Xavier goes fishing and has abrupt exit

Xavier has brought in a water bird chick;  not sure of the species – possibly a young coot or duckling – suggestions welcome; I’l keep searching as it is a very interesting catch – obviously way too young to be flying, but presumably it wasn’t caught actually on the water, so perhaps on or near nest or nearby land.

waterchick
waterchick
Xavier's undignified exit
Xavier’s undignified exit

20161013-undignified-exit-2 20161013-undignified-exit-3 20161013-undignified-exit-4 20161013-undignified-exit-5 20161013-undignified-exit-6

 

As you are much quicker than me, you’ve probably already you-tubed this, but never mind.  I’ll have a look at your comments later.

I’m a little bit worried about the length of time the nest is being left empty.  I’m sure that is quite unusual.  I can only assume that Xavier is not really pulling his weight yet and Diamond is still doing quite a bit of the hunting.   I hope that he gets his act together before the birds get much bigger (and hungrier).

I’m getting behind again and won’t be able to update tomorrow or Saturday, but will try and catch up on Sunday.   Goodnight!

26 thoughts

  1. Thank you, Cilla. I fell asleep without posting some of my catchups in the early UK hours, but coincidentally they included Xavier’s undignified departure and the waterchick (I had/have no idea what it was).

    “Diamond frightened Xavier off the ledge with her bottie”

    24s VIDEO = youtube.com/watch?v=5E4o8yQxiNo

    And the waterchick snap, framed ‘cos it felt poignant 😉

    i.imgur.com/SIMNFs1.png

    I haven’t get caught up with the past several hours, but Diamond is settled on her chicks, all must be well. The last feed that I saw, the chicks looked very lively.

  2. sharing bev’s notes – on bcaw
    she is knowledgable

    I would not expect an egg this late in season for them.
    I would think this is mere bonding for the male.

    But one thing I have learned about falcons over the years , and what our biologist has told me., Just when you think you have them figured out, they do something out of pattern and we learn something else.

    I would not worry about time adults are away from chicks. One will be close by, the chicks are old enough and it is not cold. I see them fly to the trees to right a lot and it takes them seconds to get back to box. And I would also think one is just outside the box. Because Diamond is doing all of the care, she needs some time to hunt and fly.
    And I think XAvier is doing his share. him just guarding is great but he is bringing in prey also, whether he hunted it or not.

  3. 5.30 am Oct 14 Xavier lands on ledge and crawls in – LOL! Thats what it looked like! Then he began peeping at Diamond – I think he woke her.

  4. I’m away for the weekend and only my phone (no live stream) so please…keep up the excellent updates! I need to know what’s happening in the Falcon Hilton

  5. Often when I arrive at work, Xavier is sitting right on top of the water tower. So he is ‘on guard’, which is good.

    It is warming up, but we are still getting light frosts at night (but she’s always there at night).

    It’s not unknown to have an egg this late, or with chicks, but I think it is unlikely – and dare I say, undesirable, as the chicks would still be little while the parents are trying to teach hunting skills. Too much pressure for our new pair, methinks.

    I have two work experience students all day today. We’ll be doing native plant propagation this morning and preparing the site for tree planting this afternoon, but I’ll find time to show them the peregrines and the projet too.

  6. Another video I forgot to post from yesterday was “A civilised mating and some prey deliveries”.

    1m46s VIDEO = youtube.com/watch?v=LnAkp_LhHZQ

    I haven’t got around to checking anything today. At the moment the chicks are alone but I’ve seen Diamond with them quite a bit 🙂

    How busy you are, Cilla – thanks for making time for us.

  7. Xavier brot prey into the box – she chased him around the box for it.
    Reminds me of a teen age boy playing – but – Im unsure falcons would play.

    Others have reported this behavior – Xavier unwilling to give up his prey

  8. Once I got over sobbing at your sad prediction, Shep, I started extracting the start of today – and that was pretty sad too.

    Xavier couldn’t have spent all night on the ledge as he arrived from outside @ 0530hr – he waited quite a while for a reaction from Diamond and eventually trudged dejectedly back to the ledge. Then Diamond left and he followed her, there’s a view of the chicks. Before Diamond returned Xavier paid another visit, preyless.

    3m42s VIDEO = youtube.com/watch?v=ZYnH2nVlgv4

    I’ve got no breakfast, either on the ledge or nest cams, just long periods of frozen footage. Thank goodness for reports and vids from you kind folks above 🙂

  9. Another mating just took place.

    This was the feed a bit earlier – it wasn’t a bone the chick was tackling, but a leg ‘n foot – it does bring it home that these are unfortunately little victims when they’re not fed as lumps of meat and feathers.

    I’ve cropped most of it, hopefully for a better view of the chicks – but there’s the best part of 10 minutes missing due to freeze.

    5m11s VIDEO = youtube.com/watch?v=sXY64jat__M

  10. Snaps from the late lunch.

    Many of us do prefer leg to breast but I don’t think the chick did:

    i.imgur.com/8Xk26BH.jpg

    One chick was not ready to finish eating:

    i.imgur.com/bEXtGEd.png

    Since then there’s been another mating visit, Diamond is currently settled on the chicks.

  11. It seems there’s plenty of “adult” stuff (in every sense!) going on – but gee, I wish Xavier would put a bit more of his prodigious energy into getting food for the family!

  12. I didn’t see who it was that came in and is now sitting on the ledge .. they look a bit dishevelled … not the juvenile is it?

  13. scylla – LOL – I dont mean it as a ‘prediction’ so much as my own personality. I wouldnt put up with such irresponsible annoyance! But I am not a bird! I have watched many falcon nests – but not as many as the ladies on bcaw. bev has great posts there! This situation is much like one she is familiar with.

    —–

    bev on bcaw posted ——
    Shep, although i am concerned at how aggressive he is in box, there is nothing wrong with him , I think he is young and just wants to show his dominance. Every falcon is different, and I think he will do just fine , once he settles. down. my Chase at Edmonton, used to be same way, but he did not try and mate in box. He tried outside box.

    Chase is still like this. likes to tease with the prey. But our Radisson cleans his clock. teehee

    Diamond may not be as aggressive But I am watching him. She needs to tune him in.

    the whole blended family…….
    i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag145/peterfull/2016%20birds%20etc/aussie%20oct13-1_zps8rx1hy1y.jpg

  14. Thanks for all that, Shep, every smidge of info is gratefully received 🙂

    I have only ever followed this perry nest, and then never managed a whole season (due to other commitments and not enough laptops!).

    Xavier was on the ledge earlier but not now.

  15. I haven’t had a chance to get to grips with any footage so far this morning but have seen Mum and Stepdad and a feed of lively chicks, who are currently alone.

  16. loza pics <3

    i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/lkrys/aa%20sokol/aa%20sokol003/bandicam%202016-10-14%2020-52-48-084_zpsqcwsygmb.png

    i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/lkrys/aa%20sokol/aa%20sokol003/bandicam%202016-10-14%2021-49-57-350_zpsc6juddqa.png

  17. I just came to post the same scene, Arjen. My video also starts with the chick already separated off. Diamond had (according to me) been gone for hours, but Xavier had been in and out, as shown in your video.

    Thanks for a great video 🙂

    Before daycam one of the chicks gave a show of strength with a poop:

    13s VIDEO = youtube.com/watch?v=lrfYez1tGSo

    At 0835hr Xavier brought small prey and waited for Diamond for 10 minutes before flying off with it:

    i.imgur.com/o2US7QF.png

    Then Diamond brought the larger prey I reported above – she’d obviously been working on it:

    i.imgur.com/GKyswRU.png

  18. Diamond had been waiting quite a while on the ledge when Xavier brought small prey @ 1458hr – didn’t overly hang on to it, good lad! He then waited a short while on the ledge before flying.

    1m29s VIDEO = youtube.com/watch?v=ZTsnj2kl5Rg

  19. Where is Diamond?? The babies are huddled together and ‘seems’ that X is in the doorway standing guarde @ 10pm! He came over to the chicks and stayed next to them for some time. Oh, where can she be??
    Especially as she knew she had to get back to her babies at night.
    Worried for them.

  20. Whom I thought was Xavier standing in the doorway last night, was in fact Diamond. He flew into the box around 11pm, then Diamond went straight to the babies, lol. The ‘man’ around the house took up guard duties at the door, and all was well!! He seems to be getting a bit more close to the babies, so even if he hasn’t had a clutch himself, he has that innate sense in him that they need looking after.

  21. I wouldn’t worry; they can be tricky to separate – particular Xavier as he is quite a bit taller than Bula. I keep a set of measurements: width at widest point; length from head to tail and gap between top of head and top of screen to separate them (once I’m sure I have the right gender). Obviously you would need to do your own as each computer screen will vary, but it’s quite helpful.

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