Bird Cams Around the World

Who did I catch?

Hi Cheryl.
I can only tell who is who by looking at their faces. Clara usually lays her eggs late February around the same time as falcons in San Francisco. Fernando or FC is Clara's 4th mate. This is a fascinating nest to watch as they have people (volunteers) who man the camera during the nesting season to follow all the action. They can zoom in to their little faces and zoom out all around the building to follow them. This is handy when the juvies fledge, unlike many sites where once they leave the nest, you don't see them any more. Plus, they have a great following in San Jose and people watch and photograph them and report their findings on the San Jose forum and to flickr. You have to join. This will be my 6th year watching this nest, it was the first falcon cam that I ever saw and I was hooked instantly. There is a lot of information on the cam page. Not sure what link you have, but info is here. http://www2.ucsc.edu/scpbrg/nestdiarySJ2012.htm

Thanks lj for the info. They are a beautiful pair. Hopefully this will be our first nest. I have to be honest and say I don't know what flickr is but I'll find out.

Sorry Cheryl, Flickr is a website for photos. Some of the people in San Jose posts nice pictures there. Here is one. http://www.flickr.com/photos/gimlack/

Thanks for answering Cheryl's questions, ljames! If any of us besides mwplay knows the San Jose pair, its you!

A tad odd. Someone was on the ledge and flew to the nestbox to scrape. Suddenly, they flew straight at the cam to the other end (hit print button, but missed it) Anyway, I thought to myself, FC must have brought in prey and that was Clara in a hurry to retrieve it from him. Then a few minutes later somebody, landed on the wall above the nestbox with prey. They stood there for a while and then flew away, without the prey.




I will be glad when the camera operators go on regular duty.

Thanks for the links LJ. Beautiful photos. Joining now. I love Fernando what a super name.

The falcons were off and on the ledge today. Did see (sorta) something unusual. One falcon on the ledge above the nestbox while the other was in the box scraping when suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw something pretty big fly/fall over the ledge. The falcon in the box ran out toward the drain and flew over the wall, so clearly they saw it too, but I can't say if it was a bird or a plastic bag.

Clara and FC just flew on to the ledge at the same time. She (pretty sure) than ran down the ledge, grabbed something (I assume prey) and flew off. He looked like I imagine someone would after just having their purse snatched.

Evidently, they had hunted together.

Edit to add picture:



She is running down the ledge toward FC. The picture not so good, but stories must have a picture.

Good catch.

Last year, after the kids were fledged and watchers were out, it was commented on that Fernando never did a mid-air transfer of food. He would always go to the ledge with the food & the kids would follow.

So, I wonder if that's why they arrived together. He may have had breakfast for Clara, but didn't transfer with her, instead bringing it in to transfer?

How odd, yes I have noticed many times him bringing prey to the ledge. Thanks for the info mwplay.

our young male , at Edmonton , did same thing last year. He would bring food to Radisson or take it to a nearby ledge.

but unlike this male, ours was a dud.

I am following here, even if I am not making comments.

Oh Wow! When reading about the prey transfers here.... reminded me of a stunning sequence caught on film last year at the Canton nest where our 11 month old subadult male, was botching up food transfers and the female, Mystic caught up with the dropped prey....Normally I don't redirect from a thread, but this was a once in a lifetime photo sequence...

Scroll down the page when you get there...
Cheryl and I both were there to witness it...C&C took the pics...

FANTASTIC series. It always amazes me at how quickly they can recover prey when dropped.

Thanks for sharing!

Matrix, that was really good pictures of the transfering of food..ty

That prey drop and recovery was amazing. Thanks for sharing that.

Forgot to mention, saw the same thing tonight, well just the end where Clara grabs the prey and dives off the ledge, leaving FC standing there.

Thanks for the great San Jose captures, ljames & mwplay! Thanks to Matrix for the link to C&C's pictures. You're very lucky to have them near your nest so they can take some of their fantastic pictures of your family!

Thanks Everyone! Yes Catwoman...C&C have helped us along so much and they are great people on top of it all!
We definetely know we are lucky to have them in the area!

Have a pic to post of one of the adults here on the ledge...looked like it had rained in SJ today and got to see a D drop off the ledge...

Photobucket wont let me in my account...will edit this later once i get in...and post the pic.
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edited with the pic...raindrops on the cam lens....

Opened the cam to this view...The falcon left quickly then swooped past the corner of the building behind nest box...