The Falcon cam is back!

[Z28Taxman]

Daddy falcon showed up in Harrisburg last week (momma never left) and today they turned the live camera back on.

They should start nesting soon!

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/

[Z28Taxman]

They've got 5 eggs. She usually only has 4. They're gonna be busy, and Harrisburg's pigeon population is going to drop a bit.

[mjm8321]

I was watching it yesterday Dave. Good little mother sitting tight on her eggs.

[Angelwing]

Yep, that she is. Can't wait to see the babies hatch.

[Z28Taxman]

There are now 2 babies! Just hatched this morning! :cool:

[n8wb]

Just noticed this thread today. Thanks for the link!

Is there a list on this website that has links to the various cams that are available? It may be interesting to have them available in one place. I know of one other, and Eagle cam. Here's the link if anyone has missed it:

http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/wildlife/default.asp

[Keltoth]

Pretty sure egg #3 just hatched; I'm seeing 3 babies when she shifts and there is a freshly hatched egg-shell that she is picking at atm...

[p3rr4n]

Awesome! This is the BESTEST reality show evah!!!!

Thanks for the link!


Ok now that I have seen the babies, I have decided to go BABY FALCON SHOPPING! :eek:

[Keltoth]

Definately 3 babies now; she just took a 3 minute break off the nest, and you could see all three as the different cameras cycles through. Pretty neat stuff!

[mjm8321]

Need more camera angles...darnit! :rofl: Hope they all hatch for her, though it'll keep her busy!

[Z28Taxman]

Yep, 3rd one hatched just after I posted. That's 3 hatches today! First one hatched at 10:15, second at 12:50 or so and 3rd this afternoon. :eek:

The first hatchling is a fiesty one. He was already out crawling around and getting some sun. It took both of them to get him back with the others.



They have about a dozen camera angles they cycle through but they have it focused on the nest right now that they're hatching. Wait a couple weeks when they're running around on the ledge getting ready to fledge. :)

I'm gonna have to walk next door and check them out in person.

[mjm8321]

Yeah Dave, get up there with your camera and get me a closer shot will ya? Just push mother falcon off the eggs/chicks to get a better shot. ;)

[Z28Taxman]

Yeah Dave, get up there with your camera and get me a closer shot will ya? Just push mother falcon off the eggs/chicks to get a better shot. ;)


That's a big nesty hen! I'm not gonna mess with her! :eek:

[Z28Taxman]

Here's a video of the first one hatching this morning! http://www.zshare.net/video/hatch0305_1015uur-wmv.html

[linda040899]

Saw mom feeding 4 chicks today! I didn't pay much attention to this cam until I realized that it has live stream for broadband. The babies are so cute, all covered with thick, white down! :)

[Z28Taxman]

Saw mom feeding 4 chicks today! I didn't pay much attention to this cam until I realized that it has live stream for broadband. The babies are so cute, all covered with thick, white down! :)


It's one of my favorite sites right now. Ditto loves it too. He talks back to them.

4 little balls of white fluff! :cool:

[Z28Taxman]

Oops. Hadn't checked the site before I posted here. Now it's 5 white fluffy balls. :cool:

[mjm8321]

Impressive! All 5 hatched?!!! Guess the pigeon population will go down a bit this summer. ;)

[Z28Taxman]

Mom and dad have been spending more time off the nest today so there have been great views of the pile of white fluff!:cool:

[Z28Taxman]

2 of the fluffballs have crawled out of the nest and are napping on the ledge. TOmorrow at 1pm they get banded.

[Z28Taxman]

They should be fledging next week. Ditto and I are gonna miss them. :(

[linda040899]

Dave,
They sure did grow fast, or at least it seems that way! Seems like only yesterday we were looking at 5 balls of white fuzz..........

[mjm8321]

I checked a day or two ago and those white balls of fuzz were feathered and dismembering a pigeon. :eek: They are amazing.

[Z28Taxman]

The fledge watch starts monday. By this time next week they may be flying!

[Z28Taxman]

Number 1 has fledged! She's sitting on the roof of a parking garage across the street from the ledge!

[linda040899]

Dave,
When you say "fledged," are you referring to having taken a first flight or the young falcon leaving the ledge to live on its own from now on?

[Z28Taxman]

Dave,
When you say "fledged," are you referring to having taken a first flight or the young falcon leaving the ledge to live on its own from now on?

Sorry, first flight. Mom and dad will still feed for awhile and need to teach her to fly and hunt.

They'll still be around for a few more weeks. Then the parents will chase them off since Perigrines won't tolerate another falcon within 1 mile of their nest site. Or any other raptor for that matter. Momma falcon has killed 3 red tails this spring. Funny thing is they won't eat other raptors, just kill them if they get too close. 2 years ago on labor day a red tail did manage to swoop down and take one of the babies off the ledge. Mom's not gonna let that happen again if she can help it.

[Z28Taxman]

The youngest one didn't make it. :( He was found friday near the tracks at the Amtrak station. He apparently electrocuted himself when he landed on one of the 11,000 volt power lines that power the trains. :(

The other 4 are doing fine and running mom and dad ragged now that they've expanded their range out several miles.

The Harrisburg falcons are doing exceptionally well raising their babies though. Perigrines typically have an 80% mortality rate and the Harrisburg ones have so far had 22 of 28 survive. Last year one got a pigeon bone stuck in his throat that perforated his windpipe. There was another one that electrocuted himself at the train station a few years ago, and 2 years ago on memorial day, a Red Tailed hawk swiped one off the ledge. Don't know what happened to the others.


Soon the young ones will head out on their own for their own feeding/nesting grounds. Hopefully they'll be as successful as mom and dad.

[dovelady4]

Last year in my science class, my teacher, bird man Bosch, would ALWAYS have the eagle cam on. Ever day during break at least 5 kids would be glued to the computer screen. It was really neat. I hear they're going to do a bear cam next? That would be cool!

[Xanthus]

Did something happen to the falcons? The cam's focused on an empty concrete ledge. O.o;'

[Z28Taxman]

Did something happen to the falcons? The cam's focused on an empty concrete ledge. O.o;'

It's winter here right now. Momma falcon is hanging around downtown eating pigeons, daddy falcon is probably in the Carolinas getting ready to come back. Look for them on the ledge again sometime in mid March.

The 2 surviving babies from last year were last spotted in the Maryland/Virginia area late last fall.

[Z28Taxman]

The live stream will be back on monday! Eggs should arrive in a few weeks! 8)

[Z28Taxman]

The live streaming camera is back and right on cue, mom and dad are both there putting on their show. Got to see them eat a pigeon for lunch. 8)

[Z28Taxman]

And right on cue again egg number one has arrived! :happy:

This is the 3rd consecutive year that the first egg arrived on March 25th! 8)

[linda040899]

That's great, Dave!
I'm looking forward to seeing the falcon babies again! In the meantime, momma Eagle is no longer covered with snow. Her first chick should be due next week.

[Z28Taxman]

That's great, Dave!
I'm looking forward to seeing the falcon babies again! In the meantime, momma Eagle is no longer covered with snow. Her first chick should be due next week.

2 little white fluffballs hatched out today! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

We've got 4 little fluffballs now. I love watching them eat their dinner! 8)

[Anjamau79]

I watch the FalconCam every day and I fell in love. Wow..... can it get any cuter? I hope soon they invent a See&Touch-Cam :) The Babys look like "wanne cuddle and stuck my nose in the fluffiness"

Hope #5 comes soon to join the party...

Great Cam!!!!!!!!

[Z28Taxman]

I watch the FalconCam every day and I fell in love. Wow..... can it get any cuter? I hope soon they invent a See&Touch-Cam :) The Babys look like "wanne cuddle and stuck my nose in the fluffiness"

Hope #5 comes soon to join the party...

Great Cam!!!!!!!!

I can't wait til they start flying so I can see them out my office window! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

The first egg of the season arrived yesterday. She's 3 days early! For the last 3 years or so it's been March 25th.

[butterfly1061]

WOOHOO! :clap Now I'll have something to do at work. I can't remember, but how many eggs does she normally lay?

[Z28Taxman]

WOOHOO! :clap Now I'll have something to do at work. I can't remember, but how many eggs does she normally lay?

Usually 4 or 5. I can't wait to look out the window and see babies flying while I'm supposed to be working. :whistle:

[lemonypickett]

I spoke to the IT guy from work yesterday about getting an "Eddie Cam" so I can see what he is doing while I am at work.

Sounds doable.

[Z28Taxman]

Three little ones hatched sometime thursday night!!!! :happy:

[linda040899]

Looks like momma Falcon is sitting on eggs!

[Z28Taxman]

Looks like momma Falcon is sitting on eggs!

They've got 5 of them again. :happy: Can't tell which one is sitting on them right now since both male and femail take turns incubating and I can't tell them apart unless they're standing right next to each other (mom is considerably larger than dad).

[linda040899]

At least one of the cams I watch is operational!

The Eagle cam is down for the 2009 season because the Eagles had to move their nest (their tree finally fell down) and the cams are not working yet.

[Z28Taxman]

There was a Red Tailed Hawk lurking around this morning causing quite a ruckus. Don't know if mom killed it or not (that's one of her favorite hobbies). She got several of them last year.:omg:

[Z28Taxman]

Little white fluffball number 1 hatched today!!!!!! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

And today there are 3. :happy:

[linda040899]

I can see 2 white fuzzy butts but momma isn't giving anyone a good look right now! :)

[Z28Taxman]

I can see 2 white fuzzy butts but momma isn't giving anyone a good look right now! :)

I've been trying to see them since the first one hatched on thursday but they've been hiding them well.:(

Not sure which one of the parents is sitting there now since I can only tell them apart when they're standing next to each other, mom is considerably larger than dad.

[Z28Taxman]

Ahhh, there they are. It's dinner time! 3 white puff balls. :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

And now there are 5!:happy:

[linda040899]

My goodness, have the babies ever gotten big! They sure won't fit under mom anymore!!

[Z28Taxman]

My goodness, have the babies ever gotten big! They sure won't fit under mom anymore!!

They make quite a mess too. Note to self, don't walk below that ledge in the spring time. It looked like a flock of pidgeons exploded on the sidewalk this morning, they must have had a big breakfast. Plus the don't like to eat the heads so the get flung off the ledge (guess where they wind up). :omg:

[linda040899]

Where is everyone????? Neither camera is showing much of anything.....

[Bubblelady]

Check again! (1:57). Someone's having lunch--yum!!!!

[Z28Taxman]

Where is everyone????? Neither camera is showing much of anything.....

They started fledging this week. I think the first one went Wednesday! :happy: So they'll be on and off the ledge now.

[Bubblelady]

I had the window running in the background while I worked & shortly after I posted last, I heard a racket & went back, & there were 2 babies begging & one parent eating. And ignoring the begging :rofl:

[Z28Taxman]

Bad news for 2 of the babies. :(


Falcon on Harrisburg building suffers broken beak
by EMILY OPILO, Of The Patriot-News
Thursday July 16, 2009, 9:00 PM

One of the falcons living atop the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg has a critical beak injury, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials said. The falcon, which was one of five born this spring, appears to have lost the lower half of her beak and fractured the upper half, commission spokesman Jerry Feaser said. The falcon must be caught and X-rayed to determine if the beak will grow back.

Officials suspect the falcon was startled by Fourth of July fireworks and smashed into a building. If the beak cannot be fixed, the falcon will not be able to feed herself, Feaser said.

She would be the second falcon death this summer. A male falcon from the same family was euthanized after both of his legs were severed near train tracks, Feaser said.


I've seen pics of the one with the injured beak. Heartbreaking. :very_sad:

But she's still very active, flying around, and the parents are still delivering food and teaching her to hunt. She still seems to be eating well (just takes her longer).

I hope they can catch her and treat her.

[linda040899]

:very_sad: :very_sad: :very_sad: :very_sad: :very_sad:

Mother Nature isn't always kind. Hard to say what the outcome will be. If the parents thought the youngster didn't stand a chance, they would probably have abandoned him/her.

[michael]

Fireworks and then the train tracks.......:very_sad:........Its just too much. You'd have to figure though, buildings and train tracks aren't exactly a natural environment either. .... You know Dave, we've heard very little regarding the falcons that frequented Clevelands terminal tower. ... Gosh only knows where else they would go.

[Z28Taxman]

Those train tracks have claimed quite a few of the little ones over the years. They're Amtrack tracks leading to the train station and the little ones usually get zapped on the overhead high voltage wires. :(

[linda040899]

Hey, Dave
I see momma Falcon is sitting. Any idea if she's incubating or have babies hatched. I've not checked here in a while.........

[Z28Taxman]

Hey, Dave
I see momma Falcon is sitting. Any idea if she's incubating or have babies hatched. I've not checked here in a while.........

They're just incubating right now. Her usual 5 eggs. They should start hatching the last week of april or beginning of may.

Not sure whos sitting on the eggs now since with Perigrines both take turns. It's hard to tell them apart unless you can see both of them at the same time since dad is only 2/3 the size of mom.

[Z28Taxman]

Baby #1 has arrived!!!!! :happy::happy:

[linda040899]

:clap :clap :clap :clap

Great news!!!!!

[Z28Taxman]

:clap :clap :clap :clap

Great news!!!!!

It's lunchtime too! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

There are 3 of them now. There won't be any more. The 4th egg broke (no develpoment though so it was likely infertile) and the 5th didn't hatch.

Momma is 12 years old (getting up there for a falcon) so it's not unusual for fewer fertile eggs to be laid.

[Z28Taxman]

There's been some drama with the falcons lately. Mom was last seen on the camera at the end of August looking ragged and weak (like she was sick or had been in a fight). A few days later a new girl was seen on the camera. Mom hasn't been seen since but dad and the new girl seem to be hitting it off well. Mom was 12 years old (old for a peragrine) and probably couldn't fight off the newbie. :very_sad:

Here's the news from DEP


9/14/2010 :: There's a New Female in Town!
For the past two weeks there has been a lot of activity at and near the nest ledge. Recently, a new adult female falcon has been seen bonding with the male. The origin of this female is unknown as she is not banded. Email information from web viewers indicates that the resident female is no longer at the ledge. An employee at the Amtrak Station across the street reported seeing a dead falcon near the rail line. No carcass was found there. The resident female has probably defended the nest ledge from challenging interlopers in the past. One could speculate that at 12 years old, she could no longer fend off younger, stronger females seeking out nesting territory. Any information that web viewers care to share would be appreciated. For now, we have set two close camera views at the nest box and perch for observation purposes.

[Janie]

I know that happens in nature but it's always a little sad to me. :(

[linda040899]

And so it goes in Nature. :very_sad: :very_sad: Survival of the fittest/strongest.

[Z28Taxman]

Well the average lifespan for a peregrine falcon in the wild is about 8 years so at 12 years old she had a good long life (if she is dead, that hasn't been confirmed). Hopefully the new one will be as successful as she was.

[Z28Taxman]

And it's live again. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/

[linda040899]

Have either of the pair been seen at the site yet?

[Z28Taxman]

Have either of the pair been seen at the site yet?

Dad actually stuck around all winter since the new female showed up in the fall.

They've been "fooling around" for a week or 2 now. They had really good views of both of them sitting on various perches earlier today.

It looks like they've upgraded the cameras too. They zoom in nicely when someone is controlling them.

[Z28Taxman]

Egg number 1 has arrived! :happy:

[linda040899]

Great!!!!!

Hopefully, this will mean more babies later this spring! :)

[Z28Taxman]

Hopefully, although the new female is believed to be very young (maybe only a year or 2) so who knows.

[Z28Taxman]

Well, new momma is doing her job. #1 hatched today!!!!:happy:

[bird-brain]

So COOL!

[victoria stiles]

That is very good. Thanks for share. I also just bought a pair of love birds. They are very beautiful.

[Z28Taxman]

I haven't posted here this year but the falcons are still there. This is the second year for the new momma and she laid 4 eggs and 2 hatched. Both are healthy males.

They never did find out what happened to the old mom.

[linda040899]

Hard to say what might have happened to the last female but at least there's another one who is keeping the nesting area in use. Location is a tough one but there have been a number of youngsters that have grown up there. It's been interesting to watch them.

[Z28Taxman]

It's suspected that the new female killed the old one (that's usually what happens). They were spotted having aerial fights and when last seen the old female (she was 12 which is old for a falcon) was looking rough. There were rumors of a dead falcon fitting her description found at the train station after a 2 hour aerial dogfight but the body was never recovered.

The location is actually great for falcons, a large ledge 8 stories up with plenty of food and rooftops for the fledgelings to land on. They've been very successful there, in the 12 years the last female was there 44 of the 49 eggs hatched with over 90% or those surviving long enough to leave for their own territories. Normally less than half of all perigrines hatched survive to adulthood.

[Z28Taxman]

Bad news today:

5/17/2012 :: Falcon Sightings
The adult resident female has sustained an injury or disease that has rendered her unable to effectively hunt, feed herself and the eyases. The male has redoubled his hunting activities and is providing for the eyases. DEP staff has been trying to locate the female in hopes of live capturing her for treatment at a nearby wildlife rehabilitation center. Any information on her whereabouts would be appreciated. The female is one third larger than the male and is not banded. The male is banded. Falcon watchers can report information via the falcon page email account or call DEP's Environmental Education Center at 717 772-1828.

[Z28Taxman]

Doesn't look good for momma. She hasn't been seen since wednesday morning. I saw a video of her that someone who works in the building took just before she flew off for the last time. I wish I hadn't seen it. Her feathers on her head and chest were all matted and her crop was so distended it looked like it was big enough to have swollowed an entire sparrow whole. Shortly after that she flew off and no-one has seen her since. They went searching at noon today but I haven't heard anything.

Pictures from monday showed her looking not so good and tuesdays were worse but that video was horrible.:very_sad:

She was only 3 years old too.

Fortunately 9 year old dad has plenty of experience (he's been in Harrisburg since he was 2 when the last male was injured). He's doing great feeding and caring for the little ones. Good thing there's only 2 of them this year instead of the 4 or 5 they had with the previous female.

If anyone wants to follow along with the news there's a thread here: http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewforum.php?f=20

[michael]

Thanks Dave. I just stuck the link in my favorites. .. Coincidently, it had been awhile since any news reports showed up on Clevelands terminal tower inhabitants. .. Yesterday however, the news mentioned that First Energy had created safe provisions for them atop one of their towers. .. First Energy has since invited the public in a choice of names for the little ones. ... See here https://www.firstenergycorp.com/newsroom.html .....:)

[Z28Taxman]

Thanks Dave. I just stuck the link in my favorites. .. Coincidently, it had been awhile since any news reports showed up on Clevelands terminal tower inhabitants. .. Yesterday however, the news mentioned that First Energy had created safe provisions for them atop one of their towers. .. First Energy has since invited the public in a choice of names for the little ones. ... See here https://www.firstenergycorp.com/newsroom.html .....:)

Cool. The site I posted has a forum for them too http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewforum.php?f=20 They've got links and discussion for bird cams all over the world.

PA DEP doesn't name the falcons and actually discourages anyone from doing so (in fact when they had forums on their own site they'd lock posts that suggested naming them. Their reason was that the birds are wild animals and we shouldn't get attatched to them by naming them. Well got news for them. It doesn't work, names or no names how can you not get attatched to those guys.

[Z28Taxman]

Well I guess it's safe (although sad) to say that mom is gone. She hasn't been seen since she flew off the ledge wednesday morning and she looked horrible. She was only 3. :cry:

The good news is dad knows his stuff and is taking great care of the 2 little ones. He chased a couple of osprey's off this week and is feeding them all they can eat. Good thing the little ones are both males, females would soon be bigger than him and able to beat him up! :omg:

[Z28Taxman]

One of the little ones took a flight this morning. He was on the sidewalk next to the building when one of the DEP workers came in to work. The checked him out and put him back up on the 15th floor nest ledge. Fledge watch starts tomorrow (scheduled but might start early now). Usually they put the little ones on the roof when they're rescued from the ground but today they decided to put him back on the ledge.

[michael]

Always amazed me how they learn to fly right out of the nest, let alone THE FIFTEENTH FLOOR! .........:omg:

[Z28Taxman]

Worse is that there's a very busy street right below (3 lanes, one way) that most of the 20,000 of us that work in the Capitol complex use every morning. Fortunately it was 5:30am when he did it and he went into the alley between the building and parking garage. They think he went by mistake since he didn't go far and it was a few days early. They've been giving us all heart attacks all week, running right up to the edge and stopping less than an inch from going over and standing on the edge flapping like mad. One of them was in the middle of the ledge an hour ago exersizing his wings and actually lifted off the ground. It scared him and he stopped and dropped back to his feet! :rotfl

They should take off any day now though. Fledge watch was scheduled to start tomorrow but the volunteers decided on their own to go down tonight.

They've added a camera view too. They've got one inside the building looking out the window where one of the boys has been hanging out (peeking in the window). Got some great views of him snuggling up to the window right at eye level.

Definately won't be long now. They've been taking turns standing at the edge on the end of the ledge, and running toward the scrape, flapping thier wings and flying a few feet. Fortunately they're going away from the edge. It's getting kind of late for them to go now. Dad needs to know where they go so he can feed them. Once they fly off it'll be a few days before they can make it back (unless they land on the ground, then DEP personnel put them on the roof where they're safe).

[Z28Taxman]

Looks like yesterday's trip by the little one was indeed an accident. They have video of the event. He was standing on the edge flapping and the wind blew him off. :omg:


5/25/2012 :: Update From the Ledge
Yesterday, just after 6AM, the red-banded eyas was swept off the ledge by a gust of wind as he flapped his wings. He was rescued from a nearby ally and returned to the ledge. At this age the eyases aren't quite ready to fly but they have the ability to make clumsy, relatively light landings. Volunteers are watching the young birds all day long from this point until they fledge and successfully return to the ledge. The adult male is doing a great job providing for the eyases on his own as there is still no sign of the adult female.

The eyases are very mobile on the ledge now and are sometimes completely out of camera view. They're spending time on a small ledge opposite the radius column behind the scrape.

[Z28Taxman]

The first fledge happened this morning.

[Z28Taxman]

Number 2 fledged today, the one who accidently went last week. He took off, flew around the corner and hung on the side of the building for a bit, then flew back around to the building across the street and circled back for a perfect landing back on the nest ledge. They normally don't make it back to the ledge on their first flight so he did great!:happy:

[Z28Taxman]

Fantastic pics of 'lil dad teaching one of the boys how to hunt! http://peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1293

[michael]

Truly magnificent! ..Good to see this little family is cruzing along just fine. .......:)

[Z28Taxman]

Yeah, 'lil dad is doing great raising the boys by himself. Hopefully he finds a new mate by next spring.

[Z28Taxman]

Guess we don't have to wait for spring for a new female. There has been one lurking around for about 2 weeks. She landed on the ledge once late last week but was chased off by 'lil dad (like he was telling her, not yet).

She just landed a few minutes ago and is sticking around and dad is letting her stay and the little ones don't seem to be bothered.

Her bands indicate she's from the Philly area:


6/7/2012 :: Female Falcon Update
This afternoon, an adult female peregrine was observed on the ledge. The female is banded. Based upon her alphanumeric band codes, she is from the PA/NJ Turnpike Delaware River Bridge in Bucks County, PA. She was banded on May 21, 2009, by the PA Game Commission.

[michael]

Hopefully, she's here to stay. .. Sounds promising so far, and, she's from around here. .......:whistle:

[Z28Taxman]

Hopefully, she's here to stay. .. Sounds promising so far, and, she's from around here. .......:whistle:

Well she's back again, they even have a closeup picture of her. http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k305/eiguoc/Harrisburg%202012/ScreenHunter_90Jun081158.jpg

She's actually from just outside of Philadelphia, hatched on the bridge over the delaware river beteen PA and New Jersey. It turns out that the father of this particular female is the father of the one that died at age 12, 2 years ago. She was a feisty one and her mother was even more feisty than she was.

[Z28Taxman]

Falcon Fight!

Another male has been hanging around and 'Lil Dad isn't too happy about it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dPZKzVvaTX8

[linda040899]

Birds will defend their territory and I'm sure this male will get the same thing should he make another try! Would be nice if once was enough.

[Z28Taxman]

Birds will defend their territory and I'm sure this male will get the same thing should he make another try! Would be nice if once was enough.

Oh yeah, he'll get it again. That's the second fight on camera in 2 days. 'Lil Dad is 10 years old and has been around the block a few times, he's been at that ledge for 9 years. He came in after the last one was found 50 miles away with a broken wing and went to live out the rest of his life at a zoo in hershey.

The new one would probably be gone already if not for the fact that the female is new (she showed up last year after the eggs hatched and the female got sick, flew off and died). So she only gets mad at the new guy when 'Lil Dad is around.

[Z28Taxman]

'Lil Dad won. The new guy hasn't been seen in a few weeks.

Here's a few pics of 'lil dad:

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l347/ljames7000/2013%20march/3-5-13-6_zps1ef62295.jpg

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l347/ljames7000/2013%20march/3-5-13-11_zpsfe6a8cdd.png

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l347/ljames7000/2013%20march/3-5-13-8_zpsc82f7134.png

Not bad looging for a senior citizen!!

[Z28Taxman]

He's so cute!

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l347/ljames7000/2013%20march/3-14-13-17_zps82ee44bc.png

[michael]

What a face! .. Cute, and, precious! .............:)

[Z28Taxman]

What a face! .. Cute, and, precious! .............:)

Unless you wear feathers and he decides you look tasty! :omg: Lately he seems to favor Redwing Blackbirds.

As of this morning they've got 3 eggs!:clap

[linda040899]

He's a nice looking falcon, that's for sure. I would not want to be on the prey side of that beak. However, predator birds have to eat, too......,.

[rita27]

Not sure if anyone's mentioned this cam before because I haven't read the whole 12 pages of this thread but there's a couple of falcon's who nested last year in a flower pot placed in a window of a little girls room. The dad set up an online camera in the bedroom so people can follow the falcon's story. The came back about a month or so ago and the camera is on again.
Here's the link http://www.livestream.com/janelafalcao :)

[Z28Taxman]

And there's a little one!!!:happy:

[Z28Taxman]

And now there are 3!

http://s328.photobucket.com/user/ljames7000/media/2013%20April/4-22-13-41_zps6f4c5af2.png.html

[Z28Taxman]

And now there are 4!:happy:

[linda040899]

:clap:clap:clap:clap

Don't get to the link often enough but they sure are cute! Hopefully, there will be a good survival rate! :)

[Z28Taxman]

Won't be long and I'll be seeing them flying around out the window! :happy:

Ditto still wants to be friends with them though... :omg:

[Z28Taxman]

Well the little ones have started walking around on the ledge now! :clap

[Z28Taxman]

They're all over the place now and even starting to feed themselves (obviously not hunting yet but they're stealing the food from mom and dad).

Tomorrow is banding day so we'll find out they're gender!

[Z28Taxman]

They've been banded and declared totally healthy, not even one bug on them.

3 girls and one boy (poor little fella, 3 screaming sisters)! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

And we have our first fledge. the little male took off and flew to the roof of another building down the street. 4 minutes later he flew back home (they usually don't make it back to the ledge on the first day). He didn't stay home long though, a few minutes later he flew up to the next floor on the building. I guess having 3 screaming (and much larger) helped make up his mind... :rotfl


He landed inside a partial glass enclosed balcony where little ones usually can't escape so the took him to the roof. It took him only a few minutes to get back home again.

[Z28Taxman]

One of the girls fledged late yesterday and the other 2 went this morning. 4 fledges in 2 days and not one of them wound up on the ground! :happy::happy:

At least 2 of them made it back to the ledge.:clap

[Z28Taxman]

Got 4 eggs so far this year! :happy:

[linda040899]

Cold, snow and generally foul weather didn't dampen the reproductive desire whatsoever it seems! :)

[Z28Taxman]

Three new hatchlings! Hatched easter morning no less! Vicious easter peeps!

[michael]

There are Easter eggs..... Then there are Easter eggs!

[Z28Taxman]

Number 4 showed up this morning!

[linda040899]

Hopefully, there will be a good survival rate this breeding season! :)

[Z28Taxman]

Hopefully, there will be a good survival rate this breeding season! :)

They've been lucky here in Harrisburg. I think the survival rate has been over 80%. At least until they leave the area.

Several of the young ones have set up house in the Philadelphia area, one or 2 in Delaware and a couple in Ohio that they know about.

[Z28Taxman]

Peek-a-Boo! http://s202.photobucket.com/user/REENIE07/media/2014%20FALCONS/GREENBOY.jpg.html

[Z28Taxman]

It's that time of year again. They've got 4 eggs, one hatched yesterday and another overnight! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

Now there are three! :happy:

[linda040899]

I had a hard time getting the cam to open here at work but I finally got there today. Yup, 3 little fuzzy butts in the nesting area!

[Z28Taxman]

3 girls this year!

[Z28Taxman]

This years first egg has arrived!

[linda040899]

Yippie!!!! :clap:clap:clap I really enjoy watching the falcons raise their babies. Fascinating.

[Z28Taxman]

Yippie!!!! :clap:clap:clap I really enjoy watching the falcons raise their babies. Fascinating.

Now there are two!

[Z28Taxman]

4 eggs this year. 2 hatched yesterday and a 3rd is starting! :happy:

[Z28Taxman]

3 babies this year! Just hatched!

[Z28Taxman]

Here's an interesting article on the male in Harrisburg. He's 3 years away from being the oldest documented wild peregrine!

4/5/2019 :: Sixteen Years Old: Life Expectancy of Peregrine Falcons
Prior to nesting this year, the current breeding male, banded W/V, had a challenger in a 9-year-old male (banded 38S). As with most species of raptors, pairs mate for life. But, current biology suggests the female is more attached to the nest site than her current partner. Therefore, had 38S been successful in displacing W/V, it was likely the current female would have accepted 38S. W/V was able to maintain his status as the breeding male at the ripe old age of 16 years old. For a wild peregrine falcon, that is quite old. Yet, raptors live longer than most people realize. Consider the following excerpt courtesy of the Cornell School of Ornithology: The oldest recorded peregrine falcon was at least 19 years and 9 months old when it was identified by its band in Minnesota in 2012, the same state where it had been banded in 1992.

What that means is that W/V is approaching a rare feat: A documented falcon that could potentially challenge this age record. In addition, the ability to know the actual age of specific birds provides another example of the importance of banding and how it furthers the knowledge of biologists.

[linda040899]

Interesting! I've always found banding was useful when I was breeding and I kept my records up to date.

[Z28Taxman]

Interesting! I've always found banding was useful when I was breeding and I kept my records up to date.

It also helps them to know where they came from. The current female was hatched on the same bridge in Philadelphia as the previous female at that nest. In fact the father of the current female was a younger brother to the previous female SHe was 12 when she got chased off by another female who was ultimately chased off by the current one.

[Z28Taxman]

Well it's that time of year again. And it seems that the male who's been there from the start is back and ready to go. A remarkable achievement since he's now 18 years old. In the wild they normally don't live much past 12 and the oldest known wild breeding falcon was 17. So it seems he's set a record (he has had challengers the last few years but always wins out so far). He's currently on his fourth mate.

[linda040899]

More little falcons potentially on the way. This old bird rules!!! Good grief. 18.......

[Z28Taxman]

More little falcons potentially on the way. This old bird rules!!! Good grief. 18.......

Yep, the old guy just won't quit. One of his daughters nests in Wilmington Delaware and just laid the first egg yesterday. Harrisburg usually has their first egg a week later so if they keep to schedule they should start next week. Too bad I'm not working in my office, I won't get to see them.