Summary to date

One of our regulars asked for some back-history of this nest, and so here it is.

 

Year Female Male Eggs Hatched Fledged   Comments
2008 Swift Beau 1 1 1  Very late season
2009 Swift Beau 3 2 2
2010 Swift Beau 3 1 1
2011 Swift Beau 3 3 3
2012 Swift Beau 2 1 1
2013 Swift Beau 3 0 0  All eggs broke
2014 Swift Beau 3 1 0  Chick fell out of box
2015 Diamond Bula 3 3 3
2016 Diamond Bula & Xavier 3 3 3  New male did not incubate
2017 Diamond Xavier 3 2 2
2018 Diamond Xavier 3 2 2
2019 Diamond Xavier 3 2

the story in 2016 is very interesting as the male (Bula) disappeared (presumed dead) just as the eggs were about to hatch.  Poor Diamond was frantic and went without food or water for three days. Then she hunted and fed her first check.  Then a succession of suitors appeared (including a very young male and a female!, both rejected).  Eventually Xavier made his appearance and, although I don’t think she was terribly impressed, she accepted him.  He provided very well and all three chicks fledged, but he didn’t do any incubation, brooding or chick feeding (not his chicks, of course).  Since then, he has become a model father!

And below are some details of the number of days to hatching and fledging if you are interested.

Days of breeding event 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 average
Days first lay to first hatch 38 na 36 38 37 36 36 37 36.9
Days incubating to first hatch 34 na 33 36 35 34 34 36 34.6
Days from first hatch to first fledge 42 na na 40 43 42 41 na 41.6

I’m preparing a talk to give to Sydney City Council on Thursday, so it was useful to gather these data together and I’ll make a copy of the presentation for you if you would like.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and don’t forget to vote for names before 5 pm Tuesday!

 

Cilla

 

 

 

5 thoughts

  1. It’s always interesting to have history of a nest. So many are missing elsewhere.

    And I would like to read copy of your next Thursday’s presentation of course.

    Thanks in advance, Cilla

  2. Cilla, was Swift’s age a factor in the fragility of her eggs? I notice my ageing chooks, when they lay at all, are laying rather thin-shelled eggs these days.

    Yes, definitely interested in reading your presentation 🙂

  3. Yes, I think Swift was already quite old when she took up residence with her lovely ‘Beau’. I found the older data, but it doesn’t affect the averages much, although the 2008 season was much later than normal (1st egg lain, 23/10, hatched 1/12, fledged 9/1/2019!), but I’ll update it for the presentation.

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