affordwatches

!!! Beachville hatchlings looking good!

June 19, 2016 - International, National and Local News

Mark Nash Reports:

June 16th - 2016

A big thank you to Lucie for being able to get back down to the Beachville nest site this week. Her efforts paid off for some good photos of the family that were captured and observed.
Included are some of her pictures from her Thursday’s visit to Beachville. After looking very closely at Lucie’s photos of the hatchlings, it would appear that there maybe one male and one female, with the older more advanced hatchling on the right as evident of the more advanced juvenile flight feathers poking out through its white down.

Two babies, looking to be 26+ days old, ready to fledge within 2 weeks!

I arrived at 11:30am. I was hoping the rain would stop soon and it did thankfully. I was able to watch the resident adult female Virginia and the kids in the nest and got a pic when they were having a real family vocal moment.

It was pretty much quiet all day. Joe (the resident adult male) was around off and on all day, but away from the nest. When he and Virginia took a flight around the nest, it got the kids’ attention, so I was able to get a few good pictures.

I thought it was funny when a great blue heron flew quite close to the nest box. It was just the babies in it and as I watched through the scope, I saw their eyes following the heron.

Also, the beam from last visit is now gone. It was where the food prep area was.

During the afternoon, around 2:30, a Carmeuse employee came by to ask me a question, and while talking, I missed Virginia flying into the nest with a starling. When I look through my scope, I saw her plucking the bird in front of the kids! They were even trying pull the bird from her and I saw one of the chicks with a feather in its beak.

Around 5:30 I saw Joe come in and land on a nearby post. He remained there until around 7:00 when he and Virginia took off together. That’s when I packed up and departed for home.

Cheers,
Lucie