On a changeable weather day the youths have been enjoying the superior views available from their “Concrete Hilton” lookout. Sometimes you just want to sit, relax and take it all in; other times you just want to annoy anyone else who’s sitting, relaxing and taking it all in! We’re very lucky that these three know where home base is.
Happy face with lunch
It seems this season we’re going to be able to enjoy all three youngsters for the immediate future as they seem happy to use the eyrie as their base for daily activities, and indeed often more than one spends the dark hours in there too. This afternoon, in the low, dark, rain clouds they could be seen soaring across the pine trees, trying out-do each other in sharp wheeling and speed races. One pass actually took them down through the campus’s tree-surrounded top car park at not far above vehicle height! A couple of videos to watch – an unlucky stick being attacked, and more frivolity from all three (9.5mins) …
The three youngsters have been milling around the eyrie this morning, with plenty of flight training, and nagging. Swift has been perched round the corner on the microwave dish arm, quietly watching events, while another feeding took place in the eyrie, so there’s still occasionally action to be seen in the cameras. Apparently one of them was seen yesterday around near the sunny courtyard over by the student residences yet again, sunning itself down at ground level, on a seat, quite happy!
A gory meal
We were lucky this afternoon to spot all three youngsters spending time up on the ledge and all three seem quite happy in each other’s company, although we know what Ophir is like towards her parents, but we make the most of these moments before they become more independent. Swift is also sitting around the corner on the microwave dish arm, out of harm’s way! A 4.5minute video clip can be viewed here (apologies for image quality – bright, sunny days wash out our ledge view!).
It’s been a fairly quiet time out in the trees over the last few days, with occasional sightings of each bird. Yesterday we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from Rob Bicknell from the Beaufighter Squadron and colleague, complete with large digital cameras and 28,000-foot long lenses! The trip began too quietly but after 1-2 hours we were treated to some fantastic high-altitude soaring, followed by some fly-bys & remarkable close-ups of Swift feeding on her branch, with some other great angles. Hopefully the results have made their trip worthwhile; looking forward to seeing some of the end products!
Here’s a brief video clip of a chick visitation this morning (basically to chase a fly!) …
Alone in the eyrie
On an overcast but warm and dry day it appears all three youngsters are in attendance, either on the tower or in the trees eagerly awaiting lunch. We’re only getting the occasional visit on the ledge at the moment but no doubt that will change when rain returns tomorrow (predicted). A brief lunchtime wander out in to the trees located an aggravated Beau (as usual) and one of the three youngsters high up in the “feeding tree” before doing loops & settling on to one of the lower lying gumtrees nearby. Earlier we saw Swift checking up on one of her youngsters in the eyrie but made a quick escape when she got attacked again – we’d have to say, with an attitude like that, it must’ve been Ophir lying in wait again!!
We’ve been very lucky over the last 2 days with plenty of company in the cameras. It’s the driest place to be and keeps the peregrines away from the worst of the wind too. Two young’ns have overnighted in the box more than once and yesterday evening they were treated to the third sibling and a good feed from Swift. That was nearly all too much for one of them though and Swift was unceremoniously attacked before making the decision to depart rapidly. There is one young peregrine that seems to be quite aggressive towards the parents; the guess is that it’s Ophir as she was pretty forceful towards her parents in the days before she jumped. Maybe that streak is still in her? To give you an idea have a look at this video (sorry for the intermittent sound; at it’s worst the mike was overpowered by the screeching!).
There has been almost non-stop rain in Orange for about 5 days now. Fortunately the food supply hasn’t dried up too badly and there seems to be a slow but regular, fresh, buffet menu service available from both parents. At different times the two young females (and possibly Byng too) have availed of time alone or together in the eyrie – a slightly drier alternative to the trees outside. This morning we saw an intense feeding between Ophir and Narrambla with plenty of tugging and tearing going on, while Byng had taken a scout around the box a little earlier on. Weather like this isn’t conducive to fun times out flying although two young’ns were spotted about lunch time enjoying the blustery air pockets around the tower before blasting off over the trees again. Swift remains in the lee of the precipitation on the microwave dish arm.
It’s interesting to note that these young peregrines seem to show little or no malice or aggression at all towards each other, even when competition for a feed is very high. They seem content to concentrate solely on the objective, and indeed still get on very well together. No doubt that will change as they grow up and personal space becomes more of an issue. Last night it appears more than one bird slept over in the eyrie. Will keep an eye on tonight’s footage.
Thanks to Rebecca & Jude and their team for ongoing coverage in the local newspaper today. Great stuff, and appropriate mention of the fantastic support we’ve received from both 30 Squadron and the Nature Conservation Trust. You can read the article here …
Incidentally one of the young’ns has spent plenty of time this afternoon lazing on the ledge, keeping out of everyone’s way. Another amusing video clip from today can be viewed here…
Quiet time for a young falcon
Apologies for the long weekend without cameras. All systems have been upgraded and both camera streams are running again….. although of course the action has died down a little in the last few days, so the timing was immaculate by CSU’s IT team. There has been the odd extended visit from Swift and the roof has been a regular perch for all five members of this feathered family, but all is well amongst the trees, even with rain yesterday.
Beau and Swift atop the Concrete Hilton
Thanks once again go to Tim & Alex and the team at Prime TV News for spending time with us at the Nature Conservation Trust’s BBQ Breakfast fundraiser day. It was a chaotic day but quite the success and we managed to raise $400 towards the next camera, and equipment upgrades. Thank you again to everyone who contributed and to all who are involved! The Prime TV News video clip can be viewed here…
We’re much happier now that we have a full roll-call once more! 
I found the 2nd female, Ophir in trees not far from the water tower last night and, bingo, this morning she was squabbling with her siblings on ‘their’ tree (and old dead pine tree) over some tasty morsel of pigeon or similar. So she found her way back ’home’ fine. Sorry I didn’t have my camera with me. Swift was on guard on top of the tower and Beau was presumably off hunting (five hungry mouths to feed including his own!).
So it appears we have a successful fledging of all three juveniles. Congratulations all round.
It’s interesting that the parents appear to make no attempt to ‘fetch’ the youngsters that stray after their first flight (or flop as the case may be) and wait for them to find their way back to the others. But of course they may well know where they are.
Cilla Kinross
It was a very big day out for the Project yesterday, albeit a bleak & overcast one. An early start down at the Nature Conservation Trust cottage and a really good turn-out of staff and visitors who loaded up with a good feed prepared by the NCT staff head chef-ettes Denise and Tiff’. Miles and Angela at ABC Radio phoned in for a live interview & Project catch-up, and we then received a visit from of our main benefactors at 30 Squadron RAAF Beaufighter Association. It was a day of old stories, new chicks, colourful merchandise, the public launch of the new HD camera, plenty of pancakes with lashings of fruit & maple syrup, slideshow presentations, our friends from the Central Western Daily newspaper again, more footage on Prime TV for tonight (thanks heaps, Tim; very nice work!), and most importantly an increased awareness of what FalconCam Project is trying to bring to everyone. Thank you of course also to everyone who turned up for a feed and we hope you’ve all learnt a little more about what both the Nature Conservation Trust and FalconCam Project are doing hanging around Orange!
A really big thank you must go to Paul Toni and his team at the Nature Conservation Trust once more for giving us another hand up in our fundraising. It’s making a really big difference in our aims to upgrade equipment and capability. Any time we can help you out please let us know! Thanks to the CWD and Prime TV again for your ongoing interest, and thanks also to Angela and Miles and crew at ABC Radio Central West for another plug to your dedicated listeners! We must get you out to campus to see these amazing peregrines shortly, Angela! Can’t forget the luncheon that Mandy and her team in Banjo’s Bistro on campus then turned on for us – they should pay you all more!!
And thanks once again to the fantastic people that make up 30 Squadron RAAF Beaufighter Association. Your enthusiasm and financial support pretty much kicked us off 4 years ago and you’re indeed a part of the lives of these incredible (and very speedy) creatures. We thank you for your visit and hope you enjoyed the day on campus without being too bored to tears with all the trivia we threw at you!! Beau and Swift are of course named in honour of the Association (‘Beau’ from Beaufighter, and ‘Swift’ from the motto ‘Strike Swiftly’). See you all again very soon.
Current totals for the day exceeded AU$400 which puts a big hole in to funding required for the second new HD camera. Some happy snaps from the BBQ Breakfast for the Falcons:
Please note: as stated on the Live Cameras page there will probably be some outage times on the camera feeds owing to maintenance being performed inside of CSU’s servers from today until Sunday…
A last minute reminder to all you locals near Orange campus (and further afield if you’re able to get here!) that the Nature Conservation Trust “Breakfast For The Falcons” is on for tomorrow, rain or shine (I left the hail bit out!). Breakfast starts at 8am at the cottage over the road from the campus main entrance and we’ll be there until around noon for anyone & everyone who would like to drop in for a cheap feed and a natter about peregrines and the environment. We’ll have the public launch of our brand new HD camera, a live screen happening, merchandise display and some very friendly faces so come along. Breakfast flyer here …
Nature Conservation Trust
After keeping on edge for the last 3 days Ophir has finally taken that extraordinary (for a 43 day old) leap of faith, and sailed off in to the trees below. Compared with her most recent sibling she was totally dignified and approached her flight with great style. Swift is still casting her shadow up on top of the Concrete Hilton, surveying the lands, but it’s with relief for all of us that all three wee, furry, squeaking eyases have achieved their biggest benchmark to date. We’ll keep an eye on them out in the trees and they’ll most probably be around the neighbourhood annoying local staff in the nearby offices for a few months yet!
With a tear on the cheek and a moist hanky we congratulate Beau and Swift on yet another successful season; now to feed them all. A brief video clip of Ophir departing can be viewed here …
The feeling of emptiness
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