18 September 2022
Well, it is Sunday morning and I did not make it to Toronto this trip. I have been slightly unwell – nothing concerning – just a bad reaction to a new medication which I have not stopped using. Still, it makes you feel like you just want to get under the duvet and sleep for a week. I want to spend superior time with that Harris Hawk so soon. Until I am back to normal, the blog will probably be a little shorter than usual.
So, like many of you, I spent Saturday anxiously awaiting the arrival of Ervie’s sibling. It seems that this pip did not emerge into a crack as soon as some of us might have hoped. Here are some images from today. It is now after noon in Port Lincoln. Perhaps there will be a little osplet by evening – and, perhaps, just perhaps, its cheeping will bring the second one along!
Mum will be very tired. Dad blew in and gave her a break at 12:16:17 until 12:26:41. Good for you Dad. Mum was hungry! Here is an image of the changeover! (Thanks Renie for that timestamp!)
The first egg pipped on the 17th of September at 20:53:37. Hatch was on the 18th at 21:27:30. The second egg pipped at 19:53:00.
Making News:
The male intruder at the Melbourne Peregrine Falcon nest has made the news along with the nest and the wonderings about how this might end.
It remains unclear what will happen at Melbourne, however. The arrival of the second male has clearly caused a disturbance in what should have been a routine incubation and hatch with the old male and the new female. The fact that the old male has not been able to rid his territory of this second male is very worrisome. The old male began breeding at this site in 2017 which makes him at least 8 years old now. The average life span, according to Victor Hurley, is 6 years. There is definitely competition for the nest site and the female which might prove to create a very difficult season for hatch and raising chicks. There has been a lot of ‘racket’ in the background. The competition will probably not end well as normally the males will fight to the death.
Meanwhile things are fine at the Sydney Sea Eagles cam. Lady Hawk posted a video of a great feeding with the eaglets flapping and getting stronger every day as we enter week 9. SE 30 continues to get some really good fish, too. Both sea eaglets doing well. Expect much more flapping..
Everything is rock solid at the scrape in Orange, thankfully. We do not need the drama that Melbourne is experiencing – just a strong healthy eyas or two in about 12 days.
Handsome Xavier.
Loch Arkaig has produced their season review. Have a look. Enjoy the bag pipes! Thanks Mary Kerr for all the great memories from arrival to departure.
Thank you for joining me for this short blog. Stay tuned to Port Lincoln as the second hatch will probably come quicker than the first. Then we wait for three and hope that they are grouped together closely. Let us all hope that Melbourne can settle and save this years clutch. Take care everyone. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams, videos, or posts that make up my blog today: Port Lincoln Ospreys, 367 Collins Street by Mirvac, Lady Hawk, Sea Eagles@Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre Sydney Olympic Park, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Mary Kerr and Friends of Loch Arkaig, the Woodland Trust and the People’s Post Code Lottery.
Oh Mary Ann first of all I do pray that you feel better from this medication your taking. If not I would get him to change it as you should be feeling better by now. 🙏🤗.
Thank you for the updates ! Good luck Port Lincoln with the pips and hatches. Diamond and Xavier look beautiful! The sea eaglets look beautiful too!
Prayers for the Melbourne falcons. I do hope it doesn’t get violent. The eggs belong to the resident dad. The younger one should leave for now. 🙏❤️
Have a Blessed Sunday and take care Mary Ann.
Linda
Thank you so much for your concern, Linda. I have stopped the medication and now have a new doctor! But I don’t do well as a patient especially on a beautiful sunny day with birds flitting about. I am very concerned for Melbourne. Breeding season is not a time to play out territorial battles. We saw the worst outcome at Cal Falcons…and it was a female!
I’m praying for them Mary Ann that it will all work out ok. But it may be what this female wants is the younger male. At any rate I pray the Dad can finish his family out this season. 🙏❤️
It’s good you have the new doctor and stopped the medication. Maybe now you will feel better again and get to enjoy the birds. Take care and have a Blessed Sunday afternoon 🙏🤗
Linda
Hi Mary Ann, I’m sorry to hear you are unwell and wish you a speedy return to normal. A nice day of rest under the duvet sounds cozy and comfortable. Anyway, thanks for the updates on Port Lincoln. I hope everything turns out well at Melbourne. Just a bit concerned for the babes when they hatch.
Nancy
Oh, thank you, Nancy. It is nothing serious just literally a headache and unsteady tummy – . I don’t do ‘sick’ very well either…tend to be a bad patient. Thank you so much for your best wishes. Yes, I am very concerned about Melbourne – or any nest where there is competition during the breeding season. The female and chicks suffer. That is prime real estate. The old male controls all of Melbourne’s pigeons!!!!!!! I have adored him for years and just sad that these things are playing out now. The little PLO chick is a cutie pie…
I wish you a speedy recovery from your recent health troubles. The fast-growing sea eaglets are at such a wonderful stage of development. SE29 has started sleeping like a grown-up sometimes, standing up. Around 7.20 this morning (19 September), after a good breakfast, they decided to work together on some essential nest renovations. Just SO funny. Love how well behaved they are at feeding time. The perfect little pair. And getting even more beautiful by the day.
Did I speak too soon about the perfect little pair? Shortly after 12.30 today (19 September), a small bite of lunch was brought to the Sydney nest and was immediately claimed by SE30. Initially, SE29 merely watched intently, but by 12:34:30, he’d had enough and shortly thereafter tried the snatch and grab. SE30 took great exception to this, and some mutual threatening behaviour ensued. No-one actually pecked anyone else, but it is perhaps a sign of things to come as the parents increasingly expect the eaglets to feed themselves.
They need to learn this regardless for after they fledge. Life will not be so civil for them!!!!!!!!! It is wonderful that both have done so well.