Settling in to the summer regime

We’re just about settled into the new order of days that the summer brings. Early morning starts for pest control (we’re on site at hours of the day we’d rather not know existed) but that makes getting up for the early aviary feeds for the new clutches of chicks a little easier. The summer of course brings very heavy bookings for experience days. These guys are the life blood of the centre. Bringing the money that feeds these birds and allows us to continue our work so thank you all! We also meet some terrific and enthusiastic people, and when we get feedback the way we do sometimes, it really perks up our morale and motivation on those 1.30am starts! Thank you to john McNeil for his recent feedback and blog comments.

On the subject of chicks, you’ll be delighted to hear that the falcon chick is still alive and doing great! It eats quail just about as fast as Ruby (its Mum) can deliver it. We also have two clutches of Harris Hawk chicks. One lot at about 3 weeks old, the other – well the first chick hatched today! The great grey owls have finally finished laying at 9 eggs! I have candled 6 which are fertile. The other 3 are unknown. The earliest they might pip is May 23rd, so just a week to go. The survival rate of grey owl chicks in captivity is terribly low, but we have been gathering information and have the best possible plans laid to keep them alive  – if they hatch. We expect some heartbreak, but also some terrific times. We’re trying to get the video streaming live to the website, and if we do, you’ll be able to see the hatching in real time and live.

Right, much to do today, so more soon, and thanks again for looking in.

New technology – for us

I am not a fan of social networking! Bold statement, but while I may not wish to either publish my, nor read of the minor details of other peoples lives, I understand the popularity, and I can’t deny the power. That’s why Robin has launched the Elite Falconry Facebook page (you can click the link from the icon in the main website) which I have to say will be more regularly updated but with less detail than the blog, so read and enjoy!

On the subject of things new, we are also launching some web video streaming which will go live on the website probably over the weekend. The idea for this was Roxannes, and was driven by the amazing developments in the Great Grey Owl eggs. Right now, the only way I can describe what we can see in the eggs, is that they look like tiny red dragons swimming inside tethered to the inside of the shell, by ropes made from blood vessels. It’s just incredible, and we figured it’s something that might be good to share. The software has been added to the website, and we’re testing it now. After the eggs, we’ll add video which will run live in real time of the eggs hatching, then later, the owlets through their progress. Isn’t technology wonderful? Watch this space!

Back to what I am better at – birds! The young falcon chick is doing fine, so we’re chuffed with that. We’re over the most critical stage of the return to Mum, so with luck, that’ll be a nice young falcon to work from late summer. We’re not so sure about a Harris Hawk chick. It keeps laying with a leg kicked out behind it. It’s hard to see if it’s a problem through a tiny spy hole, so unfortunately, I’ll have to go in and see if it’s in need of help. I’ll let you know how it goes.

We’ve lost the really nice sunny days, but while we have cloud and rain, it’s patchy, and in the clear spells it’s roasting hot! We’ll be trying to hit those gaps in the cloud with the thermalling birds. I hope to give the altimeters a good workout.

On all days we’re not with guests or at other venues doing bird of prey flying demonstrations, we’re building towards our displays at the Royal Highland Show. It’s a showcase event in our 2011 and 2012 calendar. We won’t be doing stunts or tricks with the birds. We don’t want to encourage ‘pet keeping’ of birds of prey, and we don’t want to cheapen falconry! The aim therefore is traditionalism, with education, but served with an element of humour. I really hope what we perceive as high standards and professionalism, along with respect for falconry suits the crowds!

 Just a final note, it’s worth noting that someone drove into the back of our Land Rover Defender while at a roundabout last week. We’re being offered an equivalent substitute as a courtesy car while repairs are carried out. Last time that happened, we were given a BMW X5 which was about as useful off road and for our job as giving a cow a gun and telling it to go deer stalking! The Land Rovers may be uncomfortable, expensive and often difficult for guests to get in and out of, fact is, for what we do, in fact anyone who needs to know they’ll get on the hill, they really are the only choice!

That’s all for now, so thanks for looking in!

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So far so good………

for the baby falcon. Still alive! I figure Mum must be feeding it. If not I’d say it would have died by now. As I type it’s 102 hours and 20 minutes old, but hey, who’s counting

We also have 4 fertile Great Grey Owl eggs, and another two that I haven’t candled (candling is the process where a concentrated light can be shone through an egg and reveal any development inside) yet. If we get all these out, late May will be a busy time for feeding baby owls.

We had another terrific day at The Falkirk Wheel yesterday (Monday) where Robin stepped up to the plate and managed his first commentary with demonstration. The boy did good!

The dynamics in the eagle aviary have really changed. The male had been the dominant figure, very much in control of high perches and the nest. However, over the past few days, the female Golden Eagle has exerted her power and dominance and without doubt has taken the lead role in the aviary. This turnaround may bode well for next years breeding season as his pressure had been suppressing her breeding instinct. This change may have her hormones racing at the right time next year.

Our first pair of Harris hawks are rasing young now, with the second pair having their clutch due to hatch in about another 10 days. I love all the new life.

I reported in an earlier blog about the sad demise of our superb old male Redtail Hawk (Buteo Jamaicensis) at the end of the season – killed by a hare. Well we find out in about a week if his very old Dad has sired any new males and if so, we’ll be having one. The place really isn’t right without him here, and his half brother (his Mum died a few years ago) would make it feel right again.

I think that’s all for now. I have a week of pest control (early starts) physio (sore shoulder) and another consultant peering into my dodgy ear (best reach for the tweezers, or strimmer to clear the path), but I’ll keep you all up to date on the progress of the babies and the eggs.

Thanks for looking in.

Big day for a small bird

Well, today is a big day for our first falcon chick of 2011. In about an hour (1pm) I’ll be putting it back with mum and Dad. They are first time breeders this year, and the males commitment to his eggs has been poor. We’re hoping the sight and sound of a cheeping chick will awaken some latent paternal instincts and he’ll do his bit to raise the youngster. I suppose that even if he doesn’t have a hands on role in raising it, we’ll be pleased if he simply resists the urge to kill it!

To explain that, the adult male did nothing to help incubate the eggs. This meant the eggs were cooling too much when the female came off them. So to avoid them all dying, we took the eggs away and left the adults with dummy eggs to keep them brooding. We hatched the only fertile egg, but we do not want it hand reared. We want a naturally raised well balanced bird. So we breed birds in seclusion, so when we take the youngsters out, we have a domestically produced wild bird! The imprinting stage – where the young chicks starts to be affected by its surroundings begins at around 5 days old. So this chick goes back to Mum and Dad today, at 3 days old. Fingers crossed. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for looking in.