Friday, December 8, 2023

Nest Cams 2023-2024

Let's get this list started, as I am "grounded" and not doing any falconry (see previous post). I will add as the birds get their breeding schedules going. 


Of course, it all starts with Bald Eagles down in the Southern States



First egg hatches 12/17/23.
Second egg hatching 12/19/23.

Parents are named Connie and Clive. Chicks are Cal and Lusa. On 2/16/24 Lusa dies of unknown reasons. As of 3/13 Cal fledged, but is still around the nest.



I believe this is the nest last year that lost the female, and the male raised his chicks by himself. There was a new female that showed up, and was in the periphery, but the male did all the work. I guess now she is the queen at the nest. A single chick was raised, and has fledged in March, date uncertain.



Abby & Blaze. 2 chicks, Swampy and Meadow. 



A single chick, which will fledge soon (March).



Boone and Jolene. 2 chicks.



First Egg 1/25/24 at 1655
Second Egg 1/28/24 at 1359
Third Egg!!!  1/31/24 at 1800

As of 3/12, no hatches for any of the eggs.  :-(

Oh My Goodness! For the last few days, early February 2024, there has been a major storm hitting California. Jackie (F) and Shadow (M) are the names for this pair of eagles. They have been buried in snow. They are taking turns to keep their eggs warm and safe.


This is not my video, but a good capture of all the snow covering Jackie up.




North Nest
Egg #1 on 2/15/24 around 2:17 pm.
Egg #2 on 2/18/24 around 2:49 pm.
Pip Watch starts 3/23/24.
First chick out of shell and noticed on cam on the morning of 3/24.

Hatchery Nest
They constructed a new nest out of camera range.  :-(

*****

Goose Cam - It looks like two sets of geese are shopping for a high tree nest this year. 

Egg #1 laid in the night 3/9/24 at what I think is called N2B, the same old eagle nest with cameras that geese have used the last two years.

Goslings finished hatching on 4/14, and made the jump out of the nest just after 8 am on 4/15. 5 of the 6 survived.  

Almost immediately another set of geese have claimed this penthouse for their own and started a clutch. These high abandoned eagle nests seem to be very popular.

On 3/19 another pair started laying at the N1 nest, which was used by eagles last year, but that is the new pair that built a new nest across the valley. Well, this mamma goose laid her first egg, it caught on her feathers as she turned and it rolled to the edge. She tried but was unable to rescue it. It fell. Dangers of laying eggs way up in the sky where eagles normally hang out.


*****

Back to Bald Eagles


Mr. & Mrs. T. Pip Watch starts 4/4/24. On 4/5 a fluffy chick noticed in nest, so probably hatched over the last day.



Bette & Baker



Liberty & Guardian



Bonnie & Clyde 


White Tailed Eagles


Two nests here (Kemeru & Durbe). Looks like one (Durbe) had collapsed, but was rebuilt. Pair here are called Milda & Voldis. Egg #1 laid on 3/23. 2 eggs in nest now.

Ay Jeeze!! First egg laid in the Kemeru nest on 3/10, but plopped down just outside the "rails", and there it remains. Mom on the nest, did pull at it a little, but insufficient effort/intelligence to pull that egg in under her. If it stays there it will freeze and be unviable. It stayed there!

3 days later, 3/13, second egg arrives, this time in the bowl where it will be cared for. First one was never rescued.

On 4/19 I noticed a fluffy new chick under one of the parents.

This pair named Rasene (F) and Akacis (M).


1st egg noticed on 3/8, but maybe laid previous day. Feed may be impacted by solar powered batteries.




Golden Eagles


Two choices here, and one looks to be active!!
First egg laid on 4/1/24 to pair Lucina (F) and Caliman (M).


Estonia - I first noticed egg #1 on 3/17. Pair are Helju (F) & Kalju (M).

A new nest has gone live. This pair don't seem to have a name that I can find. 2 eggs in nest.


Verreaux Eagles



Crested Eagle (Peru)



Red-Tailed Hawk


Egg #1 arrived on 3/17 in the afternoon. Big Red sat tight for a long time before anyone could get a peek at the new egg.
Egg #2 on morning of 3/20.
Egg #3 sometime very early on 3/23, with lots of ice and snow coming down.
Egg #4!! noticed morning of 3/26.

First hatch on 4/25



My eyes are on this nest. Angel and Tom have made a nice nest for any eggs, but seems to be delayed in the arrival of those eggs. As of 4/5 they are still coming to the nest. Hopefully egg(s) soon. Camera here was updated this previous winter.

As of 4/19 no eggs ever laid in this nest. Unknown if they have another nest, or just didn't lay this year.




Syracuse University. Birds are named Oren and Ruth.
2 eggs in nest as this cam went live on 3/22. 3rd egg laid on 3/25.

First hatch on 4/26.



A Late arrival!! They streamed a nest on one of their building ledges last year. Pair has nested again. At time of Go Live 2 chicks already hatched and growing.


Goshawks


Nestorations in progress. Possibly eggs now as of 3/21.


Pair are named Alla and Ruudi.
First egg noticed on 3/23.


Red-Shouldered Hawk

As of 3/13/24 around 2 pm first egg laid.
Egg #2 on 3/16.
Egg #3 on 3/19.

On 4/19 I noticed two fluffy chicks, so must have begun to hatch in the last day or two.

And Look! On 3/16 I finally saw the pair together. The male flew in and gave his mate a small snake. 




Peregrine Falcon

Mayo Nest

Egg #1 on 3/20
Egg #2 on 3/22
Egg #3 on 3/25
Egg #4 on 3/28


Great Spirit Bluff


Not sure if what happened below set the female at this nest off schedule, but as of 4/19 it does not look like any eggs were laid in this nest box.

Oh my goodness!! I just stumbled upon this myself while I was nest peeping on 3/12, and did capture it with my cell, but my video was not quality. Shortly after, Raptor Resource uploaded their own capture. Competition for good nest sites, a mate and hunting territory is quite fierce! The smaller male here is Newman. He's been at this site for several years, but been through several females. The current one on site is named Lisa, and she is banded, so they know where she came from. In this encounter an unbanded female thought maybe she could have this site. The two girls get into a serious fight over it. Ultimately, the unbanded female leaves. Newman is just there waiting to breed with whichever female prevails.

I never saw any eggs laid in this box this year. 



Some pretty good cams in Italy (I think).



And just because I sometimes like to look in on a warm, flower-filled room, here is the live cam of the Sunken Garden at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.


Sunday, November 19, 2023

Benched!!

For now, as I write this, Sunday, November 19, my 2023/2024 Falconry Season has come to a crashing halt.  It remains to be seen if I will be able to salvage any part of it.  I hope so . . . because sitting in the house right now is driving me nuts!

For quite a few years I have been dealing with advancing arthritis, especially in my left knee.  For the most part, I've been able to work around the pain, and can still walk, and perform my daily tasks of self-care and housework, as well as work full time at a job that sometimes has me on my feet quite a bit. This has come to a screeching halt as of November 9.

To my mind, it is actually a stacking of events and conditions, as I still suspect there may be more going on right now than just the debility of my leg. That remains to be seen after tomorrow. I will be seeing Dr. Stephen Wisniewski, a physiatrist, for removal of fluid, and hopefully a game plan on what to do next. Unfortunately, I may be looking at a knee replacement at some point in my not too distant future. The longer I can put that off, the better, but returning to normal walking would be the first goal. For now, I'm using a cane, and just treading across the yard is a challenge. 

So, how about some medical pictures. These are my x-rays from this last Wednesday, November 15.  The first one is anterior (the front side of me). Look at the lack of space on that left knee, which is on the right on the picture. Those two bones are NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH!!


Here is the view posterior.  This time that troublesome knee is on the left. Compare the space difference between the two, and you can see how that left knee joint is just rubbing away, causing all kinds of trouble for me.


Below is a lateral (side) view taken as I lay down on the x-ray table. It mentally hurts me just looking at what I feel all the time.


According to my medical record, the radiologist that read these "films" (funny to call them that, because x-rays are no longer developed like old-school photography, but is all digital now), what you are looking at above is:

"Tricompartmental arthritis left knee with marked medial compartment narrowing. Advanced patellofemoral arthritis. Moderate effusion or synovitis. Degenerative changes, right knee."

I'm hoping after the procedure tomorow, and maybe some physical therapy, I can at least regain somewhat normal ambulation. Whether it will be good enough to return me to uneven fields and falconry is the daunting question. If I had any other bird, I would cut them lose and just focus on my own recover, however I have found in Seneca a bird that I truly would like to hang onto for awhile. I feel bad that I cannot offer her free flight right now, but there is no way I can chase after her. 

As for other concerns, some aspects of my physiology are sympathetically joining in on the pity party.  Leading up to the day all of this changed, I had mildly sprained my right ankle stepping into the street in front of my house, resulting in my almost face-planting. Because of this, I put extra unwanted strain on my compromised left knee, which probably helped to exacerbate the situation. Also, I received my yearly flu and Covid vaccination a few days prior. I found out later, from my primary healthcare provider, that the Covid booster offered this year was different from what the staff have received in the last couple years. I did have a very strong reaction to it, body wide aching. However I sucked it up, and on Wednesday, November 8, I flew my bird for the last time this season, so far. I pushed myself because she was ready, and it was a nice day, even though I didn't feel the greatest. For her part, she did smack a rabbit in the very thick brush we were working, but strangely as I toddled my way over to her, not quick enough, she lost her grip and it got away. She must not have had a very good hold of it through all the bramble. We hunted a little longer, but I was just in so much pain I called it a day early.  I was just about bed-ridden the next day.

I have been dealing with the leg pain, but I'm also having pain from my low back into both legs, and they feel strangely weak. I also fatigue very easily right now. I really don't know what is going on, and maybe after my procedure tomorrow, and some physical therapy, I'll be on the mend. I hope so, because Google gives up so many horrifying alternatives.  

For now, I'm benched. 

Hopefully not for the whole season . . . and definitely hopefully not for good.  


UPDATE 11/20/2023

Procedure today in Sports Medicine. My doctor removed 73mL of synovial fluid from that joint space. He joked that it was a record for him, and that I deserved a trophy. I'll just be happy with return to functionality. In its place, I received a steroid injection. Now I am home resting my leg, with several more days off. Hopefully the healing commences.




Sunday, October 29, 2023

First Bunny for 2023-2024 Season

 


Seneca has resisted my efforts to bring her to last year's flight weight, but consistently returns to the low 1410s, and is responsive enough at that weight. I decided to go ahead and start our season. First flight was in my yard, mostly to verify her quick response to the lure. The second effort found her very distracted by squirrels, but the cover was so thick to disallow much contact. Third effort was at the park in Spring Grove, where on an unusually warm day we didn't see any squirrels, so moved to Sprague Woods in Caledonia, where we moved nothing.


On our fourth free flight on Thursday October 26 in the brushy area by the fairgrounds in our little town, we moved several bunnies, and she contacted with the approximate fourth one flushed to start the season. I let her crop up to a ridiculous amount to remind her how rewarding following me and pursuing what I flush can mean for her.