Rubi, Vim & Mell

These are the names that you chose.  They are shortened versions of the names of the eucalypts in the wood opposite the nest site (Eucalyptus rubida, Eucalyptus viminalis and Eucalyptus melliodora).  And I like the names, but I still can’t tell them apart.  One has a ‘bloody spot’ on his/her chest.  Tiffany thought it might be a parasite as they were pecking at it, but I’m not sure; it could just be the remains of a rather bloody meal!

20161025-bloody-spot-2

Let’s call that one Rubi.  And one appears to always be the first on the scene for tucker…perhaps Vim?

Vim, not hanging about
Vim, not hanging about

They are growing nicely, and trying their wings out.

20161025-chick-tries-his-or-her-wings-2

There have been some concerns about the frequency of prey arrivals, but most of the prey are not insubstantial.  In the last couple of days I’ve recorded several pigeons, parrots (including the larger cockatoos), and waterbirds (possibly a swamphen) as well as starlings (which sometimes don’t actually get eaten…Just Xavier teasing).  The feeding times have varied between about 3 minutes (probably a honeyeater, just a snack, really) and over 40 minutes, when some of the chicks often wander off as they are so full.   Anyway, they seem to be putting on weight nicely.

I’ve noticed the chicks are increasingly much more likely to grab part of the meal and eat it themselves.  This incident with the leg ended well, but I thought it was going to choke him.

20161024-chick-with-swamphen-leg-3

20161024-chick-with-swamphen-leg-6

I still haven’t seen Xavier feeding the chicks, but he seems slightly less afraid of them now.  He knows they are not his, of course, or is that just my assumption?  Sometimes he sleeps over in the box, and sometimes not; there doesn’t seem to be a pattern.  I would be interested to know how common this is.  None of our previous males have ever done this.

20161025-black-and-white-joints-x-not-feeding-chicks-2

No more weekends away for a while, so I should be able to give you more frequent updates.  We have some fairly major environment issues happening in New South Wales at present: changes to biodiversity and crown lands legislation, so I’m being kept pretty busy, but I’ll try and keep on top of things.

19 thoughts

  1. Well shucks! No one liked platypus, kangaroo and reef 🙁

    Thanks for the informative update!
    I didnt think Xav fed a chick – just greeted it
    Last nite Rubi was squawkin away!

  2. 19:53 Goodnight, youtu.be/edNEPP5bQ-E

    Another pattern I see, is that Xavier often appears, just before Diamond arrives with a prey. He leaves now very soon, but earlier he stayed longer, trying to take the prey. 😀

    The ‘bloody spot’ was from eating larger leftovers, just before.

    They all look healthy, this nest is going very well! 🙂

  3. REMEMBER how upset people were when Bula vanished?
    We were so concerned what Diamond would do.
    One person even hoped egg 3 wouldnt hatch.
    All very human – understandable
    but
    Diamond knew what to do

    🙂

    PS – This blog was down today for awhile – I couldnt connect

  4. 11.49am Wednesday – the little one, who is in the process of being squished by his(?) siblings, appears to be calling out “Mum!” (bit of amateur beak-reading there…..;) Little dobber!

  5. “Rubi, Vim & Mell – repeat 100 times to get them into one’s noddle” 😉

    Here are snaps of the prey deliveries I’ve managed to capture today so far:

    rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/2543/p/135003/1077388.aspx#1077388

    I’ve put a link to your YouTube channel, Arjen, on the RSPB thread. Thanks for all your videos 🙂

  6. Plenty food today, I’d say. Xavier just popped onto the ledge and straight off again. Had nothing with him.

  7. Chicks loose
    October 26, 2016 Shepnotes
    The kids are wandering the box now, LOOSE at last!
    It appears from the sizes we have 2 boys and a girl. – BUT –
    Mell, the middle one is smaller than Rubi but a bit larger than Vim.
    Looks like the kids have found they like being near the open doorway!
    I am glad they are not perching on the edge yet, but I suspect that day is near.
    I saw them there looking out when Xav came – and left – FAST.

    Scylla – yeah – LOL! Pop! .. Yep, all 3 … *poof* .. gone
    Xavier aint a bird, he’s the energizer bunny! hahaha

  8. Very observant of Arjen to spot a lorikeet amongst the prey. I was sceptical at first as they are very uncommon in Orange, but he was right. Almost certainly a musk lorikeet that come to our region when certain eucalypts (especially red-flowering ironbarks) are in flower. I rather wish they would stick to starlings, but I suspect parrots are tastier and fatter.

  9. Big pink prey per Diamond @ 0935hr – one of the parrots? (I’ll be adding any other snaps to this link.)

    rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/2543/p/135003/1077513.aspx#1077513

  10. Big pink prey is galah. It’s the only bird that has bright pink feathers in this district, but I also saw the head (obviously the least palatable part!). Little birds must have been very hungry as pickings were a bit slim yesterday, with mostly quite small birds apart from another galah yesterday. Galahs are very common in this area, fortunately.

  11. Cilla,
    here’s the link if you want to post my memory of the fludge over on Good progress
    http://cj.myfreeforum.org/about4326.html

    GSB falcons early fledge (fludge) June 17, 2013

    Peregrine Falcon nest 2013 * Mississippi River bluffs
    June 17, 2013 all 4 GSB falcon chicks fell within 6 hours, driven out by gnats.

    and can you affix my raptor resource link to my signature – so it will show – WITHOUT delay? Perhaps that isnt possible

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