We may very well have just a one chick nest this year. I thought I would share this cute video of our falcon Dad babysitting the chick. It's good to see him, he's been scarce lately. Also below I am adding some statistics on how many eggs have hatched in our SLC downtown nest in the past, via a note I received from Bob Walters.
No. of years (0) hatched young in brood = 2
No. of years (1) hatched young in brood = 1*
No. of years (2) hatched young in brood = 6(SLC) + 3(Hell's Canyon) = 9
No. of years (2) hatched young in brood = 6(SLC) + 3(Hell's Canyon) = 9
No. of years (3) hatched young in brood = 5
No. of years (4) hatched young in brood = 3
"So, we were over due for a one nestling/eyas brood. We'll take it and any
more miracles that come our way!"
6 comments:
I've named it "Uno" because it is the only one. It is getting just about too big to fit under parent along with the two “dud” eggs. Thursday 30 May 2013
(1)correction/mistake(by Bob Walters/RW)and(2)clarification by Bob Walters/RW:
(1)It's Hell Canyon, located two miles due north of Salt Lake City.
(2)Since the PEREGRINE CAM was not up and running, until, as I recall, 2006, there is a very real possibility that due to the inability to see into the eyrie/nest box clearly that accurate counts of the number of eyases/nestlings that hatched out in a given year does not include those that did not survive to fledging age. In the old days, counts were made via spotting scope from long distances from adjacent, downtown buildings. Thanks, Liz for sharing all with all! Bob Walters/RW
As long as the one makes it, I am okay with the one. He/she sure is a cutie patootie! :)
Allycen
Layton, UT
I was just wondering if it's normal for the other eggs to just be sitting there- so do they know they are duds? Or is there a chance another will make it at, or too late? Just curious.
I saw and took a photo on Monday of one downtown when I was down there with my daughter, then came home and found the web cam the other night- very exciting. I shared a link with my picture on the Great Backyard Bird Count FB page. I keep checking in with my girls.
Can you give me something to distinguish between the male and female for me to know. I am guessing dad is with it now just because he looks like he is sitting there making sure baby is still and looking like "when is your mother going to be home?" :) But I could be wrong- 9 PM MST.
Hi Jeanne, yes the eggs will probably just sit there until after #1 fledges out of nest. Bob may collect them after that. Glad you found the cams and this blog. After chick leaves nest, I will be downtown taking photos and posting here for all to keep up with our antics. There is a SLC Peregrine Falcon facebook page as well. The male is smaller and his tail feathers don't have the light buff tips like female has. He also has no white above the beak, as female does.
I think it is interesting to note that at the time the first couple of eggs were laid the temperatures at night were getting very low. Often below freezing and there was not always a parent bird to sit and protect the eggs.
My gf and I speculated at the time that maybe not all of the eggs would hatch. We watched closely every day to see if more would hatch and I would not be surprised if the eggs were exposed to too cold of temps to be viable. The temps seemed to rise by the time the last egg was laid.
I would also not be surprised if that last egg that was laid is the chick we now see. I thought the other eggs might be hatched before this one finally did. My math could be wrong but I think this might have been the last egg laid.
Let's hope the remaining chick will continue to get the best love and care from the parents and before long we will see another healthy, young adult pererine falcon enter the SLC skies.
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