eggs" were chirping so much.

[sparkster]

Now there are three! No wonder the "eggs" were chirping so much.

[sparkster]

Yes, that *is* a second one!   

[sparkster]

There must be another hatch now, as I am watching it live and the chick has its little head in half of the egg.