MONTREAL, QUEBEC ~ JAN - MAY 8, 2010

catwoman · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:21 am

We can always hope that now that Polly has satisfied her curiosity, she'll settle down, but I'm sure that's just wishful thinking! :sigh

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64767

I think this is Polly...not sure...

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64767

Parent comes...hops on and off the perch..taking a few moments before going in...Once in there, Polly and parent had quite the long conversation...some bowing and beaking...I think Polly was hoping for breakfast..(can she hunt?) Polly finally left and was sitting on the perch when I left..(of course, I could be totally wrong..hee hee)

catwoman · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:40 am

You were right, SGB, that was Polly & Wizzz has said that she can hunt. She is used to being able to lay in that box in the sunshine & apparently doesn't understand that that doesn't work now.

Wonder how long the eggs were uncovered. We're seeing at more & more nests this season where the eggs are being left uncovered for periods of time even though they're well into the incubation period. If the weather is warm enough, maybe they will just hatch late--we can always hope anyway...

catwoman · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:14 pm

After checking the archives, it appears that Polly was there less than half an hour, so the eggs weren't uncovered for long...

bev. · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 4:12 pm

I am going to send this link to our biologists and explain what is going on, and see what their take is. they knw a lot and have seen a lot.

bev. · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 4:12 pm

someone is incubating right now . So not know who

Wizzz · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 5:59 pm

Hi all !

Yeah Polly caused trouble again... On Friday the eggs were uncovered for about 1 hour. Yesterday it was for about 20 minutes and today about 15 minutes. Today her mom kicked her out of the box, yesterday she left on her own. All three times she had a full crop so she was there just because she likes to take a sun bath on the warm rocks...!! It was very warm here for the last three days so I pray that the eggs did not suffer too much.

Yes, she can hunt - I am sure of it. I saw her chase birds, I saw her carrying preys. I saw her coming back with a full crop when her two parents have been on the tower for a while. I never see the parents feeding her, but that doesn't mean it's not happening from time to time. Maybe she's stealing from Roger... Both parents seem to know she's a subordinate, but are just accepting her and that part I really don't understand ! At first it made sense because of her handicap, but now she's fine on her own...

Our expert biologists here don't really understand the situation either and never saw anything like that, but I am curious to know what other experts would think. I just hope this will be a happy ending - eggs hatching and perhaps Polly understanding that she needs to be nice with her little brothers and sisters.....

In any case, I think we have to let mother nature deal with it. I had many people following my blog and the cams suggesting that I should take the eggs or try to catch Polly but it's just not possible. Trying to catch her would disturb the adults ever more and would be counter productive, and taking the eggs is illegal. For both operations anyways I would need a permit for the Quebec government and since the peregrine is not in critical condition like it was before, I don't think any human intervention is required - thus it would not be granted. If this year fail, there's always next year....!

Beth · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:27 pm

Just getting caught up and goodness...I wish Polly would find a new sunning area!

Thanks everyone for the updates/photos/videos :thumbegg:

Dutch Eagle Fan · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:37 pm

Wizzz wrote:

<<<SNIP>>>since the peregrine is not in critical condition like it was before, I don't think any human intervention is required - thus it would not be granted. If this year fail, there's always next year....!

I agree, no human intervention.
I think it's important that the parents deal with it, one way or the other. They are the ones that have to make Polly understand what is going on and what is expected of her: make room for the new babies.
Taking the eggs would be the worst thing to do, glad you feel the same.

catwoman · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 7:15 pm

My thought was to give Polly a box of gravel away from the nest in the sunshine, but usually when you interfere with nature, you end up making things worse, so I agree that Spirit & Roger will have to deal with Polly.

SusanE · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:22 pm

I agree 100% with catwoman. Mother Nature is in charge and let Her do what is best.

bev. · **Posted:** Sun Apr 04, 2010 11:11 pm

they will figure this out.

Wizzz · **Posted:** Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:28 am

There is another box of gravel (open box) on another side of the tower - at first I installed two types to see which one the peregrines would prefer. But Polly doesn't like this box as much as the nestbox where she grew up...!

catwoman wrote:

My thought was to give Polly a box of gravel away from the nest in the sunshine, but usually when you interefere with nature, you end up making things worse, so I agree that Spirit & Roger will have to deal with Polly.

catwoman · **Posted:** Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:44 am

Wizzz wrote:

There is another box of gravel (open box) on another side of the tower - at first I installed two types to see which one the peregrines would prefer. But Polly doesn't like this box as much as the nestbox where she grew up...!

catwoman wrote:

My thought was to give Polly a box of gravel away from the nest in the sunshine, but usually when you interefere with nature, you end up making things worse, so I agree that Spirit & Roger will have to deal with Polly.

That's good that she has an alternative. Hopefully, she'll decide that trying to lay in the nestbox is just too much trouble & that using the other box is much easier. Thanks, Wizzz!

obxbarb · **Posted:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:32 am

Wizzz, I've asked the Virginia biologists responsible for our falcons to look at your situation in case they have any comments. I've heard from one, who has never seen this situation before, and also thought you would just have to let it play out.

Wizzz · **Posted:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:43 pm

Thanks !
Polly was just back to the box with her dad. Spirit left, and Roger tried to incubate but Polly was right there taking a lot of space as usual!!

So he left, Polly examined the eggs and she touched them with her beak like the parents do when they turn them... I thought she was going to incubate! But she moved away, Roger came back, he had space to sit on the eggs. She stayed for a while but was not aggressive with him. Then she went out on the perch and looked at her dad while preening, and not she's gone... Could she finally be getting it ? Hope so...!

Wizzz · **Posted:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:57 pm

Thanks Carly ! I am very curious about similar stories because none of the experts I talked to have seen anything like it. Do you have any details on that ? Where exactly did it happened ? Any report or website ? Thanks a lot!!

bev. · **Posted:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:07 pm

Hi Wizzz, I have e-mailed that cam site to our biologists here who are gurus of peregrines. They were some of the ones responsible for recovery of peregrines in Alberta at Wainwright. I have given them all the information.

Wizzz · **Posted:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:37 pm

Thanks Bev. ! They might already be aware of it, as they surly know the biologists who help me day to day - David Bird and Marcel Gahbauer from McGill University...
Can't wait to see what they have to say...!

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MONTREAL, QUEBEC ~ JAN - MAY 8, 2010

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