U of Alberta - 2009 / Damon & Radisson

[Loriann]

I'm not sure I buy the 'eggs were 'probably not viable' thing.. sounds like someone placating me (us).  Guess we'll never know, and its still hard to watch without interjecting some of our human emotions.  Those potential chicks had just as much right to life as any other, and I feel bad that they have had that chance taken from them... and for George and Weezie, who have no idea what the heck just happened.  again.. frustrating for everyone involved.  I for one will not be checking back into this nest, not while the Ravens are still there..   Breaks my heart.

[eagle63_1999]

Well if they are young birds and they didn't anticpate the eggs would hatch it's the best of all scenerios. Weezie is no doubt confused because she had eggs.  Let's hope they leave? The falcons move in and all is well with the world?

[ballywing]

Men are gone, poor Weezie shuffling around in the empty nest.  

[Loriann]

sad.     poor george and weezie..  well if nothing else it gave the rest of you a wider appreciation of OTHER birds..

Personally I love my backyard Ravens, and all their tricks.. imitating the other birds.. laughing from the trees, scaring the crap out of the squirrells and their noisy patio parties.

I'm frustrated by this whole thing.

[carly]

Yep and Weezie isn't budging    Obviously humans don't faze these two.

[ballywing]

SIX men on the roof!!

[ballywing]

OMG!!!! - What a shock to see the empty nest.....how sad..... - but better in the long one for everyone's safety.  - Hope the falcons move in quick now and be done with all the 'Who owns this house' stuff.

[carly]

Wow...Weezie immediately back in the box and sitting down...oh no sweetie... .  George on the side and 3 men on the roof now..make that 4!!  Holy...it's a mob!

[carly]

Yes, I am sad over the loss of eggs but I would have been heartbroken if the falcons killed them.  Amazing how a few weeks ago, they were pests and then Loriann named them and they just grew on us all...hopefully this will save their lives!

[dodobird]

They have cleared it out again. Let's hope for the best for all concerned.

[carly]

Men at the Box!!!  Oh they removed the nest!!.  I hope George and Weezie are okay and I hope they don't come back...for their sakes, I would like to think that young couple has a good future.

[maggieblue]

Both Ravens still around as I just saw George make a quick visit to the nest and could see something in Weezie's beak.  Breakfast in bed? 

[The Peregrine Chick]

The vet/rehabber made some good points.  Young ravens, nesting late, inexperienced, could be that their eggs are non-viable.  In that case, a quick efficient eviction by the peregrines might be easier for them (the ravens).  If the eggs are non-viable, they may not be experienced enough to know that yet and they may keep themselves in harms way trying to protect eggs that don't need protecting.  Actually, it works both ways, a quick efficient eviction would probably save the ravens from getting seriously hurt and physically stressed both of which would be healthier for the ravens.  And this happens folks, to all birds, they all lose nestseggs/chicks at some point in their lives.  As long as the adults are able to survive they can try again.  If they and their nest/eggs/chicks die, those genes are lost.

Question.. If this happened, the removal of the eggs, would or could they be taken in for someone to incubate them or would/does that not happen?

That's alot of time and effort and you have to know how to be able to provide for the chicks in such a way that they don't become imprinted on humans otherwise they can't be released back into the wild.  I'm not even sure that there are folks who know how to do this for ravens since they aren't a species at risk, there hasn't been a need I don't think.  So the question becomes if you have someone, what are the risks that the chicks would be better off?  Keep in mind that living as an imprinted bird or in captivity is not always an improvement over not living at all.  Quality of life is the question to then ask.

Could they move them to a nice 'other' location and would the ravens find them and just take up residence there with the eggs - or is that just completely ridiculous?

Usually doesn't work - for the ravens, the box is their nest and those are their eggs.  Anywhere else and they are someone else's eggs.  With chicks it might be different but I don't know enough about ravens to know what their tolerance for movement might be.  A nest a few feet away with chicks they know might (big stress on the might) but then again it might not.  Peregrines will adopt foster chicks in existing nests but that's their hardwiring, don't know about ravens.

[Liz]

Cam 2 is starting to dry.  And Weezie is looking settled in. 

[carly]

Could they move them to a nice 'other' location and would the ravens find them and just take up residence there with the eggs - or is that just completely ridiculous?

Not ridiculous at all, maybe problematic though.  When they replaced the falcon nestbox in Maine, the article said they placed the eggs in an insulated container to keep them warm.  I suppose you'd have to move the eggs with them watching so they could see where you were moving them to..so you'd need a ready made nest.  Not sure how ravens would react to that type of thing...or if they'd even allow you to go near the nest.

As Ravens are not threatened or endangered I really don't know if anyone would do it, if it's allowed by law or if they would even bother with saving and incubating the eggs.

Lots of good questions for TPC though.