Bird Cams Around the World

Reenie, you'll laugh when you watch your video. These guys were really a lot of fun to watch yoday.

Trying to type in the dark.

Mystry female? Maybe that's where Lil Dad was yesterday when he was gone so long.

Good night to all.

A female?? I'm sorry to hear that. I thought Lil' Dad was moving around pretty dang fast, maybe we saw her too and didn't realize it. And the juvies made some screaming noises that were really frightful too. Maybe they were upset or excited that another falcon was there. I'm going to be so nervous now.

Oh Boy! Here we go with another mystery! I watched where Red Boy was put back. He didn't seem disturbed much at all. Great care given to him by all.

Well, Lil Dad will be taking another female. Mother Nature works it out. I am remembering Greg's words about Red Girl and CJ after Caesar died. At Wilmington, DE.

A female landed on the point!!?? Oh dear, that's all we need right now during fledge training.

Read back through a couple pages to see what was posted. Can't stay on here long. Yes, FIVE of us saw that female. And Lil Dad also chased a Crow not long afterwards. Boys were sacked by the column when we left at 8:50, and Lil Dad was still on the glass enclosure. Would have liked to see if he spent the night, but planning to be back down there at 5:30 tomoorow morning.

wow; I didn't have time to check in here last night so there were 12 pages waiting for me tonight! It was a crazy day yesterday, and while nerve-wracking while the boys were fooling around at the column it was a hoot at the same time. Lil Dad was away for over 4 1/2 hours yesterday afternoon. Seconds before he returned, Birdbrain reported seeing him flying from over the Farm Show Building toward the Carson Building. He covered the mile and a half in probably less than two minutes. The Farm Show Building is pretty much in a direct line between the ledge and Wildwood Lake Park, so I guessed that was where he had been.

As we were leaving Watch last evening, I saw a baby mourning dove flopping about on a grate in the sidewalk on 4th Street. Concerned that it might be injured, Jane pulled over and we used the net to hold it so I could pick it up and check it for injuries. It was truly a lovely tiny bird. It must have fallen from its nest; it only had a wee bit of downy fluff and it seemed fully feathered, but when I turned it over and spread one wing, I could see that the feathers were still mostly sheathed, and there were sizable bare patches in the wingpits and on the sides where only little spikes of future feathers were sparsely distributed. I checked it the same way we check the juvie falcons - eyes, head, wings, legs, flesh intact, no signs of concussion or internal bleeding and it seemed healthy and sound; just not ready to fly. We weren't sure quite what to do; I couldn't see the nest and where it was on the pavement was eminently unsafe. So after we talked about it for a moment, we decided the best thing would be to place it in a planting bed, under a small shrub, only a few feet from where we found it but much less exposed. It quickly moved further under the shrub and we wished it well and went home. When I got back there at 5:30 this morning, as soon as I saw the boys at the column I checked on the dove and it was gone. I hope that means it found its way home or found a safer hiding place.

Back to falcons! Lil Dad did some pretty showy flying in front of the boys last evening, but nothing compared to the flashy moves he was showing off today. He displayed some very elegant maneuvers, high above 333, loudly kakking and diving, stooping, spiralling, vertical climbing, etc. over both 333 and the Carson Building. There was no sign of an intruder, so I concluded that he might be placing the falcon equivalent of a personal ad: "Eligible bachelor with prime scrape; outstanding flight and defensive skills, a real catch. Loves high buildings, updrafts, flickers, and clear skies. Deep larder filled with scrumptious prey. Serious applications only, c/o 400 Market Street, under the orange roof."

He also disappeared for long periods of time twice today. The first time, he again disappeared in the direction of Wildwood, and when he returned he did something I had never seen him do before. He landed on the stick, shook himself off and water droplets flew in every direction. Either he was playing in the lake or he flew through the fountain at the Capitol. He then proceeded to preen and groom every feather until he positively glistened. He had brought in a small prey with him, but it could not have offered much in the way of satisfaction to the Dynamic Duo. They were very shortly caterwauling for more attention and he took off again, again in the direction of Wildwood. He was gone much longer the second time, but when he returned it was with a mourning dove which he deposited on the ledge on the opposite side of the column, which is where the boys were hanging out. He left them to their own devices with it for a while before executing another flight display, landing between the boys and carrying off what was left of the prey. He took it to 11th floor at the column, finished defeathering, had a bite himself, then returned it to the ledge for the boys. They did a little better sharing the second time.

By this time, Reenie and her hubby were there, and when a falcon took off from the point, Reenie astonished us all by pointing out that it was an adult, not-Lil Dad, falcon, presumably female judging by her massive size. She had snuck in to the ledge, landing on the point, then touching again at the other end of the ledge, where Lil Dad was, around the column, then departing. She was calling, the boys were chiming in with their own sweet harmony, and Lil Dad either chased her away or chased after her - we are not sure which. They flew sort of circling each other for a moment, then both flew out of sight out past the train station. After a few minutes, Lil Dad returned alone. I think her visit must have been out of curiosity about the cute bachelor leaving his calling card all over town. It was all very chaotic for a few moments so it was hard to keep track of who was where, how they seemed and what it all might mean, but honestly, it had a bit of sitcom flavor to it:

Theme Music - scroll title: Falcon's Ledge!
Starring Lil Dad, as himself
Red Boy, as himself
Blue Boy, as himself
and Mystery Girl, as herself (whoever that may be)

Lil Dad, feeding Red: Honestly, if you two boys don't learn to get along and share...
Blue (amusing himself by trying to see if the wind will blow him away if he flaps his wings...like...this): Hey, what the heck?
Mystery Girl (flying from around the corner, almost landing on Blue): Hey, Handsome, I had such a good time today, thought maybe you could use some company - OMG, you never told me you had kids! (slaps Lil Dad with a wing and flies off in a huff)
Lil Dad: Sweetie, wait! I can explain! (both fly off, Lil Dad trying to persuade her to let him buy her a drink)
Red and Blue (look at each other in bewilderment, then shrug and nestle down on the narrowest part of the column, side by side) in unison: Grown-ups! (roll their eyes and affectionately preen each others' heads as dusk falls.

So nobody fledged, but it was still a very exciting day at the Grassy Knoll! I am very curious if the unknown beauty will return tomorrow, and how it will all turn out. I really hope one of the boys tests his wings tomorrow - only not in the high heat of the day! Keep those recorders running and those screen caps coming! You never know what will happen next, and it is so interesting to read through the day's action from the cam view perspective after watching it from the ground level all day! (BTW, the reason they were zooming earlier was to try to see how big the prey was that Lil Dad had brought in and how much food each of the kids was getting from it.) Since it was on the opposite side of the column, I doubt if much could be learned.

Great reporting, everyone. . Sue, priceless.

Glad the kids are still there.

I hope a female does not stay for awhile yet. Dad does not need distracted and I do not believe she will help at this point. she will want to be courted.