May 15, 2008
The nestling that biologists removed from the nest (he was near-death due to exposure) spent the last 6 days at The Raptor Trust, and was returned to the 101 Hudson nest today. He joined his nest-mate, the only other nestling to survive last Friday’s nor’easter. The chick is actually a little larger than the one that remained in the nest, possibly due to the human attention and extra feedings. So when we are able to see both in the camera view, and they look different, figure that the larger one is the rehabilitated one.
We are not concerned about the size difference; both will be normal size as they mature and approach fledging age. The adults can easily feed two chicks, since a normal brood is 3 or 4. The loss of the other two nestlings was related to the extremely bad weather conditions at a time when the nestlings were too large for the adult to shield all of them, and before their heavy down plumage had come in. Now that the chicks are two weeks old, they have a heavier down that helps them deal with the changing weather.
Today the nestlings have been largely out of view, as they are both mobile and are choosing to stay near the back of the box, just out of camera view. However, they will move around, and when food arrives, we have the chance to see the feeding action.
Thanks to everyone for their concern over the health and well being of the nestlings. As biologists, we try to strike a balance between intervention, when essential, and knowing that nature should and will take its course. The storms this month have taken their toll on wildlife all over, and nests with young may have been the hardest-hit. Jersey City may have fared better than most. In cases of failure (because of weather, predators, disturbance, etc.) for the adults, they have to try again next year.
May 14, 2008
Things have settled down in Jersey City with the return of milder weather.
The single chick remaining in the nestbox seems to be doing well, and is likely benefiting from the sole attention of the adults. Being the only chick to brood and keep warm during the cool nights we've been having means it is well protected and fed.
The chick at The Raptor Trust has done well and should be returned to the nest before the end of the week, perhaps even tomorrow. Biologists will probably return to the nestbox next week to band the chicks and gather data about them. Hopefully all will continue a bit more smoothly from this point forward.
May 10, 2008
We have had a difficult few days at the nest in Jersey City.
Friday’s easterly winds with cold rain made for harsh weather conditions at a time when the nestlings were just 10 days old, a time when they don’t yet have a thick downy plumage. It was somewhat coincidental that we had scheduled a nest visit for Friday, with the purpose of administering medicine to ward off trichomoniasis, a pigeon-borne disease that can infect and kill young chicks.
Biologists removed the four nestlings from the box and took them inside to check them over. While all were damp and somewhat subdued, one of the four seemed near-death, very cool to the touch and mostly unresponsive. We administered medication, along with small chicken pieces, to three of the nestlings, and they seemed okay. We decided to take the fourth nestling to The Raptor Trust, and we hoped he would live that long.
A couple of surprises: the youngster we took away with us began feeling better once he was warmed up in the truck. The transformation was amazing, from cold and listless to head-up and looking for food. This was an unexpected but welcome development, and, assuming he continues to thrive, we hope to return him to the nestbox in about a week.
The really sad news is that, with the continuing cold and driven rain, the female was not able to keep all three remaining nestlings warm, and one of them died by Friday evening. The female was trying valiantly to keep all of them under her wings, but even she seemed soaked by the rains. To make matters worse, viewers tuning in Saturday morning saw two dead nestlings, a second one succumbing during the night. The sun came out and the remaining chick was moving about, and the adults were feeding and brooding it, but they were also trying to brood the two dead chicks. A decision was made to remove them so that the adults would focus their efforts on the remaining live one, and to try to identify the cause of death. Mack-Cali engineers removed the bodies for future examination, and we greatly appreciate their timely assistance and their courage in facing the defensive adults.
On Sunday, the sun came out for a while in the morning, and the nestling alternated between resting, feeding, sunning and getting brooded by the adult. All seemed well. The weather forecast for Monday seems a repeat of Friday’s harsh weather, but the adults should be able to cope with the conditions with only one young to protect.
While we were there Friday, both adults were very aggressively defending the nest, and we kept our time on the roof as short as possible. We were able to see that the male is the same as previous years, with “*2/*6” on the bicolor leg band (originally banded in 2003 at the Riverside Church in Manhattan). Behaviors suggest the female is the same as well, thought we’ve never been able to read her band.
May 9, 2008
Today's report from Jersey City is one of mild concern.
Biologists visited the nestbox to administer medication helpful in preventing trichomoniasis, a disease which kills many peregrine chicks. Upon examining the chicks in the warm and dry rooftop engineering room it was found that one chick was not doing very well and the decision was made to transport it to The Raptor Trust for evaluation and appropriate treatment.
Our experience with The Raptor Trust has been that the facility deserves the excellent reputation it enjoys. Just last year one of the two-week old nestlings had an impaction in its crop which was successfully treated. We will hope for another happy outcome and monitor the three chicks which were returned to the nestbox.
May 5, 2008
Several feedings were observed yesterday. At one time, both adults were seen in the nestbox together. One arrived with a meal for the chicks and the brooding adult jumped out of the nestbox, hopped around on the roof, moved over to the ledge, and took off.
The brooding adult will occasionally leave the chicks alone in the nestbox for a minute. When this happens, you can get a good look at the chicks. You can see the four little heads. Sometimes they move their little wings. They are almost a week old and have doubled in size!
For this first week of life, the nestlings have not left the nest scrape – the original location of the eggs. That will change soon as the chicks start moving around a little more. They still need an adult to brood them, keep them warm, but they will soon gain a little strength in their legs to move about.
(Submitted by Susan Keiser and Kathy Clark.)
April 30, 2008 at 4:30 p.m.
All four chicks were observed feeding around 4 pm.
The next milestone will be banding the chicks in about three weeks. Enjoy your viewing - and check Nestbox News for information on any developments.
April 30, 2008 at 2:15 p.m.
The fourth egg hatched a short time ago - we were fortunate enough to see the female pull the broken eggshell out from beneath her at 2:05 and consume it. By doing so the adult replenishes some of the calcium she expended to produce the eggs in the first place.
April 30, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.
The eggs have hatched, and some peregrine watchers caught a glimpse of newly-hatched chicks yesterday!
One viewer (Edda Podleska) e-mailed us late yesterday that she'd seen that the "...chicks left the shells." This morning we observed the brooding adult get off the nest when the mate arrived with freshly killed prey. Three chicks fed enthusiastically on the pieces the adult gently offered each. It appears two eggs hatched yesterday, and we expect the other one to hatch later today or tomorrow.
Viewing will be much more interesting now as the parents go about the labor-intensive period of obtaining food and feeding their chicks, all the while protecting them from the extremes of weather often experienced this time of year cool nights and sometimes blistering daytime heat. The adult will continue to sit very closely as she broods the chicks and eggs both. With a chill in the air, the adults may keep feeding sessions short – just enough to satisfy the little ones and get back to brooding.
Keep an eye on the webcam for some great viewing of one of nature's wondrous shows - there will be much more action in the nest in the days and weeks to come!
April 24, 2008
There are only a few days left in the incubation period. Soon the peregrine chicks will start cheeping while they are still in their shells. The cheeping will get louder once they begin to hatch.
Hatching will begin as the chicks make a pip (hole) in the interior air sac. After that they will start the exterior pipping until they finally emerge from their shell. During this time the adult will be aware of the impending hatch, and she will look down often.
After the first egg hatches, the others will follow shortly. This gives each chick in the brood an equal start.
Make sure you check out the site often during this very exciting time.
(Submitted by Susan Keiser.)
April 15, 2008
Tax Day for some of us, but not for our dedicated falcons.
It's a bright sunny day in Jersey City, making it perfect weather for running to the post office to have those tax returns stamped before midnight. However, all of this activity goes unnoticed by our falcons, as their only focus is the life being formed in the eggs they care for so intently.
As we count the days in anticipation of the big day when news of the hatchlings arrives, continue to check in on our dedicated pair. Watch in silence and wonderment as we've been given this opportunity to see nature in action.
And you will see plenty of action when the hatchlings arrive with their never-ending quest to be fed. You will be in awe of nature as the hatchlings seem to grow from tiny little birds into fledging falcons almost overnight. You will smile as they seemingly try to figure out what these things are on the side of their body and as they begin to explore their environment. You will be proud, nervous and anxious as they learn to fly. You will be sad when they leave the nest, yet hopeful they survive and sit with dedication on eggs of their own. You will experience such joy when you hear that a falcon from Jersey City has been sighted somewhere in our area!
Keep watching and be prepared for a great experience!
(Submitted by long-time JC watcher Kathy Cregan.)
April 6, 2008
If you have been tuning in to the webcam, with rare exceptions you have seen an incubating bird. The endless hours and days of incubation can seem monotonous, but this period quietly demonstrates the commitment and perseverance necessary for "survival of the fittest." Peregrines must defend the nest area against intruders, provide food for the female performing most of the incubation duties, and attend closely to their eggs.
Through incubation, our peregrines are maintaining the eggs at approximately 96 degrees, allowing development of the embryos inside. They also turn the eggs three or four times a day to prevent any one portion from sticking to one side of the shell. During this period, the eggs are not left unattended; on a warm day we may see the eggs for a minute or two, but incubation breaks are brief and an adult usually returns quickly.
With March 27 as the approximate start of full incubation, we expect hatching to occur around April 28. Watch and wait.
March 28, 2008
Incubation is in progress!
Sometime in the past week the Jersey City peregrines atop 101 Hudson St. produced four eggs and began incubation. We know this because we resolved the technical glitches and now are streaming live video! Visit the live webcam page to follow the activities of the 2008 season!
March 20, 2008
Welcome back to Nestbox News! Since 2001 we've chronicled the successes and failures, along with the elation and heartbreak, of the peregrine falcons atop 101 Hudson Street in Jersey City.
Yesterday staff visited the building to activate the webcam for the 2008 season. Unfortunately, a technical glitch isn't allowing the live streaming video - we hope to have the problem resolved sometime next week.
We can report that two birds are present, and one spent time in the nest box. No eggs have been laid yet, but we anticipate egg laying and incubation to start soon. A few pairs elsewhere in the state have eggs and are just beginning incubation, signs that spring is really here!
We hope you will watch with us this season as the webcam offers us a window into peregrine nesting that is now happening statewide. Peregrines now range from Elizabeth and Newark, to the Palisades, along the Jersey shore to Cape May County, and along the Delaware Bay and River. They have come a long way, and are an inspiration to those of us who marvel at their speed and beauty. So look up, and look in on Jersey City.
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