RICHMOND, VA: 2013

catwoman · **Posted:** Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:37 am

Exiciting info, SGB! :clap:

Too bad only 4 eggs now, but that's nature. Will be watching for the cam link! :dancingegg:

obxbarb · **Posted:** Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:45 am

Thanks for finding this news sgb! Glad to hear they are putting the cams up so we will have a better idea on fledge timing.

Beth · **Posted:** Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:47 am

bev. · **Posted:** Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:38 pm

I was hoping they would put up a cam

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64750

Well, oh dear....another egg has been removed from the scrape. Down to 3. I wonder what the heck is going on. I still have nightmares about that fateful year when the chicks died. I hope the remaining 3 eggsa re ok..anyway, 4/15 update from the website:

While we work to get the feed up and running, we continue to regularly monitor the cameras. Earlier today we saw that another egg has been removed from the scrape. In the photos below the eggs are visible as the male (noted by the bands on his legs) relieves the female of her incubating duty. The three remaining eggs are being incubated and we hope to see signs of hatching over the next few days.

2 pics

Ya know, either they are crash landing into those eggs and causing damage or maybe something's up with the shells to cause them to break. If its not falcon error, I think I might want to get hold of those shells after hatch.

obxbarb · **Posted:** Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:04 am

Wow, so odd.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64750

This is Horrible!!! I don't know what is going on...

April 18 Update:

DGIF biologists continue to monitor the nest at One James River Plaza. Sometime after 7:30am this morning another egg was removed by the falcons. Two eggs remain and are being incubated. There are any number of factors that can contribute to late embryo mortality and at this point we don’t have enough information to do any more than speculate.

Why would they be removing the eggs????!!! They have to be damaged in some way...brittle shells? This is not good!!! I swear if I were a biologist, I would be so tempted to examine one of the remaining eggs to see what the heck is going on!!!!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64750

Carly, it certainly does appear that way. Even if those 3 eggs were not viable, knowing how tough (allegedly) falcon eggs are, they would not have collapsed. We've seen how long it takes for non-viable eggs to collapse and some never do.

I cannot see Ozzie or Harriet removing an intact egg...I can't see them accidentally kicking one out either. So, they must be breaking or something?

At this rate, I'm not holding out too much hope for the other two...but, will keep my fingers crossed. (and I'll keep my remaining thoughts to myself)

Beth · **Posted:** Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:01 pm

Oh gosh...Not good :(

Flash back to the year the little ones died right after hatch.
Something isn't right.

catwoman · **Posted:** Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:10 pm

How disappointing! I'm sure its even more disappointing for Ozzie & Harriet. I also hope that the eggshells can be checked to determine what the problem is. :girlsad3:

However, I know we all would rather see eggs disappear from the nest than lose chicks once those eggs hatch.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64750

Very Bad and SAD news from Richmond this morning. From the website:

DGIF biologists have been closely monitoring the nest and this morning noted that only a single egg remained. Biologists accessed the nest box and examined the remaining egg.

The egg was clearly cracked and leaking yolk. The cracks were not consistent with a normal hatching and at this late stage the yolk should have been absorbed by the embryo. All of this indicated that the egg was not viable. The egg was collected and DGIF is looking into having it evaluated for a variety of factors that might have led to this outcome.

Although it is late in the breeding season, the potential for re-nesting exists and we will continue to monitor this nest site for falcon activity.

For a pic of the 5th egg.

obxbarb · **Posted:** Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:08 pm

I am glad too Carly. There is something weird going on with this pair. I have been convinced for a long time it's an environmental issue. Usually the eggs (or dead chicks) are too old by the time the retrieve them. I hope they can figure something out. I don't remember ever seeing this happen anywhere around the world in a peregrine nest. Not to mention all the failures in previous years. This pair is older so they may have better instinct about eggs, but usually we see falcons on eggs way past due dates if it's a bad batch or old eggs (ie CA this year).

Catbird · **Posted:** Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:58 pm

I'm so sorry to hear the sad news here.

But I am thankful that the biologists were able to retrieve an egg. Through testing and analysis of that egg, I hope DGIF will be able find out what's been causing the failure of eggs this year (and perhaps the failure of eggs and newly hatched chicks in previous years).

Dutch Eagle Fan · **Posted:** Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:34 am

Very disturbing news about this nest. :girlsad3:

bev. · **Posted:** Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:23 pm

I remember a few years ago there were issues at hatching remember.. and they had mentioned fire retardants???

I just gt so mad. We clean up one thing and man just keeps wreaking environment in the name of progress.

Around me there will soon be no environment left

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64750

This view sure is bitter sweet....Have they seen them here? Hoping to see them here? Who knows..

catwoman · **Posted:** Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:52 pm

Very sad for this pair. Actually, all the VA falcon nests that we watch have had tragedy this year. :girlsad3:

I wouldn't think it would be too late for them to re-clutch, cause I think they started a clutch around this time a few years ago.

ljames · **Posted:** Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:10 pm

My gosh, how tragic. Is that the bottom of the nest that the eggs are sitting on? Was there enough gravel in there for a decent scrape?

bev. · **Posted:** Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:57 pm

fingers crosse d for a reclutch

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64750

Hard to see, cam is not refreshing, can mean absolutely nothing...but look hard, there is a falcon in the scrape..

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RICHMOND, VA: 2013

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