U of Alberta - 2009 / Damon & Radisson

[bev.]

Hi allikat.
They have not been hard incubatng.There have been several times that they have not been on the eggs for over 2 hours at a time. this is normal.
She will probably lay3 to 4 eggs this year.
since it is cool here at night they have to keep the eggs at at least 4  degrees celsius.
TPC said that they go into harder incubating the egg before the last to be laid ,usually.

So as Liz said ,no question is a stupid question.
I have just learned a lot of this over the years of watching and from A lady called Froona.
A question not asked is one not answered

[Liz]

No question is stupid.   

I believe the hard (serious) incubating starts at 3 eggs.  But they do sit on the eggs to keep them warm/dry when the air is cold/wet/wind etc weather related.  Plus, just to keep them warm-ish in the slow cooker/pot crock before all the sibs show up! 

[allikat]

I'm surprised they are incubating already...are there more than two eggs?  Or is this normal?  I'm sorry if this seems like a really stupid question/comment.  Just thought that they start incubating after a full clutch is laid.

[bev.]

I will answer this is how to thread in a bit.

Radisson is incubating right now. head tucked into back

[bccs]

Thanks for the s/s Bev. Where did you learn how to do that?

[bev.]

I notice the first sideshow did not work . I will repost it

I do not know what happened as it worked when I tried it out after I posted it

[bev.]

17:50
Male was on eggs and now on inside lip facing out
they have been sharing the duties of attending eggs but they are careful no incubate too much.
there are times when the box is empty but from going down there I know one or both is not very far away.
the slide show shows the male in the box incubating and then the male is in the box sniffing around the eggs and the female is outside.

I have not been watching all day ;)but I think the male did more than his share of the duties

[bev.]

10:43
Still two eggs and I believe dad has just arrived with a snack, the way she is acting and is now away.

Click on link. I posted wrong kind of show

http://s187.photobucket.

[carly]

7:36 am EST and Radisson is dozing on her precious cargo this morning 

[bev.]

The male has a pointier and more orange beak(is that  what  you call it) His head is a bit blacker also. I It is  really hard to tell sometimes. The  rains topped sooner at the nest site than here. We are only 20 minutes away from the site and our rain just stopped shortly.
At 20:48- Radisson finally came back in.
the male is doing a good job of taking his turns.

[Liz]

I couldn't see the rain, bev.  I checked a few times.  I hope that means it wasn;t too bad. 

It looks like Radisson on the eggs right now.  They seem to have the opposite white marks on the cheek?  One, the dark (grey) goes into the cheek; and the other, the white from the cheek sweeps up.  Or am I mixing up my pics?!) 

[bev.]

It is pouring rain here.  we also had hail.

18:19 -the male is incubating . I imagine Radisson has gone to eat and freshen up up

[Liz]

Yippee -- another egg!   

[carly]

Radisson is back looking quite disheveled again...they must have been..errr...working on egg #3...

[bev.]

The male is in the box and now on the perch.
i am sure this is last years male, but still have to get bands.

I am waiting to see Radisson come back. If I do not see her in a bit I will go down but I really do not have time today. here is the males head shot. Looks the same as last year