Every night before heading home, I check all the usual haunts, particularly a large dead tree in a paddock a few hundred metres from (and within clear sight of) the nest box. This was the tree in which our three youngsters used to congregate last year.
But every night, there was no luck until tonight. Fortunately, they were both there, so I could be sure it was Marragaay.
I crept a bit closer (keeping a wary eye out for the parents, and sheltering under a large yellow box), Marragaay was originally in a different (live) tree then flew to the dead tree to join her brother and looked every bit a peregrine in flight. Well fledged!
I’ll sleep well tonight.
Bali is the first photo and is higher up in the tree.
Thanks – good to see Mara – she looks good
And it’s good that you are able to access the blog, Shep.
thanks Cilla . i am so thrilled to have picture of her. have been worried but she well ready to fledge.
I will sleep better also
I cannot access your blog . access denied. frustrating but someone always brings it over. I used ot be able to get it.
At last – Marragaay – thank goodness, what a relief! Good on you, Cilla – your persistence paid off 🙂 Big tick for the 2017 season.
And now – the next thrilling instalment – how long will Bali call the tower ‘home’? Will he call squatter’s rights? Will he be like so many millennial human youngsters, living at home well into adulthood, or will he soar off to seek his fortune out in the big wild world?
Like sands through the hourglass…….tee hee
…and – 6.34am Saturday – do my eyes deceive me? Is Diamond doing a bit of scrape preparation??? I know you said the adults were doing a bit of courting behaviour, Cilla – but surely they wouldn’t follow through this late in the year, would they?
They have both been scraping regularly, but I’m sure they won’t breed again until next year.
We had one female juvenile (Snow) that stayed in the box for a couple of months with our old female, Swift, often side by side, quite companionably. But that is unusual. Shall I open the betting?
Bev, you should contact Scott about access to the blog, or I can do it on your behalf if you wish.
I just checked on Bali – that bird sleeps in some very weird positions! (9.25pm Saturday) – he appears to be sort of on his side with his head tucked in – curled up like a cat!
Bali still sleeps like a baby or eyas i guess. So nice to see Marragaay doing well and all grown up! We are lucky to have you Cilla to keep an eye on the rascals
9.19pm Sunday – I do wish he wouldn’t balance his sleeping self on the ledge like that – flat on his belly, lightning flashing away outside and Bali sort of rocking with every breath. Eek, I can’t look! Get properly back in the box, Bali, for goodness’ sake!
Thanks Cilla for the beautiful pictures of Marragaay and Bali !
10:27 pm
Two are in the box.
Bali and D? Xavier…?
She(He) looks wet.
I’ve just reached that point; bit slow as I didn’t come in on the weekend (laryngitis). It’s Diamond on the ledge (and yes, wet) with Bali lying on the right, after about 2 minutes ‘interacting’ (well, Bali was, anyway, begging perhaps).
Thanks Cilla.
We’re really lucky to see Bali on the webcam every night.(until when…)
I know one case in Kyoto, Japan, that one of the fledglings remained near the nest just before the next breeding season. Dad wanted him to leave, but Mom loved her son too much…
If may I ask, what time does Bali leave the box every morning…?
I want to see that, but we’re 2 hours ahead you in Japan and I’m in a deep sleep.
7:22 pm Bali arrived like always, but 8:07 pm he left.
8:10 pm Bali and D? X? came in and Bali got his dinner!
Not 2 hours ahead…
We are 2 hours behind Australia in Japan, sorry!
Bali is in the box most nights (not all) and leaves every morning before dawn at about 0530 h. Peregrines fly quite will in the dark, and have even been known to hunt, although I’ve never observed that with our birds.
Thanks Cilla for the information. I’ll set my alarm for about 3:20 (5:20 in AU) and try to see his departure.
Years ago I saw a picture of a peregrine hunting a woodcock at night in UK (or US?). I’ve never seen that with my eyes in JP, but I think they hunt at night with the help of city lights.