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NEWS 10th December 2023 Cilla Kinross Finally, our recalcitrant juvenile landed in the box this morning at 07:03:55. Clearly a female, tall and broad and with huge feet! No doubt we shall see more of Marri. Video to come. As I know that Barru fledged well and was seen (and video'd) a few days after fledging in the roost trees, we need to assume that he has since had a flying accident, which is very sad, but not an uncommon fate. Our fledgeling is nothing if not an early riser. In this morning's video, they are chasing Xavier around just after dawn. The youngsters fledged really well both on 14/11/23: Marri (at 43 days) at 0939 and Barru (at 42 days) at 1536. Videos on the channel. Tower cam was replaced on 14th November. It provides clearer images, zoom and pan capabilities (360 degrees). Access: RESOURCES The first research paper on observations from this site has been published by myself in the journal Corella. Available on the website: LAST SEASON Two chicks last year: Indigo and Rubus, both males. Indigo dispersed after Diamond blocked his entry to the nest box on 18th March. Rubus died of a flying accident nine days after fledging. DONATIONS FalconCam is funded through donations and these can be made via the CSU shop . However, donations are currently not needed as we have sufficient funds. Thanks for your generosity LINKS BLOG and WEBSITE can be accessed here: OTHER CAMS and VIDEOS can be accessed via this address: GENERAL INFORMATION This is a research project through Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales Australia, studying the diet and use of a nest box of a family of peregrines living in water tower since 2007. We now have nine years' worth of diet and seven years of behaviour data The cams go right through the year and are in daily use. More information can be found below the chat rules. CHAT RULES To keep the chat open, pleasant and useful, we have a few rules. Those flouting the rules will be warned and could be blocked by moderators (mods, with the blue spanners) from commenting. Inappropriate comments will be deleted. 1. Chat should generally be just about this site, but out of breeding season some chat about other birds is acceptable if not prolonged. 2. Use English in this chat. If you do not speak English, there are on-line translators available. 3. Do not criticize people’s attempts to write in English. 4. Do not ask for donations (except for this site), discuss politics or religion, advertise other sites or products (including videos), use obscene language or hate speech. 5. Avoid using panic language if you see something unusual and remember this is a wildlife project with limited interference by the project team. 6. Respect each others' opinions, even if you do not agree. Do not be rude or get into arguments with other chatters. 7. If a rule is broken and no mod is present, do not engage; simply refer people to the chat rules if you wish. 8. Remember mods are humans, too. Please respect their decisions. 9. Use emojis and symbols (e.g. !) sparingly: only one emoji per post, please. HISTORY The birds have been observed using the tower (a working water tower) since 2007, breeding in the box since 2008, with an average of 2.8 eggs per clutch and 1.5 fledges per season. The parents' names are Diamond (female) and Xavier (male). Diamond took over from the older Swift in 2015 and Xavier replaced Bula in 2016 (who in turn replaced our first male, Beau, in 2015). Xavier arrived just as the eggs were hatching and saved the season by providing for Diamond and her three chicks. Assuming that they were at least two years old when they arrived, Diamond is at least 10 years old and Xavier nine (in 2023). The male is 15-20% smaller than the female, has fewer spots on the chest and has brighter yellow-orange talons and beak. The birds do not migrate and courtship rituals and some scrape (nest) building continues throughout the year, intensifying, along with food bringing by the male, in July and August. Eggs are laid usually in late August, with chicks hatching in early October and fledging in mid-November. The youngsters often stay around as late as March being taught to hunt by their parents, and often visiting the nest in the tower, so there is much to watch even out of the main breeding season. One male juvenile stayed until August the following year when his parents blocked his entrance to the box and he took the hint. INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESEARCH? Contact the principal researcher Cilla Kinross on ckinross@
