Just a quick update to say that all is well. I was a bit worried about Tardy, not getting enough to sleep, sleeping through meal-times, and Diamond even checking up on him, but they all look fine now – in fact getting a bit too cheeky and straying quite close to the edge, with Diamond showing some concern here, too.
There has certainly been a lot of traffic – at one time, three items of prey being brought in within an hour and the birds so stuffed, they couldn’t sit up. And the birds appear to be a bit less plucked, with Diamond encouraging the chicks to grab the prey and Bula providing less sanitised prey to eat.
I would upload some photos, but the website is playing up. Is that why there are no comments (unusual at this time of the year)? So I’ll just post this and try again tomorrow.
I’d say all three chicks are looking good – there was a time when Little One was visibly getting less than the others (especially from Bula) but that seems to have passed.
As a falconcam newbie I have to say this is the most enjoyable time-fritterer ever! I find the antics of the chicks so entertaining and I’m learning so much! While I know the dangers of anthropomorphising critters, I couldn’t help but be reminded of naughty toddler behaviour the other day. I switched on just as Diamond had the chicks lined up along the back wall like little soldiers, all standing to attention. Don’t know what was going on as there was no food involved… As soon as she returned to the ledge, the chicks started pecking about in the gravel, picking up feathers etc, but they stood up straight again when she headed back towards them. A magic moment. Another fav moment – the chicks were squabbling over the beaky bit of their latest dinner when parent left with the rest of the prey (it’d arrived entire). Parent returned and took up position on the ledge – but carefully picked up the remains of the beaky bit and popped it next to her (ready to ‘take out the garbage’?)
This pair are, so far, rather clean. Although I’ve noticed that both adults recently they have been bringing in more whole specimens (MUCH easier for me to identify), including a whole juvenile starling this morning. The chicks need to learn to cope with this as soon as possible – can’t be spoon (well, beak) fed for ever!
I just wish they were not so curious about the edge!
Cilla, one of the chicks is hugely bigger than the others – does that mean it’s a female or just that it eats the most? Feeding time is becoming pretty animated – Big Chick has done a tug-o-war with parent AND another chick this evening!
I have to admit sexing birds at this age is a bit of a challenge. Females are (eventually) much larger than males, but males develop more quickly, so this could be a male ….perhaps a greedy male!
Thanks for the info, Cilla. I have another (hopefully not annoying) question. Do you know roughly what the dimensions of the ledge opening are? Looking at the parent birds sitting on the ledge via my computer screen, it’s very easy for my brain to resize them as pigeon-sized birds. Having sat on my nature strip earlier this year only a few metres from a peregrine falcon that was demolishing a wood duck, I know they’re powerfully built and broad-shouldered – the nest box must actually be quite huge???
I chanced on this project from a facebook post from a friend and have been absolutely fascinated for the last three weeks. I have older teenage children and every day they will ask how the babies are getting on. We have learnt many things and the funniest has been watching the projectile pooping (boys!). Thanks for taking the time to keep us informed and for allowing us to be part of an amazing journey.