7:28:35PM Another swoop, Isolde whips her head to the side and it misses.
7:38:33PM (8 seconds later) Another bird and another swoop. It looks like it got her in the back.
7:38:39PM (five seconds later) She looks to be in pain. 
Isolde is no longer on Gab, she goes east towards the Park.
Isolde is no longer on Gab, she goes east towards the Park.
7:40:58PM Isolde flies into the nest. Almost immediately she suddenly flies back out again.
7:42:33PM And then just as suddenly Tristan is on the urn. And he seems to be saying something that we can't hear.
7:51PM The youngest and oldest are paying attention to Dad, but the middle eyass isn't.
7:52PM Bookends. Just moments before the right eyass had tensed to jump to Andrew's finger, changed her mind and looked out alertly. After a moment she tenses and bravely goes for it this time.
7:54:01 ONE (Tailbiter) just starts to flap and TWO has her eyes glued to ONE's feet. Flapping is great on Andrew's finger (there is some room) but they instinctively seem to know that doing the usual hopping while you're flapping will turn you into an early fledge before you know it. Therefore the grip on the finger is vitally important.
7:54:28PM Now she really gets going and the younger eyass keeps her eye on those feet. Remember the eyes on the feet thing for self preservation? To be doing it at this age may mean it's wired in.
7:56PM Just seconds before was the first episode this season of the "upside down head" move. 
8:05pm Hawk hunting focus.
8:16PM Waiting.
8:24PM Still scanning.
8:40PM Exit (Where is Isolde?)
Ow. Poor Isolde. I know she can't just turn around and zap them, but I wish. Is this a common occurence?
ReplyDelete(Was there a Part I?)
The attacks are common but the session yesterday was particularly virulant. I've never seen contact like that before.
ReplyDeleteUnlikely that a Kestrel could truly hurt Isolde unless she got a scratch that became infected. Her feathers most likely protected her though she may well have a bruise.
Peregrines can kill Red-tails if they dive and strike the hawk in the head with their beaks. Junior's previous mate seems to have been killed by a Peregrine. She fell out of the air, and hit the ground already dead.
Yes, there is a Part I but in order to have them be in sequence, a BLOGGER idiosyncracy, I have to post Part II first. Then with all the fledges today Part I wasn't completed. Sorry, lots of photos they take a while to insert...starting at the end going to the beginning...another Blogger Idiosyncracy. If the eyasses will stop flinging themselves out of nests for a bit, I can get Part I up. :-) More information on falcon attacks will be included.