U of Alberta - 2008 / Damon & Radisson

[bev.]

Hi Maggie blue . sis you happen to get a picture of the female in the nest box???the reason I am asking is because I was at the nest site and a female was sitting facing in on the ledge . Now it could have been mom but it was so hard to tell tonight. It might  have been one of the kids???

If it wasn't then the kids may be gone  
I am going to look closely at the pictures we took barbecues we tracked you to the ledge on moms building when she flew off so I am trying to piece everything together.
I will write up  both reports  soon. I have company coming tomorrow also so.

[maggieblue]

A beauty is back in the nestbox!

[carly]

Radisson has been here for quite  awhile. she has  been coming back and for the last while.

Bah..once again I miss all the fun!  It's gorgeous here today so I've been out enjoying the last of summer!

I hope this does not mean the kids are gone

Probably just means training is over and they've taught them all they know and now it's up to them.   

[bev.]

Radisson has been here for quite  awhile. she has  been coming back and for the last while. I believe I might have the male also. I will post pictures in a bit. still trying to get yard work done I hope this does not mean the kids are gone Will see  tonight.

[maggieblue]

There is an adult at the nestbox.  I think that it is Radisson.

[bev.]

I will write a report in a bit as I have to work on my yard as the weather is about to change
Just wanted to let you know we saw at least 3 at a time yesterday and we think it was a juvenile in the nestbox around 4:45 Alberta time. Mom was in the box at about 6:00 Alberta time. 
Things were a little soelmn an we had a feeling they were saying goodbye but we will be there tongiht and hopeful they will be there as I have the big camera for tonight.
when we got there , lots of savoring and flying over nest box area and lots of echupping going on so... and then they went out towards the river.  report coming

[Alison]

Bev, thank you once again for all your wonderful reports and the great pics of Cassie, Hope and the parents. I love the photos of Cassie and Hope flying - they are so beautiful.

You deserve so much credit for your dedication to Cassie and Hope, and the whole family, not to mention all the time and effort you have put into watching over them. Then there is all the time and work involved in writing the reports, taking the photos, and sharing the results with all of us. It is very much appreciated. I hope Cassie and Hope will not migrate for a little while yet - I'm really going to miss them when they do go.

[Alison]

Greek meaning of Damon is- constant, loyal

I totally agree that the choice of name should be up to you, Bev. The name books I have say that most sources give the meaning of Damon as "spirit", but that another possibility is "to tame", both from Greek roots.  Edmund means "wealthy protector". I am sure that whatever name you choose will fit the little male.

[maggieblue]

Thanks for the great reports Bev  The more the better as far as I am concerned.  We have been so fortunate that the girls and parents have stayed around this long, and that we have had you to document their adventures. 
As far as Dad's name is concerned, sorry if I got a little carried away.  It was just fun to try and come up with some suggestions.  You have more important things to think about at the moment.  Perhaps you can think about this once the family has started on their southern adventure.  The consensus certainly is that you should be the one to decide, however if you are looking for more suggestions, I am sure that all of the creative members here would have fun with that too.

[bev.]

I am up for any name, so do you want to vote..  It is up to you. I am very easy to please.  a push over actually

I am glad I finally go t that report in. Boy, I better learn to not write so much

Terible pictures sot come soon.

[maggieblue]

Damon sound like a great choice.  Just thought that I would clarify why I suggested some names linked to the local fur trade history.   Although I am sure that Radisson was named after the hotel where she was born, the first Radisson Hotel, and subsequently the chain, were named after the 17th century explorer and fur trader, Pierre Esprit Radisson.  It just seemed that it might be an idea for Radisson's mate to have a similar link.  Esprit might be an idea for a name too.

[bev.]

So we are confused at this point , as I thought it was Hope on the aerial.
Maybe these are 2 juveniles , but it is too dark to tell. We went down to street level and went to spy on the ledge where the 2  flew and I could not believe my eyes.  They were both on the ledge one in each corner. I have never seen 2 on this ledge before as this is moms area and sometimes dads when the weather is bad. But never 2  together on the same ledge here, usually one is on one and one is on the other and the girls are on the building I call moms building(campus towers) so this either the 2 kids and mom is still out or mom and one of the kids. Either way , I feel warm and fuzzy inside and a little sad at the same time.

I have had to rewrite this as I lost the whole post but hopefully I have put it all together.
I know that usually at this time In Edmonton Dad is gone and the juveniles. but becasue of the late start I was hoping that the kids would stick around too make sure they were ready.
I read somewhre  where  they have been known to leave as a family.  Maybe one left with dad and one will leave closer to moms time or leave just before. 
I will be there tonight keeping a clsoe watch and if I see one I will not leave it.   

sorry I ma so long winded.

I relieved an e-mail from one of the biologists yesterday and this is a bit of what he said

Great to see these two foster siblings are so close and, no doubt, the presence of a 'sibling' wll have contributed to their success as fledglings.  Peregrines, once clear of the nest, can disperse in any direction, but will eventually drift south.  Birds fledged in Edmonton have been recovered as far south as Belize, Brazil, and Columbia.  These guys are in for a great adventure.

[bev.]

I got to the site at 16:15 Sept 18,last night

Radisson was still on the perch. she was preening and just looking around. then she flew to south side of the building. the nest box faces east. She proceeded to defeather something on one of the towers there and ate for a good half hour.
I was hoping it was not some stash of one of the kids.
I waited and waited and am kicking myself  ::)that I forgot to pick up my daughters camera. Hopefully today. Now I only have horrid shots.

Still no kids.  I walked around  the front of the heart building and then to the Ed building. I went up to the parkade across from Ed building and looked all around and nothing.
Then I proceeded to walk back by way of the front of the hospital. 
I met up with Peter who has made it here finally,.  Mom is gone.  this is why you need more than one pair of eyes.
Peter went to put on his knee brace(we have been wearing them from climbing so many stairs I looked up and there was mom on the top corner of her building . after a bit she flew over toward Newton place and started stooping pigeons. I am not sure if one of the girls was there or not . Everything just happens so fast I am saying this is mom because she is the only one I have seen there. come to think of it I have seen there but now I am thinking , dad used to go there also?

then she was gone. Peter met me at the top of the parkade across form heart building and then we spotted a falcon on a column just below the roof ledge under the nest box.
My pictures will show you where but you will not see much of a bird .

Peter said he would walk around the other way and see what he could see. i was not moving this time

well, I must tell you, I started to get emotional. Have I missed seeing the kids for the last time.  I cannot begin to tell you how I was feeling.  I know now that I am going to miss these characters ,who have given me so much joy.
Just as I thought I could not feel so low a juvenile flew over my head and landed on the tower a few down from where mom had been eating. It was a juvenile as it came in cacking but not too loud. I still have not decided if the other falcon is mom or not . I think so but cassie looks so much like her now. the juvenile , I believe is Hope.

Then the falcon, maybe mom, flew over to where mom beds down for the night. The youngster followed and landed on same ledge , a few cacks, and then they both flew out .
I found one on the antennae way up on the heart building, I had to stand way back on the parkade to see her. (mom or kid it will be a her )
Peter has come back and spotted the other one on the front of moms building so maybe this is mom.  Peter has seen a falcon way down at the edge of campus toward the river on a crane. He said it flew off at 18:30. My juvenile flew onto the side of the nest building at 18:40 ,maybe a bit sooner. so we are not sure if it could be the same one or not.

The one he saw flew toward the river and mine came in from the south east so>>> We do not know if we have 3 or 2. now that I think of it , if that was dad on  moms building earlier, maybe still4 Be nice if I had a scope but with the price of them I do not think it will be any time soon
I decided to take a walk this time and Peter was to keep track but as I hit the sidewalk I heard cacking and went back up. Peter said the falcon on moms building flew off toward the heart building but he could not see it. So off I went on a hunt.
The one on the aerial was still there.

I walked all around , climbed up the parkade across from Ed building again. One thing we have found in the last few days , is that they are either at the Ed building or at the nest area.  I saw nothing.

When I got back Peter said two just flew onto the ledge where Mom usually sleeps.the one form the antennae and one  from the roof ledge of the Heart building .Now I saw nothing there as I was walking back so that is how quick they move.  They were very silent ,Peter said . But he said that just  after I left the other falcon appeared on the roof ofthe Heart building. He is not sure from  where and cat walked around until it was below where the other one was perched. Makes me think it was a juvenile.

It says that I have to post this last part in another post as my message is too long I knew I was being long-winded
 

[bcbird]

Greek meaning of Damon is- constant, loyal

Wow, that does describe our dad here.
Sorry I missed Radisson, but so glad you got a picture of her.  What a flashback moment.
I was almost anxious again at not seeing Cassie chick for all the debris!

[carly]

Hey, I have a theory about this mess. Perhaps Radisson is trying to make sure that no other female has an interest in nesting here next year 

Lol..I had that same thought!!  Sorry I missed her, I got home late from work tonight..oh well she'll be back, no one else will go near that box..hehe!