Teenagers and one week remaining
Can you remember how awkward it is to be a teenager, because that’s about where are chicks are at age-wise. Not adults capable of adult things such as flying, but no longer little fluffballs either. These years, ahem, days, go by so fast. Expect the chicks to be leaving the nestbox in the near future. Not flying just yet, but hopping up onto the concrete wall adjacent to the nestbox. This will give them more room to stretch and strengthen their wings. They have begun to flap, but inside the confines of the nestbox.
Also, there is only one week left to submit your entry for the “name-the-chicks” contest. Do it now!
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/wildlife/webcam/peregrine/namethechicks.asp
I have seen them grow up SO FAST in the last two weeks. And the molting process is making it harder to diiscern which one is “Frank” and which one is “Paul”. LOL. Yes I have seen them flapping their wings and streching them out as if they are testing the winds. I checked the Woodmen’s Tower Falcon Cam and saw the soon-to-be-fledgings are already out of the nest and on the ledge. Yes, Virgina, they will be gone soon. But NOT FORGOTTEN!!
Might have to check their bracelets to see which is “Johnny” or “Larry”…HA!!
Would you happen to know where the nest is located on the capital building?
I was trying to see where the boys were going to play???
Donna,
I’m sure Joel can provide some locating information for you. Judging from the angle of the sunlight in the morning, I think it’s in the NE corner of the Capitol. I seems to remember a video that showed the location up near the Thunderbird glass mosaic at the top of the building. I’ve been told its in the NE corner of the building. But to be able to see the perch you have to go to the SE corner of the Capitol block and look to the NW. Good Luck.
Larry you are correct, if you look across the street in the up close view you can see the old woodman building. It is the NE corner, I walk by it everyday on my way to work as well. It is fun to watch for the fledglings downtown too.
At 3:40pm (Mountain Time)/4:40pm (Nebraska): I observed one of the nestling/fledglings out of the nestbox standing above the nest. There was a prey delivery that enticed the chick back into the nestbox. Neither chick made an effort to eat and the adult removed the prey (small bird).
Patrick,
The soon-to-be fledglings are at a point where the parents are NOT bringing the prey, tearing it apart and beak feeding the birds. I have seen the young birds work on the wing sections of birds, picking them clean. It could be the parents themselves are hungry too. Glad to see they are still around. I suppose the parents will taper off on the feeding to entice the birds to “leave the nest”.
Another viewer asked about whether the young birds will return to the nest or not. The answer depends on whether the parents returns like they have done for the last 5 years. And whether the young birds survive their first year of life. Chances are they may set up their own territory elsewhere. One of the offspring from this pair was seen nesting in a building in Topeka KS!