Surprise…

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
"Rosie" finds love Photo by Cleve Nash

“Rosie” finds love                                           Photo by Cleve Nash

“Why is Cleve not out here at the rock?”

“Did you call him?”

“No.”

“He’s been gone for two days, so…. “

12PM: Cleve Nash shows up at the rock.

“Where have you been? Everybody has been worried about you.”

“I told Bob I was going to Santa Barbara on Friday…”

It seems as though I had been so excited about all the action with the chicks and such, I must have had a little bout with C.R.S.

Anyway on his way home, Cleve stopped off at the Shell Beach nest site to check on what he thought was a new mate for  “Rosie”* a few weeks ago.

Your place or mine? Photo by Cleve Nash

Your place or mine?                                       Photo by Cleve Nash

Upon looking over the cliff to see the two of them, instead, he sees four young falcons ready to fledge. He and fellow photographer, Bob Mancuso are aghast. They hadn’t even seen her breeding.

“Where did these chicks come from? She must have kept him in the closet!”

Surprise... 4 Photo by Cleve Nash

Surprise ! … 4                                                Photo by Cleve Nash

The answer to the story is… no one watches this nest site on a regular basis and they have moved the eyrie several times over the years. This Shell Beach nest site is where I saw my first wild peregrine falcon in the fall of 1969.

As of to date, we now have three chicks at Piedras Blancas, three chicks at the north side of Morro Rock, four chicks at Shell Beach.  We still have yet to check nest sites at Diablo Canyon, Avila, Pecho Ranch at Montaña de Oro and the south side of Morro Rock.

Any information on the remaining sites is welcome to be submitted to us at Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch. Use our comment box below. Thanks.

Happy trails, Bob

*See photo of “Rosie” on May 6 blog titled “No news is good news…” http://tinyurl.com/lr6s58y

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Chicks rule…

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
With prey Photo by Teddy Llovet

Adult with prey                                              Photo by Teddy Llovet

With young on the wing, every day for the next month, it will be like a three ring circus with performances every hour or so. Arriving at Morro Rock, a little after 7AM, and before setting up, I immediately hear young vocalizing and soon spotted movement high up on the cornice with my naked eye. They continued for the next few minutes, while I put up a couple spotting scopes, two chairs and assorted paraphernalia which keeps this gig going.

There were some feathers and what seemed to be a carcass between two of the young birds, which neither one was interested in. They must have received a prey item just before I arrived, and that was what all the commotion was about.

For the next four hours, the parents would arrive and the young would race out to greet and see who would get the kill, but the parents would not have anything in their talons. Four times, they did this. Don’t ask me why.

Finally just before noon, the tiercel came in over the bay carrying a small dark long-legged shorebird. By this time the chicks were totally frustrated from false alarms. The second male to fledge did not even fly out, but remained perched on the cornice.

Mid-flight transfer Photo by Teddy Llovet

Mid-flight transfer                                    Photo by Teddy Llovet

“Flyboy,” being the swift one, intercepted the parent and deftly grabbed the prey in mid-flight. Banking into a 180 degree turn and heading back to the rock, he collided with his very large sister, who was following close in and was determined to eat first. In mid-air the prey was falling free and “Flyboy’s” speed had carried him past the prey and the large sister grabbed it in mid-flight. The confrontation did not end here. After landing they continued to fight over the kill. “Flyboy” never had a chance, but showed a lot of game.

The fight continues Photo by Teddy Llovet

The fight continues                                        Photo by Teddy Llovet

Happy trails, Bob

Item:
If you like the addition of more photos, tell us. We’ll do our best.

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Cacophony of cacking…

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
Do "Fly" not the "Watusi." Photo by Cleve Nash

Do “The Fly” not the “Watusi.”
Photo by Cleve Nash

Got an early start today. No more banker’s hours. Cleve says, “No wind and more action in the early hours.” It’s before 7AM and I’m here with coffee for both of us and Cleve is AWOL. Too bad he missed a great day and the first aerial food exchange between parent and juvenile. You guessed it “Flyboy!” Who else could fly that well.

When the parent arrives with prey, the cacophony of cacking* begins and soon all the young are airborne. If one or more does not fly, the parent will fly over them with prey to encourage them to come up and take it from them. Today, two of the young gave chase, “Flyboy” and his very large sister. It was no contest for him until he had to carry it to a perch. That is when she overtook him. Closing in fast on his yellow tail feathers, he dove into a bush squealing all the way, trying to mantle the prey even before he got stopped. The young female broke off the chase at the bush and later finished what he could not.

Happy trails, Bob

Item:
“Flyboy” can be identified by two blonde streaks on the back of his head.

*cacking –  excited vocalizing

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Into the wild blue…

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
"Flyboy" at speed Photo by Cleve Nash

“Flyboy” at speed                                                                 Photo by Cleve Nash

Today is a new day for our young aviatrix. She flies! After spending all day and night climbing around the cliffs and rocky slopes, the young female was the last to fledge in a cast of three. Both brothers fledged earlier this week. It must have felt wonderful to see mom bringing in breakfast after last night’s lonely ordeal.

Today, flying way beyond his means is “Flyboy.” I shudder watching him as he makes moves he has never done before. High “G” turns, stooping for two or three seconds, then flaring off to buzz one of his siblings or parent and missing by merely inches. I am awestruck and I have seen this many times before. He has to be like a cocky test pilot climbing into a new fighter aircraft and saying, “OK, let’s see what this baby can do!” And believe me if he could do what “Flyboy” did today, I guarantee that his linen would be soiled.

It is to a point, where I fear for him, if he keeps this up. I think we as humans cannot comprehend the power, the skill, the intelligence of animals. They simply amaze.

Happy trails, Bob

Item:
Stay tuned for further adventures of the north side squadron of three.

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A tale of two tails…

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
The second juvenile with undeveloped feathers Photo by Cleve Nash

The second juvenile with undeveloped feathers    Photo by Cleve Nash

Today, Memorial Day, we have two airborne falcons and one still grounded in the eyrie. However, “Flyboy” has returned to the nest site at least twice today. Seems he’s a little ticked at late meals or, at least, food going into the eyrie and not to him. The second chick to fly is a male, also. We believe the third that has not flown is a female.

After looking at yesterday’s photos, Cleve and Heather decided a photo of a chick flying was actually the second one to fledge. Cleve had noticed in the photo that the two lateral tail feathers on either side were not fully developed, creating the appearance of half feather half shaft. The photo above clearly shows the undeveloped feathers of the second bird. Previous photos of “Flyboy” do not show this, but instead fully developed feathers.  “Good job, Cleve!”

With all the excitement of the young fledging, we have had quite a gathering of long time peregrine observers. Steve Schubert of Camp Keep, Judy Sullivan and more. Last Friday, we had conducted peregrine programs for Mrs. Washer’s and Miss Ward’s second grade classes from Bishop Peak Elementary School, San Luis Obispo, CA. Some of those students with their families were out to see the peregrines today.

I hope your holiday was as good as ours.
Happy trails, Bob

Item:
Stay tuned for news of our new aviatrix yet to fly.

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Cold and hungry…

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
"Fly Boy" Photo by Cleve Nash

“Fly Boy”                                                                                   Photo by Cleve Nash

Two cold nights on the rock all alone got young “Fly Boy” motivated. We found him early this morning some 300 yards from where we left him the night before. After watching for a couple of hours, with a few rough landings he wound up in what we have always referred to as the “nursery.” It’s the far left end of Morro Rock on the North side where a lot of blasting and removal of rock took place and left high shear cornices, but below a gentle slope covered with brush, ideal for controlled crash landings.

Cleve and I watched as the parent brought him food, not one, but two birds. He didn’t finish the second and the parent female returned and ate it.

It’s amazing how fast they can find a chick. They will do this with all of them when they are flying no matter where they land. We left him on a narrow ledge high up under the  cornice with his crop full to the throat.

Happy trails, Bob

Item:
Second chick ventured outside the eyrie three feet and returned.

More of Cleve Nash’s photos of “Fly Boy” may be found at
http://tinyurl.com/qakn4lo

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Launch or lunch…?

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
First flight Photo by CLeve Nash

Out of the nest                                        Photo by Cleve Nash

So much for all our predictions, calculations and educated guesses. They are all “out the window,” now that one of the chicks has left the nest. I had expected the chicks to fly on the 1st of June. Although he hasn’t flown yet, this is the normal procedure before flight. Chicks normally fledge on or around Day 44. We estimated that we are at Day 36, so somebody goofed.

This morning about 8:30AM, I arrived at the rock to observe the three young falcons. Seeing nothing around the nest is not unusual. They could be sleeping. Then I caught movement twenty feet above the nest site. One of the young, flapping its wings, ventured out of the eyrie. I watched as it clung to the rock with talons and beak, all the time gaining altitude and flapping vigorously. There are gull nests in every direction and the gulls are not happy about this youngster roaming the neighborhood.

I watched the adult tiercel arrive with prey, the female cacking vociferously and chasing him to make the food exchange. With prey in her talons, she is inbound to the eyrie. The chick that had ventured out of the nest is squealing and flapping and it looks like he’s going to miss a meal.

I’m sure he or she will fly today. Thus is the normal procedure, to climb as high as it can and then jump. They picked a terrible day for learning, with wind gusts up to 55 mph and steady 30-35 mph breeze. This first step is when the young are most vulnerable. If they are able to fly, rarely do they make it back to the eyrie. They usually spend a cold night clinging to a ledge with no siblings for company or warmth. The biggest threat would be a Great-horned Owl. If he or she makes it through the night, with luck I will find him in the morning.
Happy trails, Bob

Item:
Grade point average on calculations has been reduced to C-.

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Cleve said “And now there are three!”

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
Three of a kind Photo by Cleve Nash

Three of a kind                                                Photo by Cleve Nash

Wind has been the order for the last few days. First from here, then from there and very little break in between.

Yes, there are three young chicks you see in the photo by Cleve Nash taken this morning, in a twenty mile per hour breeze from east to west. When I asked Cleve for a photo of the baby falcons for this posting, he warned me, “It might be fuzzy because of the wind.”

About 10:00AM we seemed to have an opportunity when the wind changes direction and reverses now, west to east. We get a little lull, but then the young falcons disappear. By 10:45AM and the wind has picked up to 40 mph, they want to come out to see what is going on. Cooperation between birds, wind and photographer can be challenging.

The third chick, seen here on the left, although it’s not readily apparent, seems to have more down compared to the other two. It may be a couple days younger than the other two. The two darker ones have ventured over to the mother’s perching spot on the left side of the eyrie (not shown in this photo). To get there, they had to make a small jump and I think they surprised themselves. One strong flap and they were up on the sloping rock.

Their wing feathers and tail are fully developed. They just look ungainly because of the down still clinging to them in obvious spots. Remember, these birds should fly in 12 days, that’s June, the first, if our calculations are somewhere close.
Happy trails, Bob

Item:
None of us here at the rock have given up on a fourth chick.

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Two surely, maybe more…

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch
Two peregrine chicks Photo by Cleve Nash

Two peregrine chicks                                                                               Photo by Cleve Nash

Saturday is always a big day, especially if the weather is nice. No one is disappointed today, surfers, sunbathers, kite-flyers, and some to see the falcons.

By 7 something AM, Cleve Nash had seen three young and believed there might be a fourth. The photo above shows two distinct heads of chicks, but they are so camouflaged by grass and lichen-encrusted rock, there could be five.

I sat twenty feet away from Cleve with spotting scopes, four birders from Tasmania to Bakersfield with binoculars and cameras and still saw only two! The young seem to appear just after a parent bird arrives with a fresh kill. One of the chick claims the kill and mantles* it, keeping the siblings away until he or she is full. During this time, the other young appear as if they are looking for more food to be delivered. This is when they are visible.

If you are making a trip to see the young, know that the adult birds bring in prey items about every hour, so bring a chair and be prepared to stay at least that long. Some folks walk by, look in one of the many scopes to see the babies and feel they have accomplished it all in five minutes. Remember that you are on bird time and be cognizant of that. Hope to see you soon.

Happy trails, Bob

*mantle, verb – a bird of prey on the ground or on a perch will spread the wings and tail, so as to cover captured prey.

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Through the ages, a visual aid to the falcon chicks…

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Pacific Coast Peregrine Watch

 Day 1 to 24

Day 1 to 24 
Day 25 to 48

Day 25 to 48

Now that we have young visible chicks in one of our nest sites and more soon to hatch on the south side of Morro Rock, I wanted to give you, our readers, something so that you can follow the progression of the young either here at Morro Rock or on the Internet via the many nest cams you may find in the United States, Canada and around the world.

Be sure to click on the images above to enlarge them. This is a series of photographs, from egg to fledgling, and every day between. This series was done in Germany by a renowned woman who has since passed on. Cleve Nash and I both have copies to see how close our observations are, ie: egg laying, first day of incubation, first day of feeding, etc.

Over the years, with these photos and our observations, I would give us a grade of “A-.” Where we always fall short is trying to determine the number of young that will hatch on any given year. At best, it’s a crap shoot. Without seeing into the eyrie, or weighing the amount of food that goes in, forget it!

Today is Tuesday, and I spent five hours watching the nest site and saw three prey items go into the nest. I never saw a chick. Yesterday, I saw two young falcons. Maybe by Friday, I’ll see four!
Happy trails, Bob

Item:
Have some fun.
By looking at the photos that we post with our stories, compare the chicks to the progression series of chicks. See what day you think matches the age.

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