Observation date: 7 May 2015
Watching the south side nest site for chicks to appear has been trying to say the least. For the last few days the adults have left the nest unattended for sometimes up to and hour, but yet still take food into the nest site daily. Still no sign of young, not even a wing flap.
Upon arriving at Morro Rock this morning, my friend and cohort, Gordon Robb, is parked on the north side observing the other pair of falcons which we thought to be about a week behind the south side pair. This was because we had seen them breeding when the south side had already begun incubating. Several minutes before I got there, Gordon had already shot a video of a young chick coming to the edge of the nest site to defecate.
North side eyrie Photo by Bob Isenberg
Needless to say, I went no further. I set up there, next to Gordon, and didn’t bother to go over to the south side.
“What the heck. At least, there is something to see over here!”
I believe one reason we have not seen the young on the south side is because the nest is situated in a hole that goes down into the rock, rather than straight in level like the north side.
This making the south side more difficult as they have to climb up to the opening. Time will tell. In the mean time, I will be observing the north side chicks with a smile.
Happy trails, Bob
Item:
I believe this nest site called the “dome” as been used at least four times in the previous fourteen years that a pair of falcons has nested on this north side.
