Bird Cams Around the World

I go to their forum for information SGB. they are very knowledgeable, I kn ow a few of them,. as are a lot on Great Spirit Bluff, very knowledgeable. like all chats , a few get excited, but for the most part they know their stuff

I edited to say very knowledgeable. Whne I came back to read , did not make sense. was in a hurry

- I have seen a 'zip' across the shell the long way for days
- One egg 'stood on end' today - and michelle picked it up
Does that compute with your report sky?
It was my thot from my notes posted above.
My overly detailed notes cud be hepful :)
I dont know how chicks are sposed to sound inside egg - but one seems to be screaming

` noon - O dear! Ooo dear! I dont think anyone wants to know my thot.
Travis came with prepared prey - seemingly to feed chicks.
Mom got up and left - Dad tore prey and approached the 4 noisy eggs.
Then flew out. You can see chewed egg in snip.
In a few minutes Mom returned
That is the facts without my comments.

12.20 pm Mom is eating an egg - it sounds hollow
I think it WAS a chick :( - others will say - no it was inviable but I maintain.
People do not realize its a lie to say it was inviable when it wasnt.
If I am going to blog, I am not going to lie.
She put it back under her - I am tempted to say she is hiding it from Dad - but I wont.
She is eating the entire egg that was a chick inside it. Too weak to peck out. :(
The calcium content is good for her. Nature wastes nothing.

Video from RRP forum
Hatch Maybe,Movement of Egg,Prey Delivery,
http://youtu.be/IejryP7SWdA

Comments from the GSB SS
- something is going on with the eggs
- I guess we forget , these are experienced falcons and sometimes things happen
- cross fingers for next 3
- not really developed, had one like this at xxx nest
Sad faces on SS blog :(

3 pm - Three eggs - whole - one peeping

That chick Michele ate was peeping - It was NOT inviable. I am not certain it was fully dead when it was eaten.
I do feel sad but thats nature. I think both M and T feel sad too.
Travis brought plucked prey to feed the chicks. Precious - and heart breaking.
Maybe the peeping chick did starve cuz it was unable to break out. :(

One egg really was inviable and Michelle ate it May 09.
This was a live peeping chick - thats why it was not set aside.

:( 2.45 pm Michelle got up and left the box - and no peeps. Dead silent. :(
When parent returned they sort of kicked one egg and it peeped.
The parent looks confused - really.
What peeps are M and what the egg I am unsure.
One egg is peeping.



Its not always easy to watch nature. It is what it is. We dont know why.
After such a long time I will be surprised if there is any hatch.
I have no clue what may have happened. Would there be a reason all the shells were too hard?

I don't think it was live when she ate the fetus but it may have been full grown and died while trying to hatch. As Skygirlblue confirmed, they have enough food from the egg to live for a day without being fed. If they cannot cut their way out of the egg within that period they will become weak and perish. It may have been the one we heard a few days ago. Yesterday I heard two and now I'm hearing only one. I would not be surprised if another is in trouble. Again I'm no expert and was hoping Bob or Amy from RRP would share their thoughts on it.

I went for a short walk sky :)
Del knows a lot. Good man! We are blessed to have him!

3.30 pm All 3 eggs exposed, 1 strong peep, 1 weak peep
When Mom returns she scolds - kak kak kak! - probly mad at Travis for leaving babies.
She has a quack sound just like a duck. I saw white on one egg
3.42 pm Michele got up, one egg has a crack - you can see white
4.15 pm 2 eggs are peeping strongly in 2 part harmony

May 17 pm GSBDweller posted - Just read somewhere that pip-to-hatch takes 50-72 hours for PEFA

Dang song runnin round in my head ...
Jeepers creepers ... where'd ya get them peepers


3.42 pm

This is from a posting by Glenn R Stewart at the U. of Cal. Santa Cruz. It put my mind at ease a bit and confirms what GSBD said.
"The chick has a "hatching muscle" in its neck that swells with lymph and begins to spasm toward the time for hatching. In doing so, the beak with its sharp egg tooth at the tip is forced through the membrane separating the air cell from the embryo. The chick pokes its beak into the air cell and begins the transition from gas exchange to lung breathing. With the beginning of lung breathing, it is able to cheep even though there is no break in the shell. Soon, the air cell fills with carbon dioxide and the chick's hatching muscle again spasms forcing the egg tooth through the shell creating a star-shaped break or "pip" that allows air to enter the shell. The chick rests for a good long time, cheeping from time to time and hearing Mother's vocalizations of encouragement in return. Eventually, and with gaining strength, the chick begins cutting its way around the equator of the shell by pulling itself along using little vestigial claws located at the alula (thumb) feather to turn inside its cramped shell. All of this takes about fifty hours-they do not simply shrug off the shell and erupt into the outside world."

In my pic just above your post - Del - that white line along the equater of egg must be what he meant.
That is a good analysis. Thank you for finding and posting!

I agree with You Skygirlblue, 50 hours is a long time to be living off of what was absorbed from the yoke. Especially when it has to cut its way out. Was 24 hours the median time you recorded? From "pip" to hatch? or when to when? I'm not trying to start any trouble, just learning more!

Very much so Skygirlblue, thank you. They may even mean as early as the neck muscle swelling and/or convulsions as the ("All of this takes") whole process.

Great spirit bluff has excellent cameras and microphone (except for a zoom for the nest box lol) I believe we were hearing the chicks before a pip. At least I hope so.

If I may ask, have you witnessed or know of any pefa eggshells that were overly thicker thus harder to cut and crack? Anything like that by region maybe or ambient temperature at the time the egg is formed? age of the falcon?
Thank you Skygirlblue

May 18 SONday!
4 am - 2 peepings. I see a half eggshell behind Michelle and hear a peep and a loud hollow chup. Nest is messy. Other shell pieces strewn about.
1 chick may be out - cant see - one hollow peeping from inside egg
When M moves at one point I thot I saw fluff - but thats pc (pre-coffee).

4.30 M is preening her wing, T shd arrive shortly. (cam is full of spider and web - yukk)
I had another glimpse, and I am about 75% sure a chick has hatched.
M is really protecting her new chickling - temp is about 51 degrees.
I would NOT call a chick inside the egg a 'fetus' (growl) :(

4.55 am The robins are singing to the dawn, announcing Chicklet #1 on the bluff, and Travis screams past.

5 am M vocalizes, chick peeps, she touches it
5.09 am That squeeling sure sounds like a hatched chick! MOVE Mama .. moooove! Cmon Trav, change shift!

5.13 am Odd! Michelle just gagged a few times and then horked up a hairball. Huh?? I NEVER saw this in a falcon before - only the owls and cats!

5.30 am Daylight in the nestbox. MOVE Michele! 32 viewers all wanna see Baby!
5.38 am Finally T arrives with prey, M get up, there is a chick
- FIRST FEEDING - snips are blurry cuz cam is foggy






These are my notes - as I took them.

6.30 am Adorable - Baby next to egg in front of Mom, raising up, bumping her breast. :)
- I hear the swallows flying around passing out dragonfly cigars announcing the hatch on the cliff.
7.24 am Mom with Baby and eggbrother at peace

RRF report -

egg shell pieces as early as 1:15 am but whether eyas was completely out yet, not reporting yet. they will probably review things.
they have a video of first feed also which was at 5:40am

so happy . you just have to be patient, which we never are LOL

hopefully more, but I am always happy to see one and anything else is gravy.

The instinct to reproduce is very strong, and I suspect Travis and Michele are happy parents! :)
8 am I see both eggs in front of her, both with a white 'zipper' across lengthwise
Baby nearest came, egg1 then egg2 on top of her talon
8.15 am Shift change - tried to get a snip but my computer rebelled :(
8.30 am I hear Travis flying around vocalizing - hunting, chasing intruder - or announcing his new pride n joy.
- I see a tiny winglet moving under Moms wing, it stuck out for a moment before she tucked it
8.45 am The GSB SS is claiming there are 2 babies - but I only saw ONE - so far
9.40 am M eating eggshell
- Baby peeks out between 2 egg siblings. ADORABLE!
As of 10 am - ONE chick and 2 eggs


raptorresource video of first feeding
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/47708176 ... ght/504921