Tuesday, March 31, 2009

television is on hold for the season

WELCOME BACK

It's that time of year again. The nesting season.
The Peregrine Falcons are back. The have settled into 'their' ledge in the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton. A new and improved webcam has been set up (see link in sidebar) and as usual, I have it on most of the day watching and waiting...
Madame X is back for her ninth year and has just laid her first egg (as of 29 March)!
(Update: 2 eggs as of 31March)

Peregrine Falcons are known for site fidelity. This will be Madame X's ninth year in Hamilton and Surge's fourth, and the 15th year the same nest site on the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel has been used.
Madame X was hatched on a bridge on Pennsylvania Route 309, the Cross-Valley Expressway in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Banded as a hatchling on 7 June 1999 she was known to the falcon watchers in Northeast PA as 'Runaround Sue', a name suggested after she was found running along the expressway guide wall one morning. We are keeping the folks in Pennsylvania posted on Madame X's progress.
Hatched and banded in Etobicoke in 2002, Surge spent at least part of the 2004-2005 seasons trying to establish a nest at the Burlington Lift Bridge. In 2006 he replaced the male at the Sheraton nest and has been in Hamilton since.

- from HCPP website

I also found a webcam (from I know not where or I'd be able to credit and thank them) of a Bald Eagle's nest somewhere in Oklahoma. A great closeup of the eagle sitting there, looking around at the world, waiting... That link is also in my sidebar. If anyone else knows of any other birdcams, you know I'm addicted to them and will add them to my favourites (and my sidebar). Because I have nothing better to do with my time. Really, I don't. The housework can wait.

16 comments:

  1. Hi Violet, that's fun. We have two pairs of Brahminy kites over the river. One of the nests has been there for over 24 years! Well actually they moved trees once in that time.
    I'll go and check the webcams

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  2. Too cool, thanks for the links..:-)

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  3. I love that they have the webcam and you watch it. I didn't realize about the site fidelity.

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  4. I never knew you were a bird watcher. You keep having surprises in store for us. That's pretty neat. I don't have the patience for it myself, but I figure that you'll keep us up to date on the state of the egg(s). She should do well under your watchful eye.

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  5. your brief profile on your homepage is one of the funniest I've ever read. "...And kind. Sometimes." LOL!

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  6. Delwyn, 24 years! Same kites? or do they just take over an abandonned one?

    You're welcome, Ed.

    Makes the webcam a good investment, Ruth. There's also a TV monitor inside the hotel and the nearby shopping mall.

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  7. I surprise myself, sometimes, Irene, with what I get into!

    I remembered that, Jazz. Can you watch at work?

    Why, thank you, Jen. I was just thinking I should change it after reading so many others that were very different. Can't be bothered, actually. So, now I'll keep it. Good amusement value.

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  8. We have a nesting pair of bald eagles out at the dam where I walk, but no bird cams that I know of. Raptors are amazing creatures.

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  9. They look so ferocious up close, Citizen, yet so graceful when flying.

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  10. So kwel :)

    The place I worked at had a juvenile Osprey couple come and nest. It was suppose to be short term from a human point of view. Happy to report that 5 years later the nest is still in the field lights, so I am assuming they are still using the nest :)

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  11. Some build their nests in the most inopportune places for humans, MSW, and must not be disturbed, or all hell will break loose!

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  12. Definitely more interesting than TV

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  13. And no pre-written plot, Vic Grace, so added suspense every day, for everyone.

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  14. Love falcons, and hawks in general actually. Lovely pictures.

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  15. My admiration for them keeps growing, Guillaume.

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