This morning, early on, we caught some photos of a very exhausted Beau when he brought his breakfast up on to the ledge. Using the ledge to return to base with food has begun to happen more often, Swift as much as Beau. Good to see they’re using the tower as a base (great for the Project!). Shortly afterward Beau flew out into the trees but a minute or two later returned to drag breakfast away again. Knowing our Beau he just plain forgot to take it with him the first time!
But for some reason this morning’s efforts appear to have been hard work as Beau arrived (captured in demo video) with prey but utterly exhausted and panting. The temperature wasn’t overly warm, at about 24degC (75degF), but the guess is this time he was taken for quite a chase. In the end he won out, no doubt using the peregrine’s renowned superior maneuverability! At this stage there wasn’t enough left to identify prey type.
bonjour, thank you for giving us what becomes of informations.and that is Solo?
Thanks Anne-Marie, and Dutch Eagle Fan! Good to hear from you both… Solo is becoming more elusive and hard to find these days, although we did hear her up in the trees this morning, with Beau on the ledge minding campus grounds at the moment. Apparently on-campus staff have been woken up late at night by Solo’s nagging so it appears they’re out and about very late after sun-down (right now last light disappears about 9.30pm).
DEF – your YouTube video is unique but yes, a little alarming. Funny how only one chick is keen on a big feed. It’s a really big dinner to be able to fly up to the eyrie there; it shows you how strong and capable peregrine falcons can be. Reality can sometimes be alarming to us, but in the end it’s all part of nature’s cycle.
Scott
It can be hard work sometimes, carrying prey up to the nest.
I remember clearly how S2 came back with a huge pigeon. Her first catch for her (then to be) foster chicks, in 2007 in De Mortel.
Take a look at the video I recorded of that moment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NStdmsLIguQ
(I still get a little teary-eyed watching this)
This was the female that killed the mother in a territorial battle. For three weeks she “stole” the prey the male was bringing in for his chicks. She was in courting mode but he was not. Finally, on May 13 (Mothersday ! ) she changed into a good stepmother, stuffing the two remaining eyases to the rim every day 😉