WELCOME TO:
THE CONTINUING STORY OF MY VISITS
TO THE PEREGRINES IN "DE MORTEL" 2007
© DORINE
TIPS, QUESTIONS OR REMARKS: E-MAIL: DORINE#PEREGRINES.NL J
TAKE A LOOK AT THE BACKGROUNDINFO (IN DUTCH) OR LOOK AT MY FOTOS
OR LEAVE A MESSAGE IN MY GUESTBOOK
AND VISIT THE NEW PINKYFORUM !!!!!!!!!!!
I WANT TO THANK JUDITH (PINKY111NL) VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE TRANSLATING
Our fotos are now available on their new location (www.peregrines.nl/rondom_de_toren)
all links in this topic are updated.
Wednesday the 27th of June, 11 PM
Dear bird watchers,
I’m writing down the last words before I go off for a week for some warming-up because at the moment I think it’s way too cold here. I’ll be back in a week and I hope that there is more to see near the tower than a couple of sitting falcons that fly off once in a while. Flying off to find another spot, to make their stiff muscles flexible again or to show the visitors on the foot of the tower at least something.
When S2 had chased away Ma it took two whole weeks before she got it and understood that the things in nest box needed food too and that the food Pa brought wasn’t only for her. But finally she got it and meanwhile two young falcons fly around the tower and already a pretty distance away from it too, at least when they feel like it. However, it is also the intention that the kids are being learned how to catch a prey. Previous years it was feast to see this near the tower and especially in the evening hours. Pa and Ma were educating the kids a lot. Small preys were released in midair and the young falcons had to try to catch the prey in the air and bring it to the tower. Unfortunately I didn’t see this spectacle this season yet. I presume that S2 doesn’t completely understand this part of the education yet. It is for her the first time that she has to play mom and off and on you have those doubts. However I’m sure that she will get this in the near future and that we will see those prey handovers. S2 is still hesitating what to do: being a haughty young lady, sitting on the lamp and admiring herself in the window of being a young mother that pushes away her looks and does everything to give the kids a good and wise education. The life of falcons isn’t really so different from ours, right?
Last Monday we went to the tower and actually I don’t remember what I saw then. Now you know how exciting it was. Yesterday we were there for a short while and we saw, believe it or not, all four falcons and we even did see Pa arriving with a small prey. It was cold yesterday and there was a chilly wind and if that wasn’t enough, it started to rain too. Not fine weather to sit on the field. After half an hour we left again, to our home, to the warm coffee, what else.
Yesterday it was also the day of the joke of Kuiko. I knew about this longer but I didn’t see anything written on the forum. So Monday evening I asked him how things were. “It will come” was what he said to me. Yesterday that day arrived we, here at home, joined it fully. I wasn’t in town at all and I didn’t call Stefan, I wouldn’t even dare to. The message in the “Stamtafel” and the mentioned first Tuesday of April in 2008 couldn’t take away the seriousness from this story for some people. Too bad that some people got really upset from this story. Dear people, sorry, this was not the intention, especially not from Kuiko and not from us. Maybe you can laugh about it now, one day later.
Today I wasn’t able to go to de Mortel. During the day I was to busy with my holiday and this evening Menno was performing in a musical and after that the farewell of the primary school. In about a week I’ll be near the tower again and I hope to see an active Family Falcon then. I told Jan (Steenarend) to address S2 firmly in a way that when I got back home, the kids have had their lessons in prey handovers. And now I have to hope that Jan does what I asked him to do.
Dear bird watchers, it is vacation time so for everybody who goes on holiday or stays at home, I wish you all a nice holiday and for the ones who are stopping to follow the peregrines, hopefully till next year. And for everyone who doesn’t want to miss a thing of the falcons, see you next week.
Many regards, Dorine
Tuesday the 26th of June, 11.45 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Unfortunately I had no time this evening to write a story. However I have a short announcement. There are new pictures and movies of the young seagulls on the site and some other pictures of Bert and from three young owls in the garden of my sister in law. You can watch them here.
Many regards, Dorine
Sunday the 24th of June, 11.30 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Today was a very special day for me. Not because of the falcons but because of the people who would visit the tower today. Krokus and Sophie. Krokus because of her special observations. In the beginning I had to laugh about her stories and I thought to myself: right. And fair is fair I was not the only one who thought that way. This laughter died down quickly when I often had to find that Krokus was right and that she could hear who was who. Not only could she hear it but she also knew exactly how each falcon looks like. It is a way of intensive observing and look well at what you see. Because of that the reading with a smile turned into an interested reading and especially the pieces she wrote from the moments I was near the tower. Of course it is very nice to meet such a person near the tower, right? This afternoon Krokus was near the tower for the first time but if you saw her you wouldn’t say that. It looked like she’d been there many times.
Sophie sends me mails frequently in the past period and in one of those mails she told me that she was making a sculpture of the falcons for me. It was her impression of the falcon season. Of course you feel very flattered when someone writes you this but on the other hand I’m the kind of person who hesitates if you can accept such a gift. In the beginning of last week I got a mail of her that she finished the sculpture and I had to see whether I liked it or not. She made two pictures and sent them to me. After reading the mail and seeing the pictures I got a lump in my throat. It was a marvellous sculpture, two falcons that are sitting next to each other, seen on the back. It was not politeness when I said I loved it. It was and is become a very wonderful sculpture and with the whole story of the whole season it is very special too. We agreed on a date that she would bring it together with Krokus, today.
Our reason to be present on the field under the tower this afternoon. From the mail I received from Kuiko, which I got just before we wanted to leave, I read that S2 came with a pigeon and that the kids had eaten. We arrived near the tower and Krokus and Sophie weren’t there yet. We went for a stroll and on the field on the backside in the trees we discovered a spotted woodpecker. Only at the end of our walk, on the sand road we could discover two falcons, the kids. They were on the bottom ring near the saucer. One was staring and the other was still eating, probably that pigeon. When we came back to toe field Krokus and Sophie had arrived meanwhile. Of course it was a warm meeting and Sophie did not let the grass grow under her feet and she took the sculpture. I liked it already on the pictures but when I saw it in real I didn’t know what to say because of the well-known lump and associated tears. It really has become a wonderful sculpture and meanwhile I found a nice spot for it in my house. Of course the others were admiring this sculpture and later I showed it to several people.
The rest of the afternoon went by very relaxed and fortunately there were only two small showers of rain. First the falcons again didn’t feel like flying and the sat on the same spot for a long time. Until the noticed that there were special visitors and that it is not decent not to show themselves at all. Fortunately because it would have been a pity if the falcons didn’t show themselves this afternoon. Around 6.30 PM we went home and we left a satisfied Krokus and Sophie behind, together with Lambert. I’m anxious to hear their experiences of today. For the daily visitor it was a bit disappointing but if you’re here only once every flying activity you see is wonderful. Meanwhile I’m conscious of that.
So today was a very beautiful day, wit a very beautiful gift, which got a nice spot. It has a whole story behind it and I’m very glad I received it. Thank you Sophie, I will be very careful with it.
Many regards, Dorine
Saturday the 23rd of June, 11.30 PM
Dear bird watchers,
While drinking a nice glass of wine (thanks Roosje), I am writing this. Yes, what do you write when you are only seeing falcons that are sitting. Fortunately they’re not statues and once in a while they fly off to loosen their stiff muscles.
Yesterday I went to the tower for a short while in the afternoon. For a change I was all alone. I arrived at about 4.45 PM and I stayed half an hour. On arrival a young falcon was sitting on the bottom ring near the right saucer and an adult falcon on the top lamp on the front side. Yes, where else, it’s always the old story and actually it starts getting boring. I sat on the bench for a while and nothing happened with the falcons. I could not see who the adult falcon was. I only had my binoculars with me. Because I didn’t expect the falcons to do something I went for a walk. Alongside the Loop to the backside and on that side there was no falcon to be seen. I walked through the forest and that path ended at the beginning of the sand road. Near the spot where the peacocks live you can see the tower very well and on that side there was no other falcon to be seen. Yes, the falcon near the saucer on the bottom ring, but I didn’t see that one from the viewers field. When I returned to the bench I waited 15 more minutes, hoping that at lease one falcon would move. Unfortunately the falcons didn’t feel like it and sometimes I wonder when they do feel like it.
In the evening Piet and I went to the tower although it was already late. We arrived at the tower past 9 PM. Gerrit, Piet from Lieshout, Mieke and Kuiko were already there. It was good that we had company because concerning the falcons it was just as boring as a couple of hours ago. Gerrit decided to go home and we were glad. Mostly the falcons are going to do something when he leaves. Gerrit had gone and nothing happened, I had the falcon, which was sitting on the lamp on the front side in view through my scope when Gerrit drove alongside the tower. And it looked like the falcon was following the car with his eyes. It still took a while before the falcons showed something. But the kids played tag for a short while, not high in the sky but pretty low, just above the trees. This was all we saw yesterday evening. Piet and Mieke left too and we too took our stuff to go home. But it became late. We talked a long time with Kuiko and it was 11.20 PM when we drove home.
Tonight we drank our coffee on the viewer’s field as usual. Whether it was because of the soccer game (on TV) or not, I don’t know but except Piet and Mieke there was nobody. On the tower we could see two falcons, a young falcon on the bottom ring right saucer and an adult falcon, Pa, on the top lamp front side. It is the same old story every day, bottom ring right saucer and top lamp front side. Whether you go there or you stay at home, the falcons sit on those spots. Tomorrow I can as well stay at home and mention these two spots and there is a big chance that the falcons will sit on those spots. The falcon on the bottom ring wanted to fly off to land on the little saucer near the fencing. Thank you falcon, no we know at least that you are alive. But there was also a falcon in the forest on the left side of the tower. We heard a falcon scream a couple of times and the sound came from that direction and later a falcon came flying from out of that forest and probably landed on a lamp on the backside. The falcon of the saucer changed his spot for the lamp on the left side. So we had on three lamps a falcon and it won’t surprise me when falcon number four was sitting on the lamp on the right side. I didn’t check it but I actually should have done that. It would be funny if this was really the case.
We used our time near the tower to listen to singing birds and then to ask Piet to which bird we are listening. Sometimes I knew it. Yes, I do learn something from it. Bur fortunately not all falcons failed on us. When a pigeon passed one of the falcons had to follow it. Not just chasing the pigeon for fun, no, it was a real pursuit. To bad for the falcon that it was right above the trees and than a pigeon is always too smart for a peregrine. The pigeon could escape and the falcon trickled disappointed to take place on the spot he left for that pigeon.
I don’t know what young falcons they are this year, but it looks like they are falcons that obviously can manage everything. The first flights looked like the kids were already flying for days. After a couple of days they were already flying pretty distances and they even hovered on the thermal. There was a small stop in the forest of one of the kids, a little slip, but after that it again looked like they were adult falcons. Apparently they can already hit preys because they don’t exercise it, at least not near the tower. The kids were already so strong when Ma was being chased away. When the experts expected they wouldn’t survive the first night without Ma to keep them warm, they were squeaking cheerfully the next morning. They are just super-kids.
Frequently I wonder what kind of bond there is between Pa and S2. It is very different than the bond between Pa and Ma. Previous years Pa and Ma were both training the kids thoroughly and it were both parents that gave the young falcons wise lessons in “peregrine living”. Frequently we saw a close peregrine family in action. But this year it is exceptional when you see the whole family doing something. Pa prefers sitting on a lamp this year and S2 frequently behaves like a real mother but still is often sitting on a lamp, admiring herself in the window, followed by some feather cleanings. Sometimes my thoughts go to next breeding season and sometimes I doubt it if there will be young falcons from Pa and S2 next year. I don’t see the deep relation that Pa had with Ma in the relation from Pa and S2. No, I’m not so sure that those two will have a nest of young falcons next year. But maybe I’m wrong and next year everything will be fine between the two of them. And maybe the falcon season will look normal with the normal flying and prey lessons. And maybe we will be sitting on the bottom of the tower, enjoying like usual. Let’s hope for that.
Many regards, Dorine
PS
Tonight I received from Paul Beenen some beautiful pictures of Ma, taken during the nestbox inspection on the 21st of April 2005. This was the day that Ma was being banded. Paul, thank you very much for these beautiful pictures. You can watch them here.
And new pictures of Bert Mulder are being added. Pictures from the seagulls as well as “meer fotos Bert Mulder".
Friday the 22nd of June, 9.30 AM
Dear bird watchers,
Yesterday it was a long day for me near the tower. In the afternoon I was there from 2.30 till 6.30 PM and later with Piet from 8.15 till 10.15 PM. As usual the Family Falcon didn’t show much of their upbringing course, unfortunately.
In the afternoon I was near the tower because Pinky and Harry would come. However, when I was there I noticed that Pinky didn’t come with Harry. I thought it was a pity because I would have liked seeing her again near the tower. Fortunately the real rain didn’t show up and only a few drops fell down. Sometimes some more drops fell, but you have an umbrella for it, right? The falcons didn’t bother again. I don’t know what it is with these animals this year, but it is completely different than the previous years. The falcons restricted themselves to some small flights around the tower. Yes, when you want to sit somewhere else you have to fly a small distance. No playing tag or something like that and not an attempt to chase a prey. Unfortunately only half of the family was in view. And when you don’t see any action from the falcons you start chattering with the other viewers. You have to do something. While we were talking there we suddenly heard a couple of falcons scream. On our right side, above the trees, we saw S2 with a youngster. S2 had a large prey in her claws and wanted to fly to the tower. The young falcon seemed to be hungry and wanted to take over the prey from S2. However S2 didn’t feel like it and it became a beautiful spectacle of a young falcon that wants to take the prey and S2 who definitely didn’t want that. After a short fight the young falcon managed to take the prey. Yes little falcon, now you have the prey but how are you going to get on the tower? S2 probably thought that the young falcon wouldn’t make it and tried to take the prey back. Again they fought for that prey, only the rolls were opposing. That the kids know what they want became clear pretty soon. The little falcon had the prey and didn’t let go, not even for S2. It was Wonderful to be a witness of this. The problem “tower” occurred pretty quickly. How does a young falcon with a very large prey land on the tower? First the falcon tried to make some height. Unfortunately he didn’t manage but I had to admit that he learned a lot. Last week the young falcon almost dropped like a brick with such a prey in his claws. Now the falcon could fly on the same height. But he didn’t manage to get higher and so there was only one option left for this falcon and that was a lamp or a windowsill. When you stay down there you hope of course that it will be a lamp or a windowsill in your view. Actually you hope it against all odds. The little falcon was looking for a window on the right side of the tower. S2 chose for the top lamp on the front side. The falcon didn’t appear again so I presumed that he was somewhere on a windowsill with that prey. Of course you want to see it and I went to the sand road. When I arrived there, dead tired because I didn’t walk, I saw the falcon sitting on a windowsill with the prey. I stayed there watching and I see that the falcon was actually just sitting normally. On that moment I expected him to start eating the prey and I went back to the car to pick up my camera and my tripod. The little falcon was sitting pretty low so it must be possible to make some nice pictures of it. When I reached the car, I heard that the falcon had left the windowsill and was now sitting somewhere in the forest alongside the road. Too bad, no pictures but at least I did see him. During that afternoon we heard a falcon scream on and off and every time the sound came from the direction of the forest. The little falcon probably enjoyed a good meal there.
During the afternoon not much happened anymore with the falcons but the highlanders came by to say hello. Meanwhile there are more young highlanders and the two light brown balls of wool are being fit with an earmark. This duo walked on the other side of the Snelle Loop, actually to far away to make a picture of them. So I walked on the field into the direction of the Loop and I don’t know what was wrong with the highlanders today. Normally they hardly look to humans but now everybody was staring at me and when I arrived near the Loop they even start to moo at the top of their voices. Very peculiar but at the same time you are on your guard. What if they don’t like you to walk there today? It was worthwhile because a bit further I found a youngster that wasn’t very old and without earmarks. The highlanders stayed alert and I left. On the field everything became quiet again and on the tower it was still S2 sitting on that lamp and meanwhile the other young falcon was sitting on the little saucer near the fencing of the first ring. At 6.30 PM we went home while the two falcons were still sitting on the same spot.
Two hours later we were back on the field. We were being told that a young falcon flew out of the forest with a part of a prey in his claws. It looked like a wing. It was probably the falcon that went into the forest with the pigeon this afternoon and now he went back to the tower with the last remains. The falcons didn’t show themselves anymore. Fortunately the coffee tasted well and we had enough subjects of conversation to make it a nice evening. Gerrit decided today to have a look during daytime hoping that he would see something. He too thinks the difference with previous years is very large. In the previous years we saw a lot of prey handovers during this period. Now we see hardly anything. Pa shows himself occasionally and hardly meddles with the education of his children, as far as we can see. I can’t say a wise word why this year is so different. I really don’t know. Maybe those things do happen, not near the tower but a bit further away. Who knows…
Many regards, Dorine
Thursday the 21st of June, 9.30 AM
Dear bird watchers,
The previous days I wasn’t near the tower very often and the times I did go to the tower I hardly saw a thing. Last Monday morning I went there for a short while and all I saw was a young falcon on the top lamp on the front side. The little falcon didn’t feel like it and even decided to tug his head into the feathers on his back. The little falcon was going to sleep and than you know it: no more action. On Tuesday I had no time to have a look at the tower unfortunately. Yes, there are days you have to make default.
Yesterday evening (Wednesday) we went to the tower from 8.30 till 10.30 AM. While we parked our car and got out we already heard the falcons scream. On our way to the tower we stopped watched up for a while and we saw S2 and the two kids circling around the tower. As far as I could hear S2 didn’t agree with something. I recognized this call from the previous times somebody was on the tower. But there was nobody there right now, was what I thought and I thought it strange. We grabbed our stuff and took our positions on the field. There, Gerrit told us that Lambert and a few other people were in the tower. Aha, therefore S2 was protesting so loudly and flying around. Once we were settled on the field we only saw S2 and the kids and Pa were nowhere to be seen. On the second ring on the right site was a pigeon sitting and according to Gerrit it was sitting there for some time now. It didn’t dare to fly off now S2 was circling around the tower, poor pigeon. This spectacle took about an hour and in the meantime there was not another bird in the neighbourhood of the tower. This isn’t very strange. You really have to be weary of life when you have the guts to fly in the neighbourhood of the tower on such moment. While we were watching a circling S2 suddenly I saw a group of twelve birds flying very high in the sky. They were really high and it looked like it were pretty big birds. I remark the rest on this group and ask Gerrit if these birds could be cormorants. He thinks they’re not, but what kind of birds are they? They were really large. They were no herons and no swans and then it occurred to us that it could be griffon vultures (note from Pinky: griffon vultures are seen in Holland during the past two weeks. They come from Spain and because there is no more food for them there the started to fly north). The birds high in the sky flew very fast. In a short time the travelled quite a distance. They came from southern direction and they flew to the north and when they were right above us they decided to fly east. The large foreign birds had disappeared meanwhile and all became quiet around the tower. The visitors had left the tower and S2 took place somewhere on the tower and as usual out of our sight. It was the end of what we saw from the falcons. S2 was dead tired of course. At least she flew around the tower for about an hour and didn’t have the energy for a lesson in prey handover, too bad.
Meanwhile we build up a nice mail conversation with Bert Mulder (the man from Den Helder) and he sent us more of his beautiful pictures. You can watch them here. Especially the birds of the owls are really marvellous. From his working place Bert can see the nest of a seagull through a window. This seagull has two chicks, one week of age. Bert frequently tries to make some pictures of them, but he has to be very carefully, through the jalousie window (with adjustable louvers), because mother seagull is very alert. As ugly as Mother Seagull is, as handsome and beautiful are her chicks. I don’t think Mother Seagull is a beauty, large head, large yellow beak and then very little yellow eyes, while the kids have a nice dotted fuzz fibre coat. But I think all young birds are adorable, right?
This afternoon I go to the tower and I hope to see more than a sitting or sleeping falcon. I have one more week to go and in this week I hope to see a prey handover. A prey handover at which Pa or S2 drop a prey and one of the kids has to catch the prey in midair. As a spectator this is the climax of the season. Only the climax is not yet been noticed this year, so hopefully next week.
Many regards, Dorine
Sunday the 17th of June, 11 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Today it is Father’s Day, a beautiful day. This day reminded me to that other day, about five weeks ago. At that time we got a beautiful gift from S2. Today there was a different beautiful “gift”: for a change we had no rain. But it is marvellous that on this day we could see the little falcons flying around, right? Honestly I didn’t dare to dream about that on Mother’s Day, not even when S2 started to feed. I was afraid of the consequences for the kids of the food shortage during the weeks before. But fortunately everything turned out to be fine and now two young peregrine falcons fly cheerful around the tower, at least when they feel like it. Because that’s another problem, the kids don’t feel like doing something quite often. On the viewers field this is being discussed and the food supply is being discussed too. During the previous years Pa and Ma frequently brought a blackbird or a starling up and with the prey handovers the exercised with that kind of birds, at least in the beginning. S2 on the other hand only catches pigeons, at least that’s what we see every time. When she catches three of those preys a day, the family has more than enough for the whole day. There are no hungry kids on the tower and what does a bird of prey do when it has a full crop? Right, bulging out. So with the prey handovers it isn’t easy to have a stepmother like S2. Taking over preys and fly to the tower with it is in the beginning quite a job for the kids. But when you get a big pigeon handed every time, you should be happy as a young peregrine that you don’t fall down like a brick with such a weight in your claws. A blackbird or a starling would be more simple and worth trying to reach the tower with it. It has been a heavy learning school for the kids and now with the prey handovers it is still heavy, but now literally.
Yesterday evening late we saw the beautiful successful prey attack of Pa and S2. Today I had no time to go to the tower until in the afternoon. We haven’t been there very long, from 3.30 till 5 PM and we didn’t see very special things. Pa flew a short distance because he wasn’t sitting pleasant anymore on the second ring and he decided to try another spot. He found one very quickly, but he kept the spot secret for us, or in other words the spot was on the backside of the tower. It was good that Arno and Martin came by for a while. At least we had something to talk about the falcons and the owls. Not that the present company wasn’t pleasant, on the contrary, but I had some questions about the little owls. Yesterday we saw a lot, today we almost didn’t see anything, maybe tomorrow we will see a lot again.
Yesterday I told about the man from Den Helder who made a couple of pictures of the falcons and the jet fighters. This afternoon I got an email from somebody whose name told me nothing. But the first sentence said a lot: A short introduction might be helpful – “The man from Den Helder” – at least you know who I am. That was clear and I immediately knew who it was. I received the pictures and some other very beautiful pictures with explanation. These are the kind of things I like so much. You meet someone; we didn’t shake hands and didn’t say names. This person reads the forum and finds out who you are and than mails you and shares things with you. Wonderful, isn’t it? I put his pictures on my site and you can watch them here .
Now I’m almost done with my story I had to change something, but I’m not going to do that. It didn’t stay dry today. The rain is pouring down meanwhile, but late in the evening or at night I don’t care. You don’t go to de Mortel to watch the falcons, but you are at home or already in bed.
Many regards, Dorine
Saturday the 16th of June, 11.30 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Tonight I doubted whether we should go to the tower or not. All day long very heavy showers came and went. We decided to go anyway and before we could go it was raining again. Well, what to do now. We waited a short while and watched the clouds and from these clouds we could see that this would be a short shower. Therefore we took our stuff and drove to the tower. Taking this weather in consideration we thought that we would be the only ones, but we weren’t. Kuiko, Piet from Lieshout and a visitor from Den Haag were already there.
Actually it was very boring around and on the tower. The falcons didn’t feel like it and when falcons show this behaviour, you go talking a bit, right? Piet had his huge movie camera with him and then you want to know if he could film something beautiful. Piet isn’t the person who starts to tell a lot, but he could film something. The man from Den Helder showed a picture of a falcon with a prey in his claws, ready to land on the tower and a very beautiful picture of two Turkish jet fighters which passed each other in the air, made during the open days of the air force base in Volkel. Beautiful pictures, but that’s to be expected with such equipment.
The falcons didn’t let us down completely. They flew a bit and they went for the lamps again, to sit near or to sit on them. The kids chose the upper lamp on the front side and as only one falcon can sit on the lamp, kid number two had a problem. And what to do then? You go sit on the windowsill. Pa chose the top lamp on the left side. So the three of them were sitting there and it looked like it that they would stay there. Sitting falcons lead to the fact that you get an eye for other things and yes, we again saw a beautiful bird, the common redstart. Of course the conversations were about the birds in the neighbourhood, the deer on the edge of the forest and once in a while the falcons were being discussed too. Till after 10 PM three pigeons got the idea to visit the tower. Whether this was a smart move or not, I don’t think so. Pa didn’t think so either and chased after the pigeons. He let go the first one to dive after number two. This pigeon was smart enough to let himself fall into the forest and Pa had to let this pigeon go. We thought we’d seen all the spectacle but nothing was less true. Pigeon number three left the tower too but stayed high in the air. This isn’t very clever and especially not with two peregrines in the neighbourhood. Pa chased after the pigeon and S2 comes to help Pa. The arrears she had were soon made up. She is not only a lot bigger than Pa but certainly also a lot faster. S2 approached the pigeon and tried to hit. Unfortunately the pigeon got away. But very soon the pigeon had Pa behind him again and he succeeded to hit the pigeon. Believe it or not but this pigeon managed to escape again. But not for long because S2 took over charge and finished the job successfully. The pigeon was hit and in the claws of S2 it was being brought to the right side of the second ring, unfortunately out of our sight.
It was wonderful to see how Pa and S2 got hold of this pigeon. Actually it is not very fair, two against one. But we didn’t expect this action at this time, it was almost 10.10 PM and it started to get pretty dark. While Pa and S2 tried to get hold of this pigeon, the kids stayed near and on the lamp and when Pa and S2 landed on the second ring with this pigeon, the kids stayed where the were. I found it strange. The probably weren’t hungry anymore and thought: We grab this prey for breakfast tomorrow morning. And we, down there, thought that we wouldn’t see anything this evening. But we saw a successful prey attack right above us. Because normally we see the falcons disappear behind the trees and mostly we see them return without a prey. It became a very beautiful evening without rain. Yes, a few drops but you can’t call that rain. Things can be very strange when you go watch the falcons. When we drove away from home we said to each other that we would see how things went with the weather and the falcons and that if things weren’t going well we would be home in a few minutes. Finally we left around 10.30 PM and our visit lasted two hours.
Many regards, Dorine
Friday the 15th of June, 11.30 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Yesterday evening I wanted to go to the tower very much. By day I hadn’t had time for it and my freezer lead to the fact that there was no time for an evening visit. I didn’t close the door of the freezer well and with this moist weather you get a lot of ice in that thing. So yesterday evening no watching falcons, but unfreeze a freezer. Today by day again I didn’t have time to go but tonight I had to go, time or no time. Although we were late we’ve been there for more than two hours, from 8.15 till 10.35 PM.
When we arrived the highlanders attracted my attention immediately. The herd was present, on the field before the Loop and on the field behind the Loop. Again two small light brown balls of wool walked around, very small and without the yellow number plates in their little ears. They frolicked a lot. It didn’t take long before the whole herd disappeared, but in a very special way. The highlanders galloped into the forest. Normally these animals walk away in a slow pace, but tonight they were all in a hurry. They disappeared from our view very fast. I never saw this before, the whole herd in gallop.
Now the highlanders left, there was time for the falcons, which I actually came for. We weren’t the only ones tonight, Diane and Walter, Jan and another couple from Beek en Donk were already present on the field. Fortunately the falcons didn’t let us down. Mostly it is very quiet in the evening, but tonight there was a lot of flying. It looked like S2 was giving the kids flying lessons. During the flying they played the tag, like they usually do. But tonight the game was slightly different off and on. When one of the young falcons flied into the direction of S2, S2 dived. The young falcon dived after S2 and together the disappeared behind the edge of the forest, to come back a while later, playing together. We saw this game several times this evening. In my opinion it looked a lot like exercising the diving because they didn’t go after a prey, just because there was no prey in sight. Frequently they took a rest somewhere on the tower, mostly on a lamp or a windowsill. And next they fly off again. One of the young falcons treated us on a very beautiful flying show. The most beautiful of the flying show was the air. The sun, which had just sunk behind the horizon lead to beautiful coloured clouds. A blue-green sky with some clouds in the colours from white to orange-red and the very thin high clouds seem to be purple-blue. What a view it was and than that falcon flying against that background. Everybody was enjoying it very intensely. They flew a lot till short after 10 PM. Then the falcons found a spot on the tower, probably the sleeping spot because we didn’t see the falcons fly anymore. It was a beautiful evening. We didn’t see any prey flights or handovers but we saw the diving exercises of the kids. The learning process continues and is it S2 show is playing the teacher. Pa hardly shows up with the flying lessons. Sometimes he flies with them but mostly he prefers to keep an eye on everything, sitting on the tower. It was a beautiful evening with the whole family in view. The kids are progressing fast with flying and you can see it especially on the manoeuvrability of the kids. They are really doing fine, fortunately.
Martin and Hans of the bird workgroup went by too and we talked a bit about the falcons, the highlanders and the little owls. I now watch Beleef de Lente (www.beleefdelente.nl à site with several camera’s for different birds) once in a while and I had some questions about the strange arrangement of the nest box. I looked for it on the internet, but unfortunately I couldn’t find an answer somewhere (maybe I didn’t search well enough, that’s another possibility). The nest box contains a porch and then the nest box itself. The holes of the entrances are not in opposite directions but on the left or right side. My question was why they made it this way. Tonight I got the answer. They make it this way to keep out jackdaws. They can’t enter with their nesting material. Jackdaws make their nests from little branches and it is not so easy when you have to enter to two holes with a branch in your beak. But there are also clever jackdaws and those birds are snitching a couple of nest boxes. Sometimes by pigeons too. Martin told me too that this year was a very good breeding season for the barn owl, the little owl as well for the kestrel. You may conclude that there are a lot of mousses this year, a large supply of food and a lot of those young birds. How beautiful is nature.
Many regards, Dorine
Wednesday the 13th of June, 11 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Unfortunately I had no time to go watching the falcons yesterday and today by day. But tonight I had to, although I know meanwhile that it can be very quiet in the evenings. On arrival it seemed very quiet on the field. Mieke, Jonne and Piet (Lieshout) were there. Not only on the field it was very quiet, on the tower too. The falcons didn’t sit down all the time and there was some flying off and on but nothing compared to the flying show which I saw on Monday morning, unfortunately.
Tonight there was a pigeon who dared to sit down on the top ring near the round saucer. The pigeon frolicked a bit to there and back and a short while later he flew off, to return to his spot a few minutes later, while on the high antenna and left from the outside cam peregrines were sitting. This was not the only pigeon who went to the tower tonight. Another pigeon followed, but he was being send away very decisive by the young falcon near the outside cam. The pigeon was lucky. First it was a youngster and I don’t see him hit a pigeon and second the youngster didn’t really feel like it. After about 300 feet he flew back to the tower. The falcon took place on the windowsill of the top window on the left side. I cannot imagine that this sits comfortable, but this falcon obviously thought so and ensconces himself in the left corner. It looked like he wanted to start his night sleep. Tonight we only saw S2 and the two kids. Pa stayed out of our view unfortunately.
When the falcons are quiet, you have good company on Piet. Last years he showed me several birds and tonight he did that again. The sparrow on the pole was not an ordinary sparrow but a tree sparrow. I wouldn’t have noticed it, but when I watched the animal through my binoculars for a while I could see it for myself. Shortly later he heard the yellowhammer and after a view into the trees he saw it. I heard a lot of birds singing but I never knew which sound belongs to the yellowhammer, till tonight. You see that bird sitting there and then you are going to pay attention to the birds sounds. It didn’t take long before I found out which sound this bird is making. Again I learned something. It didn’t stop tonight with the birds. Piet suddenly became very enthousiastic because he saw a fly-trap (bird in the Netherlands) on the barbed wire on the other side of the road. Fortunately I saw that bird immediately and I could admire it through my binoculars. A fly-trap, for me the first time that I saw that bird. The bird book was taken and when I saw the picture I could confirm that it was the fly-trap which we saw a minute before. Not that I doubt on Piet, definitely not.
Normally you are watching the tower and the falcons and you don’t notice the other birds. You hear them whistling and singing but see them? No. But when you have somebody near you who knows a lot and also sees and hears it, it is a very special experience. The falcons were lazy and didn’t show much, unlike the tree sparrow, the yellowhammer and the fly-trap. Therefore the visit to the tower was worthwhile.
On the 23th of May I made pictures of the young falcon on the platform and S2 on the nestbox and last Monday I made pictures of the young falcon on the bottom lamp. You can watch them here.
Many regards, Dorine
Monday the 11th of June, 4 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Because the last two days were very boring I decided to go in the morning today. Finally it was 11.30 AM before I went to the tower because of the bad view earlier this morning. When I arrived Lambert arrived too and I settled myself with my chair on the field. That it was a good idea to go in the morning became clear very soon. After about 10 minutes the whole family decided to go flying. Real flying with playing the tag in between and with beautiful floating flights spiralling up. Frequently I lost the view on one or two falcons. That’s not so strange when you try to follow them with your binoculars. But it didn’t take long before you saw all four falcons close together. The family made a considerable trip and clearly enjoyed it. For me everything was clear to see because the family stayed above the field. Finally I saw some things.
I followed two falcons, the youngsters, and suddenly they started to scream. Just have a look without binoculars and right, S2 arrived with a firm prey in her claws. Above the field one youngster tried to take over the prey. Unfortunately this attempt failed and it was number two’s turn, who also saw his attempt fail. All this time S2 circled with the prey above the field, which was a confirmation for me that the youngsters were meant to take over the prey. The first youngster was allowed to try again and obviously he learned from the first attempt. He managed to take the prey and to fly away with it. The little falcon slaved into the direction of the tower with that large prey in his claws. Unfortunately he couldn’t make height and finally he tried to land on the bottom lamp on the left side. Yes, nice, but how do you do that with a prey in your claws? He found out very quickly that he couldn’t make it and circled around the tower once. A pigeon is pretty heavy and you saw the little falcon sink more and more. He even flew a small distance above the field near the tower and tried to turn around. The little falcon was only a few feet above the ground when I lost the view of him. He must be sitting near the tower on the ground. I took my camera and walked with Lambert, who unfortunately missed almost everything, to the tower to watch. We didn’t walk straight to the tower, but we just walked onto the sand road, where also cars and bicycles are driving. We didn’t see a falcon and I thought that he would have left meanwhile. We went back and on the asphalt we looked around and suddenly we saw the falcon fly away. So we went back to have a look and then we saw the prey lying near the gate, on the utmost right side. We left quickly to give the falcon the opportunity to do something with that prey.
Back on the field a young falcon turned out to be sitting on the bottom lamp, maybe the falcon of the prey. Gerrit arrived and I had to tell him that he was a bit too late. I walked to the field with my camera to make a picture of the falcon on the lamp, but unfortunately I didn’t succeed. I enjoyed this so much that I actually don’t know what happened furthermore. Gerrit will know it because he makes notes and I don’t. A short while later there was a lot of activity near the left saucer on the bottom ring and with my binoculars it was clear to see that a prey was being cleaned there. There was also a lot of screaming, I think by the kids. They were probably hungry. Next all four falcons turned out to be sitting on the dining table near that saucer and still there was a lot of screaming. There was probably a domestic quarrel and a firm one too because this scene took more than an hour. I don’t know where the prey, that was being eaten, came from. I didn’t see anyone arrive with it. I checked if the pigeon near the gate was still there and it was so it must be a different prey. There was a lot of cleaning and the feathers swirled even to our viewers spot.
After the meal and the quarrel of the family S2 thought that she earned a break and flew around a bit to land on the high antenna on her spot. Pa chose the right saucer on the second bottom ring for his afternoon nap. I didn’t see the kids anymore and after Pa and S2 left the bottom ring everything became quiet again. Around 2 PM Kuiko arrived and after some chattering I left home at 2.15 PM. I left the family who was bulging out behind me and I was very happy with everything I saw. I’ve seen enough for one day. Unfortunately I don’t have time to go to the tower tonight. But there are more days to come.
Many regards, Dorine
Monday the 11th of June, 9 AM
Dear bird watchers,
Last weekend we went to the tower in the evening hours. I can’t say that it was exciting. We had lots of time to drink our coffee and to talk a bit, for example about swifts. These are very strange birds. The past few weeks I saw them almost on a daily base around the tower with very remarkable behaviour. When the falcons are on the tower, the swifts fly above the tower. But when the falcons leave the tower, the swifts fly together with the falcons. Not around the falcons but above them. I did do some inquiry but unfortunately nobody could give me a real answer, only that they probably act that way because the insects, which is food for the swifts, are accompanying the falcons.
Saturday night the falcons really failed us. Except a small circle around the tower and a half prey attack the falcons were very lazy. It was good that Martin came by because what we didn’t see, he saw. This is the difference between experienced nature people and rookies like us. On the other side of the Loop against the edge of the forest a deer was eating a bit. This cute animal immediately got all of our attention and we moved over the scope. It was an adorable view, head to the grass and every time she seemed to hear something she held her head up to watch the neighbourhood. Very beautiful to see and we could enjoy it for at least 15 minutes.
Yesterday I enjoyed the diner on the stone ledge right in front of the outside came at home. Only one thing of one of the youngsters caught my eye, the smallest of the kids. Where his bigger brother/sister has no problems to take care of him/herself, this falcon is a lot more reserved. Finally he took the head of that pigeon so he had to eat something. This falcons is recognisable frequently for the viewers on the ground. Where the other falcon sits down on his feet somewhere, this falcon mostly lies down on his belly and often for a longer period. He is also not very active, more a lazy one and food must be brought. I hope that his button turns because otherwise he has a big problem. Further there were two prey attacks yesterday evening, which both failed. There was something else which was not clear. Suddenly we saw a falcon near the nest box with a very large prey and this falcon flew away into southern direction. We didn’t see a falcon arrive with a prey and therefore I think it was Pa who laid his claws on a pretty big leftover and flew off with it. If Pa had arrived with that prey we definitely would have seen it, because Pa would have difficulties to come up with such a big prey. Maybe it were the remains of the pigeon which was cleaned a couple of hours ago on the stone ledge in front of the outside am. Pa just thought on himself for one time and ate the rest of the prey out of sight.
We saw not much activity these two evenings and yesterday we left when dusk started to fall and the first raindrops arrived. Previous years the evening hours were almost always used for flying lessons and prey handovers. This year the evening hours mean rest. Ma was an “evening person”. S2 is definitely not. In the evening she prefers sitting in front of the mirror, cleaning herself.
Many regards, Dorine
Friday the 8th of June, 11 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Today it was a broiling day, the kind of day you want to sit lazy in a chair on a cool spot, glass of soda with you and don’t do anything. The falcons think the same way on a day like this. This morning I went to the tower for a short while, from 10.45 AM till 12.30 AM. Harry with his daughter, Sazoe and Apus were already present and a short while later Sander arrived with his father. It was very boring on the tower and it stayed boring. It was so boring that I actually don’t know if I saw something except a falcon, S2 on the antenna. I didn’t stay long; it was way too hot there. Yesterday there was some wind, but today it was calm. I didn’t do much the rest of the day. Until about 4 PM when it started to become very dark here and I had to clear away our garden stuff, for nothing, it stayed dry here.
Tonight Piet wanted to go to the tower. Meanwhile it cooled down and the thermometer said only 23 degrees C; this morning it was 33 degrees C. First we brought Daphne away and then we went to the tower. We put our car in the verge and I see Kuiko busy chattering with the present highlanders, which were close to the viewer’s field. I new immediately that it was quiet with the falcons, otherwise he won’t be there. We took place and talked a bit about the falcons. A youngster was sitting on the top lamp on the left side, a pigeon was sitting on the bottom window on the front side and a falcon was sitting on the top lamp on the front side. But who is that falcon on the front side? I watched through the scope of Gerrit and I thought that it was an adult falcon, while Gerrit and Kuiko thought it was a youngster. Fortunately this falcon was so sweet to show his breast feathers for me and then I clearly saw the horizontal striping on his feathers. This was an adult falcon because a youngster doesn’t have those horizontal stripes. The breast of young falcons is filled with drops. But whether it was S2 or Pa I couldn’t see. So I walked on the sand road to find out if I could see it from there. I wasn’t really sure but I thought it was PA. I walked back to the field but before I arrived there, there was a lot of flying activity. Two falcons were chasing a pigeon. It wasn’t a real prey flight, more a teasing to scare the pigeon a bit and then let him go. Thank you Family Falcon for this action. At least I did see something today. The falcons returned to the tower and we were there, doing nothing. Meanwhile it started to get darker from the south and the view on the tower became less with the dusk. So we wanted to go home. When we were near the cares, we spoke a bit more about resizing pictures and how to do that. While we were standing there we hear the falcons and we se a falcon go to the platform. Gerrit took his scope (which he just put away) again and with a view through that thing I saw that it was S2. I already said she is going to lay an egg. S2 was sitting there and Gerrit puts his scope away again and we talked on. The conversation went on and this was a good thin. About 5 minutes later we heard falcons scream and we see two falcons in the air above the field. Immediately I saw that one falcon had a prey in his claws. Not a big one, but it was a prey. Falcon number two went to the first falcon, takes over the prey from the claws of that falcon and flies then to the bottom ring. We knew that S2 was on the platform and with a fast glance we saw that one of the youngsters was still sitting on the lamp on the left side. So this had to be Pa and a youngster. But this was very special. It was, as far as I know, the first prey handover in the air, which we saw and after which a youngster had to fly a considerable distance with that prey before it could land on the tower. Meanwhile Gerrit took his scope again and with a view through the scope it was sure for us that the falcon on the bottom ring was a youngster. After the prey handover Pa flew with a wide left curve to the top ring and landed there somewhere on the backside. The young falcon was screaming a lot. He was probably very happy with the succeeded exercise. It is something, taking a prey from your dad’s claws and fly with it, without crashing down and than land on a ring. Well-done falcon. You did a great job. The first prey handover we saw which went perfect. In the previous years Gerrit and I saw different things, a bit less then perfect.
In the beginning of the evening we said to each other that this year there’s not much action in the evenings. But Pa and one of his kids showed us that you never have to leave to soon. When it is getting dark, very beautiful things can happen. It is a bit difficult to see, but still very worthwhile. Previous years it was actually the same. When dusk starts to falcon, the falcons like to become active. We went home anyway. S2 was still sitting on the platform. The youngster on the lamp was probably asleep already and the youngster with prey was starting his diner. A wonderful evening, which I didn’t expect. But those are mostly the most beautiful evenings. There are two more chapters in the learning book the kids will have to learn: prey handover with a falling prey and catching a prey themselves. These two chapters will probably no problem for the kids. After these kids left the nest box, everything went plain sailing. And that’s good after all the misery, right?
Many regards, Dorine
Thursday the 7th of June, 10.30 PM,
Dear bird watchers,
The previous two days our visits to the tower were very boring. Fortunately this afternoon was different. We went to the tower from 2.15 till 6 PM, a long but very beautiful afternoon. Pinky, Mama and Kittekat would come again to de Mortel this afternoon. At noon it was already 27 degrees Celsius and experience learns that the falcons don’t feel like it. I was really afraid that the viewers made a long trip for nothing. Fortunately it might have been worse.
When we arrived it was already crowded. Pinky, Mama, Kittekat, Barbara and Gerrit had already taken their seats on the field and immediately we heard that there was some flying activity of the falcons. The usual game, fly off, circle around the tower, try another seat, play the tag and sometimes make some fun together with S2 and Pa. For the regular viewers it is normal but for the viewers who don’t visit the tower on a daily base or who come from far and only pay one visit to the tower it is wonderful. They love it. And especially when you can tell these people who they are looking at in the air and to what you can see who is who. We already saw quite some activity when S2 chased a couple of pigeons. It wasn’t a real prey attack; at least it didn’t look like one. S2 had company of two other falcons. I don’t know if Pa was one of them. I actually didn’t watch that well. We talk a bit about prey attacks and suddenly we see two falcons returning. We heard them come. S2 in front with a fat prey in her claws, a pigeon and a youngster following very noisy in her wake. S2 is a firm lady, she is a lot bigger than Ma but still she has a difficult time when she has to bring a firm pigeon to the tower. Gerrit told me that he wanted to bet where S2 would bring that pigeon. Bottom ring, left saucer. Sure Gerrit, that is the spot she reaches first. She flew on the altitude of the bottom ring. Why would she take pains for another spot? But it is correct; the bottom ring is the favourite one. S2 sat down with the prey, followed by the youngster. My heart was in my mouth. The young falcon was acting wild there and we saw that before. The prey fell on the ground then. Fortunately this time it doesn’t. But it didn’t take long before panic strikes S2 and Pa.
Again panic. Like I heard and saw before. I knew the reason immediately, people on the tower. Only this afternoon it was slightly less, but still there was someone on the tower. Pa made height and circled above the tower. S2 stayed lower so she could brush past the tower just above the top ring. Meanwhile Piet saw that the gate was open and a minute later I saw someone waving at us from the top ring. S2 showed that she didn’t agree and made few dives but it was not as fierce as a while ago. The kids stayed very calm. I saw them sitting on the left side of the stone ledge while S2 was stressing in the air. The disturbance wasn’t big. We didn’t even notice when the people left the tower. The last time this was very clear.
Later we could enjoy beautiful hovering moments almost right above us, which reminded me and Gerrit to the previous years. We saw lots of them those days. Not only a lot of floating moments but also long flights with playing the tag. These flights lasted so long that sometimes we had to stop watching. Stop because your neck started hurting, your arms or your eyes. I believe it, was what we then said to each other. Unfortunately I didn’t witness such a moment this year and I wonder if we will witness those moments this year. After the fledging everything happens at full speed. In 2005 and 2006 the education of the kids lasted at least 4 –5 weeks. Now it looks like they are being cramed in 2 – 3 weeks for the wide world. If this is the fact, I have to go to the tower often next week because the last part of the education is prey handover. It is the most spectacular part of the education and I don’t want to miss it.
It was a very beautifull afternoon, an afternoon in which S2 showed very clearly that the kids mean a lot to her and this makes me happy, very happy. My feelings concerning are still very double. On one hand for me she still is the female that chased away Ma. On the other hand she is starting to behave like a “real mother” for the kids. When I saw S2 like this this afternoon, I had to think of Ma. I was wondering how she would have reacted with those people on the tower.
Many regards, Dorine
Wednesday the 6th of June, 9.30 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Yesterday evening I didn’t bother to write a story. We left the tower last Monday with S2 on the top lamp on the backside. Piet said then that the view of S2 on that lamp was fired-on the lens of the scope
after one and a half hour. Indeed, yesterday evening we went to the tower and we walked straight to the field on the backside. When we put down our scope it seemed that what Piet said last Monday evening was right. We had the same view as the day before when we left. S2 on the top lamp on the backside. I don’t know what it is, with that lamp. In the beginning Pa was sitting on that lamp every time. Because of that (?) S2 appeared on the scene and now S2 keeps sitting there. I don’t know what the meaning is of it. I only hope not another foreign falcon will appear now. We’ve had enough of them this season. It was good that we had the necessary distraction of the highlanders, because S2 was only cleaning or sleeping. Yesterday evening when we arrived on that field, a couple of highlanders walked on the exact spot where we always are. We were going to be there anyway. Those highlanders came very close during the grazing and once in a while the looked to the scope with a glance that said: Yummie!! In between them there was also a young highlander of last year, one that hasn’t have such a big antlers. During the grazing it came closer and closer and it kept a continue watch on Menno. Especially when Menno started to eat a cookie. The little highlander was looking his brains off. I don’t think he get that those strange creatures on the field do eat too, only something else but grass. Nice, highlanders, but that’s not what we came for and all the time we were on the field on the backside we didn’t see another falcon, only S2 who was making her toilet. So we went to the front side, to the field. Also because we knew that Rionne and Mieke where there. From this side we could see the two kids, on the stone ledge on the left side. One near the antenna and one behind the outside cam. Pa was still sitting on the top lamp on the left side, probably his sleeping spot for the coming night. We stayed there for a pretty long time and fortunately there was one falcon who showed us that he still had flying skills. Pffff… I already was afraid. The youngster who was sitting near the antenna just made it to fly to the nestbox and it made him so tired that he went to sleep immediately. Yes, yesterday evening was really exciting.
Today I went to the tower in the morning, maybe there is more to be seen. I arrived at 10.45 AM to a deserted tower. I had to search for a moment, but then I found S2, not on the lamp she used to sit on, but on the antenna between the bottom and the second bottom ring. There is an antenna and on the antenna abreast of the fencing there hangs a kind of little saucer, a small round thing. On that thing S2 was sitting. I don’t know what’s wrong with her but I don’t see her do anything else but cleaning and sleeping, what a vain creature. I scanned the rest of the tower and no other family members were to be seen. So I went to the backside. The view on the tower wasn’t great. The air was not clear and when you have to look against the sun you don’t see much. But fortunately I could find the rest of them. The two kids were on the fourth ring, one on the left saucer and the other on the ring near the round saucer in the centre. Pa was sitting majestic on the fencing of the third ring, keeping an eye on everything. I stayed there for about 15 minutes and also on this side no movements to be seen. So I went back to the front side. At least you don’t look against the sun. S2 was still sitting where she was. Again I’m near the tower and the falcons don’t do anything. I got company of Spreeuwke and somebody who came to look because she was in the neighbourhood anyway. Fortunately you have some chattering. It became later and S2 changed her seat on the saucer for a seat on the concrete ring and sat down in a way you could hardly see her, not out of view, but camouflaged. She thought she had enough exercise for now.
These were two impressive boring visits, which made me think. It is about one and a half week since the kids left the nest box and when I am near the tower nowadays it looks like it is 4 weeks ago since they left the nest box. This behaviour of the young falcons looks pretty mature. Other years you saw a lot of flying games these days, they could spend hours with it. Now our falcons behave like adults, eating and bulging out and sometimes you have to fly a bit otherwise your muscles get stiff. The whole season is different and even this period is clearly different then the last two years. The kids had a hard school in the nest and maybe therefore they are much more independent and more mature. The kids manage things much faster and don’t play much. Unfortunately for the viewer it is a pity but with the developments of Pa and S2, maybe an egg, it is advantageous. When I watch everything and compare it with previous years, it is my opinion that if S2 is going to lay an egg and starts breeding, the kids will make it. But actually I prefer no egg. If it becomes a chick it is very late in the season. One could make it, but it doesn’t have to be more than one. The food supply could become a problem.
Fortunately there is no egg yet and maybe there won’t be any eggs. Only S2 can answer us. It’s too bad we don’t understand falcon language, but maybe it’s better we can’t.
Many regards, Dorine.
Monday the 4th of June, 11 PM
Dear bird watchers,
Tonight we went to the tower from 7.30 till 9 PM. We never write down
something. This can be boring sometimes. Tonight we didn’t miss it. It was
very boring, sleep inducing. Finally we went home to make some strong coffee
that could wake us up.
We arrived on the Hemelsbleekweg and to our surprise there was nobody. We put the car close to the tower because we wanted to go to the field on the backside. In the evening hours this is my favourite spot, especially when the sun shines. It shines so beautiful on the tower and you have that shiny ball behind you so it doesn’t shine in your face. But first we looked on the front side to see if there was something. Yes there was sitting something, Pa on the top lamp on the front side and a youngster on the cellphone antenna on the second ring. We couldn’t discover more falcons. So we went to the backside and we discover S2 on the top lamp, exactly on the opposite side from Pa and on the left side we discover a young falcon. Based on the assumption that Pa and the other youngster are still on the same spot, the whole family is home. We put down the scope, unfold our chair and sat down, waiting for some action. And finally, after 10 minutes we got action, and what kind of action. The youngster jumped onto the roof the way we didn’t see him anymore. S2 was still sitting in the same position and after a glance through the scope I saw that she had her eyes closed. The only busy flying traffic was from the swifts. Their number is growing every hour I think. There are really lots of them already. These swifts are such a nervous animals. I followed them with my scope and it irritated me very much. Every second these bird are busy. The never sit down and fly non-stop higgledy-piggledy. Pfffff… I’m glad that our falcons take it easy. What if our Family Falcons was just like that. I really don’t want to think about it. Around 8 PM there was some activity. The youngster on the roof showed himself again. The little falcon did the musical chairs, or like Piet called it “ring hopping”. He flies off, lands somewhere, flies of again, lands somewhere, etc. It was impossible for us to see if it was the same falcon every time. It could be possible that they were together playing musical chairs. We didn’t write down from which ring to which ring they went but I can tell you that he sat on the high antenna for a short while. I observed him through my scope and I could already see that he won’t stay there long. Sitting stable on the narrow antenna is something the young falcons don’t master completely.
All that time S2 sat on the lamp. She was sitting with her eyes closed or she was cleaning herself. She mostly cleaned her belly and it was needed. Yesterday evening we saw them on the bottom ring. She was cleaning a prey and feeding and later we saw that she had the blood of the prey on her belly, a large dirty red spot. Tonight she was removing this spot, very neatly. Only when she finished I could still see it. S2 does not have water and soap available and such a blood spot is not easy to clean, right? After some flying activity of both youngsters (I presume) it became more quiet, at least with the falcons. The swifts became busier and busier. The herd of highlanders came by on the other field, but we saw and heard them. The small thing also frolicked with them. I felt pity with that ball of brown wool. In the meantime it had got such an enormous shiny earring in its ear. I really looked strange. More number than calf. I should have taken a picture of it a couple of days ago. Unfortunately I didn’t and now it isn’t beautiful anymore with such a yellow number plate on its ear. The heard was walking and the left as fast as they came. It doesn’t go fast but before you know it, they are already gone.
Meanwhile it was almost 9 PM and I believed it for tonight. We took our stuff and we walked to the car. When we arrived at the car we saw that Pa was sitting on the same lamp as when we arrived and it won’t surprise me if he sat there all evening. There was nobody on the field. I don’t know if there were some viewers in the time we were on the backside of the tower, but I’m not used to meeting nobody there. While I got in the car a person on a bicycle arrived who obviously watched the falcons from another spot. According to him there was a lot of flying activity around 8 PM and he saw 3 falcons maybe 4 falcons in the air. Unfortunately I have large doubts, especially because S2 didn’t leave her spot. She was rusted on the lamp. We drove away and what did I see through the window?? Right, activity from the falcons. We left anyway. We wanted coffee and I didn’t expect a prey flight or prey handovers. And we have days to come. The “party” isn’t over for me. Although the cams will turn black and the forum will be locked. This doesn’t mean I stop too. There are some beautiful weeks to come which I will share with you, here on my own site, like I did the last few months.
Many regards, Dorine
Monday the 4th of June, 1 Pm
Dear Bird watchers,
Yesterday evening no story. We were home late and we still had to eat and after that I had no energy for it. What’s more, I saw some beautiful things, but I can write them down right now. Yesterday I planned to go to the tower not so long. I didn’t feel like it, but I had to. While we were driving to the tower, we drove alongside a meadow in which a pony with a very young foal was standing. As horses are my other hobby, we had to stop. We made some pictures and enjoyed it. The little thing loved the attention and was whinnying a lot. Because of this beautiful scene we arrived at the tower at 3.30 PM. It was pretty crowded and because of that I didn’t manage to observe the falcons. The present for Lambert (the forum members collected 650 euros because his camera broke down) had to be offered and we spoke about the same subject we always do. Till a man came to me and introduced himself. With him and his partner I had a long, very long conversation and it made me glad. Thanks Jan. A short while later S2 arrives with prey and the kids dive to the prey with devotion. The prey wasn’t being taken by the kids, but was put down safely by S2 on the bottom ring near the left saucer. Soon it became clear that you can’t put down a prey safely on a place like that, and especially not with two of those exuberant kids. They fought a little about the prey and the consequence was that the prey fell of the ring and landed on the foot of the tower. Again a wise lesson for the kids: no fighting and pulling on a prey and especially not on the edge of a ring. Compared with Saturday the falcons were pretty calm. Most visitors returned to home and Kuiko came back from the sand road. He made clear in gestures that there were 3 falcons on the flank of the tower. And what do we do? We go to the flank. We took the scope and walked to that spot. What we saw made us forget all other things. S2 was sitting on the bottom ring with a youngster and Pa was sitting on the fencing, keeping an eye on the two of them. S2 had prey and there was a lot of cleaning and eating to be seen. Wonderful to see, 3 falcons in 1 view through my telescope. The son which was shining on that side of the tower made the picture exceptional beautiful, really wonderful. We stood there for a long time and we enjoyed it very much. The last guests who went home passed by and their visit was being prolonged by at least 30 minutes because of this wonderful picture. When you see this at a one-time visit to the tower, you are very lucky. Even I don’t see this often. Because the sun was shining on the tower in a perfect way and we were standing on the right place with 3 falcons so close to each other, it looked like we were watching a documentary on TV. Finally it was Pa who left first and we left too, back to the field where our car was parked. We wanted to go home because we had to eat too. Meanwhile other viewers arrived, viewers who come frequently and of course a lot of chattering followed, with the consequence that we went home after 8 PM.
This morning I first washed the car and then I left to the tower. On arrival I only see the car of Gerrit being parked. Gerrit himself was nowhere to be seen. I took my stuff and install myself on the bench with my scope right in front of me. I already saw them without my scope but looking through the scope it became clear that it were the two young falcons that were sitting on the crosswise pole between the bottom and the second bottom ring. While I was looking the two of them, Gerrit, who was on the backside, arrived by foot. The two falcons were sitting with their feathers wide and I was afraid I wouldn’t see much. Piet from Lieshout came by too and the three of us some some action.
It was crowded with pigeons this morning. Several groups passed by and I don’t know what is wrong with these groups of pigeons but every group made a circle around the tower. It’s really true, I don’t lie. The last group I saw was so close to the tower that it looked like they all wanted to sit down on the tower, which they finally didn’t do. The pigeons were lead to some attacks of our falcons. We didn’t see any real attacks, it were more the kind of teasing games. Once we thought that a young falcon really went to a group of pigeons. The young falcon flew right above us. Suddenly we see S2 arriving from northern direction with a pigeon on her claws. That was were the youngster was heading for and not the group of pigeons. Soon youngster no. two followed and the kids tried to take the prey but S2 didn’t let them and finally she brought the prey to the bottom ring herself, unfortunately just out of sight. The kids try to take over prey from an adult. I am glad S2 didn’t let loose the pigeon. I already saw it happen in my mind. We stand there with binocular and S2 let go of the pigeon. On which scope would the pigeon have landed? This prey made sure that the kids had food and that there was nothing more to see for us today, unfortunately. Piet left and I left to at 12 PM and Gerrit stayed. He is probably still there. He had nothing else to do today.
It was a pleasant morning, quiet, the sun and a beautiful action of the falcons right above us. Yesterday evening I said that sometimes I am being homesick for last year. This morning it looked 2006 for a short while.
Many regards, Dorine
Saturday the 2nd of June, 11.30 PM
Dear birdwatchers,
At last I have some time to write something. It was a busy but pleasant day. And the most beautiful was that the falcons thought so too. This morning we went to the tower at 10 AM and we left at 6 PM. A very long day. The reason of this long visit was that a lot of people of the forum would come to de Mortel today. Daniëlle, Ad, Hans, Avigoorn, Ronald, Foxje, Spreeuwke and al the other people that I forget to mention. Excuses for that, but there were so many of them. A lot of people mean a lot of fun and that they had fun became clear by the behaviour of the falcons. In the morning the Family Falcon kept quiet but as the day continued, the mood on the field communicated itself to the tower. The falcons felt like it, and how!!
I couldn’t keep up with all we have seen, but it was quite a lot. It started with some flying exercises, the warming up so to speak. Pretty quickly the youngsters showed that they aren’t chicks anymore, but already respectable birds of prey, which of course had to learn a lot, but meanwhile they can stand their ground. Playing the tag, a large hobby of the kids at the moment, had to be demonstrated of course. The oh’s and ah’s sounded frequently. This isn’t strange because it is a beautiful game to follow. The falcons learn to grab with their claws, but they also have to play with their bodies. When two falcons fly to each other you can’t do it straight on because they will collide to each other with their beaks. They have to turn their bodies in the air. Sometimes we see one of the falcons flying upside down to the air. Pa and S2 showed themselves and let themselves hear too. We saw several attacks on prey, mostly pigeons. Unfortunately we didn’t see a succeeded prey flight, but you don’t see that often. You have to be really lucky and the prey must hit above the field. Mostly you can see the diving. The falcon then disappears with the prey behind the trees and next the falcon comes back with the prey. A successful prey flight, but actually you didn’t see a thing. Pa and S2 didn’t only chase pigeons this afternoon. Even a buzzard who came to close had to suffer for it. S2 again attacked that bird. Magnificent to see that a peregrine can chase away such a large bird as a buzzard with the greatest of ease. Also very present today were the swifts. Yesterday something striked me on those birds and today it was the same. The swifts stay close to the falcons. When the falcons are sitting at the tower, the swifts fly above the tower. When the falcons start to fly, the little birds fly together with the falcons. It is very remarkably. I don’t know why they do this. I have to make inquiries about that.
The show of the Family Peregrine took the whole afternoon, maybe even a bit longer, but I don’t know that. Sometimes we thought that the show was over and that the falcons wanted take a rest. But we didn’t even finish these thoughts when they already showed themselves a lot. I’ve seen a lot of funny things from the falcons, but I don’t know what was wrong with the falcons this afternoon. The probably liked the present spectators and thought it worthwhile to perform for these spectators. It was really marvellous. The neighbourhood is also marvellous. Later that afternoon, when the sun was close to the tower, Piet and I went with Daniëlle, Ad and Arnaud for a walk. We visited the field behind the Snelle Loop, we showed them the frog pond and the pond of the Egyptian geese. Of course we had to visit the field on the backside too, my favourite spot for the evening hours, especially when the sun is shining. The side of the tower, which is in sight, is in the sun while you have the sun in your back. When some of the falcons want to sit on this side of the tower or fly on this side of the tower, you are sitting there perfect, especially when the highlanders are walking around there.
After a pleasant afternoon, everybody said goodbye and our spot was suddenly very empty. The viewers didn’t come for nothing this afternoon. This always pleases me, especially when there are people who come from far and have to travel a considerable time to come here. Tomorrow a lot of visitors will come to the tower again and for me it means another day near the tower. I don’t know how this day will pass, but for me it may be a similar day as today.
Many regards, Dorine
Friday the 1st of June, 11.30 PM,
Dear birdwatchers,
After all the fuzz of yesterday I tried to go to the tower today. The terrible headache I get in such cases, doesn’t want to go away. I still receive mails and people are still writing in my guest book. It was so good to hear and read and the hundreds of reactions frightened me as well as the ban did, but in a different way. I didn’t expect that many reactions. These reactions gave me the courage to go to the tower this afternoon.
Yesterday we had the concerns about the young falcon that was somewhere in the forest. I knew that S2 fed her, at least I gather this from what I saw that morning. Even a peregrine is not that stupid that it flies with a prey heavy as lead above the forest for minutes, right? I wanted to go back in the afternoon very quickly. Not! I was so happy when I got the message that the young falcon was near and later on the tower again. It was a good timing of out bad pilot. After all we had enough problems elsewhere. He must have felt it and thought in himself: I better go home now. Maybe it is wise right now. Actually I have not been really scared. I knew that if he wasn’t wounded, he would come back. I read the messages on the forum (via a detour, but I could read them) with the greatest of pleasure.
This afternoon I went to the tower and when I arrived, nobody was there. The field was empty, except the bench, the garbage can and the party tent. I immediately reject the bench, especially when some people arrived later and sat on it. It swings and this is not okay when you are watching through your binoculars. You get those earthquake effects, very annoying. This weekend a lot of people are coming to watch so it can sink in.
When I just arrived, the falcons had a siesta. Just when I came back for the first time. Sometimes people can read minds. Peregrines can do that too. Suddenly several falcons appeared. S2, who we saw before on the high antenna, flew some circles for me to land on the antenna every time. And the kids who showed on and off how well they could fly already. I was surprised and I almost wanted to give them applause. This is really going well, super well. While I was enjoying the beautiful but short flights of the kids, S2 flies off in southern direction and goes after something. I don’t know what it was, a buzzard or a foreign falcon. I couldn’t see it because of the distance and because I didn’t see the bird with spread wings. S2 overtook the bird and then I saw something that gave me the goose bumps. The two of them were fighting, claws in each other and spin around a couple of times. Therefore, afterwards I think it was that foreign falcon again. We saw the chasing away too last Friday. The foreign falcon didn’t even got the chance to come near the tower and I think this has everything to do wit the fact that the kids left the nest box and are on the tower now. It’s less safe when a stranger visits. It only took a while and then I lost view of both of them and after that, S2 returned to the tower pretty quickly.
It’s really funny when one of the kids tries to sit on the high antenna, just like S2 and Pa. When they do that, I always look through my scope. An antenna is very different from a stone ledge, which is at least 1.5 feet. On the ledge you have at least ground under your feet, claws. The antenna is very narrow and if you don’t pay attention, you fall. This happened this afternoon. The little falcon wanted to scratch himself behind his ears while he was on the antenna. You don’t have to do that little falcon. It’s not good for your balance. I already saw that he would fall. Fortunately it is a bird and when he felt, he flew a circle around the tower and landed on the antenna again. Funny, now he sat still and didn’t think about moving once more. After some flying the falcons left the front side and chose the side with the best view: the backside. No problem. Then I go to the backside too. It was very comfortable on the backside. At least you have the sun in your back en you can watch the tower without being blinded by the light. This afternoon the highlanders, with the young calf, were on this side. Oh, the little one is adorable. I would like to go to it and cuddle the calf. I don’t think his mommy would agree. I have to address myself why I went to the backside. O yes, the falcons. There they were. S2 on the high antenna, but I already knew that when I was on the front side. But now I also saw the two kids and Pa. One youngster was next to the antenna, on the corner. And just behind the antenna I saw Pa who was eating something and about 6 feet to the left the other youngster was lazy lying on his belly. It doesn’t happen quite often that I had 3 falcons in one view with my scope. Mostly they are at a greater distance of each other. I’ve been standing there for half an hour and then I walked back to the front side. The falcons where up there and it looked like they just ate. After a meal you don’t have to expect a lot of the falcons. Actually you don’t have to expect anything. Although I didn’t see spectacular things, except the action of S2, I had a wonderful afternoon. Tonight I went back to the tower. I had some catching up to do. It was pleasantly crowded on the field. Kuiko, Jumper, Piet (from Lieshout) and somebody I don’t know by name were already present. We didn’t watch the falcon a lot, but we did talk a lot. You can guess the subject. We heard from Kuiko what we missed before we arrived. The stories of this man are becoming boring. Every time we hear that we missed beautiful things. A short while later Jonne and co. arrived. Via the messages of Lambert I understood that Jonne decided where the bench was going to be placed. She knew that Lambert posted this. The poor thing, she was being teased a lot. Fortunately she can take it and she laughed about it herself. During our conversation and jokes the falcons did fly and played the tag to each other. Touch the other with the claws and fly away again. The sprints on the ledge become faster and faster and keeping up with a youngster becomes pretty tough. In Holland we say: with the speed of water. Well our falcons are that fast. Later that evening we saw a youngster near the nest box. We saw that it entered the nest box and left it. And when we didn’t watch for a second, we lost track of him. I don’t know whether it went into the nest box for a sleep or that it went to a different spot, which we just missed. I have to check the forum for the answer. Tonight we went home not too late. It wasn’t even 10 PM when we left, together with Jonne, the spot. We were the last ones to leave. Next we had to go to the stable. A large bag of muesli was lying in the car and we wanted to get rid of it. Further we played cab for our kids. We were home around 11 PM. I put on the laptop, read the emails and tried to make something from this story. When I scroll up I see I managed. Tomorrow it will be a busy day, a lot of visit and hopefully some action of the falcons while I’m there. I would appreciate it.
Many regards, Dorine
Update Thursday 31 May, 20.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
This afternoon, after putting the story below on the internet I noticed that I was banned from the Planet forum. Why?? It still isn’t clear but it is obvious that there is more behind it. This afternoon I wanted to go back to the tower straight away to see how the young falcon was doing. Via email I had to find out that everything was fine with the youngster, fortunately. Because of all the hustle I didn’t go to the tower anymore and I can’t settle down to go. Something in me broke. For three years I applied myself to the falcons in de Mortel. A lot of people are grateful for that, in view of the reactions in my guest book and the many emails I receive. When the initiator of the whole internet hustle puts you aside like this, a bell starts to ring and you wonder where the heck you are working on. I have to think this all over very well. I don’t feel like going to the tower right now. Again all those questions about this whole hustle. I will read how the falcons are doing.
Many regards, Dorine
Thursday 31 May, 13.30 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
This morning I went to the tower for a change. It’s something different than sitting at home, right? I drove via a circle Torenweg en from the backside I see a falcon on the leftside (seen from behind) flying away. Further there was not much to bee seen. It’s kind of hard from there because it is at a considerable distance from the tower. On the sand road I stopped again and on the top ring I could discover a young falcon. When I arrived on the field I put down my scope, shook hands with Marja and scanned the tower. Pa was sitting on the top lamp on the frontside and S2 was sitting on the antenna. That’s what I think, I’m not sure. I do know that I saw Pa, S2 and a youngster. It was boring on the tower. Actually I expected to see a search action or to hear some calling to the second youngster. Not! Until S2 left and a short while later flew circles above the forest with a gigant prey in her claws. S2 had visible difficulties with it. However she didn’t make ready to fly to the tower with that prey. She stayed above the forest. At that moment it was clear to me that the youngster must be there somewhere and that S2 was looking for it. Meanwhile S2 got company of Pa and the other youngster. The presence of the young falcon in this picture was confusing for us for a short while. For a minute we thought that we saw the missing youngster fly. It was the young falcon who was sitting on the tower before. He probably saw the food in the claws of S2 and therefore flew to her. Too bad it wasn’t the missing youngster. We lost track of S2 and about 5 minutes later S2 returned to tower without prey. Did S2 drop the prey or did she feed the second youngster? Unfortunately I can’t answer this question, although I would have wanted to. I wish we had those sky boxes, then I could have watched over the tops of the trees and known more. Meanwhile Pa was going to sit on THE lamp again and S2 and the youngster sat down somewhere on the right side. Because I was anxious to know where they are I made walk and S2 was sitting on the top lamp on the right side and the young falcon was sitting at the centre of the bottom ring.
Back on the field we didn’t see much for quite a while. But then the present youngster gave a nice air show. He played with S2 for a while in the air. They were flying to each other and then tried to hit each other with their claws. I’ve seen this before in the previous years but I never saw this soon after the first flight. These are the first exercises for prey handovers. If the kids master this, they will be exercising with real preys. A parent with a prey flies in the air and than one of the kids has to take the prey out of the claws of the adult falcon and then he has to try to reach the tower with the prey. When this goes well the falcons pass on to releasing the prey and the kids have to try to catch the prey in the air, while the prey is falling down. Step by step the young falcons learn how to handle a prey.
This wasn’t the only thing the young falcon showed this morning. He can sit in the high antenna too and this was really very beautiful to see. Through the scope you can see the insecurity very well. He doesn’t sit as stable as Pa or S2. Frequently there was an unbalance and the young had to fly off to land again on the antenna. By the way this youngster is a smart kid. He masters everything very quickly, at least when I compare to previous years. When it was time to go home Pa was acting funny on the lamp. Every time the head moved into the air and mister was sitting there with his beak wide open. Next the beak closed again. No sound came out of it. It was a funny view, like airsucking. One option what it could mean was that he was coughing up a perlet. Honestly I really don’t know what it meant.
Short for 12 PM (I was present there for more than 2 hours) a young falcon flies a very beautiful circle and lands on the second bottom ring. The youngster sits there and walks there and back. Good that the rain started to fall. For me it was the push to go home again. Sazoe left too end we left a empty field.
Many regards, Dorine
Update Wednesday 30 may 23.30 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
This morning I was near the tower
and it was my intention not to go there for the rest of the day. I wanted to do
some things in and around the house, like mowing the grass, dusting, vacuum
cleaning and do the laundry. Unfortunately this all didn’t happen. I just
arrived home after being at the stables and busy with putting my story on my
site. Then the telephone rang. It is Piet who tells me about the young falcon.
Guess three times what I did. Laptop off and call to the children that I’m gone.
At 4 PM I was back near the tower and I heard the story. From the stories I
could hear that everyone was still very impressed. Of course you are curious and
you want to look around. I did, together with another viewer. I walked to the
backside of the field with him to look if somebody was present on that side of
the tower. Not! We walked there over the total width of the field and back again
but we couldn’t discover anything. Via the path through the forest we wanted to
walk back. When we were halfway we saw S2 flying, considerably low above the
forest. Our view there was very limited so it was a riddle for us what she was
doing there. Maybe she was searching for the youngster. A short while later we
saw that S2 has company from another falcon. We first thought this was the
youngster but when they were directly above us I strongly had the presumption it
was not the youngster, but Pa. From this position we could discover a young
falcon on the stone ledge of the tower, who was wavering his wings off and on.
We skipped the last part of the path and walked between the trees to the sand
road. We didn’t see anything on our way, except 2 young bunnies.
Back on the viewers
spot a youngster turned out to be on the platform. It turned out to be the young
falcon who we saw before on the backside of the tower. But we were told more.
While we were in the forest, S2 fount the youngster and tried to guide it to the
tower and showed the youngster the windowsills so it could sit down there. At
least, that’s how it looked for the viewers. The youngster didn’t manage it and
ended up in the forest on the left side again. When you hear this, the scary
feelings that this youngster can be hurt and that it is somewhere in that
forest, lying on the ground and not able to leave. So the other viewer and I
decided to go walk through the forest again. When we stood near the gate of the
tower S2 starts to fly there very low. Really really low. We stood there
together and S2 flies on the height of the window directly under the first lamp,
about 60 feet above us. Actually it is more floating and than on a way like a
tongue of a clock. Off and on she hovers right above us. And there you are with
your binoculars and you see S2 so well that you have the feeling you can grab
her right out of the air, so close. The visual field of my binoculars was
completely filled with S2. You could see everything, really amazing and we
forgot about the young falcon for a minute. I should have had my camera with me.
I could have made great pictures. But S2 was not flying so low for nothing; she
was obviously looking for the young falcon. This spectacle on the foot of the
tower lasted a few minutes and then S2 left again. We couldn’t see where she
went from our spot. We walked straight through the forest and didn’t see or hear
anything. We went to the backside for a minute but we didn’t see anything from
that side either.
Next we walked back
alongside the Snelle Loop to the front side. When we saw the field we saw that
the highlanders (cows) crossed over the Snelle loop in the meantime. This was
also very beautiful to watch today. Why? Because there was a very young little
highlander among them. Like ball of woollen yarn. Such a small one who could
walk under mommy’s stomach. I don’t know how old this youngster was but I think
a few days. The young one frolicked through the grass and back to mommy for a
drink. Really wonderful to see this. We stood there for a while to watch this
and then we walked back to the viewers spot. The other young falcon was still
sitting on the platform and shortly later we saw S2 land on the second ring,
unfortunately not visible for us. A short while later Pa turned out to be
sitting on the top lamp on the front side. Nobody saw how he came there. I
stayed for a long time. Piet came too and together we walked to the backside
with the scope and again nothing to be seen there. Therefore we went back again
and about 7.30 PM we went home, while the young falcon was still sitting on the
platform, Pa on the lamp and S2 somewhere on the second ring. Just when we
wanted to leave, Zwiersje arrived to watch the tower. We chattered a short while
and then we really went home. When we came home I watched the forum and the web
cams and pretty soon I see that the young falcon of the platform entered the
nestbox. I made diner and brought the laundry inside in case it should start to
rain because that’s what the weather forecast told us. When we almost finished
diner, Piet suddenly says he wants to go back to the tower to have another look.
Well, okay, it was almost 9 PM. My whole day was messed up qua planning, so the
evening could follow this pattern. We went to the tower again, the third time
for me today.
Even after 9 PM it was
still crowded and we were told that while we were at home nothing changed. Or,
we missed nothing this time. We chattered about falcons, the coffee and about
all kind of things, but on the tower not a movement was to be seen. Till
suddenly, S2 leaves the top ring. We were surprised because we didn’t know she
was sitting there. S2 flies to Pa and pinches the spot on the lamp from Pa. Pa
flies around and S2 follows quickly. Together they were in the air and we were
listening carefully if the two of them would call the youngster. The two of them
did call but on that moment we couldn’t really hear an answer. Pa sits down on
the lamp again and S2 disappears on the second ring. While we see this I thought
I heard a falcon. In my opinion the sounds didn’t come from the direction of the
tower but from the forest alongside the road were we stood. I didn’t say it
because I was not sure. Frank did say it, so he heard it too. Then you keep
listening for a while but nothing was to be heard. Dusk started to fall and most
people went home. Meanwhile it was after 10 PM. We went home too and alongside
the road we talked a bit with Zwiersje and her husband and suddenly we thought
to hear the call of the young falcon again, from the same direction as before.
Again we listened for a while but no more sounds. Finally we left, the clock
showed us 10.20 PM. It started to get pretty dark. So dark that from the ground
you couldn’t see Pa sitting on that red light.
I am home again and I
started to tidy up the table and next I started writing this. Tjee… what a day.
What do you have to think of a day like this? I don’t know but I’m not really
worried. This happens often in other nests. Look to the Hemweg in Amsterdam. The
kids there don’t have anything but roofs to land on. Furthermore I thought of
the Amercentrale today. Where do the kids stay when they leave the nest box?
There is nothing besides a very narrow ridge on top of the cooling tower of the
stairs alongside the sidewall. I take the view that this youngster is sitting
somewhere in a tree. It has to exercise a lot and that it is able to reach the
bottom ring tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Today was too windy for this
young falcon and he was not yet able to fly up such a height. S2 and Pa keep an
eye on the youngster, according the low flights above the forest. I frightened
considerably this afternoon and it is funny but still I am not really worried.
Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Many regards, Dorine
Wednesday 30 may 15.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
After the gloomy cold yesterday this morning the sun shone finally. For me this
means hurry hurry cleaning up the house, grab the stuff and go to the tower. I
went there from 11.00 AM till 12.30 PM. Then I had to go home for my obligations
against Menno, horseriding and I am writing this report in the canteen of the
stables. With all those hustle of the falcons you have to use the time that you
don’t spend with the falcons useful.
On arrival there were
already a couple of viewers and they told me that they had seen a lot of
beautiful things, but that it was quiet for the moment, very quiet. That’s nice
because now I had the time to unpack my stuff and put it on its place. The other
viewers went home but very quickly new viewers arrived. Inge and Visje of the
Planetforum and later Deufke, who brought a nice cup of coffee for us, came too.
We had S2 in sight on the high antenna and certainly one of the kids must be
somewhere on the right side of the top saucer. S2 let herself admire while she
gave her feathers a thoroughly cleaning. S2 was being watched by me through my
scope and I noticed that she was cautious. She was observing the surroundings
very well and suddenly she saw something and flew away in northern direction. We
were lucky on the field because she flew right above us. With the sun shining it
was a marvellous view. We followed her till she disappeared behind the trees. I
myself had the feeling that she was after a prey and a pretty while later Deufke
saw her approaching from northern direction. Indeed, S2 had a prey with her and
what a prey it was. A thick fat pigeon with which she had visible difficulties.
Flying into the direction of the tower she had the still present wind against.
With a lot of trouble she arrived on the tower, but then, then the tough job
followed to arrive with that prey on a ring. It was really difficult. Finally
after a number of attempts she managed to drop the prey on the second bottom
ring on the right side, unfortunately out of sight. We were curious to see the
rain of feathers, but it didn’t come. S2 was probably too tired and was
recovering her breath. Not! She flies off, followed by a falcon. The duo flies
and floats around the tower and people thought that the second falcon in the air
would be a youngster. I had my doubts because I never saw a young falcon fly
that way after two days of exercising. I thought it was Pa. Flying, floating,
wings folding on the back, to each other, floating again and then landing
perfectly on the tower. I actually don’t see a youngster, who is flying two
days, do that. So I still thought it was Pa, who landed out of sight on the
bottom ring, or the second bottom ring. Shortly after that S2 flew to the high
antenna to land there. We were surprised. We had expected that she would clean
the just caught pigeon. Not!!
That the second falcon
must be Pa, became clear very quickly when both young falcons showed themselves
on the top ring near the right saucer. They are strong kids, who could fly
pretty well that Monday, but flying for a couple of minutes around the tower
like an adult? I don’t think they can do that. Later S2 and the kids changed
spots a couple of times. The kids were flying around a little near the top ring
and S2 flew off now and then. When I went home she was sitting low on the high
antenna.
It was a beautiful
morning and we did see a lot, especially from the falcons, but from the buzzard,
the cormorant, the geese and the grey heron let themselves admire. The
highlanders went to the shadow on the other side of the Snelle Loop and were
lounging around. I thought it a pity I had to leave, especially with this
beautiful weather. Maybe if I have enough time later I can go back. I will see.
Many regards, Dorine
Update Tuesday 29 may 22.30 hr.
Dear birdwatchers,
Tonight we paid another visit to the tower, why not? I still had the hope that
the family on the tower would be more active than this morning. Fruitless hope
it seemed after quite a while. The falcons didn’t feel like it. At the end of
our visit I understood why there was no flying activity. Dear people, it was
freezing cold. The chilly wind of this morning was still present and the
temperature dropped a few degrees since this morning. So the present viewers had
cold ears, tearing eyes and frozen, stiff fingers. It was a good thing that I
brought some hot coffee with me. Not only delightful but also very welcome to
warm your hands.
I think that the
falcons had also the inconvenience of stiff muscles and cold fingers (toes).
There was hardly any flying and if there was some flying it was just to find a
better spot out of the wind I think. One of the youngsters sat on the platform
for a while and finally it went into the nest box. I totally agree. At least you
are out of the wind. Pa sat on the windowsill again and S2 sat quite a while on
the lamp and when the lamp became vacant, Pa probably had in mind: has stood up
place have fared and took over the spot on that lamp. The other youngster was on
the top ring frolicking there and back. The cold wind, the low temperature and
the boring falcons were the cause that the viewers spot got empty pretty early.
Everyone didn’t bother and everybody, included us, were yearning for a warm,
sheltered spot, that is home near the heater.
This Tuesday I don’t
have much nice things to tell and actually it is a day from which you later say:
I better stayed at home. I missed nothing. And still you think that when you can
go, you have to. It sounds funny but it’s the truth. I hope that the wind
tomorrow is a lot less and that the temperatures are a lot higher. It makes
watching the falcons a lot more comfortable
Many regards, Dorine
Tuesday 29 may, 13.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Fortunately my foot is fine again. And because I had to do a purchase in Bakel I
went to the tower for an hour. On arrival on the Hemelsbleekweg I saw something
fly, definitely a falcon. I parked the car, grabbed my stuff and took my
position on the field. I just see that S2 sits down with a little prey on the
top ring near the left saucer. Through my scope I also saw a youngster there add
he was now being fed by S2. I looked at it for a while and then scanned the
tower to see if I can discover anybody else. Right on the left side against the
nest box is another youngster being lazy, at least it looks like it. For the
people at home it must be visible in the outside cam. I wanted to look further
but then I see a falcon fly who lands on the bottom ring and sits down against
the concrete wall on the left side of the tower. I have a nice view on him,
unfortunately only his upper body and this is obviously a male. So this will be
Pa. Nice, all 4 falcons in sight. A youngster against the nest box, a youngster
and S2 on the top ring against the left saucer and Pa on the bottom ring against
the wall. In the past I saw Pa cleaning a prey on this spot, but this time I
couldn’t see it.
The only viewer who was
there left pretty quickly and you won’t believe it but I was alone now, totally
alone. This morning, and now too, there was a fierce, cold wind which, when you
look to the tower, blows right into your face. Really weather for tearing eyes.
S2 is done with feeding and flies off to land a couple of metres away of the
youngster on the top ring. The falcons sat and stayed there, probably bulging
out. Kuiko arrives and a short while later Sazoe arrives too with coffee. This
was good with this chilly weather. Jonne came by too and when the four of us
stood there something felt from the bottom ring into the field. You go search
for it so we went to that part of the field. Indeed there was a finished pigeon,
at least the leftovers of a pigeon, a part of the wings, the sternum and a few
bones. It was all connected to each other. Kuiko made a picture of it. Maybe
this was the piece of pigeon where Pa did eat from a while ago. We went back to
our spot and when we looked to the tower the youngster near the nest box had
left. We thought that he went to the roof. The others were still sitting where
they were. Meanwhile it was 12.00 and I really had to go home. And while I was
wrapping up my stuff it’s the same as usual. While I fold up my tripod S2 flies
off and flies some circles around the tower. I look to the top ring and the
youngster that was sitting there had left too. But he probably walked onto the
ring, out of view. At least we didn’t see it fly away.
This morning I saw the
whole family. I’m only afraid that the kids won’t fly much with this fierce wind
and I think that’s wise. What if they can’t come back, but things will be okay.
I spent a small hour near the tower and I saw some nice things. This evening I
go back to watch. This afternoon I am going to tidy up my house.
Many regards, Dorine
Update Monday 28 may 22.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Here I am again today. Because it is so beautiful near the tower and the worst
rain has passed we went to the tower quite a while this afternoon. It was
crowded near the tower, very crowded. Fortunately there is a spot for the
viewers on the field. I don’t want to think about the option that all these
people had to stand in the verge and half on the road. Everybody made grateful
use of the new spot.
Did Kuiko miss the most
beautiful part this morning, now it was our turn to be too late to see the two
youngsters fly. It’s okay. Meanwhile I know that the other youngster can fly
too. Fortunately. Because he didn’t show himself all morning, you are starting
to be worried a little bit and you are very glad when you here good things about
that youngster. I don’t know what was wrong with Pa shortly after we arrived but
sometimes I have the feeling that he lost the thread. Yesterday those strange
hustle near the windowsill and today again. He flies to the utmost corner under
the bottom ring and he tries to sit down there, which he can’t, and finally
after several vainly attempts he sits down on the windowsill. This afternoon it
looked like he was playing bat. They always want to hang in a corner, head down.
And the way it looked to us this afternoon Pa wanted that too. It is also
possible that he was looking for a good hiding spot. Maybe for the rain or maybe
he wanted to be unfindable in case he had to take care of the meal. I don’t know
but it looked very comical. Meanwhile Pa had found his spot on the windowsill of
the top window on the left side. Pa obviously was sitting there very comfortable
because he sat there for a very long time.
If Pa doesn’t want to
take care for fresh meat, then S2 always knows to find a prey from somewhere.
This time on the right saucer on the second ring. She is going to pluck there
and after that she flies with the prey to the edge of the roof on the left side.
Thank you S2. From that edge we have a beautiful sight on everything what
happens next. The kids are being fed and quickly one of them has had enough and
he goes back a bit. S2 keeps feeding the other youngster, which is good to be
seen through our scope. After the young one had enough and S2 had finished the
rest of the prey she flies around the corner and lands in the high antenna
again. After the meal one youngster hides near the high antenna. With the scope
it was clear to see but with binoculars you have to seek very well and with
binoculars or scope he is not to be seen. Unfortunately for us it started to
rain again. Again I can become wet for those falcons above. A long while nothing
happens until suddenly a lot of action happens from both Pa and S2. What was the
case? A herd of pigeons came flying over, or like Kuiko can tell so funny: a
raceme of pigeons (this is a word joke: in Dutch you say tros druiven which
means a raceme of grapes. But when you say tros duiven (so without the r) it
means a lot of pigeons).
I am very curious when
he is going to make a slip of the tongue or a slip of the pen. Too bad for Pa
and S2 but these weren’t stupid pigeons, definitely not. The formation stayed
very close together with the result that it was impossible for our falcons to
hit one. Pa and S2 trickled back to the tower. This was no advertisement for
them and especially not with so many people watching. Around 6 PM it was time
for us to go home and most other people did the same thing. The last view for
today was both youngsters together on the platform. While we were getting into
the car a falcon started to fly. I don’t know who it was but we left anyway
otherwise you have the risk that you will stay there watching for a long time.
We have children too who sometimes need some attention and who have a stomach
that needs to be filed.
And actually we were
both tired of today. Now I’m sitting with my foot up because this afternoon,
when Harry was here I bumped my foot to a cabinet. Yes I know it wasn’t smart.
The further afternoon it didn’t bother me at all but when I came home and I sat
down I couldn’t stand on it anymore. It will probably be firmly bruised. I hope
that it will be better tomorrow; otherwise I have a big problem.
What I like most of
today is that the family Falcon was not only attentive to the viewers near the
tower but also to the viewers at home in front of the pc. It was so beautiful
when Pa brought a prey, which was taken immediately by a youngster. A very
clever youngster. Only it would be useful if you knew how to clean a prey. I
laughed my head off when he was snapping in the wide-open beak of the starling,
like the dead bird would feed him. The spectacle in front of the cam got a
wonderful continuation with the second youngster. Together they fought and
pulled on the prey and then S2 who came to intervene. And this all happened
right in front of the outside cam. The new family Falcon knows how to handle the
different kinds of audience.
It truly was a
wonderful day, despite of the rain. For the peregrine admirers the sun was
shining today. I hope that it will shine the rest of the week and preferably not
only figurative but also literally. Tomorrow there is another day, hopefully
with a foot that hurts less because I have to go to the tower, for the falcons,
but also to explain the joke of this afternoon to Kuiko. I think he didn’t hear
it well or he only heard half of it.
Many regards, Dorine.
Monday 28 may 14.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
In my last report I already told that, if today was a dry day, it could be
possible that one of the kids could make a flight. Well, he did it this morning,
and how!!
This morning I went to
the tower. I knew that Harry would come, so I showed up. It was already crowded.
Not only Lambert and Harry were there, but also Harry’s daughter and a brother
in law, Jonne and Gerrit were already present. Very occupied for a “Sunday
morning”. But we didn’t come for nothing. After I put down my stuff I understood
that a young one had to be on the 4th (top) ring, somewhere near the right
saucer. Pa and S2 were sitting on the high antenna and they didn’t relocate all
morning. But if you know that a chick is sitting there somewhere you keep
watching that spot, right? Frequently watching my telescope but every time I
didn’t see anything. Until suddenly, the little falcon came in sight again.
Fortunately he kept sitting near the edge and we had a nice view on him. But
like all young ones, the little falcon didn’t sit quietly. He went for a walk,
fortunately nice on the edge to the left side in the direction of the centre of
the tower. It was very beautiful to see and actually I hoped for a short flight.
Well, the hoping came true only it was not a short flight. The little falcon
flew with a wide curve to the right to end very conscious on the right saucer of
the top ring. I was really flabbergasted. Was this a young falcon? It couldn’t
be. They can’t fly that well. I totally didn’t get it. I am there for the third
year and the previous years the first flights were very insecure. They flew a 3
feet of the ring and then very quickly back. Wavering, wavering and more
wavering to come back on the ring with their feet. In other years it always
looked very insecure and uncontrolled. This flight looked very different, like
it was a falcon that was flying for a longer time. Unimaginable. Ans we down
there could see very well that this was a youngster. Especially through the
scope it was very clear. It was very very beautiful to see this. It lead to
goose pimples, at least I got them. And the rest of the people got them too.
Everybody was very enthusiastic. The little falcon was sitting on top of that
saucer and frequently we lost view and then suddenly he sticked his head out so
it was clear he was still there. Till suddenly, the little falcon came sitting
on our side of the saucer. Well done, falcon. Now we can at least see you. Well,
not for long. This young falcon had more for us up his sleeve. He wanted to show
us what he already could do. The little falcon flies with the greatest of ease
off from the saucer and goes in the direction of the next box to land on it with
the greatest of ease. Well… the little sir was sitting and it didn’t take very
long before my cell phone started to jingle. The home front wanted to know who
was sitting on the roof of the nest box. Well, a young falcon. When I told them
what we saw, they were beside themselves and 15 minutes later Piet and Menno
were on the field too.
Our surprise was
enormous, especially for Gerrit and me because we didn’t see this before. A
young falcon that flies like it never did something different. I don’t know what
this youngster has, but I already was surprised when he was on the edge of the
nest box and later on when he was on the platform. One day on the edge of the
nest box and one day on the platform is enough of this falcon. Then he knows it
and he masters it. Well, today he showed that he thinks the same about flying.
He truly is a super falcon.
Only the little falcon
was on the roof and it was fine with him to sit there. After that the falcon was
sitting on the roof, Kuiko arrived with the catering. When I heard that he went
home especially for the catering and that he therefore missed all the flying I
felt sorry for him. Especially because quickly after his arrival, it started to
rain. Rain… no problem. The umbrellas were taken out and there we were sitting
on the field. For passers-by it must be a comical view. However the 3 falcons
who we had in sight didn’t relocate a centimetre unfortunately. There was no
more flying and I didn’t expect it in short term because the rain was pouring
down more and more. It even got so wet that we took our stuff and go home to
dry. Harry came with us for a while to dry, to drink a hot cup of coffee and to
put some things on the internet.
It was a fortunate
morning. The young falcon can fly and how!! Only very pity that we didn’t see
the other young falcon. Piet walked with Menno to the backside but also from
that side no youngster to be seen. It will be sitting somewhere and it will
appear. I’m not afraid of that. This falcon is doing the same thing like the
other young falcons from previous years: start carefully. In a few moments I go
back to the tower to see if there are any flying shows. The weather starts to
brighten up and maybe we see the sun. Till later!
Many regards, Dorine
Sunday 27 may 23.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Today was not such a good day concerning our observations. We went to the tower
twice but we didn’t see much.
This afternoon we went
a bit later because I had obligations with my daughter. Yes, that has to happen
too once in a while although there are falcons in de Mortel. I don’t know what
time we arrived unfortunately. But when we arrived on the sand road we saw on
the other viewers that on this side something was to be seen. We stopped and
looked and indeed, S2 was plucking on the second ring. Of course we took our
scope very fast but before we had it all fixed, S2 flew with the plucked prey in
the direction of the roof. Too bad that weren’t near the tower a bit earlier.
Meanwhile from the sand road there was nothing to be seen anymore and therefore
we went to our spot alongside the Hemelsbleekweg. Kuiko and Ans with her husband
were present and they told us very enthusiastic about the successful prey attack
of S2 a short while before. Unfortunately we were a bit too late and all we saw
were the last feathers of the prey flying away. But the knowledge that there was
a fresh meal for the kids was good. It was good that we could hear this story.
At least we had something because the falcons failed to appear and there was
nothing to be seen. Kuiko went home and with Ans and her husband we walked to
the backside. Ans thought this side was very beautiful too. She wasn’t been
there before. Now we had the hope that there was more to see on this side.
Unfortunately, on this side it was just as exciting as on the front side. We
stood there for a while but there was not a single sign from the tower that the
falcons could become active. They had their meal and the kids were probably
bulging out on the roof terrace and Pa and S2 withdrew themselves for a private
moment. A good moment to go home and make a meal for my own family.
After our meal we
already had the tingles to go to the tower once more. When we left a young one
was already sleeping in the nest box and quite right he was. The weather invited
to go to bed early and al that fluttering will cost a lot of energy and than
once in a while you have to take a good rest, right. Lambert and Jonne and Piet
from Lieshout were present already. There was not much to be seen, only a falcon
a short while later, S2, on the corner of the ledge near the high antenna. And
for a short while a young falcon sat on the platform. Again not much action.
Until Pa arrived and was not able to land on a ring. Doing very difficult he
chose a windowsill from the window just above the bottom lamp on the front side
of the tower. What was he doing there? I never saw him sitting there. I really
didn’t get it anymore, but okay. Pa moved over a bit to the left so we couldn’t
see him anymore. I walked to the tower onto the sand road and I saw Pa on the
left side on the windowsill. He looked at me and frightened. He flew off and
landed around the corner on the right side on the bottom lamp. Well Pa, then I
walk a bit further onto the road and then I can see you again. He sat there for
a short while and then he flew away, pretty low above the trees in the direction
of the backside. A short while later he came back and disappeared on the top
ring behind the round saucer. Meanwhile I walked back to the field and the rest
of the evening we didn’t see much. S2 was still on the corner and via a phone
call from Jonne to the home front we discovered that both kids were nicely
sleeping. S2 was cleaning up herself thoroughly so our answer was that Pa and S2
are going out tonight. Especially now the kids are sleeping in their own nest.
And I agree with them. Why not!!
Meanwhile with all the
chattering about some things it was almost 9.45 PM so it was high time to take
up our stuff and go home. When I arrived at home I checked the weather forecast
for tomorrow. Tjee… you don’t become happy of it. Too bad because if the weather
tomorrow would be fine, I thought it possible that we could see the first flight
of the largest peregrine chick. Let’s hope that they are totally wrong with the
weather forecast.
Today my new
address on the internet opened.
www.peregrines.nl.
And I also have a new email address:
dorine@peregrines.nl
But don't panic, all the other addresses will exist and it is possible to use
them. On this new site I want to do some things but that will come when our kids
can fly and hunt well. Fortunately it will take another 4 or 5 weeks before they
master that.
Many regards, Dorine
Saturday 26 may 21.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
After the beautiful yesterday the Saturday started with some concerns for some
people. The smallest chick did sleep outside the nest box last night, actually
against the front door. Would he be afraid to go to the platform to spend the
night in the nest box? I think so. The little falcon thought: I stay outside. I
have a fine spot and what if I am sitting on the edge of the nest box tomorrow
morning and I get the shivers in my knees again the way that I don’t dare to
jump on the platform again. He probably liked it so much outside that he wanted
again today so better safe than sorry. I agree with him. It was not cold last
night.
In my stories I call
the falcons with “he”. To write he/she every time is such a hustle but this
doesn’t mean that the falcons are males. Actually I want to use the word Family
Falcon again. I know it is a bit emotional, but last Thursday afternoon
something in me changed in relation to S2. The guarding over the chicks while
there were people on the ring of the tower… like they were her own kids. And
also now I saw how she watched the kids while they are playing on the roof. When
you see this all it is a “family”. This does not mean that she took the place of
Ma, certainly not. For me she still is S2 and she will be the rest of this year.
I am never mistaken, not when I’m writing and not in my conversations near the
tower.
Yesterday it got a bit
late so this morning I slept late, left and right reading and do grocery
shopping. The larder in this nest needs to be filled urgently. What happened
today, I don’t know but it looks like Whitsuntide will last a week this year.
Everywhere it is so crowded, packed shopping carts and long lines in front of
the pay desks. I really don’t get it. It is never this way on Saturday
afternoon. Because of this crowdedness we were later near the tower than we
planned. We arrived around 4 PM and the spotters place was already crowded.
Fortunately so we didn’t work for nothing. We took our positions and
unfortunately we only saw S2 sitting in the high antenna. Furthermore there was
not a falcon in sight and not a falcon planned to show himself on our side of
the tower. What do you do when there is not much to see?? Exactly, chattering
about all sorts of things, the falcons, the spot, camera’s and scopes. Because
there was not much to be seen on the front side we walked to the backside with
some other viewers. A few viewers haven’t been there so they liked it very much
to see it from another side. Well, watching they did. It was a good decision to
go watching the tower from that side.
We were standing in the
middle of the field so you could see both sides of the tower well. Those are
exactly the sides, which you can’t see from the front side. On the left edge of
the roof we could discover a tail of a falcon and S2 was still sitting on that
high antenna. After about 5 minutes S2 and Pa (I don’t know where he was coming
from) are going to chase a pigeon. A real prey attack, which unfortunately fails
but it was very beautiful to see. Especially when that pigeon dived like a
rocket into the forest, THE escape from a peregrine. Pa and S2 headed back to
the tower, Pa on the fencing of the left roof edge and S2 on the left saucer of
the top ring. On such a saucer there is a flat part on the upper side. If a
falcon is sitting there you hardly see them because on the front side there is a
framework. Once in a while S2 came with her head above the framework. Pa was
observing everything a bit higher and to our great pleasure he got company of
one of his kids. He was sitting below Pa on the stone ledge. It couldn’t be more
beautiful when S2 sat down on the edge of the saucer with a prey. That prey must
have been there before because we didn’t see that a prey was brought to the
saucer and the prey attack from before failed, so it must have been there. Now
we had 4 falcons in sight, the whole family. Two kids on the left roof edge, Pa
on the same side on the fencing and one floor below S2 on the saucer, cleaning a
pigeon. The feathers were swirling around and a large feather swirled into the
direction of the field where we stood and felt in the grass, not far from us. I
didn’t notice it but Menno watched that feather and took it. It was a pigeon
feather and it wasn’t an old pigeon. It was kind of fresh as there was wet blood
on that feather. Bon appetite. S2 was ready with cleaning and left to sit near
Pa and one kid on the stone ledge. The young one that was sitting in the
direction of the front side wanted to eat too and it ran at high speed to S2. A
couple of seconds I had the whole family in view when suddenly Pa flew off and
we saw two falcons in the air. Two falcons in the air and S2 with 2 kids on the
stone ledge, that means that falcon number three (actually number five) showed
himself for a short while. I say for a short while because Pa made very clear to
this falcon that it better turned on his heel. The foreign falcon got Pa’s
message immediately and turned his back upon the tower. Pa followed this falcon
for quite a while. When the falcon was far away enough Pa returned and landed on
the high antenna. It all happened very quietly and there was not a sign of an
attack. This was impossible anyway because the foreign falcon never came real
close to Pa. He acted clever and stayed away from Pa.
We really enjoyed all
of this. Lucky us. First we saw all four falcons sitting, we saw number three
who left very fast and we saw S2 cleaning a prey and furthermore we saw a
feeding. What more do you want to see? I think we were really lucky. It is very
well possible that I don’t see this in the next few weeks. All four falcons so
close together that I could see all of them through my scope. Wonderful. After
the kids had filled their crops, they disappeared. They certainly went to the
roof terrace to bulge out. S2 nibbled on the rest of the pigeon on the stone
ledge. Pity to waste it. After S2 finished the pigeon she went to Pa to keep him
company on the high antenna. We knew that there will be not much to see and I
was frightened about the time. It was already after 6 PM. Tjee… so late already.
So I hurried back and we went to home. That it was diner time for the people was
visible on the front side. It was quiet. One person on the spot and a couple of
persons more alongside the road. I walked to those people and showed them the
beautiful spot on the field. They didn’t know it yet.
Late Saturday afternoon
near the tower and it was marvellous. The kids get enough food, although we
don’t see that by the cams. A soothing thought for the web cam viewers in the
country. The kids are doing fine. The sprints on the stone ledge go faster and
faster. The wavering exercises go better every time and this afternoon it looked
like the kid on the stone ledge flew a short distance when he was testing his
wings extensive. It won’t be long before the kids fly around the tower. Flying
rounds under the surveying eye of Pa and S2… a very beautiful thought to end
this Saturday.
Many regards Dorine
Friday 25 may, a special day,
Dear birdwatchers,
Today was again a beautiful day, in every respect, except the weather in the
morning hours. For us it was also a busy day, which started at 9 AM, and not it
is already after midnight and I’m writing this. This morning we were abroad
early to buy another telescope. My tripod needed replacement anyway. My tripod
was very light and because of the intensive use the last few weeks there was not
much left of this thing. Furthermore I wanted a better telescope than the one I
had. I succeeded and now I have a new telescope with a tripod, which is
storm-proof, and we also bought a new tripod for my old telescope. So when we
are with the two of us, we don’t have to fight anymore. We were at home around
12.30 PM. First I read the forum and I was surprised that the second falcon was
on the roof too. Amazing, although I didn’t expected it. I thought the little
falcon was still a bit scared. Yesterday it was looking like he was saying:
shall I?? Shall I not?? Do I dare this?? Don’t I dare this?? Well today it
dared. Then we finished a prey for ourselves, examined our new telescope again
and then, because the weather was clarifying and the sun started to shine, we
decided to go to the tower and to test our new equipment.
It was pretty engaged
near the tower, several people of the Planet forum were there. I put it this way
because I am afraid that I forgot somebody. To my surprise Cloud was there too.
Obviously he liked it very much last Wednesday. We put down our scope and look
at the result. Not bad, only the sun was shining in a way that it was troubling
us. Therefore we went with the scope to the field on the backside. This was not
a bad idea. With S2 on the antenna, the highlanders in the neighbourhood and one
of the kids who was waving cordially to us from the stone ledge we weren’t
sitting on the wrong spot. While S2 was sitting there in that high antenna 2
pigeons dared to fly brush past her. We thought it kind of stupid of those
pigeons. It looked like S2 didn’t respond, but appearances are deceptive, in
this case too. S2 just waited a few seconds after which she started to chase
those two. One pigeon turned on his heel and S2 thought that pigeon was a
suitable prey. While S2 was chasing that pigeon Pa suddenly appeared, I don’t
know from where. The attack failed and Pa and S2 have flown there a while.
We knew that our scope
gave a beautiful view and we walked back to the front side. We chattered and
watched a little alongside the road and then around 4.30 PM we went home to do
some grocery shopping, make dinner, eat dinner and make do some catering work to
take to the tower. We had to back near the tower at 6 PM, so it was rush hour.
Like I said before
tonight a part of the field was going to be outlined especially for the viewers
of the falcons. Several members of the bird workgroup Gemert were already there
when we arrived just like Lambert and Kuiko. We had to make a hole in the
present fencing to enter the field. After that it was measuring and of course
you have to look were you are going to put down the poles because we want a neat
field and not a higgledy-piggledy fenced spotters place. After everything was
measured the real work could start: making holes in the ground, poles in them,
consolidating the poles on the corners and make sure that all the poles are on
the same height. Everything was more work than we expected. The poles were
placed and then you have to take care that they are placed solid, right? It
started to become something and it became time for some coffee or some sprite. A
short rest and watch the falcons for a moment and then finish it all with barbed
wire. Again this was more work than I expected. A piece of barbed wire of 180
feet is not taut in a few minutes. That means: taut the wire and connect to a
pole, taut, connect, taut, connect. And there were 4 rows of barbed wire. But
the men made it and our field is a fact. From now on we can watch the movements
of our falcons on a quiet spot. And it became clear immediately that people are
happy with this. While we were still working on the fencing people already were
spotting from the place. It was a beautiful view. The spotters place was ready
and we enjoyed a nice beer or some sprite. While everybody was drinking the
young falcons showed us that we were standing on the perfect spot. The young
ones did a lot of frolicking on the stone ledge. It was very comical to see. Pa
and S2 are only sitting quiet and now you see those little things zooming over
the ledge. Then they were here, then they were there and once in a while you had
not enough eyes. Everybody was enjoying the kids up there so much. They do the
branching on the tower very well. Sometimes you just can’t keep up with them.
They are so quick already. It was a beautiful ending of a special day.
Around 9.30 PM the
spotters place got empty and finally only Lambert and we were left. Lambert and
Piet were busy with the movie camera of Lambert, which seems to be broken
already. This is really terrible for Lambert and for the people who like his
movies so much. Finally, at 10 PM I made a picture of our place in the direction
of the tower. We put away our stuff and we went home. I wanted to put some
pictures
on the homepage and
write this story. Meanwhile I saw a few very nice and funny movies of our kids
up there on the tower in front of and on our outside cam. The next few weeks I
can enjoy the frolicking of our falcons on our own spot. A beautiful thought to
end with.
Many regards, Dorine
Thursday 24 may 23.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Yesterday we had a special day when the largest chick started to explore the
platform and actually I expected the same today. Who did expect that our
dare-devil would go to admire the roof terrace of the tower today. Well, I
didn't. Even I thought that he would do that not sooner that tomorrow. But no, 1
day on the ledge of the nestbox, 1 day on the platform and 1 day on the roof
terrace. When this development continues he will be flying tomorrow. But I
expect that he will wait with that a few days more. We have our first branching
young one. The outdoor life can start, only when I look to the weather forcast I
am less happy.
It was not in my
intention to go to the tower this afternoon, but Harry decided very suddenly to
go to the tower today instead of tomorrow. So this afternoon a day-return to de
Mortel for me. About 1.45 PM I arrived and only Lambert is present. On the
frontside is nothing to be seen, but a short while ago Lambert saw our
globe-trotter on the backside on the ledge. What do you do when the visitors
didn't arrive? You go to the backside of the tower. With my binoculars and my
telescope I am sitting very comfortably in the grass of the field and
unfortunately I didn't see a branching young one on this side of the tower
either. Nobody was there. I was sitting there for about 5 minutes and suddenly
Pa and S2 flew away from the tower screaming wildly and they flew a few circles.
At the first screaming I knew that there are people on the tower. Why? Because
it is an unusual sound, different from what we here normally and because I
recognized this sound immediately from the banding on the Amercentrale. When
Peter en Fob came closer to the nestbox the female there flew away, screaming at
exactly the same way. It was a sharper and louder sound then we hear normally.
S2 flew her circles at close above the tower and frequently she dived like a
rocket to the tower. Pa on the other hand was circling a bit higher in the sky.
While this took place I continuedly watched S2 and off and on I looked where Pa
was and if I saw somebody on the tower. I didn't see anybody but other viewers
did. The whole hustling took about 30 minutes and you can say from S2 what you
want, but se was very fierce to the people there. With many dives and a shrill
screaming she showed that she has a binding with the kids. The people on the
tower who probably repaired something must have noticed that a peregrine lives
on the tower. Sometimes it looked really scaring the way S2 dived into the
direction of those people. The whole thing took about 30 minutes and it
impressed me very much. Still it was also very beautiful to see how a peregrine
with chicks reacts on such a thing. This situation was totally new to S2. She
feels like she is the mother of 2 young peregrines and then suddenly strange
creatures are standing close to "her" kids. Fortunately she found the button
"defend" faster than she found the button "feed". Meanwhile I walked to the
field behind the Snelle Loop to see what happened on the frontside. Walter
arrived too and we watched Pa and S2 for a while. Everything became quiet again
very soon after the people left the ring of the tower. S2 flew some more circles
and when she noticed that the coast was clear she left with Pa.
Pinky and Mama v/d
Gang, who got a lift from Harry as well, came to the field too and together,
when all was quiet again, we walked back to Lambert and Harry. Furthermore not
much happened that afternoon. We chattered a bit, Lambert and Harry were very
busy with their laptops, Pinky and Mama did go for a walk with Kuiko I believe
and somebody came by to tell us very good news.
Frequently when I'm
near the tower I meet members of the bird workgroup and then we talk about
falcons. Last weekend we discussed the crowdedness sometimes near the tower. The
members of the workgroup sait that it would be nice and easy if we could use a
part of the field to watch the falcons. They would go after it and see if this
was possible to arrange on short term. Yes yes I thougth, the congregation, the
forestry Commission, they don't give away a piece of land and if they would do
that, it would take a long time to arrange everything. Well dear people, I made
a big mistake in that. This week I got the message that the congregation of
Gemert was very enthusiastic about it and today I got the message that the
forestry Commission thought it a good idea too and that a part of the field will
be outlined for the viewers. Really nice!! I could hardly believe it: an own
spot on the field wit an excellent view on the tower. What do you want more.
Lambert, Martin and I watched on the field and a beautiful piece is picked. The
viewers spot will be near the road and accessible by a little gate and will be
outlined with barbed wire and what's more they want to place a bench too. When
everything goes well we will outline the spot with barbed wire tomorrow. We will
make an opening to the read so that the spot can be used this weekend. Gate and
bridge over the ditch will be following later. That depends on how things are
going tomorrow. I have nothing more to say than cap off for the bird workgroup
Gemert who could arrange all this so quickly and can start tomorrow.
So everybody who is
going to watch is welcome there. Actually it is the intention that we are going
to watch from there. Then there will be no more people on the side of the road
and this is safer for everyone and we have a more beautiful spot with a better
view. And when all of us park the car neatly in the verge the farmers with their
broad equipment have no inconvenience from us. Like today, while I was walking
such a broad thing passed. They had to fold in the mirrors of my car, otherwise
he couldn't pass.
Tonight I went to the
tower, only for 2 hours. S2 was sitting on the antenna and not another falcon to
be seen. So we went to the backside. He, Pa is home also and was sitting on the
fence of the ledge. We discover two tough pigeons who dared to stroll there and
back on the rings of the tower. After a while Pa had enough of his view and left
in the direction of the frontside. One of the pigeons dared to fly a circle and
landed on the bottom ring on the saucer on the side of the Snelle Loop.
Everything sat again and the butts were tested thoroughly, in other words
nothing more happened. Not with the falcons, not with the pigeons. Therefore we
went back to the frontside. We took our stuff and while we wanted to leave
somebody arrived by bicycle to ask who or what was sitting on that saucer. Just
a pigeon was our answer. The viewers on the fontside thought they saw a falcon
but they wanted more certainty and what do they do? They send somebody on a bike
to me. It was really funny. We strolled back to the frontside and we just could
see how our branching falcon was frolicking on the ledge and finally via the
small piece of the platform found his way back to his brother/sister. Sweet of
our falcon that he didn't leave him/her alone this night.
It was a very beautiful
day and I am curious what the other falcon will do tomorrow. He is already
sitting on the edge of the nestbox, but I don't know if he dares to go to the
platform already. I do hope so because spending all day in the nestbox by
yourself is very boring, right? While the view on the tower is marvellous.
Many regards, Dorine
Wednesday 23 may, 22.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Today I had an appointment near the tower. One of our regular users of the
planetforum would come. Actually he didn't plan to come I think, but a joke
turned into a decision to come to de Mortel today. This spontanious was so funny
that Piet made a joke yesterday evening. He said that the kids would go on the
platform tomorrow especially for Cloud (that's the name of the user).
This morning I answered
my mail and of course the cams were in the background. Our largest chick had a
mind to it. He finds everything fun and interesting. The smallest chick is more
like wait to see which way the cat jumps. He first looks to his brother/sister
to see how things are going and when all is safe, he will come. I made it to mis
THE moment again this morning. With another website in front of me I was
telephoning and from the corner of my eyes I see the dare-devil sitting on the
platform. Pffffff the man on the phone did talk so long. I guess he didn't but
it felt like that. I was enjoying it very much and I thought I remember that the
falcons from the previous years weren't so free when they were on the platform
for the first time. This young one really felt like it. Or maybe he thought that
the platform offers more space to exercise with your wings than the nestbox.
Maybe it's strange but this morning, when I saw the little falcon sit there I
had to think again of the day that I saw Ma fighting one month ago and the days
after that, when the half of Holland was in sackcloth and ashes. I still think
it is a miracle that everything ended so well. Who could have thought that.
Very happy with our
globe-trotter I left to the tower, not knowing that one of the most beautiful
days was there to arrive, concerning the falcons but certainly concerning the
people. I was a bit late but it was already pleasantly crowded. Cloud, Kuiko,
Deufke and some other people were watching and chatting in the warm sun.
Frequently the falcons flew but the most beautiful moment came fast. The young
falcon without fear came to welcome us very lengthy and noisy. He started to
waver his wings like an idiot and I think that he was afraid that we didn't see
him after all, but we were called. The little falcon had turned the volume
button to the max especially for us. Oh... how we did enjoy this and especially
when S2 like a waking baby sitter took place on the roof of the nestbox. Intense
enjoyment and many visitors got a lump in their throats. Even the present male
visitors couldn't get away with that. I am the kind of person that likes to make
pictures but at the same time I know that it is difficult to make decent
picturen, even with a long-focus lens. But I did grab my camera, changed the
lens and made some pictures. You want to record this so you can enjoy the
pictures many times. While the falcons sat there together the whole movie of
misery flashed through my brain and that makes the lump in the throat and the
tears only bigger and wetter. It was good that he entered the nestbox after a
while, otherwise we were still there swooning.
The falcons were rather
active this afternoon. They made very beautiful flights, like a spiral climbing
up but also a very strange flight with prey. Suddenly Kuiko saw a falcon with a
considerable prey in his claws. Where he came from nobody knows. But this falcon
flew away from the tower at a considerable distance. First we thought of the
foreign falcon who stole a prey from the tower and tried to escape with the
prey. But later it seemed to be S2 who enters the nestbox with the prey, only
with a large detour. For a minute I had the thought that S2 is working on her
shape. Pa and S2 will be very busy in the upcoming weeks with teaching the kids
how to fly as well as the teaching of prey handover.
Today was also talf of
the third falcon. Even Piet called me up to ask me of I could see who the falcon
was that landed on the platform for a while. We, near the tower, didn't notice
anything strange. Kuiko and I did watch a falcon that was floating between us
and the tower for a while. We thought that this would be a female. But we know
that S2 is missing a pen from her left wing and this must be possible to see was
wat we thought. Kuiko and I couln't discover that on this falcon. Unfortunately,
allthough I know that this is not always easy to see.
The afternoon continued
and some people had to drive quite a distance and nowadays you don't want to do
that in the Dutch rush hour. So some viewers left including Cloud who was
offered a wonderfull afternoon by the inhabitants of the tower. Around 3.30 PM
I'm going home as well and I am still enjoying this remarkable day. This is so
beautiful. Almost as beautiful as the new trick on Lambert's telescope. His
newly bought videocamera is a bit larger that his photocamera and this gives
troubles with his tripod. His telescope lowered on the backside and Lambert
wouldn't be Lambert if he didn't find anything for it. Modern technology with an
oldfashioned wink. He used an antique scale weight, such a copper thing with a
knob on it as a contra-weight and connected this on the frontside of his
telescope. It really looked strange but it did work. These are the things you
can laugh heartily at and these are the things that make it so pleasant near the
tower. Once I got home I went from relaxing enjoyment near the tower into the
stress of the soccer match which is being played right now. A world of
difference. Next friday I am going to buy a new telescope, at least when it is
something and hopefully I can watch our kids better. The next weeks will be very
beautiful for the watchers and for those who can't come I will do my best. I
promise!
Many regards, Dorine
Tuesday 22 may 23.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Yesterday I didn't see a lot of falcons, not for real. I didn't go to the tower
and I didn't watch them by webcam. I had a terrible headache. Don't make jokes
about it because they did that already near the tower. Only yesterdaymorning I
watched the cams till 10 AM and I really was enjoying it and laughing. It was
really beautiful. The largest chick had discovered the edge of the nestbox. And
when you are sitting on grit for a number of weeks, such an edge is verry
interesting, but also very unstable. Especially the unstableness worked on my
laughing muscles. The most beautiful was when the falcon was sitting on the
edge. Fortunately he was looking into the nestbox and then he started wavering
with his wings pretty much. Well the wings worked and the falcon just flew into
the nestbox, only there is one disadvantage: the nestbox is not very large. So
the falcon came in contact with the backwall pretty firm. I thinks it scared him
too because the next couple of minutes he was sitting very quietly. The rest of
the day I didn't see much and I was annoyed. That night I shoud have gone to a
meeting about bird sounds and I have to miss it.
Today was a boring day
for me too, exept the evening. But in the evening it was not due to the falcons.
In the afternoon I went to the tower for an hour. The view on the tower was
disappointing because it was still hazy. So even if there was a falcon to be
seen, it was harly impossible for me to see who it would be. So I walked a bit
and made some pictures. Alongside the "Snelle Loop" in the forest I saw tow very
beautiful large dragonflies. Unfortunately they couldn't sit down, like our
falcons and I couldn't make a picture of them. What a pity. Around 3 PM I went
home again and when I arrived at home it surprised me that the view here was
clear.
Around the evening
something happened you hope you dreamt it. Who was this strange falcon wo sat on
the platform for a few seconds, wanted to enter the nestbox but got chased off
by our kids. One thing I know for sure: this was nog Pa neither was it S2. And
when I look to the neck feathers it was not Ma. So for all sweet peregrine
females in the region: "Stay away from the tower. You don't want to be there. It
is very dangerous. It is cursed." Right, this had to come out. We are not
waiting for more misery, not now it is only a short while before the first
falcon is going to leave the nestbox.
Tonight we were near
the tower for a while and we had to laugh a lot. It already started when we
arrived there with the funny story of Deufke: She left home with the
announcement on the forum that the kids would like another pigeon. When she
arrived near the tower S2 was in the nestbox with a pigeon. Here is some prove
that the falcons on the tower really attend on what we do all day long. Then
Kuiko was the next victim. Well, if you start talking about pea plants...
Especially his sanitairy break lead to a number of jokes. I think he will have
to hear this a long time. We didn't see the falcons, which doesn't mean that
they weren't there. Kuiko made a joke by telling that a pigeon was being
cleaned. But the joke seemed to be real. Without us knowing it a pigeon was
being cleaned on the bottom ring. Mysterious things happen on the tower because
where did this pigeon come from?? Nobody could answer this question. The pigeon
was being cleaned and later S2 brought it to the nestbox and that is always very
beautiful to see, such a big prey being brought up. Then a circle around the
corner followed and furthermore nothing happened. Short after 9.30 PM we left.
Tonight it was not very special concerning the falcons. I hoped more had
happened because in the afternoon I missed some things.
But what happened more
on this evening, the silver grey car. This man arrived and Piet stood on the
road, completely on the left side of the road. He stopped near Piet and he
slapped into us. Next time he would run over Piet. We were crazy, we should
watch the falcons at home and we had no business on the Hemelsbleekweg. Piet
didn't take this and took his cellphone and called the police. The man tried to
call Piet more names but this didn't work and finally he drove away. 5 Minutes
later the police arrived and they knew immediately who we meant. That man got a
visit of the policeman. I don't know if this was usefull but this man is really
nuts. Last week tuesday he drove very fast alongside an elder couple wit a few
small children and the next evening a couple of viewers had to jump into the
verge. So everybody who reads this: be carefull with this man, especially when
you are on the side of the road watching.
While I am writing
this, Piet is lokking for some older pictures. The very first strange female in
the nestbox could be the same one who we saw today. That falcon had also a
narrow head and such a long beak. Let it be that falcon. It was gone in a minute
and didn't bring much evil. But the hustle may stop. Last week was so beautiful
and we are looking forward to the fledging. Nobody is waiting for a disturbance.
Many regards, Dorine
Sunday 20 may 18.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
It
is exactly one week ago that S2 turned the button and that things, for us
viewers, started to be boring. With one thing you are happy, with the other
thing you are less happy. Than we will be less happy with the other thing but at
least things are going like they use to. The male and the female take care of
regular food supply and further more it is resting and bulging out on the tower.
Yesterday we went to
the tower later in the afternoon and concerning the falcons it was boring.
Concerning the people it wasn't because it was busy. At least I met Rosta and
Mia and later a few members of the bird workgroup arrived. It wasn't the kind of
afternoon of which you say I'm going to make a beautiful story out of this, no
way. At this moment it is more fun to watch the wabcams because at least things
are happening there. Exercising with the wings, carefully putting a leg on the
edge of the nestbox and be surprised about how fast the kids are changing. The
kids will be looking outside more than they used to and in a few days they will
sit on the edge of the nestbox. From last year I remember that they sat there
for days and then suddenly one was sitting on the platform. I don't know right
now how long it took to make the jump to the roof. I will chech it out on the
old forum.
The story of the
peregrines in de Mortel will get a beautiful ending. Fairly said a week ago I
really didn't give a penny for it. S2 kept stealing the preys very rigidly and
Pa couldn't keep up with the demands. Exactly on Mother's day the button of S2
turned and turned totally. She showed that a bird can have intense mother
feelings. What good care she took of the kids last week. Feeding, lying with
them at night, keeping watch on the platform, frequently cleaning the nestbox.
S2 did her utmost. Sometimes a bit too and it looked like she wanted to
compensate for two weeks before last week. When the kids are going to leave the
nestbox and have their first flying lessons and prey handovers (or clawovers
),
S2 will be a great teacher.
This afternoon we went
to the tower too. It was remarkebly quiet. I had expected a lot more viewers. We
stopped with Walter, Diane and Kuiko. They told us that is was boring again. In
the time we were there they regularly changed seats, so that's something In
between it is 5.50 PM and the largest chick is now sitting on the edge of the
nestbox with his wings wide, marvellous. He/she feels completely like a bird and
the other chick is looking like he wants to say: "Go ahead, I don't". Well,
further with this afternoon. Walter, Diane and Kuiko have left in the meantime
and we decided to walk to the field on the backside and have a look there. From
the road we only had 1 falcon in view and he was sitting in the high antenna.
From the field on the backside we frequently saw the falcons fly, a couple of
times they fley even right above us. I think it was time for some food. From the
side where we stood we saw them dive like a rocket to the ground twice but
unfortunately they returned without prey both times. We thought we were standing
on the right spot. Well later on it turned out we didn't. Both falcons were
going to hunt after a pigeon, but unfortunately they went to the frontside of
the tower ans we were standing on the backside, the wrong side. How easy it is
to miss something became clear when we returned on the frontside. The prey
foight after the pigeon turned out to be successfull according to a few viewers
on the frontside. 1 Falcon returned with the pigeon and started plucking on the
bottom ring. We missed the return and because we were walking back to the
frontside we missed the plucking as well. We had a perfect spot on the backside
of the tower, but we missed the most beautiful moment of that afternoon. I
regretted it that nobody could tell us who hit the pigeon and returned it to the
tower. We chattered a bit with two people of a very beautiful oldtimer (car).
Meanwhile it started to rainans we thought that we wouldn't see much action
anymore, especially not now there was a fat prey lying on the bottom ring. With
this in mind we left at 3 PM, to the stables where both our kids were
horseriding.
This afternoon we tried
to film with a videocamera. We didn't watched the results yet, it was just a
try-out. I wanted to know if it works and what quality you get and I wanted to
try this befor the young ones fledge. When it worked I have to buy a good tripod
for it, because the one I have right now is very ragged. So a new one has to be
bought anyway.
Now something else,
last thursday during the banding Rob, the reporter took an interview with Peter
van Geneijgen. This interview will be broadcasted on tuesday night from 9 till
10 PM on radio in the programm Hoe?Zo!
Tonight I am going to
look into the old forum, watch a movie and go to bed on a normal time. Tomorrow
there is another day and it will be pass like today: boring, except when you're
lucky.
Many regards, Dorine
Friday 18 mei 19.30 hr, and my story of 21.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
The pictures of yesterday are available.
Click on top of this site on "FOTOS", then on "Foto's 2007" and then on "Ringen Amercentrale"
Or click here
Watch and enjoy (be aware there are 45 slides in this slide-show)
This night I slept like a top. With such a beautiful and good feeling it is
difficult not to. And it was good that I did because this morning we had to go
to the towe again. You have to be there when someone of the forum whom you like
to meet and who also translates all these stories in English for me comes to the
tower. It was very nice to meet Pinky. Of course more people were there: Harry
(I met him before, which doesn't mean that he is less because of that), Kuiko
and Sazoe (I didn't meet Sazoe before), Lambert (present like usual) and later
Deufke arrived. Before we left home we had to take care of the catering, that's
part of it.
When we arrived near
the tower we get acquainted with the others. Of course everybody started about
yesterday and all the hustle on the forum. I think that it was funny that at the
exact moment I left, the cams were withdrawing and everybody thought that the
kids in de Mortel were being banded. Actually Piet had to post that I went
looking at the banding, than the sensation would even be bigger, but really
funny. This morning we took the laptop with us so everybody could watch the
pictures. It was really pleasant. It can't be different with such people. Harry
even made a detour of about 65 miles to pick up Pinky. Really great!!
There was a lot of
talking and fortunately the falcons let us. What exactly happened all the time,
I don't really remember. Until that buzzard above the forest on the left side of
the tower was busy with something. It looked like a bird who was a size smaller
than mister buzzard himself. Through the trees I could see that this bird? after
a collision with the buzzard fell into the forest. Of course we had to go there
and together with Kuiko, Sazoe and Pinky I walked in the direction of the
forest. For a second I was afraid that it was Pa or S2 who felt down. But before
we were halfway, at the height of Deufke Pa and S2 were back in view on the
tower.
Fortunately because we
can't use more misery. Meanwhile a falcon was sitting in front of the outside
cam and another falcon was sitting on the other side of the ledge on the corner
on the backside of the ledge. We watched with our binoculars and I thought that
the falcon near the outside cam was a younger falcon. The head and the upper
side of his back were grey but the rest was more brown. Kuiko had a
radiotelephone with him and he reported this to Harry and Lambert. I couldn't
say anything for sure, especially not because I only had my binoculars with me.
With Lambert in the neighbourhood this isn't a problem and he already was on the
way with his telescope. Fortunately, because through the scope I immediately saw
that I made a blooper. This was just Pa, no doubts about it. Then I watched the
other falcon on the corner and I could say for sure that this was S2. Problem
solved. Until I came home and read the forum. Just to be clear. I also got
confused because of the burning sun. Because of this sunlight Pa's feathers
really looked brown. Also because of this sunlight a lot of forum users were
getting confused. I looked the campics and you could really see well that the
sun shone on the right ring, the ring on the right leg of Pa. The ring of the
left leg was in the shadow and this one looks different then. But I can assure
you that this was Pa in front of the ouside cam, absolutely.
Later we saw S2
plucking a prey on the second bottom ring, snow in de Mortel and that while the
sun was shining and it was 22 degrees Celsius. The kids got food during our
presence and Pa flew on the thermal in the air for a long time. Consequences: a
stiff neck, hurting eyes and aching muscles in my armes. Well... you have to
suffer for it.
Meanwhile it was time
to say goodbye to each other. Kuiko and Sazoe who left way to late, Lambert who
had an appointment later in the afternoon, Harry and Pinky who had to travel a
lot of kilometres and the two of us who had a lot of pictures to sort out and to
put them on the internet. About the falcons, the concerns are almost left and it
feels good. And it's good because than I can slow down next week. I really have
to tidy up the house, do some dusting and vacuum cleaning, tidy up the laundry
and give some attention to the garden. Because it just could happen that during
the Whitsun weekend one of the kids leaves the nestbox and the platform for the
first time. And I don't want to miss that. This doesn't mean that I won't go to
the tower at all this week, but I will go less frequently. I also will watch the
webcams less frequently and I will have lots of time to do different things.
Isn't that nice.
Many regards, Dorine
Thursday 17 mei 22.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Today I haven't been to the tower. I wasn't even close. But I have been with
some young perigrines, very very close to them, I even had one of them in my
hands!
The three young
perigrines who live on the electricity plant the "Amercentrale" in
Geertruidenberg were banded today. Last Saturday, after S2 fed the chicks for
the first time, I called Peter and he asked me if I wanted to witness the
banding. What a question, of course I wanted to. So, this afternoon I
foundmyself on the way to Geertruidenberg and I had the best time in my life.
An hour's drive took me
to the power plant. Oh my, there's still nobody there, so I start doubting
myself again, have I heard right that the banding would be at 3pm? While waiting
I looked around and couldn't locate a nestbox anywhere. So where the chicks were
was a riddle to me.
Thankfully another
guest came soon and he pointed out the nestbox to me: almost at the top of one
of the cooling towers. Along that tower there is a staircase (ladder) all the
way to the top. There are five grids where you can rest on the way up. On the
second is an old unused nestbox, but the chick's box was on the fourth, about a
hundred meters up. I look up there and think by myself that there is no way I'm
going to climb that high along those ladders. I was getting pretty disappointed,
expecting to see the chicks today but having to go up there to actually see
them? No way! So no perigrines for me today. Just as well that the next guest
arrived quickly because he knew that Peter and Rob (a journalist) would go up
there and bring the chicks down to ring them at leasure on the ground. It was
the same journalist who was in the radio program "Vroege vogels" (= early
birds). Phew, what a relief that news was for me, but looking up again I
reasized that Peter had to go up there twice. Dear readers, banding birds is a
beautiful hobby, but can be a lot of hard work too! Today he brought the kids
down but usually he bands them up with the nest. Well, everyone his own hobby.
In the meantime some others had arrived and a bit later Peter joined us too. Of
course we first made our aquaintances, talked about 'our' perigrine chicks, some
explaning about the nest box high up the cooling tower. Preparations were made
for those who had to go up there. Safety harnasses and lines secured and up they
went. We saw the parents circling beautifully while the men were climbing their
way up. And a while later when the men were on their way down again, we got
unexpected company: a fox crossed the site, checking what we were doing. Really,
he kept looking at us, took a few steps, turned and looked again. How splendid
to witness that in daytime and so close by.
The chicks had been
carried down, each in it's own sack hanging from Peter's neck. A place was found
where the banding could be done in peace and quiet. The sacks were put on the
ground carefully and Peter took the tools to weigh, mesure and band the chicks.
I had imagined the bands a lot smaller than they actually were. Wow, what a huge
rings. The orange one is 20mm (0.79inch) high and had a diameter of 11mm
(0.43inch). Seeing those bands you imagine the size of the chick's claws. Well,
they must have quite big claws already!
Peter starts weighing
the ckicks while they still are in their sacks. Then the diameter of the claw is
measured, the lenght of the paw, the length of a wing feather and the length of
a tail feather. Only then the chick is allowed to leave it's sack. Oh my, for
the first time in my life I'm looking at a just over three week old peregrine
kid. It amazed me hoiw big they were. We all see the kids on the cam pics, but
their actual size doesn't really register like that. They are quite big, a lot
bigger as a fully grown pigeon. But they are soooo sweet to look at! So cute and
lovely and beautiful and fluffy and indescribable, I felt a lump in my throat.
Photographs say a lot, but this, this, this is umimaginable. Having watched the
perigrines for three years now, and hoping against hope that my biggest wish
would come true: to witness the banding this year, but it couldn't be done due
to the dramatic circumstances. And even if these chicks I am watching now are
not 'ours', it doesn't make any difference to me, our own chicks would have been
just as sweet and lovely and beautiful as these...
One chick got it's
bands which is a precise job for the bands have to close very neatly. And then
it was out turn to admire the chick as it was put down on the grass after it's
banding. He liked it too, didn't make a sound and looked curiously around. So
gorgeous with those cute little black eyes, the white down, the rather big beak
and those enourmous claws, now showing brand new shiny bands. Okay, back into
the sack, time for number two. It struck me how calm and relaxed the chicks
were, as if all the attention was normal for them. Peter told me that being in
the sack made them quiet also because they couldn't see anything to scare or
upset them. You could hardly see them move in the sack, only their breathing was
noticable. After number two was banded he was allowed to play in the grass too.
Then it was time for number three. I though the first two were big, but this one
was a giant compared to the others. Wow, almost as big as a chicken, which is
not meant as an insult to chickens... . He weighed in at 999 grams (=35.2 oz)
minus the weight of the sack but that isn't much. Peter thought he'd never
measured such enourmous claws/paws. They needed a bigger band for this one:
diameter 13mm (= 0,51 inch). We all watched this chick open mouthed. She
reminded me of S2. She wasn't even the oldest of the three. Btw, the mother of
these chicks was a big one too, it was very easy to see who was mom and who was
dad here.
When number three was
ready she also was allowed on the grass for a while. She took off, well, wobbled
off, immediately. They really don't know yet how to handle their huge claws. The
chick was picked up by Peter and he suddenly put it in my hands.Oops, there I
was, on my knees in the grass, with a young peregrine in my hands. Wow, I didn't
know what to say but I enjoyed it immensely. I felt her warmth and felt her
beating heart.
I had my hands full
with this little wonder of nature. Sadly I had to give her back to Peter and she
disappeared in her sack again which was securely tied shut. Imagine one of them
escaping on the way back up....
The chicks were brought
back in their nest. Pa and ma were awaiting their kids anxiously. Dear readers,
there has been a lot of discussion about banding or not banding the 'de Mortel'
chicks. Peter decided not to do it, and now I question again: could be done
afterall? I asked Peter and he explained that it really can not be done anymore.
The chicks are too old now. When someone would open the top of the box it would
be very likely the chicks would be scared so much they'd jump out of the box.
That's a risk you never want to take. Even when the chicks would stay inside the
risks are too great. Young falcons can be banded up to three weeks of age, and
perhaps a bit later when the nestbox entrance can be shielded which is
impossible at de Mortel.
There has also been a
lot of discussion about the way the Hemweg chicks were banded. It was too noisy,
too much and too loud talking, took too long, etcetera. THis afternoon I
witnessed the banding of three chicks and it all was done in such a quiet and
relaxed atmosphere. Peter's handling the chicks was so controlled and quietly
efficient. Nothing was done to upset the chicks, I found the cute chicks very
relaxed. It was a very professional job done and nothing else.
At the end of this
lovely afternoon there was a bitter moment. After returning the chicks Peter and
Rob had climbed all the way to the top where they found a perigrine's orange
band and bones. Below the band was checked carefully and it turned out to be
from a 2005 chick from this 'Amercentrale'. it put our noses down on the facts,
sadly not every young falcon who leaves the nest wil survive.
We said our
goodbyes and I went hope feeling great. At home of course I had to tell my
story, to show the pictures, and to have dinner. Then there was this story to
write. Halfway writing this I receive an e-mail by Rob showing me where I could
download his photographs. I had to look at them right away of course because I
knew there would be some really good ones there. Of course I will upload some of
mine and will ask Rob if I may use some of his as well. But to get an impression
of what's been going on today, check out
this link
Martin Mollet from the
"werkgroep roofvogels Hoekse Waard" gave me this link. He was there too this
afternoon.
You all will understand that
I'm still floating a couple of inches above the ground, despite all the coffee
I've had today. Now I'm going to enjoy watching a lot of pics, and then it's
time to fall, with a big smile on my face, asleep.
Many regards, Dorine
Wednesday 16 may 23.00 hr,
Dear birdwatchers,
Yesterday
I failed to appear, at least on my site. I went to the tower in the afternoon,
but I didn’t see anything special, or actually I did. Did I see the third falcon
or didn’t I? I really don’t know, at least not sure enough to see it was the
third falcon. Around 5 PM I watched a falcon with my telescope. I think he
didn’t look mature. Again I got the feeling that the third falcon is present.
Because I observed this falcon, I didn’t see much other flight movements. While
later, I read on the topic “Pure observations” that there were activities from
Pa and S2 near the nest box at the same time. The falcon I had sight on sat
there for about 10 minutes and then he flew away to sit down on the backside of
the tower on the bottom ring I guess. Was this falcon number 3 or not? When I
look on the forum I say yes, but I did not see three falcons at the in the same
view. Therefore I say that I have the presumption that this was the third
falcon. Furthermore yesterday was a fine day and the kids look marvellous. It’s
the best people can wish for under these circumstances.
Yesterday late in the
evening (you could call it night time) I was discussing a bit with Steenarend
when a message was posted of “Gewoon” (member of this forum). In this message he
told me that he was very impressed by the word of the bird workgroup and my word
and that he wanted to give a donation (of 1000 euro) and that he would send me
an email. Dear people, it was 1 AM and I read this posting a few times and
honestly I thought it was a joke. While I was thinking about it, my pc announced
that I had an email. Indeed, it was an email of “Gewoon”. Well, that means it
isn’t a joke and today it became clear very quickly that it wasn’t a joke. It
was dead serious and meanwhile the workgroup has received this donation. I
thought about it all day. This is not something what happens on a daily base.
This is of course a marvellous gesture to the bird workgroup Gemert, isn’t it?
Of course I want to thank the cordial benefactor.
This morning it took
too long in my opinion before the kids got food. S2 was frolicking on the
platform. Off and on she entered the nest box and I was afraid that S2 was back
were she started, that she had forgotten what she had to do with those 2
squeaking animals. Again I worried about nothing. The kids finally got their
meal. I have to say that it wasn’t fine weather to fly. You couldn’t catch a
prey because who would fly in this weather. So you don’t have to go out hunting.
The day went on like a day should go on and tonight I went with Piet to the
tower. I think it was short past T PM when we arrived on the “Hemelsbleekweg”
and it was busy, very busy. We talked about a lot of things and finally Pa?
Decided to hunt a pigeon. The pigeon flew like a rocket to the tower and tried
to hide under a ring. Unfortunately this didn’t work so a short pursuit
followed. The pigeon managed to escape. A short while later again a pigeon is
being hunted. It was difficult to see if this pigeon got hit. The pigeon finally
ended in the forest. People thought that the pigeon got hit, but Martin of the
bird workgroup told us that pigeons often let themselves fall in the forest, to
escape the peregrine. The last 30 minutes of our stay one of the falcons flew in
the air, in the first instance it was Pa. Later again a falcon flew and people
thought that this was Pa again, because S2 was in the nest box and we didn’t see
her coming out. Still I had doubts whether this was Pa or not, but I kept my
mouth shut because I wasn’t paying attention very much. Than “Pa” sat down on
the stone ledge in front of the outside camera and when I saw that falcon flying
over there I already told that I was doubting whether this was Pa or not. This
had to be S2. It was the only possibility. To check this, I phoned home. They
are not sitting there for doing nothing, they had to work for their pocket
money. So I asked if someone was in the nest box. No, nobody there except the 2
kids. S2 had left the nest box without anybody noticing it. For me it was
obvious that my doubts were justified. S2 sat on the stone ledge, not Pa. In the
meantime it was 10 PM. It was getting dark and we were getting cold, so I
ordered a pot of coffee by telephone and we went home. Everybody went home. We
will call it a day and in the dark you don’t see a thing, except a few red
lights.
I don’t know if I will
go to the tower tomorrow, but I am going to do something else which is very
pleasant. I will tell you about it tomorrow. It’s going to be quite a story, at
least, that’s what I hope. Quite a story with dozens of beautiful pictures.
Many regards, Dorine
Monday 14 may 23.30 uur,
Dear birdwatchers,
Actually I don't know how to start. I still have this strange feeling that all
this was not true, what happened in the nestbox and still happens. I didn't
really sleep last night and there were more of us, right Ad? First thing this
morning is turning on the laptop. Weird, but I had the feeling that is was
alright when I awoke, but that S2 fed the kids this morning so early was more
than I dared to dream off. But it was true. It was so wonderful to watch 2
satisfied chicks. And fair is fair we really missed this. The whole morning the
laptop was turned on and frequently I watched. It all looked great. The most
wonderful moment for me was when S2 was plucking the prey on the stone ledge.
The largest chick was sitting in front of the opening of the nestbox and he was
looking outside. The face of that bird when the feathers flew alongside the
nestbox was really beautiful. His little head went to and fro, his eyes were
looking so questioning at those feathers that I almost bursted into a laugh. I
don't blame him/her. In his short life he never saw something like that before,
did he? S2 finished plucking and had visible difficulties to enter the nestbox
with the prey. I have to say that it was blowing really hard this morning.
Finally the kids got a lovely meal. And after that meal I actually saw what
these kids have missed al that time. Of course I had the comparison with the
chicks from Amsterdam, but now I saw it this way in de Mortel, it really touched
me. Now the kids were calm, they could sleep well and strike their down and
feathers. It was a world of difference compared to a few days ago.
This afternoon I did
something else, although we spoke about "our" falcons frequently. The local
pigeons in the town centre of Eindhoven had our attention. We don't talk about
pigeons, but we talk about preys when we see these animals.
It striked us that a
lot of the pigeons in the town centre were banded. These must all be pigeons who
at any time lived somewhere else and got lost during a flight, or the pigeons
found that a life in the town centre of Eindhoven was preferable above what they
had. Everywhere we see pigeons now. I don't know if it is because of the falcons
that they attract our attention now, but we see a lot of these
ready-to-eat-chunks.
Tonight we went to the
tower and it was busy, really busy. There was a lot of talking about the
change-over of S2. We stayed there a pretty while but we saw no single action of
Pa and S2. A really late siësta. Actually I didn't care much because I was tired
all day, just exhausted. Yesterday a lot of troubles fell of me and besides all
the nerves you had about how things where going and how this was going to end.
The hope that everything ends fine is increased considerably and actually I have
the feeling that everything will end up fine. At least when S2 and Pa keep
feeding. Unfortunately they didn't feed anymore tonight. I forget a very
beautiful feeding, the feeding from about 6 PM. Pa who enters with prey and S2
who is sitting on the stone ledge. Unintentional you start shivering that S2 was
going to take the prey. I was stunned when she did this. My good feelings were
killed. Fortunately it was only for a short moment. Pa left the nestbox quickly
and S2 saw her chance to feed the kids herself. It was very beautiful to see but
I found it a pity for Pa. Three weeks he worked his ass off to keep his kids
alive and he got small thanks for his pains. I don't hope he took this wrong and
that he wil forgive S2 for this move, otherwise we hav a problem. What if Pa is
angry at her and told her that if she wants to feed, she has to catch the food
herself. Would that be the reason that there was no feeding tonight??
Yesterday I told Peter
my worries about the fledge of the kids. What would S2 do with these young
falcons? I had the worst scenario in mind, but at the same time I knew that if
she wanted to do something like this, she already would have done it. She had
chances enough. I worried about nothing. An adult falcon is not agressive to a
young falcon. As long as a falcon has a adolescent feathers, he will be seen as
a younster and he will be accepted. Immediately I quoted the third falcon from
last week. They let him pass. Pa and S2 actually didn't respond to that falcon.
So we did notice correctly that is was a young falcon. Peter told me that Pa or
S2 had responded different if it was an adult falcon.
We have to see how
things continue with Pa, S2 and the kids. But things may stay this way for me. A
bit relaxation and some space to do other things. When things are going well, in
2 weeks I will be very busy. Then the period I like best will begin and I want
to spent many hours near the tower. The real growing up from our 2 kids to
independent peregrines. I am starting to looking forward to it.
Many regards, Dorine
Sunday 13 may, the best Mother's day for all peregrine fans 23.45 uur,
Dear birdwatchers,
Tjee... what a day. I'm still having the shivers and I hope that I will get a
"readable" story out of my fingers. What happened today was what we all hoped
for very much. It only took a while and I was really afraid that it wouldn't
happen anymore. It's a good thing that I am no judge.
Yesterday evening (the
day before yesterday) I wrote my story and I received a lot of reactions. Very
normal because the past week I did not have a very good feeling about the
progress of our falcons. There was a progress and they grew, but I always found
them thin chicks, comparable with children of hunrgying Africa. And because I
was always honest I thought it necessary to express my concerns. This story lead
to a renewed discussion about delivering extra food by humans.
Because I am a mother I
received a Mother's day gift. Menno (son of Dorine) made a drawing of June
(chick of previous year) from a picture and Daphne (daughter of Dorine) made a
collage with pictures of peregrines. The kids know what their mother likes. The
day started beautiful but it could have been more beautiful if Pa had fed better
this morning. I had to wait till 12.30 PM to be more confident. With good
courage I went to my mother in law and this afternoon I played snooker and pool
billiard with my husband and the kids. We had a lovely afternoon, very relaxed.
Untill we came home and I read a mail.
My Belgian friend told
me that something had happened and that the tears were running on her cheeks.
But she didn't write what she saw. Because we couldn't enter the Planet forum I
mailed her back very quickly to ask her what happened. Fortunately I got an
answer very quickly and Piet managed to enter the forum for a short while. Dear
people, I couldn't believe my eyes and my ears. This can't possibly be true...
For a short period it
was very hectic in the house. I think this happened in more households. Piet
kept surfing and found a movie on the English topic. The movie was being watched
very attentive. I could not believe it and I had major doubts whether this was
S2 who we saw there or not. Piet came further on the forum and told me that
there were a lot of people in doubt. Fortunately there were attentive watchers
who could read the bandnumber. Meanwhile it started to dawn to me that S2 had
turned the button. Finally.... we have waited so long for it, way too long.
Joking I reported on
the forum that she finally managed to speak and understand the Dutch language
(she comes from French-speaking Belgium) and that she must have read the forum.
She must have been pretty frightened. That is not so strange when you read what
names we called her. She came in action right away and showed us, Dutch people,
that she had a good headpiece. That even a young chick from Belgium is capable
of anything. She started to get acquainted with the kids and do let the kids get
used to her beak. Oohh, this was so cute to see, I felt a lump in my throat.
In the meantime it was
about 6.30 PM and I wanted to go to the tower to see what Pa and S2 were
planning to do with the food this evening. I waited till a short downpour was
over and I watched the cams again. My mouth felt open. S2 took a chunk of prey
and started to give it to the small ones. Oh dear, this was really feeding, this
couldnot fall. Blissfully happy we went to the tower, hoping for a lot of
spectators. Unfortunately nobody was there when we arrived, at least, that's
what I thought. We stopped on the sand road and we saw S2 on the platform and Pa
on the top lamp on our side of the tower. Soon S2 entered the nestbox. Allright,
then we will stay here on the sand road. And we stood there, and we stood there
and nothing, really nothing changed at the tower. Meanwhile Steenarend arrived
too and I walked to the "Hemelsbleekweg" (name of the road) twice to see if
somebody was there. In the distance I saw a car but I thought the car belonged
to the owners of the house which is built there. There was still no action on
the tower. Therefore we went to the road because when Pa decides to go hunting
we see more of it. When we wanted to leave, Steenarend told us that S2 just left
the nestbox. Still we decided to leave and we drove into the direction of the
parked car which I saw before. The driver of the car turned out to be Zwiersje
from this forum. We stopped there and stood there for an hour. In that time not
much happened. Just when I said to Piet that I wanted to go home to have diner,
Pa left the lamp and flew around. We thought he was going to hunt, but he
wasn't. He landed on the second ring from the bottom and a moment later on the
pipes which go from the saucer to the tower. Pa was sitting again and it didn't
look like he was going to leave soon. From that side we saw that S2 was
sometimes sitting on the edge of the nestbox and sometimes in the nestbox. I
calles Menno and he told me that she was playing with the chicks. He called it
"sweet". Well, that sounded good. About 9.15 PM we went home because my stomach
started to rumble.
First thing when we
arrived home was watching the cams and we saw S2 still sitting on the edge of
the nestbox. And when I answerd Arno's mail S2 flew away and within several
minutes she was back with...... incredible... a thick fat prey. So many good
things happened today but what we saw then beated everything. S2 started to feed
the chicks. She took this prey especially for our kids. I only believed it
because I saw it with my own eyes. I was gaping at these images and I wasn't the
only one. The people here at home did the same thing and the tears were breaking
through. Wonderfull to have tears of joy, and those are the best tears, arn't
they?
While watchin the
webcam I called Peter van Geneijgen (bird workgroup). Fortunately he was home. I
immediately asked him if he had his computer turned on. He didn't. I told him to
turn it on immediately because S2 was feeding. This season I didn't have such a
nice conversation with him like this evening. This was pure pleasure. Peter
could also hardly believe what he saw. He had read my email of earlier today and
he had phoned Arno so he new that there was a big change. We also talked about
other things. I will tell them tomorrow, but otherwise this becomes such a long
story. And besides then I have something to tell tomorrow.
Dear everybody, this
change is huge and that on Mother's day. We kept thinking that S2 had no
feelings. Well, if you do such a thing on Mothers's day, you definitely know
what feelings are, especially the feelings of us, human beings. I do hope that
S2 also has a good memory, that would be nice, that she remembers tomorrow what
she did today. I just hope she don't regret what she did, but I'm not going to
think about it, no way! I am going to enjoy these moments and try to get on the
forum. That will be a hard job!
Many regards, Dorine
Zondag 13 mei moederdag 22.15 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Het wonder is geschied, ze zijn toch echt de wereld nog niet uit.
Bij S2 is de knop om en ze heeft zojuist de kids een behoorlijke prooi gevoerd.
Ik ga nu eerst even eten en daarna mijn verhaal schrijven.
Groetjes Dorine
The 12th of May
Dear birdwatchers,
Yesterday (friday) I
had, unfortunately, not much time to go to the tower. But I did go for a short
while. Like so often, you arrive there and you see nobody. And at the moment you
think: "I better go home now", suddenly a falcon appears. Yesterday it was Pa
who appeared. He flies a pretty while on the frontside on and off, at the height
of the top of the tower. I was very sure this must be visible on the outside
cam. S2 was nowhere to be seen. Therefore I presumed that she was at the
hairdresser. Unbelievable with all this wind and rain. A waste of money, isn't
it?
The amount of food the
kids get is minimal. And I really mean minimal. You can observe it when Pa
arrives with a prey. The kids snatch the prey out of his claws. Why? Because the
are very hungry. And that is nog very strange. Pa just brings not enought food
in. The kids stay alive, grow and develop, but there is not much left. These
young peregrines have no reserves in my opinion, nothing to live on. That is te
reason I am a little scared about the future. When the are going to fly, it cost
a lot of energy. They have to get that energy from somewhere. I wonder where the
have to get from. The kids get bigger and need more food. Unfortunately they
don't get more food. It stays the same or maybe a bit less. This has to change,
certainly with the thought that in a week or two the time is there that they
could leave the nestbox.
Today we went to the
tower twice. This afternoon after the groceries shopping. From the road we could
not see much falcon, althought we were looking and searching very torough
together and we especially parked the car a bit further away so we could see the
rings very well. Because we didn't see anything we went to the sand road to
check on that side. That was the calm side today. There we met a man whom I've
seen earlier this week near the tower. We were talking there and suddenly Pa
arrives with (as far as we could see) a small prey in his claws. I thought that
he would go straight into the nestbox. Pa had a different view and sat down
somewhere on the tower and decided to stay there. Actually I didn't watch the
tower very much, which is difficult on this spot, but for the greater part I
talked with this man. Yes, I like to talk dear people, but the subject gave me
goose pimples. You see, this was the man who arrived on the sand road that
sunday afternoon when Ma and S2 were fighting each other and he almost had to
bend over for those two falcons. This was more important for me than what Pa was
doing on the tower and wheter S2 was present or not. It was funne that we were
talking about Ma, because this morning I received an email of Deca, my Belgian
mail-friend who can always makes jokes about it. This mornings email had as
subject: "Hello Holland, Belgium here." Deca told me something about Ma, that
actually anybody here knows when you say it. She told me that if Ma would return
now, the young falcons would not allow Ma in the nestbox. This is an important
issue. The kids would indeed not recognize Ma anymore and I even think that the
young falcons in that box wout be strangers to Ma. You see it often in the
animal-world, especially with pets. When you take the kids away from the mother
and you bring them together a couple of weeks later, they won't recognize each
other (of course there are always exceptions). So if Ma would return and chased
away S2, it would get us nowhere. I also think that she would nog recognize Pa.
It is notg a pleasant thought, especially not now the kids are yearning for
food.
Tonight we wanted to go
to the tower and we were ready to go, suddenly Pa arrives with a prey. The
hunger of the kids was very clearly to see. Pa had just put a claw on the frame
of the nestbox and then the prey was already taken. Only this time it wasn't S2
who took it, but the largest of his own kids. Tjee... she was greedy. We looked
at it for a short period and then we went to the tower. In front of the sand
road Lambert, Arno and Kuiko where there. Observing is difficult when you are
with so many people and especially when you go standing near the hous of
friends. No watching falcons. First we had to watch the 2 lambs which were born
early this morning. 2 Black lambs, a boy and a girl. The were big lambs, but
veeeeeeeery sweet to see. We also watched another lamb which was born earlier
this week. Yes, it took a while, at least it took me a while. At this moment I
could forgot the problems of our family on the tower. Because of these friends I
was home at 10.00 PM. But social contacts are also very important and they are
sweet people who we know for years, so you don't just skirt them. In between we
talked to others and watched the tower.
The food Pa brought
around 9.00 PM got decently cleaned by Pa. We saw him arrive and we saw him
clean the prey on the second ring, right above S2, who was sitting on the bottom
ring, on top of a saucer. Pa finished the cleaning and went to the nestbox. I
don't look at Pa anymore. All I watch is S2. Than you see that she is going to
sit different and you know that she is going to leave. And that's what she did.
She went to the nestbox, entered it and left with the prey. She landed on the
top ring and started to eat. We also had Daphne (daughter of Dorine) on the
phone. Unfortunately she didn't just watch the webcams, but also other things
because she missed the fact that S2 took the prey from out of the nestbox. For
us on the ground floor it happened very quickly and now I've seen the movie of
it, I can imagine she missed it. S2 indeed grabbed the prey out of the nestbox
very quickly. One look somewhere else and you've missed it. We were not happy
with it and we hoped that Pa would go hunting once more, or he would take
something out of his stock. Unfortunately Pa had a different opinion this
saturday evening. Pa was of the opinion that he had finished his job and S2
already landen on her sleeping spot, the toplamp on the frontside. I just heard
from Piet (husband of Dorine) that Kuiko could not make head or tail of it.
Pffff I am not the only one who has difficulties with it sometimes. It is very
difficult to keep up with everything. Sometimes it is difficult enough to follow
the falcons, especially when they are flying a lot and land on different spots
every time. When you watch one falcon, the other flies off and when you follow
that one, you've lost the first one. And then you have to remember all this.
No-one can do that.
But where we actually
came for is a successfull hunting of S2, because everybody has big doubts about
that. She can hunt. We know that for sure by now. But hit a prey and take it
with her to the tower is a different story. And when something special might
happen, we can remember that and when we write it down, we remember exactly what
happended. On this moment what we see is so predictable that you don't observe
very concentrated. In different words: it is boring to watch and not much news
to report.
Boy, it has become a
long story while I actually didn't see much. I am now going to read the forum
and then to bed. Tomorrow is another day, a day with new chances ans who knows
what it will bring. Let's hope the best of it.
Many regards, Dorine
Donderdag 10 mei 22.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Terwijl ik hieraan begin is het buiten bar en boos, een stevige onweersbui trekt over, ook over de Mortel. Dit slechte weer geeft wel aan hoe het vandaag met onze kids is gegaan. Gisteren ging het nog wel goed met voeren, vandaag was het gewoonweg niks. Het kleinste van het tweetal heeft toch niet echt veel gehad. Na zo'n dag als gister blijf je hopen op een verandering van S2. Helaas weet ze de dag daarna telkens onze hoop weer de grond in te boren, toch. Ook zoals ze gisteren met Pa achter die prooi aanging, het was voor Gerrit en mij echt samenspel, wij hebben de afgelopen twee jaar veel van deze aanvallen gezien, toen nog door Pa en Ma en het zag er gisteren idem dito uit. Het was niet alleen S2 die achter die duif aanging, ze gingen samen. Als ze die duif voor zich alleen had gewild, was ze er wel als een speer achteraan gegaan en had ze Pa het nakijken gegeven. Ik zag wat ik zag en niet wat ik wilde zien. En het zag er hoopvol uit. Echter, na de dag van vandaag begin ik er wel een hard hoofd in te krijgen of S2 ooit nog eens met eten voor de kids de kast ingaat, ikzelf denk van niet, helaas.
Vanmiddag ben ik weggeweest en tegen 19.00 uur was ik bij de toren. S2 zat op de bovenste lamp aan de voorzijde, waar anders. Pa was nergens te bekennen. Was hij op jacht?, ik hoopte van wel. Er was nog iemand en we hebben even over de valken gesproken. Komt Pa ineens aanvliegen uit de richting Bakel. Het ging niet zo makkelijk dus was mijn conclusie al meteen, die moet een prooi bij hebben. Met kijker kon ik pas laat ontdekken dat ie inderdaad iets bij had, maar groot was het niet. Terwijl Pa aankomst vliegt S2 op en draait wat rond de toren. Pa vloog niet naar de kast maar zocht zijn heil op de tweede ring van onder bij de rechterschotel. S2 koos de onderste ring uit. Daar zat het spul en het kat en muis spelletje begon. S2 vloog regelmatig op om een keer langs Pa te vliegen en ging weer zitten, telkens op de onderste ring. Na een hele tijd dacht Pa dat de kust veilig was en deed met prooi de nestkast in, helaas had S2 hem direct in de smiezen en vloog hem achterna, om de nestkast in te gaan en er weer snel met de prooi uit te komen en weer op de toren te gaan zitten, derde ring van onder. Pa was op de rechtse schotel onderste ring gaan zitten. Helaas weer geen eten voor onze kids, die het eigenlijk heel hard nodig hadden. Het drukte aardig de stemming op de begane grond.
Er verschenen meer kijkers, die de stand van zaken wilde weten en waren er ook niet blij mee. De kids worden groter en groter en eigenlijk hebben ze steeds meer eten nodig. De groei en de ontwikkeling gaat toch wel door, ook al krijgen ze weinig eten. De laatste dagen heb ik wat meer naar de valken in Amsterdam zitten kijken en als je dan gaat vergelijken, zie je toch wel verschil hoor. We zullen dan maar weer hopen dat de dag van morgen weer veel goed gaat maken, we hopen toch wel met z'n allen dat deze kids uit gaan vliegen en dan eindelijk voor zichzelf prooi kunnen gaan vangen. Volgens een echte vogelaar leren hongerige jonge valken dat heel erg snel. Dat was tenminste een geruststellende gedachte, toch wat positiefs na zo'n karige dag. Ik heb die drie, Pa en de kids, al vaker de familie Jojo genoemd, en dat niet voor niets. Laten we optimistisch blijven en dan maar hopen dat na een dag van niet veel een dag van heel veel komt. Zo gaat het eigenlijk al sinds Ma er niet meer is en aan dat "op en neer" verhaal kunnen we maar niet wennen, toch. Ik blijf in ieder geval (voorzichtig) positief ondanks alles.
Groetjes Dorine
The 9th of May, Dorine was near the tower and this is what she wrote about it:
Dear birdwatchers,
It was a strange day
today. Actually every day does not go like we wish he would go. This morning it
took a while before Pa came with some food for the kids. But when he finally
came, he didn’t stop coming. Four times he came with prey to the nestbox. One
prey larger than the other, but the kids had full crops and that’s what counts.
These 60 minutes feeding messed up my daily routine, but for something as
beautiful like this, I don’t mind. After the feeding the kids were lying down
very satisfied. Around 1 PM Pa came with another prey but unfortunately S2 was
there too. This afternoon I couldn’t watch anymore because I had obligations at
our horse stable.
On the way back from
the stable I made a detour to the tower. Together with Menno (my son) I stayed
there 45 minutes, from 3.30 till 4.15 PM. It was anything but exciting. On
arrival S2 sat on the top lamp on the frontside and when we left she was still
there. The lady was looking fat, with her feathers all spread. We walked on the
sand road to the backside and to the field behind the “Snelle Loop”. We couldn’t
see Pa. Therefore we returned to the car and on the road we looked a bit more.
Pa was present. We saw him in the air shortly but then he disappeared behind the
trees out of sight. I don’t know where Pa came from. I hoped then that he was
hunting and when we came home it seemed to be true. A short while later Pa
entered the nestbox with prey. A bit later S2 followed and took the prey.
Around 5 PM the same
story. Sometimes it is really not funny anymore. You start questioning yourself
more often if she is able to catch her own food. The doubt about that are
increasing, especially when you are near the tower and you see her sitting on
that red lamp, showing off. You are in the Mortel, not in Amsterdam (red light
district).
I started to become
gloomy and again I went to the tower. On arrival S2 was sitting on the lamp
again. Or she sits very stoical on the platform and doesn’t care the chicks of
she sits on the lamp. Boring bird. We couldn’t discover Pa. Very soon we got
company from Gerrit and together we saw Pa arrive with a prey, flying in the
direction of the nestbox to feed his chicks. And what do you do when you are
standing there? Exactly, keeping an eye on S2 and hope that her feet are glued
to the lamp for a while. Not!!! But S2 flies zigzagging, very calm to the
platform. We see Pa leaving the nestbox and S2 entering the nestbox. From the
people at home, we heard that Pa was done with the feeding fortunately.
Pa is landing on the
right saucer of the second ring of the bottom. A bit later S2 follows in the
same direction and lands on the bottom ring, near the (for us) right saucer. A
long period nothing happens and at a certain moment we can’t even see them.
Then, suddenly Pa chases after a pigeon, above the forest on our right side. But
Pa is smart and chases the pigeon back in the direction of the tower. Tactics??
Pigeon and Pa are very close and they passed the tower and suddenly a miracle
happens. S2 comes in action and offers Pa the much needed help. Together they
chase the pigeon. It was a beautiful view and all that happened above the field
near de “Snelle Loop”. Dear people, it is true. S2 hit the prey… only she
dropped the pigeon and dived after the pigeon once more. Our astonishment was
huge. She can hunt and catch prey. Six eyes saw it. Finally, because we had big
doubts about this. The most beautiful part was the teamwork with Pa and a short
while it looked like the past years, when we saw Pa and Ma doing this
frequently. Pa and S2 can do it together. It gives a good feeling, especially
with the fledge of the kids getting near.
They didn’t catch the
prey. Pa and S2 returned with empty hands (claws )
S2 in front who lands on her favourite lamp to swallow her disappointment,
followed by Pa who landed on the lamp on the right side. At the same time Kuiko
(forum member) arrived by car and asked with open window if he saw it all right.
He couldn’t believe his eyes and neither could we. The four of us stood there
for a while, very impressed. Meanwhile Pa started hunting again and S2 finally
sat down on the bottom ring near the right saucer. It started to rain a little
and as we had a wonderful night, we left, after Kuiko left too and Gerrit stayed
a bit longer. Probably not much longer because the rain was getting heavier.
In a happy mood we
arrived home and when we looked on the laptop we see Pa with a prey on the
platform. Wonderful, having a good meal again and it was a good meal. While I
was writing this, he arrived for the second time and the kids have a full crop.
They can go to sleep very satisfied. If tomorrow is the same as today, I’ll sign
for it and than in the evening, when we are near the tower, S2 is allowed to hit
another pigeon and offer it as a prey to the kids. I’m going to dream about it
tonight and maybe this dream will come true. Who knows.
Many regards, Dorine
The 8th of May:
Dear birdwatchers,
Today was a very beautiful day for the falcons. If things keep going this way, I
have full confidence in it. Pa came 7 times today with a prey to feed and not
once S2 dared to confiscate the prey. What caught my eye was that Pa quite often
enters the nestbox with a cleaned prey. Tactics?? It could be, because then he
can spend the time in the nestbox on feeding instead of plucking. The longer he
stays in the nestbox, the larger is the chance that S2 comes and takes the prey
away. but today S2 has sat on the platform very quiet and observed everything.
After the feeding of 6.15 PM she stayed there and she stayed there. Or she was
sitting there comfortable or she was thinking very hard about the family, Pa and
his 2 chicks. I don't mind that she sits there, that's okay with me, as long as
she is leaving when Pa arrives with a new fat prey, or at least she allows him
to pass.
After that feeding we
went to the tower. And guess what? On arrival she was still sittin on the
platform. Pa was sitting on his old spot, the upper lamp on the frontside. This
was also his favorite spot in 2005, the year with May and June (those are the
names of the 2 chicks from 2005). On the forum I wrote that I would attract S2
with a delicious bag of French fries. The weather didn't allow me to put the
frying pan outside and therefore she had to be content with frozen fries. She
had no apetite and stayed where she was. Next time I will take pigeon-shoarma
with me. The falcons sat, and had no intention te change position. Some more
spectators arrived and P had the feeling he had to show at least 1 flight around
the tower.I didn't see hem return on the tower beause S2 was going to fly too.
You can't let your admirers stay there for nothing. S2 sat down next to the
right saucer on the bottom ring and according to Frank, Pa was there somewhere
too. We didn't see them leave. We stayed near the tower for a short hour.
Fortunately it didn't rain as much as yesterday, but we had some rain. Not as
much as in the afternoon, when I planned to go by for a short period. I was in
Bakel and it was pouring with rain. Watching peregrines is fun, but not with
this weather. So I went home and watched the webcams.
Yesterday with the
banding of the peregrines in Amsterdam, people discovered that the female there
is not the same female as last years. So there it happened too, only this female
was a bit earlier and it lead to chicks, but this is very special, i heard from
another couple peregrines that is was a different female than last year. On this
last couple people were very surprised that there were not layed any eggs. They
didn't get it, until people found a picture of a birdwatcher which made clear
that the female of this year is a different female. And in de Mortel it happened
too, only the problem here is bigger with a nest of young falcons. Already 3
couples of which we know that the female this year is a different female than
last year. Very special, I think. But it can also be very normal, I really have
no idea about this.
(add by Judith: when
they looked very carefull tot the pictures of the band of the female from
Amsterdam, it turned out to be the same female as previous years. What Dorine
wrote, is not correct, but at the time she wrote this, it was not known at that
time.)
No spectacular things
happened today, exept that Gerrit noticed that it had snowed in the Mortel. The
last few weeks were summer, yesterday it was autumn and today it was winter (for
the people who don't understand it, Gerrit made a movie this afternoon of Pa who
was plucking a pigeon on the bottom ring and a snow of feathers was to be seen.)
Speaking of feathers, the largest chick is really starting to change now. When
you look at him/her you see considerable featherpenns come out of the wings and
also the tail starts to come in model. And when you look to his head, around the
eyes it is no longer white. The chicks are growing fast. Fortunate, becauseit
would be so beautifuu when they can make the jump to the roof in a week or three
and after that get their first flying lessons. I have tears in my eyes when I
think about it!!
Dinsdag 8 mei 23.30 uur,
Many regards, Dorine.
PS. After I had written the story above I started reading the site on the peregines in Amsterdam once again.
It turned out they had made a mistake. They concluded that the female is still the same as in the previous years.
The 7th of May Dorine went to the tower. Here is her report:
Dear birdwatchers,
The last few weeks it
was lovely weather. Today it was an old-fashioned autumn day. Good for nature,
but after an hour or so, I've had enough of it. The chicks are lucky, the wind
doesn't blow in the nestbox. It comes from the other side. The barbeque
yesterday was a success and this morning I had a lot of cleaning up to do. This
afternoon I had to edit a lof of pictures, because the have to be ready by
tomorrow morning.
In between I watched
the webcams of course and as far as I could see, the kids did eat well, at least
for what we are used. But I have to say that I am worried about the smallest
chick. When food arrives, it takes a while before he is "awake" and realizes
that Pa arrived with prey. He has nog the same apetite like his big
brother/sister. The way he/she behaves now, reminds me of Beansy, and I'm not
happy with it.
This afternoon at 5.30
PM my laptop worked overtime. I was looking at 4 webcams: 2 from de Mortel
(here) and 2 from Amsterdam. All 4 cams were opened on my monitor and I enjoyed
it. I just received a mail from another spectator who also enjoyed it intensly.
He looked at the same thing as I did: the comparison from the young falcons with
the hands of the human who took them out of the nestbox for banding. Finally a
real comparison, a real image about what size our falcons have to be right now.
But last thursday Peter (from the bird work group) told me already that the
chicks are growing well and that the development of the feathers is in
accordance with their age (this is written in my report of thursday 3th of May).
After this live-broadcasting I had to eat and after that I went to the tower for
a short while
It was very dry al
those weeks, but now it is very wet. I'd better put on some boots. On arrival I
saw a falcon sitting on the top lamp on the frontside. I walked passed the sand
road to see if I could see another falcon at the flank of the tower.
Unfortunately I saw nobody. So I walked back for a quick walk to the backside.
When you walk into the forest, in the direction of the field on the backside,
you walk bedide the "Snelle Loop" (that's the name of the little river near the
tower). I was happy that I put on my walking shoes. It was more jumping over
ponds than walking. Pffff... a lot of water has fallen down today. The past few
weeks is was so lovely on the field on the backside of the tower, in the sun,
out of the wind, now there was a lot of wind and no sun at all. No falcon was to
be seen on this side of the tower, so I went back to the frontside. I hardly had
to walk by myself. If I had taken an umbrella with me, I probably would have
flown. I went over the little bridge, walked onto the field till the meadow-land
of the farmer. On a stake I saw a yellowhammer, and the good thing was that I
could come near this bird till about 10 meters and it stayed where it was.
Wonderfull, isn't it?? From this corner I watched the tower and there was some
flying. They didn't fly far, but with this wind it was beautiful to watch. With
this wind it is a lot more difficult to land safely somewhere on the tower. Now,
I stood there in the full wind and I didn't expect any real action, so I walked
beside the "Snelle Loop" end the forest back to the "Hemelsbleekweg" (this is
the name of the street where the tower stands). There was still some flying and
the falcons sat down on the lamp or somewhere on the ring. When I came home, I
checked the observations and obviously I missed the arrivel from Pa with a prey.
It probably happened when I was walking under the trees. On my way back I saw a
falcon sitting on the top lamp on the left side of the tower.
A short while later,
Gerrit arrived and we stood there together for a while. Actually we talked more
than we watched. Gerrit didn't stay long and when it became dark, we went home,
with a falcon on the top lamp on the leftside and a falcon on the window above
the lamp. This is very special because I never saw this from an adult falcon,
sitting on the window-sill of a window. The past few years, only the young
falcons did this. Pa and Ma always settled down on a lamp. Meanwhile I am home,
writing this with a nice cup of coffee next to me. I am going to read the forum
now and let's hope that S2 doesn't show up in the nestbox as much as she did
today (yesterday), or she has to start feeding the chicks. If you want shelter
S2, you have to go somewhere else, not in the nestbox. The entrance has to stay
free for Pa with prey.
Many regards, Dorine.
The 5th of May:
Dorine went to the tower twice today and this is what she wrote:
Dear birdwatchers,
After yesterday, when
the kids couldn't eat one more bite and we were al very happy, today started
disappointing. I still call them the The yo-yo family. Till 3 Pm they didn't get
any food. Early this afternoon we had to do grocery shopping in Bakel and what
do you do when you are worried? You make a detour via the tower.
We arrived at 12.45 PM
and we looked out for a falcon. This wasn't easy. First we looked at the flank
of the tower, standing on the sand road, then we looked at the frontside and
then we walked to the field on the backside. It took me quite a while before I
noticed a falcon on a saucer on the bottom ring, partly hidden. He was the only
falcon we could see. This falcon, which I suspect to be Pa, suddenly fly at neck
breaking speed in the direction of the forest on the, for us, left side. A short
time later he came back and I thought I didn't see a prey. Sometimes it is
difficult to see when they have only a little prey with them. The falcon sits
down near the left saucer on the bottom ring. After about 5 minutes he spots a
pigeon and he chases it. The pigeon wasn't an easy job. Together (Pa and pigeon)
they flew a large round above the large field and then they flew in the
direction of the main road. Meanwhile the falcon was flying higher than the
pigeon. Suddenly the falcon dived to the pigeon and I really thought he caught
it, but unfortunately the pigeon fell down and escaped. I could follow this
flight totally with my binoculars. Piet, who watched without binoculars saw,
during the attack, another falcon flying a short section arount the tower. The
falcon which was followed by my, sat down on his spot near the saucer. We saw 2
falcons and 2 flights for prey, whether or not succesfully. A little bit
relieved we went grocery shopping.
At about 3 PM the kids
finally got their first meal. I hope Pa isn't angry because the kids didn't
finish their plates yesterday and that he kept them waiting for that reason
.
A lot of concern was taken from my shoulders with this meal.
Tonight we were near
the tower again, till 7.15 PM. When we arrived, we first looked on the fland and
then we went to the frontside. We had good company. Arno of the bird workgroup
was already there. Not a falcon was to be seen. First we talked about our
family, that has to happen too. Suddenly we see Pa arrive with a huge prey and
at the same time S2 decided to show up. Pa had obviously very large difficulties
with getting this prey up and with going to the nestbox. Pa finally arrived on
top and entered the nestbox. First S2 sat down on the top ring and afther that
she sat down on the antenna. During these flights, Arno notices that S2 misses a
feather from her left wing. Immediately I wonder if this has something to do
with a fight. He thinks not It is moulting period and things like this are very
common then. Again I learned something, unfortunately I didn't see it myself. S2
flies away, enters the nestbox and just a moment later she reappears with the
prey. When you stand on the foot of the tower and you see this happen, you say a
cursing. S2 landed with the prey on the top ring, just behind the left saucer
and she starts to pluck the prey fanatically. Suddenly it snows in the Mortel.
Meanwhile Pa has left the nestbox and makes his way to S2. We saw them sit there
together and kept a close eye on them. It took a while and then we saw Pa leave
with the prey, which is neatly cleaned by S2, and enters the nestbox. Striking!
S2 plucks a prey and Pa is allowed to take it with him. S2 flies away from the
ring and sat down on the antenna very calm, flies another round to land on the
same spot. Pa can complete the feeding. After the feeding Pa leaves the nestbox
and flies to the backside of the tower ans we didn't see him anymore.
In the time that Pa was
feeding and S2 was sitting on the antenna, I went to the backside to see if I
could spot a third falcon. I looked very close, but I didn't see anything that
even looked like a falcon, totally nothing.
When I came back on the
road and told about the backside, S2 flies to to the nestbox and enters it. What
does she wants to do there?? Pa isn't feeding. It took quite a long time before
she left the nestbox. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to read or watch
something about it. I will read it tomorrow morning. S2 lodges herself on the
antenna and when we leav at 7.15 PM she is still sitting there.
So we saw something
very interesting today. It looked like S2 took the prey out of the nestbox to
clean it and that, after the cleaning, Pa was allowed to leave with the prey to
feed it to his kids. In real it looked very different than you probably thought
by the webcam pictures. In the mean time, a lot of visitors arrived near the
tower and they will have stayed there for the rest of the evening. We had to go
home, have dinner and later we have to go to a birthday party. Tomorrow I don't
have time to visit the tower unfortunately: a family barbeque, which will cost
me a day with the preparations and the cleaning up after the barbeque. It's my
first day off in two weeks, must be no problem. Have a nice sunday and enjoy the
fine weather. Monday the fine weather really ends.
Many regards, Dorine
Vrijdag 4 mei 21.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Het is vandaag een gedenkwaardige dag. Vandaag zouden, als alles normaal verlopen was, de kids in de Mortel hun identiteit krijgen en als een bekende slechtvalk verder gaan leven. De omstandigheden lieten het niet toe om deze jonkies te kunnen ringen. De nu wereldberoemde jonge valken zullen, als alles goed blijft gaan, over een aantal weken als grote onbekende slechtvalken de weide wereld gaan verkennen. Dit heeft tot gevolg dat we zeker weten dat we van deze slechtvalkjes nooit en te nimmer nog iets zullen vernemen. Eigenlijk best een treurige gedachte, dat we van deze vechtertjes, die we dag en nacht volgen, nooit te weten zullen komen hoe het met die twee verder gegaan is. En dat op 4 mei. Ik moet er eerlijkheidshalve wel bij zeggen dat ook als ze geringd zouden zijn, de kans om ooit nog iets te horen van dit stel ook heel erg klein is, maar die kans bestaat nu niet.
Twee weken geleden kreeg ik van Peter een mail waarin hij me vroeg of ik erbij wilde zijn met het ringen. Uiteraard, het was nog mijn allergrootste wens wat de slechtvalken betreft, ik heb dat van die wens op het oude forum al eens gezegd. Maar niet getreurd ik krijg zulk spul nog wel eens te zien. Ik ben al lang heel blij dat die twee er nog steeds zijn en als ik zojuist (20.00-20.30 uur) het voeren zag, met alle emoties die daarvan afstraalde, maakt dat mijn hele dag weer goed. Pa en de kids blijven je elke dag verrassen. Zoals Pa vandaag met zijn "tactiek" om met prooi weg te vliegen toen S2 de kast inkwam, geweldig om te zien, zojuist toen Pa er niets van snapte dat de kids hun bordje niet leeg aten. Mooiere beelden kun je toch niet zien, of wel. Wij zaten met zijn vieren hier thuis naar dat voeren te kijken en hebben ervan genoten. Nu dit alles zo speelt heb ik weer een grote wens, dat deze twee valkjes gezond en wel over een aantal weken uit mogen vliegen. Ik denk zo dat iedereen die bij deze valken betrokken is die wens ook wel zal hebben.
Vanmorgen ben ik even bij de toren geweest, bij Lambert en Harrie. Het was best gezellig ondanks dat we weinig van onze familie zagen. Ik had Lambert al verteld dat er geen aardbevingen voorspelt waren, maar kreeg bij thuiskomst toch een melding dat er al 5 waren geweest, in Indonesië. Het is geweldig als je dit soort mail ontvangt. Ik had er vanavond nog één, van een Belgische medefan. "Ze kan steeds beter begrijpen waarom die Belgische troela Pa zo graag wil hebben, voor zo'n man zou ze ook naar Nederland komen!"
Vanmorgen eigenlijk niet veel gezien, ik ben nog even op de Hemelsbleekweg (tip voor de tomtom toeristen onder ons) geweest, waar toch weer een aantal mensen aanwezig waren, zelfs iemand uit Zwolle. Lambert en Harrie zijn gegaan om de accu's op te laden, ik heb nog even gekletst over vogels en ben toen ook naar huis gegaan, ik kreeg behoorlijk last van hooikoorts en had het koud gekregen. De plek langs de doorlopende weg waar Lambert met Harrie stond, vind ik voor iemand zoals ik te ver weg, zelfs met kijker. Maar voor Lambert heel mooi, hij kan vanaf daar recht in de kast kijken.
Vanmiddag had ik verplichtingen thuis, moest met de kids (die van mij) naar het NK springen in Mierlo, altijd mooi om te zien en vrijdags lekker rustig. We waren pas om 7 uur thuis en ik had honger, dus eerst gegeten en daarna was er geen tijd meer over voor onze valken. Ik ga zo dadelijk campics en filmpjes kijken, gelukkig hebben we ijverige forumleden en door die leden kan ik mijn middag weer inhalen. Alle lieve mensen die zo'n goed en mooi werk verrichten, ik ben er super blij mee.
De kids liggen slapend uit te buiken en ik ga ook eens een keertje vroeg naar bed. Voor de vroege vogels onder ons, in het gelijknamige radio programma wordt a.s. zondagmorgen aandacht besteed aan de slechtvalken, daarin ook een gesprek met Peter van Geneijgen.
Ik ga zo dadelijk mijn bakkie koffie pakken, nog even wat bekijken en morgen zeker weer naar de toren toe.
Groetjes Dorine
The third of May in the evening Dorine wrote:
Dear birdwatchers,
A late story tonight.
It had to be, because we were a long time near the tower. We were at home at 10
PM. It was very busy near the tower, Diane with her crutches. Fortunately she is
mobile again and she can come and watch from time to time. We also met a few
people from further away. I'm sorry I had not more time for you, you see, I had
an appointment at 7.30 PM.
A couple of days ago,
therein the local newspaper was written a small article about the drama in the
Mortel. After reading this article a couple of times, I found it actually a
limited story. It all looked so negative in my opinion, certainly after all the
misery I saw and all the misery we witnessed through the cams. Like it was only
misery. Then I did something I normally never do: I mailed the newspaper and
told them my opinion. I didn't expect any reaction and especially not, when
became clear that the same article was written in several newspapers all over
the country. What happens? Yesterday morning I received an email from the "Eindhovens
Dagblad" (name of a local newspaper) that they wanted to talk to me about the
falcons. O boy, that can only happen to me. First I called Piet to ask him what
to do with this invitation. Piet thought that I should do it. So I contacted the
reporter. We talked about the article and made an appointment: thursdaynight at
7.30 near the tower. It was from my side under 1 condition: no pictures of me.
The reporter said that a picture belonged to the article. Well okay, but
unrecognisable. O o, what did I do?? It's not in my line and yesterday I was
pretty nervous about it. I hoped all would go well.
So tonight I went to
the tower. The past few days it was pretty quiet and now it was busy. I met the
reporter and a few pictures were made. And then you start talking. You have to
make clear what the falcons mean to you and why it occupies you. Of course
everything get a chance: the environment, the beginning, the situation now, how
my family reacts, etc.
The question "why"
isn't difficult: for the third year you follow these peregrines and they start
to mean something for you, allthough they are very far away from you, you start
to love them, at least, I do and I'm sure a lot of people think the same about
it. It was not all positive, what was said and written about the peregrine in
the Mortel and all what surrounds it. I think it is a pity, because actually,
despite of the drama of Ma, it is wonderfull to see this, if you can see it.
This is what I actually wanted to make clear, to point out the beautiful things
to the people, not only the misery. That a normal human being can sit there
watching for hours and that you don't have to be a birdwatcher or a nature-freak
for this. That you see and realize that what we see there is actually very
beautifull. Following the life of a bird of prey from closeby, while it is a
world of difference from how we live. So I did this with good means. I am very
curious what is written in the papers tomorrow.
Well, about tomorrow
(today, she wrote this yesterday), about the planns Planet has/had. As the
banding is not going to happen, they wanted to do something for the
readers/viewers. I understood it would be a kind of "mailchat". You ask
questions to Peter by mail and they wil be answered immediately by the
planetsite. At least, that's what I comprehended. Because the banding would took
place tomorrow (today), I assumed that Peter meant that the mailchat would take
place tomorrow afternoon (today). There is nothing written on the planet site,
so I assume I misunderstood it, or that the plans are changed. Sorry dear
people, I better did not talk about it, that was maybe wiser.
Unfortunately I saw not
much of the falcons tonight. Talking to somebody and only staring at the tower
isn't working. I did understand that the falcons were flying frequently, that
there were 3 falcons present and that Pa can steal too. Yes, Pa steals prey too!
I will try to tell what Diane, Walter and Piet saw, and what I partly saw. On
the top ring, near the round saucer was a falcon sitting with prey. While that
falcon was sitting there, Daphne (Dorine's daughter) calls that Pa is in the
nestbox with prey and that the prey is taken by S2. Some more flying from Pa and
S2 and a short while later we hear from home that Pa entered the nestbox again
with a small prey and is feeding. We don't know where that prey came from. After
the feeding we see Pa leaving the nestbox and he flies against counterclockwise
around the tower. After that he lands on the backside, near the falcon with the
prey. Pa takes away the prey and flies immediately to the nestbox and we hear
from home that Pa is back in the nestbox with a small prey.
The last prey Pa took
from the unknown third falcon, who actually didn't react when Pa took the prey
from him. The falcon stayed where he was. Unfortunately my telescope is not from
that quality that we could see the falcon very well, allthought we thought we
saw a silvercolored band blinking on his right leg, but we are not sure about
this. Throught my telescope he looked not als dark on his back as Pa and it
looked like his chest is browner than Pa's chest. This gave us the presumption
that this might be the young falcon of last year. I emphasise we presume this.
So we don't know this for sure. Maybe that Lambert or someone else with a very
powerfull telescope can give more clearness. It also was clear that there was no
single sign of hostility between the present 3 falcons.
Fortunately the kids
got more food then yesterday and they look pretty well, especially when you
realize how much happens at the tower. It keeps going on...
Many regards, Dorine
Sorry, this Part is NOT translated yet.
The reason is that Judith started the translating of the articles of Dorine about the 3rd of May.
Donderdag 3 mei 12.00 uur.
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Wat een gedoe gisteren weer, denk je dat S2 toenadering zoekt, laat Pa het overdag afweten. Zo tegen half 5 begon het echt te kriebelen hoor, ik zat niet meer lekker op mijn stoel. Ik was blij dat Piet direct mee wilde gaan en de rest weten jullie.
Zit ik vanmorgen nog wat te kijken en te lezen, sta ik op het punt om lappy uit te zetten en eens iets "zinnigs" in huis te gaan doen, komt Pa weer met een vette prooi. Toch maar even blijven kijken. Zijn de kids gevoerd, gaat de telefoon. Peter van Geneijgen. We hebben 3 kwartier gebabbeld over de valken en andere valken. Over projecten in het buitenland, fokprogramma's, over gisteravond, het ringen etc. Het was allemaal erg interessant en leerzaam. Eigenlijk had ik het gesprek op moeten nemen, ik kreeg zoveel info dat het niet meevalt om niet vanalles te vergeten.
Over "onze" kids was ie zeer tevreden, ze zagen er goed uit, eigenlijk een wonder dat het zo gegaan is. Vooral het wegblijven van een ouder 's nachts en dat de jonge daar overheen gekomen zijn is toch wel heel bijzonder. Dat Pa zo goed blijft voeren is gewoon instinct, die wil gewoon dat zijn kids groot worden en uitvliegen. Het is zijn nageslacht. Dat er bij Ma zulk sterk instinct in zou zitten, leek me logisch, ik had het eigenlijk bij het mannetje minder verwacht, dat is dus niet zo. We hebben het ook gehad over het eten van de pootjes van de prooi, voor iedereen een angstig gezicht, de kids zitten er soms behoorlijk mee te vechten en als je dat dan ziet, hoop je maar dat ze er niet in stikken. Die pootjes hebben ze nodig evenals veertjes. Als de kids alleen maar spierweefsel zouden eten is dat veel te eenzijdig voedsel, ze hebben ook wat anders nodig. Uit de botjes in de pootjes halen ze o.a. calcium. Eigenlijk allemaal logisch. toch. Veertjes zijn weer nodig voor de vorming van braakballen. Ik heb wel eens een braakbal gezien en dat zijn inderdaad veertjes, kleine stukjes onverteerd bot en soms ringen van prooi. Over ringen gesproken, Peter had laatst in een nestkast een ring gevonden die uit Finland afkomstig was, hij moet die nog opsturen om erachter te komen van welke vogel die ring was. Finland is toch een heel eind uit de buurt.
Ik kreeg ook uitleg over de veren van de jongen. We zien nu al aan het uiteinde van de vleugels een duidelijk begin van de veren. Volgens de leeftijd van de kuikens moet dat nu ook, dus hierin zag ie geen achterstand. Wat het gewicht betreft komen we dat dus nooit te weten, maar zo op het oog vond hij de kids er goed uitzien, en dat vind ik nu ook.
Zo vertelde hij me ook een heel mooi verhaal over een fokprogramma in Zweden. Daar werden jonge valken in een natuurlijke omgeving in een kast gezet zodat ze aan de natuur konden wennen. Deze jonge valken werden dus door de mens gevoerd. De kast bevond zich op een rots ergens in de bergen. Nu kwam op diezelfde rots een koppeltje slechtvalken wonen. En "sprookjes" bestaan ook in de natuur, dit koppeltje nam de taak van de mens over en ze zijn die valkjes gaan voeren en opvoeden. Mensenhanden waren niet meer nodig, ik kreeg er kippenvel van.
Vrijdagmiddag was het de bedoeling dat de valkjes geringd zouden worden en dat dit door Planet uitgezonden zou worden. We weten inmiddels dat dit niet doorgaat. Om toch iets voor alle slechtvalkenfans te doen, heeft Planet iets anders bedacht en Peter werkt daar aan mee. Het zal nog wel op de voorpagina komen, meer vertel ik er niet van, laat ik aan Planet over. Zelf heb ik vanavond ook een afspraak wat met de valken te maken heeft, ik heb getwijfeld of ik het zou doen, maar in het belang van de valken in de Mortel toch maar gedaan. Ik vertel jullie daar vanavond nog wel meer over.
Groetjes Dorine
Update woensdag 2 mei 20.00 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Onverwacht vroeg vanavond een bezoekje aan de toren gebracht, we zijn tot even voor Pa kwam voeren gebleven, we reden net op de verharde weg toen Piet hem zag vliegen en zijn direct gestopt, en zagen hem nog net de kast ingaan. Daphne belde vrij snel daarna en vertelde dat Pa zat te voeren. Op zich mooi, maar er is meer.
We komen bij de toren aan en zien aan de voorkant geen valk, dus wandelen we naar de achterkant. We zien op de bovenste ring bij de ronde schotel een valk zitten. Omdat alleen S2 via de cams was gezien ga ik er vanuit dat dit S2 is. Toch had ik grote twijfel. We zitten daar een tijdje te zoeken en zien verder niets, Piet gaat naar de voorkant en ik blijf op het veld aan de achterzijde. Is Piet aan de voorkant zien we S2 vliegen en die gaat op de dwarsmast zitten tussen de onderste en de tweede ring. Dit was duidelijk S2 geen twijfel mogelijk. Dus de valk die ik zag was toch Pa en niet S2. Er kwam verder weinig beweging en Piet belt me dat ie weer naar het veld aan de achterzijde komt. Is Piet onderweg vliegt er een valk weg en gaat boven op de rand zitten, die jullie kunnen zien achter de nestkast. Voor mijn gedachte S2, want de valk die ik in beeld had zat er nog. Ik vond S2 weer erg klein, maar ze moest het wel zijn, want Pa zat er nog. Een paar tellen later vliegt Pa weg richting het noorden en ik heb hem met mijn kijker gevolgd tot ie achter de bomen verdween. We zijn tot 7 uur op het veld achterzijde gebleven en toen naar huis, dachten wij.
Komen we bij de auto, zit S2 dus nog doodleuk op het plekkie waar Piet haar voor het laatst had gezien. Is die nu weer daar gaan zitten, net zat ze nog op de dakrand. Ik begon steeds meer te twijfelen omdat de puzzel niet klopte. Daarom ben ik nog het zandpad opgelopen en de valk op de betonnen rand zat er nog steeds. De puzzelstukjes begonnen te passen. S2 op de dwarsmast onderste ring, Pa (dus toch) op de betonnen dakrand en ik heb dus nog een valk gezien, degene die wegvloog. Mijn puzzel was gemaakt en paste, er zit (zat) een derde valk bij de toren, een mannetje, misschien wel het jonge mannetje van vorig jaar dat nog steeds af en toe langs komt waaien. Dit moet het zijn, het klopte voor mij op het veld aan de achterzijde al niet, twee valken zien vliegen die ik even groot vond en dan maar denken dat één van die twee S2 is, of moest zijn want je gaat er dan nog van uit dat er maar twee valken zitten.
Pfff weer wat om over na te denken. Misschien is Pa wel niet gaan jagen omdat die valk er vandaag was, want een half uur nadat die derde valk vertrokken was zien we Pa van de toren vliegen en binnen 15 minuten is ie met prooi terug en heeft ie de kids gevoerd.
Jeetje zeg, het moet toch echt niet gekker worden, GTST is er niets bij, toch. Het was al zo raar dat Pa niet met prooi kwam vandaag. We hadden nog even de gedachte dat ie misschien wel bekaf zou zijn van gisteren en dat ie geen puf meer had om te jagen. Dat deze derde valk zich dan maar niet meer laat zien, zodat Pa weer kan voeren en S2 weer wat meer kan gaan wennen aan de kids. Het zag er gisteren helemaal niet zo slecht uit en ik had toch wel hoop dat het knopje van S2 om zou gaan, heb ik in het verslag hieronder nog verteld.
Groetjes Dorine
Woensdag 2 mei 10.00 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,,
Hoe het nu met S2 verder zal gaan is voor iedereen maar een vraag, in dit soort
omstandigheden zijn er geen kenners, ik geloof dat dit de eerste keer is dat
zo'n situatie in beeld wordt gebracht. Over het gedrag van S2 gisteravond in de
kast heb ik met Peter nog gemaild.
Ook voor hem is het onduidelijk wat ze wil. Het rondsnuffelen in de kast,
steentjes krabben en het schijnbaar kuiltjes maken en opruimen komt ook voor in
andere nestkasten en dat doen ze dan na het broedseizoen tot ongeveer de herfst.
Peter vind het eigenlijk al wel laat in het seizoen om nog aan een legsel te
gaan beginnen, hij vroeg me wel of ik nog een paring had gezien, want dan ligt
de zaak toch anders. Die heb ik geen gezien, trouwens ik heb Pa en S2 ook nog
niet zó dicht bij elkaar gezien. Dat S2 wel aandacht heeft voor kleintje zou wel
eens te maken kunnen hebben met het feit dat het dood is, het beweegt niet meer
en daar hoeft ze dan niet bang voor te zijn.
Als ik vanmorgen keek is ze ook al minder bang van de jonge en van de webcam. In
kasten waar ze webcams plaatsen komt het wel vaker voor dat de valken een beetje
bang naar de cams kijken, hebben we trouwens Pa en Ma vaak genoeg zien doen.
Toen S2 vanmorgen op het rooster zat, nadat ze de prooi weer had afgepakt, leek
het wel of ze twijfelde wat te doen. Het zag er niet naar uit dat ze ongestoord
aan de prooi zat te eten, ze keek regelmatig naar de jonge.
Het is niet te hopen dat ze bang blijft van de kids, dat zou dan betekenen dat ze zeker niet mee zal gaan voeren, terwijl dat eigenlijk steeds meer noodzaak begint te worden.
We hebben al meer "gekke dingen" gezien en wie weet volgen er nog een paar. Duidelijk is dat S2 steeds meer in de kast komt en dat ze toch steeds meer naar de kids kijkt. Oefening baart kunst, zeggen ze dan, ik hoop dat dat ook voor S2 gaat gelden. Daarbij tegen S2 zeggende; Voor wat, hoort wat, jij een knappe vent en een leuk huisje, dan moet je wel even zijn kindertjes mee groot brengen, toch.
Groetjes Dorine
Dinsdag 1 mei 22.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Zoals gezegd zijn we vanavond (20.00 tot 21.20 uur) weer bij de toren geweest. Via de rondom toren weg er naar toe gereden. Op het zandpad stonden Lambert en Frank. Daar hebben we even bij gestaan en Lambert vertelde ons dat er eentje in de kast zat. Wat doe je dan, het thuisfront bellen. Inderdaad, Pa zat te voeren. Eigenlijk vrij snel zagen we een valk de toren afkomen, die vrij snel wegdook en Pa de nestkast uitkomen. Waar Lambert stond heb je een mooi zicht op de toren maar helaas geen zicht op eventuele vluchten. S2 die van de toren ging waren we dus ook direct kwijt. We zijn gegaan, de auto bij de toren gezet en naar de achterkant gewandeld. Op het veld aangekomen konden we weer heerlijk genieten van het zonnetje en zagen we S2 op de bovenste lamp achterzijde zitten. Het duurde echter even voordat we Pa gevonden hadden. Die zat op wat bekabeling langs de muur op de tweede ring van onderen. We hadden toch weer beide valken in beeld.
Pa en S2 hebben zo geruime tijd gezeten en even waren we toch bang dat er ook geen beweging meer in zou komen. Het duurde wel even voor we weer wat actie zagen, helaas niet erg veel. S2 vloog wat op en neer en ging bij de rechterschotel onderste ring zitten. Eventjes hebben we haar maar gezien, want mevrouw liep de schotel op. Pa was denk ik toch wel nieuwsgierig en volgde een tijdje later haar voorbeeld en ging dus ook bij die schotel zitten. Pa vertrok weer vrij snel om bij de linkerschotel onderste ring te gaan zitten. Toen hij daarheen vloog kon ik een prooi ontdekken in zijn poten. Er moet dus ook bij die schotel prooi hebben gelegen want ze hebben daarvoor niet gejaagd. Volgens mij ligt die hele toren vol met voorraad, een prooienkerkhof moet het daar toch wel zijn, denk ik zo. Dat Pa inderdaad prooi had was duidelijk te zien toen ie bij de linkerschotel zat. Ikzelf dacht dat ie gewoon zat te eten maar Piet had het idee dat ie weer een prooi aan het klaarmaken was voor de kids in de kast, zoals ie dat ook gisteren had gedaan. Terwijl Pa met die prooi bezig was vond S2 het ook weer welletjes daar bij die rechterschotel en vloog wat heen en weer om op het hekwerk van de derde ring te gaan zitten. Het spul heeft zo weer een hele tijd gezeten.
Even na negen zagen we S2 weer opvliegen en richting kast verdwijnen. Zou die nu de kast in zijn gegaan terwijl Pa nog steeds op de onderste ring met die prooi bezig was? Weer wat om het thuisfront te bellen, en te horen dat S2 interesse had in kleintje. Vreemd, wat moet ze daar nu mee. S2 zagen we dus weer uit de nestkast komen en ze ging regelrecht op Pa af. Die vloog op en samen hebben ze heerlijk weer schommelend als de klepel van de klok een hele tijd aan de achterzijde van de toren gevlogen. Best een hele tijd. Pa besloot al vliegende om naar de nestkast te gaan en ik was verbaasd daarover. Wat ging die daar doen, hij had toch niets bij. Jawel, weer thuisfront en we kregen te horen dat Pa zat te voeren. Dus Pa heeft al die tijd daar gevlogen met die prooi in zijn poten. Het zal dus ook maar een kleine prooi zijn geweest anders hadden we die wel gezien tijdens dat vliegen. Het was toch echt niet zo dat S2 die prooi tijdens dat vliegen af wilde pakken, zo zag het er beslist niet uit. Terwijl Pa in de nestkast zat was voor ons al duidelijk dat S2 er achteraan ging, eerst landen op het hoekje achter de nestkast, om vervolgens naar de nestkast toe te vliegen.
Pa heeft zijn voederbeurt weer niet af kunnen maken en ging weer op het plekje zitten waar we hem bij aankomst aantroffen, op de bekabeling van de tweede ring. We hebben S2 niet uit de kast zien komen en weten dus ook niet waar ze is gaan zitten. Inmiddels was het al 9.15 uur en zijn we weer naar de auto gelopen. Ik ben de weg nog een stuk verder gelopen om nog even te zoeken naar S2. Het begon al te schemeren en ik heb S2 vanaf de voorkant ook niet kunnen zien. Dan maar naar huis via Bakel, om even te stoppen en onze auto vol te gooien met de voor de auto bestemde prooi. Je kunt toch beter een prooitje in de lucht moeten vangen, is een stuk goedkoper.
Vandaag weer regelmatig gemaild met Peter. Vanmorgen kreeg ik al mail van hem dat ie besloten had om vrijdag niet te ringen. In het belang van de kuikens. Prima, als jij vind dat het niet kan, dan zal het ook wel niet kunnen, toch. Ook hebben we gemaild over het gedrag van S2. Het was hem gisteren ook al opgevallen dat S2 zich anders gedroeg tegenover de kids. Hij heeft vandaag ook beide filmpjes bekeken en hij vond het een vooruitgang. Hij zou ook graag zien dat bij S2 die knop omgaat van baltsend gedrag naar voedergedrag. De eerste keer dacht ie ook dat op het moment waarop S2 dat stukje prooi pakt en met haar hoofd naar de kids draait dat ze dat jong wil voeren. In de hoek wist ie niet goed of ze het wilde en dat het jong haar te vlug af was. De tweede keer vond ie heel mooi toen het jong tot twee keer toe naar haar snavel pikte zonder dat ze wegdraaide. Ook voor Peter is dit reuze interessant, dit is eigenlijk nog nooit zo gebeurd, misschien wel eens ergens ooit, maar niet met cams erbij zodat we alles kunnen zien. We hebben het ook nog gehad over de prooien en dat vond ik wat minder, maar eigenlijk wist ik dat al wel. Het probleem van de steeds groter wordende eetlust van de kids. Aan mereltjes en spreeuwen hebben de kids straks niet meer genoeg, dan moeten er toch grotere prooien komen, zoals duiven. Duiven slaan is meestal het werk van de vrouwtjes. Duiven zijn eigenlijk een te zware prooi voor de mannetjes om die naar boven te brengen. Dus is het van groot belang dat bij S2 inderdaad die knop omgaat. Een enkel duifje kan Pa wel aan, maar als het er meerder per dag gaan worden is het toch een ander verhaal.
Jullie zijn weer bij, ik ga nu pas mijn tweede bakkie koffie pakken, hebben jullie geluk, staat dit er toch ietsje eerder op.
Groetjes Dorine
Update maandag 30 april 22.30 uur,
We zijn vanavond weer samen bij de toren geweest van 19.45 tot 21.30 uur. Een lang bezoek en het was de moeite waard. En na een dag waarop de kids niet te klagen hadden over voedsel ga je toch met andere gedachte naar de toren toe. De kids zijn vandaag niets te kort gekomen, Pa heeft zich een deuk gesjouwd aan al dat voedsel.
Op weg naar de toren zijn we eerst aan de achterkant gestopt en even gekeken, kon zo niets ontdekken, doorgereden en op het zandpad ook maar even gestopt en zag zo al S2 zitten, op de hoek zijkant/achterkant, maar verder geen Pa te zien. Doorgereden naar mijn plekkie aan de weg en aan de voorkant was Pa ook niet te zien. Omdat het vandaag behoorlijk hard waaide en je aan de voorkant volop in de wind staat zijn we naar het veld aan de achterkant gewandeld. Het was heerlijk daar, geen wind en nog lekker volop in de zon. Vanaf deze kant (achterkant) konden we S2 dus goed zien zitten. Die heeft daar een behoorlijke tijd gezeten zonder dat we ook maar een spoor van Pa konden ontdekken. Die zal wel op jacht zijn, dachten wij al. Tot we ineens Pa zagen vliegen bij de toren. Die had dus toch ergens op de toren gezeten, voor ons niet zichtbaar. Pa vliegt weer heen en weer, wat ik altijd omschrijf als de klepel van de klok. Pa heeft een hele tijd zo gevlogen en gaat dan op de bovenste ring bij de ronde schotel zitten. Hij zit op het randje dus kunnen we hem goed zien. Eventjes dus. Pa loopt een stukje de ring op onder die schotel en weg is ie voor ons. We wisten dat die daar zat dus houden we dat plekje goed in de gaten. Niet voor niets, zien we opeens de nodige veren door de lucht dwarrelen. Pa zit dus te eten, overduidelijk. Aangezien Pa niet met een prooi daar naartoe is gegaan moet daar dus prooi hebben gelegen. De voorraadkast van Pa? Ik denk het wel. S2 bleef al die tijd zitten waar ze zat. Pa had er zin in vanavond, regelmatig even vliegen en gaan zitten.
We zaten prima vanavond op dat veld. We krijgen bezoek van twee leden van de vogelwerkgroep en hebben met z'n vieren nog een aantal mooie dingen gezien. Inmiddels had S2 het op dat hoekje wel gezien en is ook aan het vliegen gegaan. Als je ze zo ziet dan is het toch wel een schitterende vogel hoor en groot. S2 gaat op de bovenste lamp zitten aan de achterkant, Pa zijn oude stekkie. Nu hadden wij het geluk dat ons bezoek in het bezit was van een hele goede scoop, een echte goede. We hebben S2 daar zien zitten op die lamp alsof ze een paar meter verderop zat. Het was bijna mogelijk om het ringnummer te lezen. Schitterend, ik kon er dus ook geen genoeg van krijgen. S2 wordt dus volop bewonderd en er werd ontdekt dat ze gewond is aan de onderkant van haar rechterpoot, de binnenkant van de klauw. Of dit nog een verwonding is van het gevecht met Ma weten we niet, maar de verwonding was duidelijk te zien. Interessant, toch, want het zou best wel kunnen dat ze daarmee toch even geen prooien heeft kunnen slaan en dat ze toch afhankelijk was van Pa. Wie weet, het is maar gedachte.
Terwijl wij het over die verwonding hebben gaat Pa er als een speer vandoor richting het oosten, dit was een duidelijke aanval. Het duurde echter nog even voordat Pa terugkwam. Hij had wel een prooi bij maar niet eentje van reuze formaat, het viel wel mee. Pa vloog nog even met prooi heen en weer en werd goed in de gaten gehouden door S2. Pa landde uiteindelijk op de tweede ring en begon aan zijn prooi. Geen eten meer voor de kids, dachten wij al. Pa heeft toch een behoorlijke tijd zitten eten. Dan vertrekt hij richting nestkast. Het was voor ons niet te zien of hij prooi bij had, wij dachten van niet. Maar Pa bleef toch wel een hele tijd weg en ik heb zojuist even gekeken wat Pa in de kast had gedaan. Dus toch een prooi, jullie schrijven al dat het maar een kleintje was, vandaar dat wij het ook niet hadden gezien. Ben blij dat de kids toch nog een avondhapje hebben gehad.
Terwijl Pa in de kast was vond S2 het op de lamp welletjes en is wat gaan vliegen en uiteindelijk is ze op de bovenste ring bij de schotel gaan zitten. Dat daar eten lag werd vrij snel duidelijk, door de scoop was heel duidelijk zichtbaar dat S2 zat te eten. Nadat Pa zijn voederdienst erop had zitten is ie S2 gezelschap gaan houden, weliswaar op enige afstand, maar het zat er saampjes. Pa aan de rechtse kant van de schotel en S2 aan de linkse. De voorraad is schijnbaar groot genoeg, Pa was inmiddels ook al aan het avondeten begonnen. Daar boven op de bovenste ring bij de ronde schotel hebben Pa en S2 samen gezellig zitten te tafelen. Ik hoop wel dat ze wat overlaten voor de kids. We vroegen ons dus ook af of S2 daar soms de prooien neerlegt die ze van Pa afpakt en die Pa vervolgens weer terug pakt. Het was vandaag wel duidelijk dat er ergens wat moest liggen, Pa was elke keer veel te snel terug met nieuwe prooi. Onmogelijk dat ie elke keer een vers exemplaar had.
We hebben mooie dingen gezien en interessante dingen en het was schitterend om S2 op die lamp te zien zitten door een hele goede scoop. Ik geniet er nog steeds van. De voorraadkamer is hoogstwaarschijnlijk ontdekt en de verwonding van S2. We hebben een tafelende Pa en S2 achtergelaten en richting huis gegaan. Op de zandpad kwamen we Lambert nog tegen die probeerde een mooi plaatje te maken van de toren met nestkast tegen een mooie heldere maan. Als het met het voeren morgen weer zo goed gaat dan hebben we niets te klagen. Eigenlijk hebben we nog geluk dat Pa zijn kids niet in de steek heeft gelaten. Dat had namelijk ook gekund in deze situatie. Gelukkig begin ik er steeds meer vertrouwen in te krijgen en mochten de kids uitvliegen dan is dit toch wel heel bijzonder broedseizoen geweest.
Groetjes Dorine
Maandag 30 april 8.15 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Vanmorgen liep voor mij dus vroeg de wekker af, 5.45 uur. Daphne heeft een vakantiebaantje en moest vandaag om half zeven beginnen. En dan is moeders weer de klos om die dame weg te brengen. Dus nam ik van de gelegenheid gebruik en ben even bij de toren geweest, een klein uurtje, van 6.30 tot 7.30 uur.
Om 5.45 uur heb ik de laptop aangezet en zie het kroost tegen het randje van de kast zitten. Een eng gezicht, maar ik weet van voorgaande jaren dat ze pas 1 of 2 dagen voordat ze gaan takken de nestkast uitkomen en op het rooster gaan zitten. Dus was ik niet bang, alhoewel het er wel eng uitzag. S2 kwam regelmatig langs en durfde maar één keer heel even op het rooster te gaan zitten, het lijkt wel of ze van de kids nog steeds bang is. Rond 6.05 uur komt Pa met een prooi en kan zijn kinderen helaas maar een paar hapjes prooi geven. S2 verschijnt weer ten tonele en voert weer hetzelfde stukje op; prooi afpakken en wegwezen. S2 dit vinden wij maar saai worden en het is niet leuk meer, doe eens een keertje wat anders!
Bij de toren aangekomen ben ik weer in de berm gaan zitten, ik vond het toch maar koud. Er waren regelmatig pogingen van Pa om prooi te vangen, ook S2 heb ik een paar keer achter iets aan zien gaan. Ik heb ze beide niet een keer met iets terug op de toren zien komen. Een vast stekkie om van te vertrekken om een prooivlucht in te zetten is er niet, ze zaten overal. Dan weer op de mast, op een ring of boven op de rand, al dan niet in mijn zicht.
De laatste 10 minuten dat ik er was kon ik geen valk zien terwijl ik wist dat ze ergens moesten zitten. Mijn buikje begon ook te rammelen en had inmiddels al ijskoude handen, dus maar naar huis. Op het zandpad nog even gestopt en zie Pa op de bovenste rand links zitten en S2 rechts. Bij het naar huis rijden ben ik ook nog even aan de achterkant gestopt en zag toen wat beweging boven bij de kast en heb zojuist gelezen dat het een vergeefse poging was van Pa om te voeren, de tweede dus vanmorgen al. Helaas geen Pa gezien die met een lekkere prooi de kast inging en de kans kreeg om te voeren.
Ik heb nog wel even gelachen met drie eenden in de lucht. Die hadden zo te horen en te zien ruzie. Die konden schijnbaar niet beslissen waar ze Koninginnedag zouden gaan vieren, in Bakel of Gemert. Die hebben luid kwetterend een hele tijd heen en weer gevlogen, om uiteindelijk toch maar weer richting Bakel te vliegen, waar ze vandaan kwamen.
Ik zag zojuist S2 in de kast komen en even kijken naar de kids. Daarna rond 8.00 uur komt Pa met een prooi aan en S2 is er natuurlijk weer als de kippen bij. Af en toe kan ik die valk toch wel haar nek omdraaien hoor. Nu, het is 8.10 komt Pa weer aan met prooi en gaat zitten voeren, hopelijk krijgt ie even de tijd. Trouwens wat S2 met de afgepakte prooien doet, ik weet het niet, het lijkt er toch heel sterk op dat ze die in ieder geval niet opeet. Pa zit nog steeds te voeren, het is weer heel mooi om te zien.
Groetjes Dorine
Zondag 29 april 22.00 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Het was voor ons een drukke dag vandaag, vanmorgen al naar stal gegaan, het was Peelpaarddag, dan houden veel paardenbedrijven in de regio een open dag, dus ook bij ons op stal. We waren pas om half zeven thuis, er moest eerst nog even gegeten worden voor we samen nog een kijkje bij de toren gingen nemen. Ik had dus ook geen tijd tussendoor om op het forum te lezen hoe het was gegaan vandaag.
Wij komen bij de toren aan en het was rustiger dan we hadden verwacht, het was gewoon heel rustig. Alleen waaide het hard en was de wind behoorlijk frisjes. Aan de voorkant was geen valk te bekennen en omdat het zo hard en koud waaide zijn we naar de achterkant van de toren gewandeld om daar lekker in het zonnetje en uit de wind de toren in de gaten te houden. We zagen een valk zitten op de bovenste lamp aan de achterzijde, eigenlijk Pa z'n stekkie maar vond die valk wel erg groot voor Pa. Ik had dus heel sterk het vermoeden dat het S2 was, op Pa z'n stekkie, heeft ze dus ook al ingepikt. We gaan daar maar in het gras zitten en wachten tot er iets wil gebeuren. Aan de andere kant van de loop zit ook al iemand de boel in de gaten te houden. We hebben daar toch wel een hele tijd gezeten zonder ook maar enige beweging in S2 te zien en ook zonder iets van Pa te vernemen. Piet krijgt het toch wel koud in z'n t-shirt en gaat terug naar de auto om z'n bodywarmer te halen. Ik blijf zitten, zeker nog een minuut of 10, en nog steeds geen verandering in de situatie. Piet komt maar niet terug en ik begin het ook wel koud te krijgen dus ga ik ook maar terug naar de auto.
Loop ik in het bos en ja hoor ik hoor een valk. Inmiddels staan de loofbomen volop in blad en is omhoog kijken in het bos zinloos. Kom ik aan de weg zie ik een valk vliegen, een grote dus dan zal het wel S2 zijn. Ik loop snel naar Piet toe en die vertelde me dat ie Pa met een grote dikke vette prooi aan heeft zien komen en na een rondje rondom toren is ie in de kast gegaan. Rondje toren zal ie nodig gehad hebben om boven te komen want het valt niet mee om met zoiets in je poten recht naar de nestkast te vliegen. Pa dus in de kast met prooi en S2 vliegt achter de toren heen en weer, doet twee keer kort het rooster aan om weer achter de toren volop heen en weer te vliegen. Het lijkt wel of ze nerveus is, zo zag het er voor ons wel uit. We verwachtte eigenlijk dat S2 wel weer naar de kast zou gaan, maar elke keer ging ze weer ergens aan de achterkant zitten. Ze heeft echt veel heen en weer gevlogen totdat we zagen dat ze omhoog ging richting kast. We zaten daar saampjes al een beetje te vloeken toen ze naar de kast vloog. Wat er toen gebeurde was wel heel erg mooi. Volgens mij had de boer het ook gezien en die zette precies op dat moment zijn sproei-installatie aan. Dat gaf een behoorlijke knal en S2 schrok hier duidelijk van en ze veranderde ook direct van richting en vloog weer naar de achterkant van de toren. Ze heeft daar nog even gezeten, nog een keer gevlogen en weer ergens gezeten totdat ze na een paar minuten het toch wel genoeg vond en richting kast vloog om op het rooster te gaan landen. Inmiddels is Pa toch al een minuut of twintig aan het voeren. Zit ze daar komt ineens Pa de kast uitgevlogen met, wat wij dachten, een gedeelte van de prooi. Pa uit de kast met prooi en S2 die het nakijken heeft??? Wij konden onze ogen niet geloven. S2 natuurlijk vol achter Pa aan en die twee hebben toch een hele poos in de lucht om die prooi "gevochten". Wat S2 ook probeerde Pa liet hem niet los, ofwel ze kreeg die prooi gewoon niet. Het was duidelijk zichtbaar dat Pa veel wendbaarder was als S2, ondanks dat ie die prooi in zijn poten had. Pa is even aan de achterkant van de toren geweest en kwam daarna zonder prooi te voorschijn. S2 is daar ook ergens geweest, ze zal wel niet zo goed kunnen zoeken want ze had de prooi niet gevonden. Dit was heel indrukwekkend om te zien, Pa laat dus niet met zich sollen, alsof ie nu duidelijk wilde zeggen dat die prooi voor de kids was en niet voor haar. En met dank aan de plaatselijke boer die er voor gezorgd heeft dat Pa een stuk langer door kon gaan met voeren.
Daarna hebben we S2 weer richting kast zien vliegen. Gaat ze weer op het rooster zitten, wat ze daar nu ging doen weet ik niet maar daar lag in ieder geval geen prooi meer. Duikt dat ding ineens de nestkast in. Dan zie je dat en dan verwacht je dus ook dat ze er wel weer snel uit zal komen, niet dus. Dan maak je je ongerust en gaat even bellen met het thuisfront. Hebben de kids thuis onderhand de webcam aan komt S2 weer de kast uit. We vonden dat ze best een lange tijd in de kast is geweest, een enge gedachte, als je niet kunt zien wat ze daar doet. Ze vliegt nog een rondje toren en verdwijnt voor ons uit het beeld. We wachten nog even maar er verschijnt geen valk meer, het begon al wat te schemeren dus ik denk dat Pa en S2 al een plekje voor de nacht hadden gevonden.
Vanuit het thuisfront hoorden we dat de kids onder de webcam liggen, dat is heel verstandig van ze, liggen ze tenminste een beetje uit de wind. De wind staat namelijk vol in de hoek waar ons kleine ding ligt, en aangezien het niet zo warm is vind ik het van de kids heel verstandig dat ze daar gaan liggen. Ik moet er wel bijzeggen dat het toen wij naar huis gingen ook al niet meer zo hard waaide als toen we kwamen.
De kids hebben in ieder geval een heel groot gedeelte van die dikke vette prooi op, denk dat ze de nacht er wel mee door kunnen en dan maar weer hopen voor de dag van morgen. Als Pa dan weer eens goed aan S2 laat merken dat die prooi niet voor haar is maar voor de kids dan ziet het er al weer stukken beter uit.
Groetjes Dorine
Zaterdag 28 april 19.30 uur.
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Eén week geleden zorgde Ma nog met veel liefde voor haar kids. Nu is er een ander wijfje op de toren, die ervoor zorgt dat het hele slechtvalkengebeuren op z'n kop staat. Niemand had dit verwacht, het was tenslotte de laatste twee jaar zeer goed gegaan. Kijkend Nederland en de waarnemers ter plekke waren verwend. Iedereen heeft er volop van genoten, ook ik. Op dit moment zijn de feiten zo dat er in de kast een klein ding ligt, die, zo te zien, het toch niet lang meer gaat maken. Mede door het gebrek aan voedsel. En twee valken die, naar mijn mening er redelijk aan toe zijn. Let wel, gezien de omstandigheden.
Onze gevoelens zijn denk ik allemaal wel hetzelfde als we naar de cams kijken, we vinden het allemaal verschrikkelijk en hartverscheurend. Maar naast gevoelens hebben we ook onze kennis, verstand en ons karakter. Hierdoor zullen de meningen nogal verdeeld zijn, dan is ineens ieder mens verschillend.
Er zijn op het forum al hele discussies gevoerd over gevoel verstand en de natuur. Het liep helaas soms nogal uit de hand. De Vogelwerkgroep Gemert heeft besloten om toch op wat vragen antwoord te geven, vandaar dat topic. Kijk ik zojuist, zijn er al twee pagina's vol geschreven zonder dat de Werkgroep ook maar iets heeft medegedeeld.
Persoonlijk zeg ik laat de natuur zijn gang gaan, dit gebeurd overal en dat weten we. Ik vind het verschrikkelijk wat er is gebeurd, als ik er naar kijk rollen de tranen ook over mijn wangen, maar tegelijkertijd zeg ik wel tegen mezelf dat ik naar een in het wild levende vogel aan het kijken ben en dat daar andere dingen gebeuren en andere wetten gelden als in ons mensenleven.
S2 kunnen we eigenlijk niets kwalijk nemen, die doet wat ze doen moet. Ze heeft met Ma gevochten om Pa en heeft gewonnen. S2 vertoont overduidelijk baltsend gedrag. Een baltsend wijfje "denkt" nu eenmaal dat de prooi waarmee het mannetje aankomt voor haar is en neemt het dus ook dankbaar in ontvangst. Dit is gewoon het instinct van die vogel, ook al willen wij graag denken dat ze die prooi afpakt en schelden haar dus daarom ook de huid vol. Wat zouden we het fijn vinden als ze toch zou kunnen denken, dan dacht ze vast en zeker wel dat ze deze kids eten moet geven omdat ze anders doodgaan van de honger.
Op 4 mei wordt er als alles goed blijft gaan, geringd. Wat mij betreft moet dit gewoon doorgaan. Het is overal zo dat jonge valken met 3 weken worden geringd. Men weegt en meet die vogels dan en daaruit krijgen we gegevens, waar we dankbaar gebruik van maken. Als we nu gewoon gaan ringen dan worden de jonge valken gewogen en gemeten en kunnen we te weten komen hoe groot de eventuele achterstand van de kids is. Wetenschappelijk gezien is het natuurlijk heel erg interresant wat hier allemaal gebeurd. Ik heb zelf ook regelmatig dat ik echt S2 in de gaten houd om te kijken wat ze doet. Het ringen zal niet verstoren, er zijn mij geen gevallen bekend dat er met ringen ooit iets verkeerd gegaan is. Alle jonge valken in Nederland en in vele andere landen worden geringd, als dit grote risico's met zich mee zou brengen zouden ze het heus niet doen.
Het verlies van het kleintje doet pijn. Ik weet uit ervaring dat er in heel veel nesten jonge vogels het niet halen of zelfs nog niet eens uit het ei komen. Vorige week toen Ma er nog was waren er al zorgen om het kleine ding. We weten het nooit zeker maar misschien had dat hummeltje het met Ma ook wel niet gered, was het gewoon ziek of niet sterk genoeg. We zullen het dus nooit weten.
Het valt niet mee om bovenstaand te schrijven en de juiste woorden te zoeken en proberen het niet te lang te maken. Ik zit er al een behoorlijke tijd aan te werken en misschien is het nog wel niet zoals ik het precies bedoel.
Maar ik ben vanmiddag toch even bij de toren geweest. Er was niemand, op de toren niet en beneden niet. Om daar helemaal alleen in de berm te gaan zitten terwijl er niets op de toren gebeurd, daar had ik geen zin in en ben toen maar aan de wandel gegaan. Op het veld vond ik een duif, morsdood en er was bijna niets van opgegeten. Een prooi die voor de kids was en door S2 daar is achtergelaten?, ik weet het niet. Regelmatig een blik geworpen op de toren en kon steeds niemand ontdekken. Door het hele gedoe liep ik daar nu ook weer niet lekker ontspannen, zoals normaal, als ik van vanalles en nog wat kan genieten. Ik heb nog wel wat foto's gemaakt en ben weer terug naar de auto gelopen. Het was zo stil, zelfs de hooglanders heb ik niet gezien. Bij de auto nog maar een keer kijken en niets te zien. Dus naar huis en ga ik nog maar wat in de tuin doen. Kom ik thuis zit Pa te voeren. Ben dus net te vroeg naar huis gegaan.
Na wat werk in de tuin heb ik zojuist toch heel aandachtig zitten te kijken naar Pa die aan het voeren was en S2 die regelmatig de kast inkwam. Wij thuis hebben er een positief gevoel bij, Pa die alles opgevoerd heeft en S2 die interesse krijgt in de kids, tenminste dat zou je kunnen denken. Het gaat wat voeren betreft, gisteren en vandaag, al een stuk beter en laten we die vooruitgang er maar in houden, toch. Misschien verdwijnt zoetjes aan het baltsig gedrag en gaat S2 nog meehelpen met voeren. Het zou wel heel mooi zijn.
Groetjes Dorine
Update vrijdag 27 april 22.45 uur,
Ben vanavond voor de verandering maar eens bij de toren gaan kijken om met eigen ogen te zien hoe het gaat. Geintje. Moet kunnen toch, na zo'n geweldige dag. Vanmorgen mis ik dus het voeren om 11.00 uur omdat ik aan het schrijven was. Het leek wel een sprookje en al helemaal toen de kids zo rond kwart over twee weer een flinke voeding kregen. Pa kwam met prooi, S2 er dus weer als de kippen bij maar werd overdonderd toen Pa enkele minuten later weer met een prooi voor de kids aankwam. Daar had ze schijnbaar niet op gerekend en liet Pa met prooi en de kids met rust. Het was geweldig om te zien, behalve dan het kleintje met dat "pootje" in z'n bek, zelfs broertje of zusje probeerde dat vreemd ding uit zijn bekkie te trekken. Trouwens, moet zeggen dat de kids, ondanks gemis van Ma, netjes zijn opgevoed. Huppelt er eentje netjes naar de rand, draait zich om, kontje en staart omhoog en voila daar gaat weer een lading, netjes de nestkast uit. De kids zag je vandaag echt bekomen, tenminste dat vond ik wel.
Vanavond dus geweest, ben ik er goed en wel, vliegt Pa weg richting het oosten en S2 zat op de hoge mast. Het duurde een hele tijd voor ie terugkwam. Ik heb hem toen niet echt goed gezien en hij verdween ook aan de achterkant. Er zijn de nodige vliegbewegingen geweest, Pa heeft weer als de klepel van de klok aan de achterkant heen en weer gezweefd, ik vind dit nog steeds heel erg mooi om te zien. Ik had inmiddels weer wat bezoek en we zaten eigenlijk best gezellig te kletsen en de valken in de gaten te houden.
Dan zien we ineens dat Pa richting nestkast vliegt en de kast ingaat, gevolgd door S2 en even later komen de twee er weer uit. Het was voor ons niet te zien of Pa prooi bij had en of S2 die weer afgepakt had. S2 gaat op het hoekje bij de mast zitten en het leek erop of ze inderdaad zat te eten, dus onze conclusie was dat ze het dus weer had afgepakt. Wij beneden maar tegen Pa zeggen dat ie nu prooi moet gaan halen en de kids gaan voeren. S2 zit te eten en heeft dan zodadelijk geen honger meer. Helaas Pa leek zich er niets van aan te trekken en heeft alleen maar een paar keer wat gevlogen. En wat doet de slechtvalk dan, ja hoor, die gaat weer aan de achterkant zitten zodat wij weer niets zien. Lieve valken, wij zitten daar om naar jullie te kijken en niet naar die toren.
Het duurde echter niet lang of Pa liet zich weer zien en vloog naar de nestkast, even later gevolgd door S2. Tenminste daar leek het op vanaf de begane grond, totdat we ineens een valk bovenop de kast zagen zitten. Wij snapten het even niet want we hadden toch echt niemand uit die kast zien komen. Wat doe je dan, het thuisfront bellen en dan wordt het toch een stuk duidelijker, S2 was dus niet de kast ingegaan maar er bovenop gegaan. Vandaar. De rest van het voeren heb ik gevolgd live en de cams via de telefoon. Het was wel grappig hoor, kun je het thuisfront vertellen wat ze zo dadelijk te zien krijgen. Er zit namelijk een behoorlijk tijdsverschil tussen live en de cams. Uiteindelijk is S2 toch de kast ingegaan en weer met de prooi eruit gekomen. Ik hoop dat de kids voldoende te eten hebben gehad.
Ik heb dus Pa vanavond zien vertrekken om eten te gaan halen, echter maar één keer, terwijl hij twee keer met prooi de kast in is gegaan. Toen Pa terug kwam van boodschappen doen is ie dus niet meteen de kast ingegaan maar ergens op de toren gaan zitten. Ik denk nu dat Pa de prooi in tweeën heeft gedeeld en de stukken één voor één heeft gevoerd. Het hoeft dus niet zo te zijn, het lijkt er alleen een beetje op. Want wij hebben in die tussentijd Pa niet zien jagen, vandaar, of hij moet het stiekems hebben gedaan.
We hebben een gezellige avond gehad, gekletst over de kerkuil, met Martin (niet Manders), over de werkgroep Gemert en over het hele slechtvalkengebeuren in de Mortel maar ook over het geheel in Nederland. Het was vandaag een dag waarvan ik zeg, deze mogen er nog wel meer komen, nou meer, doe er maar heel erg veel.
Groetjes Dorine
Vrijdag 27 april 11.15 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Wat was het gisteravond een mooi gezicht, Pa die weer eens besloten had om de nacht bij zijn kids door te brengen. Dus had ik eigenlijk goed moeten slapen, niet dus, heb de hele nacht liggen krabben aan mijn voet vanwege drie grote muggenbulten. Ik ben een paar keer mijn bed uitgeweest en heb bewust geen pc aangezet, gewoonweg omdat ik bang was de kids weer alleen te zien liggen en dat wilde ik eigenlijk niet.
Vanmorgen om 6.50 uur opgestaan en direct gekeken, mijn mond viel open van verbazing, Pa was aan het voeren, wat een geweldig gezicht. De aanwezigheid van Pa vannacht en het voeren nu, het leek of het tij zich gekeerd zou hebben. Ik las helaas dat even daarvoor S2 weer een prooi afhandig had gemaakt, weg illusie. Maar Pa was toch aan het voeren. Dit keer bleven hier de cams aan en met geluid, ik wilde het nu toch wel even blijven volgen omdat ik benieuwd was of ie deze keer het voeren wel af mocht maken. Gelukkig, tenminste zover ik heb gezien, mocht ie dat. Tegen half negen was het helaas weer hetzelfde verhaaltje, Pa komt met prooi en de prooi wordt direct weer afgepakt. Gelukkig hebben de kids vanmorgen al wel gegeten dus kwam het dit keer niet zo hard aan. Dat Pa toch wel een volhouder is blijkt wel uit het feit dat ie om 9.00 uur alweer met een prooi de kast inkomt. Heel even krijgt ie de kans de kids wat eten te geven om dan weer het onderspit te moeten delven en S2 er weer met de prooi vandoor gaat. Ik heb weer even gevloekt op haar hoor.
Ik ben zojuist eventjes bij de toren geweest, moest even naar stal en via de omweg, die toren heet, naar huis. (9.45-10.15 uur) Kom ik aan zie ik Pa alweer op z'n stekkie zitten, de hoge mast. S2 kon ik niet ontdekken maar had wel een vermoeden waar die uit zou hangen. Het zandpad maar oplopen en ja hoor, daar zat mevrouw, op de betonnen rand aan de zijkant, dan is ze voor jullie op de buitencam te zien links achter de nestkast. Loop ik weer terug naar de weg hoor ik een valk, kijk door de bomen naar boven en zie ik S2 vliegen, zo te zien had ze even het rooster aangedaan, maar weet dit niet zeker omdat ik toch een beperkt uitzicht had. Terug op mijn stekkie zit het spul zoals het gisterenmorgen ook zat. Pa boven in de mast en S2 onderaan op de betonnen rand op het uiterste hoekje. Ik zei al tegen mezelf, dat zal daar voorlopig nog wel even zitten zo. Kijk ik heel even naar de hooglanders aan de bosrand, die heerlijk lagen te genieten in de schaduw van de bomen, zie ik ineens een valk in de lucht. Schrik me een hoedje; valk nr 3 ????. Nee hoor, het was Pa die het gezelschap van S2 kennelijk vanmorgen niet echt op prijs stelde. Hij heeft een rondje gevlogen en is buiten mijn zicht aan de achterkant van de toren gaan zitten. Ik ben nog een minuut of 10 blijven zitten, zonder dat er enige verandering op de toren was te zien. Ik was al wel bang dat er weer niet veel leven in de brouwerij zou zijn. Ik had ook weinig zin om daar nog een hele tijd te blijven zitten wachten tot er weer enige actie te zien zou zijn. Ik heb hier thuis nog genoeg te doen en aangezien de kaboutertjes maar niet langs willen komen, zal ik het zelf toch moeten doenJ
Tot zover deze morgen, die toch wel hoopvol is begonnen.
Groetjes Dorine
Update donderdag 26 april 22.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Ben zojuist pas terug van de toren. Helaas heb ik niet heel veel van de valken gezien, ik heb meer met verschillende mensen over de hele situatie gepraat dan dat ik de valken in de gaten heb gehouden. Daarbij weer ruzie gehad met de mensen van de twee honden, hetzelfde verhaaltje als vorig jaar. Deze mensen komen gezellig naar de Snelle loop toe, laten hun honden daar zwemmen en los rondlopen. Op zich heb ik daar helemaal niets op tegen, maar owee als je in de buurt van die honden komt, die springen dus gewoon in je nek. Straks dus ook, ik zat dus helemaal onder de modder. Mochten deze mensen hier lezen, ik heb de boswachter al gebeld hoor, ik ben dus niet van plan om daar niet meer te kunnen wandelen. Leuk begin van de avond.
Zoals ik al zei hebben we eigenlijk alleen maar gesproken over de hele gang van zaken, niet alleen over de valken maar ook over het hele gedoe op het Planetforum en alles wat daaruit voortvloeit. Ik heb me er nog niet over uitgelaten maar moet wel zeggen dat het weinig meer met de familie Valk van doen heeft, helaas.
Wat we nu in de Mortel te zien krijgen hoort er eigenlijk ook bij. Het is de laatste twee jaar geweldig mooi geweest om alles via de cams te volgen maar zeker ook om het onder bij de toren mee te mogen maken. Wat we zagen was de mooiste kant die de natuur ons kan laten zien. Maar we weten met zijn alle heel erg goed dat aan elke medaille een keerzijde zit. Wat er nu gebeurt en is gebeurd is de keerzijde van die medaille en ik vind zelf dat we die dan ook moeten accepteren, ook al is het diep triest wat we zien en bij tijd en wijle gewoon hartverscheurend.
Ik heb jullie al eens vaker verteld dat een gedeelte van de prooi die door onze kids wordt gegeten hoogstwaarschijnlijk zelf ook pa's en ma's zijn die ergens in de bossen rondom de toren een nestje hebben met van die lieve kleine vogeltjes erin, die hebben dus ook een aantal dagen geroepen om eten en niets gekregen. Dit is in principe net zo erg als wat er gebeurt met de valken, toch.
Vandaag en dan vooral vanmiddag heb ik stevig nagedacht over wat ik met de hele situatie aan moet, stoppen met de boel of doorgaan. Daarbij komen ook nog heel erg veel mailtjes en pb binnen met allerhande vragen, zoals, aktie ondernemen, de werkgroep proberen om te praten, korte updates etc. Op zich allemaal niet zo erg, maar alles samen maakt het er niet makkelijker op. Want ook ik heb verdriet van het hele gebeuren, ik zie nog regelmatig Ma en S2 samen in de lucht vechten en dat bos invallen, ik hoef er maar aan te denken en het beeld komt me weer voor de ogen. Maar tegelijkertijd besef ik ook heel goed dat wat hier is gebeurd vaak genoeg gebeurd, het hoort er nu eenmaal bij, het is de natuur.
Dus toch maar weer schrijven, want er zijn genoeg mensen die dit wel willen lezen en zich net als ik, groen en geel ergeren aan het gedrag van sommige mensen, het hoort er nu eenmaal bij. Ik heb Stefan er zelfs flink voor gewaarschuwd.
Gelukkig zag ik bij thuiskomst Pa in de kast en heb ik begrepen dat de kids gegeten hebben, tenminste twee van de drie. Het zou fijn zijn als Pa vannacht weer eens een lekker warm dekentje wil zijn voor zijn kindertjes en dat ie morgenvroeg de jonge gewoon een lekker hapje kan geven. Met deze gedachte wil ik de bewogen dag afsluiten en hopen op een optimistische vrijdag.
Groetjes Dorine
Update donderdag 26 april 17.15 uur,
Helaas vanmiddag geen eten voor de kids. Pa is even na drie uur met een prooi gekomen, die vrij snel door S2 werd meegenomen. Het aanbod voedsel voor de jonge is nu gewoon te weinig. Ik heb inmiddels de weinige hoop op een redelijke afloop laten varen. Dit is niet goed, zulke vogeltjes hebben wel wat meer eten nodig dan dat ze krijgen. Waar Pa en S2 de verdere middag hebben uitgehangen weet ik helaas niet, ben vanmiddag niet bij de toren geweest. Het was heel hard nodig dat ik eens in de tuin aan het werk ging. Ben vanmorgen wel geweest, zie hieronder, en ga straks na het eten ook weer kijken.
Update donderdag 26 april 12.00 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Dacht ik vandaag eens een beetje rustig aan te doen wat betreft de valken en eens wat in de tuin te werken, gebeurd er vanalles. Na dat telefoontje van Lambert die een derde valk had gezien wilde ik toch ook wel even gaan kijken. Ik was om 10.15 bij de toren en heb Lambert niet gezien, denk dat ie al weg was. Ik nestel me weer in de berm, mijn stekkie zo onderhand. Er zij een paar korte vliegbewegingen en voordat ik mijn scoopje heb neergezet heeft Pa zich op de toren genesteld, op z'n vaste plek en zit S2 onderaan de mast op de betonnen rand.
Ik hoopte dus die derde valk te zien, helaas, die heb ik niet gezien. Voor siësta was het nog te vroeg, dus zal het wel uitbuiktijd zijn geweest. Ik ben tot 11.10 gebleven en de beide valken zijn nog geen centimeter gaan verzitten. Ze hebben hooguit een keer of 4 een keer naar me geroepen en dat was dus ook alles. Het zal me niet verbazen als ze er nu nog zo zitten. Ik kon aan de houding zoals ze daar zaten wel zien dat er ook geen enkele bedreiging in de buurt was.
Gelukkig hebben de kids weer eten gehad vanmorgen en het weer werkt ook vandaag weer goed mee. Als de temperaturen normaal waren geweest of zelfs daaronder, dan had het kroost denk ik, het niet zolang vol gehouden. Maar ik moet er wel bij zeggen dat de kids wel steeds meer voedsel nodig hebben, ik hoop ook echt dat Pa aan die vraag kan voldoen.
Om 10 over 11 ben ik dus gegaan, even nog prooi gekocht voor mijn eigen kroost en vanmiddag ga ik echt in de tuin werken hoor, is echt heel hard nodig, misschien dat ik vanavond dan nog wel even ga kijken.
Groetjes Dorine
Donderdag 26 april 9.00 uur,
Even een aanvulling op het verhaaltje hieronder, ik heb dus een echte "blackout" dag gehad gisteren. Zet ik 's middags onze pony al op de verkeerde wei, bij twee paarden. Vonden die paarden wel leuk alleen ik niet. Kon ik dat beest weer gaan vangen. Is gelukkig allemaal goed afgelopen. Heb ik gisteravond laat mijn verhaaltje geschreven, komt Piet met de opmerking over het ochtendvoeren. Dat was bij mij dus helemaal weg uit mijn geheugen, terwijl wij hier 's morgens er samen naar gekeken hebben. De kids hadden gisteren dus wel degelijk drie keer eten gehad.
Zojuist telefoon gehad van Lambert. Er zit een derde valk bij de toren. Wie dat wel mag zijn is compleet onduidelijk. Ga dadelijk even kijken ook al had ik andere plannen. Van andere dingen doen dan valken kijken komt de laatste dagen helaas weinig terecht.
Tot straks
Woensdag 25 april 23.15 uur,
Sorry, ben vandaag een beetje aan de late kant, ik heb op stal dus weer op dochterlief kunnen wachten. Op zich niet zo erg, ik heb vanavond bij de toren ook niet iets bijzonders gezien.
Vanmorgen had ik er toch een zwaar hoofd in, Pa kreeg maar weer geen kans om te voeren, wat hij ook weer probeerde. Tot zo rond de klok van tien uur. Eindelijk voeren, eindelijk een behoorlijke hoeveelheid voedsel dat bij de kids terecht kwam, eindelijk S2 die op het rooster bleef zitten, eindelijk dat ze bleef wachten tot de kids hadden gegeten, eindelijk. Wat was het ook hard nodig, je zag de kids zienderogen opknappen. Het stelde toch wat gerust, gelukkig maar, kon ik vandaag tenminste nog even wat anders doen dan valken kijken. Vanmiddag had ik andere verplichtingen en toen ik thuis kwam zag ik het spul maar uitgeput in de kast liggen. Het beetje hoop wat je vanmorgen nog gekregen had was weer als sneeuw voor de zon verdwenen. Ik hoopte dat Gerrit bij de toren was, dus wat doe je dan, die ga je bellen. Wist die ook al niet heel veel te zeggen, Pa was weggevlogen en S2 zat boven op de kast. Ja, dat laatste kan ik thuis ook zien. Verder alleen maar over andere dingen gehad, niets bijzonders dus. De moed en de hoop begon me toch weer echt in de schoenen te zakken.
Totdat Pa zo rond 17.45 uur weer met een prooi kwam aanzetten, en wat voor een. Pa hij had best nog wel wat groter gekund, hoor. Pa brak bijna zelf zijn nek toen ie met die handel de kast in kwam. Het voeren was puur genieten, er werd hier thuis zelfs bij gelachen. Wat was het soms komisch om te zien, hoe er met de prooi gestoeid werd. Jonge die geplet werden door de vleugels van de prooi, Pa die af en toe ook niet goed wist hoe hij zoiets moest hanteren en met gaan verzitten zelfs heel even helemaal de weg kwijt was. In plaats van op de vleugel van de prooi te gaan staan, stond ie dus bovenop zijn eigen jong, dat z'n best begon te spartelen om zichzelf uit deze benarde positie te bevrijden. S2 die gelukkig weer netjes op het rooster wachtte tot de kids hun buikje vol hadden. Tijdens dit voeren vergat je gewoon weer heel even alle ellende die zich de afgelopen dagen heeft afgespeeld en die, denk ik, nog niet ten einde is.
De kids zijn al behoorlijk mobiel, nu al aan de wandel in de kast. Ze hebben nu al het typische "karaktertrekje" van de familie Valk, verstoppertje spelen en ze kunnen het al alle drie. Bij het plaatsen van de webcams werd er nog goed naar gekeken hoe groot de hoek van de nestkast was die je niet kunt zien. Zoals we toen konden bekijken viel het wel mee en zag je toch het grootste gedeelte van de kast. En waar gaan de kids nu zitten, juist, precies in dat kleine hoekje.
Vanavond dus een uurtje bij de toren geweest. Het was er toen ik kwam niet druk maar dat veranderde snel. Verschillende, al dan niet bekende, vogelaars en Lambert. Op en rond de toren was niet heel veel te zien. Pa vertrok toen ik net was uitgestapt en S2 had weer plaatsgenomen om en nabij de buitencam. Op het gezelschap beneden na was het maar een saaie boel. Helaas dus weer niet gezien of S2 al weer zelf prooi aan het vangen is of dat ze dat nog steeds overlaat aan Pa. Gisteren is er dus door de vogelwerkgroep op de ringen gezocht of daar misschien Ma ergens zou liggen. Ze hebben ook het bosperceeltje dat grenst aan de toren doorzocht en ook hier niets gevonden. Het blijft dus nog steeds gissen wat het lot van Ma op dit moment is.
Na het eten van 17.45 hebben de kids dus niets meer gehad en zullen nu ook wel niets meer krijgen. Ik hoop dat morgenvroeg S2 niet weer meteen alle prooi afpakt en dat ze Pa gewoon zoals het hoort de kids laat voeren, het liefst een aantal keren per dag. Mijn gevoel zegt toch dat twee maaltijden voor deze jonge valken niet genoeg is om te groeien en gezond te blijven. We zullen af moeten wachten wat de dag van morgen ons zal brengen. Het mag van mij wel net zo zijn als vandaag en dan nog net ietsje meer. Maar dan wel weer met de kids in het zicht, want ik denk dat er heel wat mensen zich rot geschrokken zijn vanavond. Geintje van de kids.
Groetjes Dorine
Update dinsdag 24 april 20.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Zojuist krijg ik een mail van Peter van Geneijgen waarin hij me verteld waar het vreemde wijf vandaan komt.
S2 is in 2005 als nestjong geringd op een elektriciteitscentrale in Seraing, ten zuiden van Luik, België. Dit wijfje heeft de witte ring aan de linkerpoot, terwijl eigenlijk deze ring aan de rechterpoot hoort te zitten. Er worden dus wel meer foutjes gemaakt met ringen, maar als de ringen duidelijk zichtbaar zijn is het, ook al zitten ze verkeerd, niet moeilijk om die ringen met nummers te achterhalen.
Dit wijfje is dus nog jong. Zelf had ik hier de gedachte bij dat ze dan niet weet wat jonge valken zijn en die dus niet zal gaan voeren. Maar als een wijfje haar eerste jonge uitbroed is het ook de eerste keer dat ze moet voeren en dat doet ze dan ook, toch. Dus ervaring, lijkt mij zo, is niet echt van belang. Ik hoop toch echt dat het kwartje bij dit wijfje toch echt snel gaat vallen en dat ze niet elke keer dat voedsel afpakt.
Zojuist had ik Peter aan de lijn en hebben we samen gekeken hoe Pa aankwam met prooi en het wijfje op het rooster zat. Zoals ze daar zat te kijken vond Peter het er toch niet verkeerd uitzien. Hoe meer ze het natuurlijk ziet dat die jonge gevoerd worden hoe groter de kans dat ze mee gaat voeren, toch. Van kijken kun je veel leren, tenminste, zeg ik altijd tegen mijn kinderen.
Ik heb haar al de bijnaam "zoef de haas" gegeven omdat ze er elke keer zo vlug bij is, maar ik hoop wel dat ik haar vlug anders kan noemen. Zo heb ik vanmiddag Pa ook een muts genoemd, het wijfje was gaan vliegen en toch een heel eind weg, zo ver dat ik haar met kijker niet meer kon zien. Dan denk je toch dat Pa van de situatie gebruik maakt en de kids gaat voeren, nee hoor, meneer bleef doodleuk op zijn stekkie zitten. Ik heb toen even op hem gemopperd, hij trok er zich alleen niets van aan.
Het voeren zag er dus zojuist niet geweldig uit, ik hoop dat ze voor de nacht toch nog wat krijgen en dat Pa vannacht weer eens voor dekentje wil spelen. Slaapt toch een stuk rustiger, voor de kids, maar ook voor ons.
Groetjes Dorine
Dinsdag 24 april 16.00 uur,
Hallo vogelvrienden,
Vanmiddag toch maar even bij de toren geweest van 13.30 tot 14.45 uur. Ik heb daar gelukkig weer wat energie op kunnen doen. Tot rond elf uur vanmorgen had ik er een hard hoofd in. Ten eerste omdat Pa vannacht verstek had laten gaan in de kast en ten tweede omdat Pa dolgraag wilde voeren maar helaas de kans niet kreeg. Rond elf uur lukte het hem wel, ondanks dat het vreemde wijfje op het rooster zat. Pas bij de derde poging kon ze de prooi bemachtigen maar daar was toen niet veel meer van over. Pa heeft dacht ik toch zo'n twintig minuten zitten voeren. In de kroost kwam gelukkig weer wat meer leven als wat we de hele morgen hadden gezien.
Vanmiddag kom ik dus bij de toren aan en zie zo al iemand vliegen. Ik nestel me zoals gewoonlijk weer in de berm en het voelde alsof alle stress van me af viel. Het was zo rustig, zo stil, alleen de plaatselijke vogelbevolking liet zich horen. Ik heb heel veel vliegbewegingen gezien, rondom de toren en ver daarbuiten. Er werd door beide valken volop gevlogen en er was geen vijandigheid tegenover elkaar te bekennen. Ze gingen zelfs af en toe samen op een ring zitten, weliswaar met enige afstand, maar toch.
Maar als het vreemde wijfje te dichtbij kwam dan vloog Pa toch wel weg. Ik heb vaak gedacht als ik ze zo samen zag vliegen, als jullie nu ook eens samen dat kroost daar grootbrengen. Dan is iedereen opgelucht, kunnen deze drie valken straks gewoon uitvliegen en blijft alleen het verdriet van Ma over.
In die tijd heb ik nog wel wat bezoek gehad, mensen die toch even polshoogte kwamen nemen. Terwijl ik met die mensen een gesprek voerde, gebeurde er iets wat ik niet vlug zal vergeten. Was ik vorig jaar al blij dat ik het kopje van het reetje boven het gras uit zag komen en dat ik het überhaupt al zag, nu liepen op het veld achter de loop, 3 reetjes. Die kwamen uit dat bos, moesten even het veld over om naar het volgende bos te kunnen. En dit zie je dan zo overdag, geweldig.
Helaas hebben we ook weer gezien dat er weer vrij snel een prooi werd afgepakt, het enige minpuntje van vanmiddag.
Zit ik daar weer alleen, ook nog steeds te genieten van de familie nijlgans, die dus ook hun vlieguurtje hadden. Pa en het wijfje hebben nog even wat rond de toren gevlogen om weer op dat betonnen kolos neer te strijken. Pa op de hoge mast, op z'n stekkie dus en het wijfje kon ik niet zien. Ze hield zich echter niet lang schuil en besloot om toch maar even nog de vleugels eens goed te gaan strekken. We mogen dan een hekel aan haar hebben, vliegen kan ze, ik moet eerlijk zeggen, ik heb er toch van genoten. Ze vertrok in zuid-oostelijke richting, eerst een eindje weg de thermiek opzoeken en dan in spiraalvorm omhoog. Ik heb ze gevolgd tot ik ze niet meer zag. Inmiddels lamme armen, pijn in mijn nek en zere ogen van het gedeeltelijk tegen de zon inkijken.
Ik heb weer ruim een uur daar doorgebracht, de drukte op het forum viel in het niet bij de rust rondom de toren en het mooie wat ik daar vanmiddag weer gezien heb. Als het voeren maar doorgaat, dat is nu het belangrijkste, het warme dekentje van Ma is niet echt nodig, het is hier in het zuiden 25 graden, gelukkig koel je dan niet zo vlug af.
Groetjes Dorine
Update maandag 23 april 21.45 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Vanavond ben ik samen met Piet weer even (ruim anderhalf uur) bij de toren geweest, tot 21.15 uur. Wat we hebben gezien stemt ons helaas niet vrolijker. We hebben het vreemde wijf gezien op het rooster nadat het weer de prooi (gedeeltelijk heb ik begrepen van Daphne) had afgepakt. Terwijl dat wijf daar zat hebben we ook gezien dat Pa de kast uitgevlogen kwam en ergens op de toren is gaan zitten. Helaas op een plek die voor ons niet zichtbaar was. Het vreemde wijf koos de voet van de hoge mast uit en heeft daar gezeten totdat wij gingen en zit er nu waarschijnlijk nog.
Beste mensen, helaas ben ik somber, somber omdat dit wijf (nog) geen enkele aanstalten maakt om ook maar even naar de jonge om te kijken, laat staan de kids te gaan voeren. Ze is nog duidelijk op vrijersvoeten ofwel de hormoonspiegel staat nog behoorlijk in het rood.
Het was dus eigenlijk erg saai daar bij de toren, het leek wel het seizoen nadat de jonge vertrokken zijn. Dan zag je Pa en Ma ook zo zitten. Het voor roofvogels eigen, eten en uitbuiken tot je weer honger krijgt. Een voor mij bekende vogelaar kwam ook nog even langs en helaas die dacht er hetzelfde over als ik. Hij vond dit ook echt baltsend gedrag, hij kon zich nu ook niet voorstellen dat dat wijf nog voor de kids zou gaan zorgen. We hebben samen met Gerrit een tijdje daar gestaan en over de hele gang van zaken gediscussieerd.
Lambert stond op de zandpad foto's te maken, en is later naar het veld aan de achterkant gegaan.
Wij zijn ook nog even aan de wandel geweest, richting achterkant en toen via dat bos terug zodat we aan het begin van het zandpad uitkwamen. Lopend door het bos ga je automatisch zoeken, je hoopt duidelijkheid te vinden, maar die vind je dus niet. Het ongewisse wat we hebben over Ma maakt het ook zo moeilijk. Wisten we maar wat er met haar aan de hand is. Is ze vertrokken en leeft ze nog, een gedachte die ik eigenlijk niet echt geloof, de kids waren zo te zien alles voor Ma. Ze weigerde meerdere malen om van het nest te komen terwijl Pa die taak graag wilde overnemen. Is er iets met Ma gebeurd zodat ze deze taak niet meer kan uitoefenen, helaas, dat is dus waar ik bang voor ben.
Nu ik dit schrijf zijn de kids nog steeds alleen. Laten we eerlijk zijn, dit is niet goed, die kunnen de nacht niet zonder deken doorbrengen, ben ik bang voor. Zo is het toch ook triest gesteld met het eten wat ze binnenkrijgen, ik kan me tenminste niet voorstellen, dat wat ze nu krijgen genoeg is om goed door te groeien. Het moment, geloof dat het vroeg op de avond was, toen het wijf op het rooster de prooi opat die eigenlijk voor de kids bedoeld was. De jonge krijsten hun longetjes uit hun lijfje en dat wijf zat daar doodleuk te eten, het ging bij mij door merg en been, tranen liepen over mijn wangen. Denk dat dat bij velen ook wel zo zal zijn geweest, toch.
Het is puur natuur wat hier gebeurd, alleen worden we nu keihard met onze neus op de hardheid van de dierenwereld gedrukt. Het sprookje van Pa en Ma en de kids wordt op deze manier wel heel erg wreed verstoord, in onze ogen. Omdat we deze kids uit de eieren hebben zien worstelen, hun eerste hapjes eten hebben gezien en al verschillen konden ontdekken, daarom doet dit ons nu zoveel. We zijn met z'n allen gewoon van dat kroost gaan houden. Terwijl dit vast en zeker nog veel meer gebeurd, alleen weten we het dan niet en zien we het niet. Hoe luid het spreekwoord ook al weer: wat niet weet, wat niet deert. (of zo iets)
Mensen ik duim ervoor en meer dan dat. Pa, ga naar je kids en houd ze warm vannacht en probeer ze morgen toch maar weer te voeren.
Dorine
Maandag 23 april 13.00 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Na de nachtmerrie van gisteren en het wegblijven van Ma vannacht, zat er voor mij niets anders op als naar de toren te gaan. Ben er geweest van 9.35 tot 11.30 uur. Helaas heb ik niet gezien wat ik wilde zien en het maakt me niet vrolijk wat ik vandaag al gezien heb.
Ik ben dit nu aan het schrijven en heb het forum niet meer gelezen, heb na thuiskomst wat zitten bellen met Peter v.d. Braak.
Vanmorgen het voeren, door Pa onder toeziend oog van dat vreemde wijf ofwel S2. Het zag er in mijn ogen niet goed uit, zoals Pa daar zat te voeren, ik vond het er maar zielig uitzien, hij leek wel een slaafje. Dan het moment waarop het leek of misschien wel zo was, dat Pa een stukje eten aan S2 gaf. Ik heb mijn dochter van verbazing bijna van der stoel zien vallen. Hier keken 4 ogen me met zo'n grote verbazing aan, terwijl ikzelf ook al het gevoel had van: heb ik dit wel goed gezien. Mijn twee kids en ikzelf waren met stomheid geslagen, als ik er nu nog aan terugdenk, zie ik het beeld weer helemaal voor me.
Dus ging ik vanmorgen met lood in mijn schoenen naar de toren toe. Bij aankomst zie ik Pa op z'n stekkie, de hoge mast en pas even later zag ik het vreemde wijf zitten, op het puntje van de toren net achter de webcam. Dus net uit het zicht voor iedereen, gehaaid is ze, maar dat wisten we al wel, toch. Ik had me genesteld in de berm, scoopje bij de hand en het spul op de toren heeft daar 5 kwartier zo gezeten. S2 heeft zich een tijdje goed zitten poetsen, ofwel op zitten tutten voor Pa. Onderwijl nog telefoon gehad van Daniëlle (Eitje), was leuk om haar eens te spreken maar had dit veel liever onder andere omstandigheden gedaan. Ik heb ook nog geprobeerd een foto door mijn scoopje van dat mens te maken, moet nog kijken of die gelukt is.
Daar zit je dan in de berm, weinig beweging in de valken, het zonnetje scheen heerlijk en de andere vogels lieten zich uitbundig horen, alhoewel het leek alsof dat gezang vandaag wat droeviger gestemd was. Ik heb ook nog bezoek gehad van twee fietsende echtparen, die ook de valken wel eens bekeken op het net. Ik heb hun het verhaal verteld en die stonden met open mond te luisteren. Hun reactie: "Wat een drama". (Nu ik dit zit te schrijven lijkt het of het vreemde wijf voor de webcam zit, ze kijkt in de lens, ik steek mij tong tegen haar uit en weg is ze, rotwijf.)
Pa dus op de mast en S2 op de hoek. S2 besluit om Pa wat gezelschap te gaan geven en vliegt naar de mast. Pa vliegt onmiddellijk weg en maakt een aantal hele mooie zweefrondjes rond de toren en gaat niet op de mast zitten maar op de rode lamp die naast de mast staat. Het stel blijft weer een hele tijd zo zitten, totdat Pa in een snoekduik en als een kanonskogel naar het veld duikt. Boven de loop slaat ie een vogel die vervolgens neerstort. Pa maakt nog een draai boven het veld en gaat bij de loop zitten. Tegelijkertijd vliegen er allerlei vogels de lucht in en is het onder de vogelbevolking even hele grote paniek. Omdat de loop lager ligt als het veld kon ik Pa niet zien zitten. Manlief belt me op dat moment en ik besluit na een minuut of 5 toch maar te gaan kijken, moest wel eerst even mijn spulletjes opbergen. Loop ik, heel voorzichtig naar de plek waar Pa moest zitten, kom ik in de buurt zodat ik de loop kon zien, was Pa inmiddels vertrokken. Ik zal hem dus wel gemist hebben toen ik mijn spulletjes aan het opruimen was. Heb dus wel nog wat rondgekeken daar maar kon verder ook niets zien. Daar was in ieder geval geen prooi geplukt, ik denk dat de aanval mislukt was en die vogel toch kans heeft gezien om weg te komen. Kijk ik naar de toren zie ik Pa weer op z'n stekkie zitten en was het vreemde wijf weg, tenminste dat dacht ik toen. Heb nog wat rondgelopen langs de loop en heb Daniëlle nog gebeld. Terwijl ik daarmee aan het bellen was kijk in met mijn kijker nog een keer naar de mast zie ik S2 zitten. Bijna niet te zien. Onderaan de mast hangt wat te veel draad die bij elkaar gebonden is en daar zat mevrouw, bijna uit het zicht, helaas dus niet voor mij.
Lieve mensen, wat had ik vandaag graag drie valken gezien, ik had er veel voor over gehad, maar het was niet zo. Ik heb daar vanmorgen gezeten en gewandeld met mijn ziel onder mijn armen. Wie dit had voorspeld aan het begin van het seizoen, die hadden we voor compleet gestoord verklaard en voor eeuwig opgesloten. Ikzelf kan het eigenlijk ook nog niet geloven, ook al heb ik gisteren en vandaag de werkelijkheid met eigen ogen gezien, het wil maar niet vallen.
Dit is wat ik vanmorgen heb gezien, het gebeuren van gisteren ga ik ook nog hier neer zetten, anders is het niet compleet.
Weet niet wanneer, maar wel vandaag of morgen nog. Ik denk dat ik maar eens in de tuin wat ga doen, er staan nog een heleboel plantje en bloemen die de grond in moeten. Even wat andere gedachten, tenminste even wat anders doen want denken zal ik toch wel aan de valken.
Groetjes Dorine
Zaterdag 21 april 17.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Wat een dag gisteren, je zou bijna geloven dat het de dertiende was. Was er 's middags al enige paniek omdat de jonkies het zolang zonder een verendekbed moesten stellen, de avond was nog spannender, hoe krijg je het verzonnen, toch. En wat was ze groot, volgens mij toch een stuk groter dan ons eigen Ma. Ik was wel heel blij dat ze de jonkies links liet liggen, letterlijk en figuurlijk. Ze was overduidelijk op vrijersvoeten, nu maar hopen dat Pa wat dat betreft stevig in zijn schoenen staat. Misschien is het wel helemaal zijn type niet. Trouwens wel petje af voor Pa hoor, op een slinkse wijze wist ie haar toch uit de kast te lokken en gelukkig trapte ze erin. Op zich is het, als je het puur wetenschappelijk bekijkt, wel heel erg interessant, nou ik ben niet zo wetenschappelijk ingesteld, dus laat maar.
Na alle ellende van gisteren, op duifje plukken na dan, ben ik vanmiddag maar even bij de toren geweest, van 15.00 - 16.30 uur. Ik had gezegd dat het voor mij wel een saaie middag mocht worden, maar zo saai hoeft nu ook weer niet. Met dat saai bedoelde ik de derde valk en niet Pa of Ma. Ik was in gezelschap van Gerrit. Ik was dus lekker in de berm gaan zitten, nou daar kwam ik dus vlug van terug, het krioelde van de mieren. We hebben dus geen valk gezien, samen helemaal geen. Gerrit heeft voordat ik er was wel even wat activiteit gezien op het rooster. Maar even een bedankje voor onze belangstelling had ik toch wel op prijs gesteld familie Valk. Maar goed beter geen valk dan één te veel, denk ik dan maar.
De kroost groeit goed, zo te zien, als kool. Met 3 weken worden ze geringd en dan zijn het toch al hele vogeltjes hoor.
Ik denk zelf dat de kroost uit 2 meiden en één jongen bestaat. Waarom, omdat er eentje is die een beetje het onderspit delft en ook iets kleiner is. Nou zijn meiden over het algemeen toch wat dominanter en bij de slechtvalk ook een stuk groter als het mannetje. Daarom dus ook een kleiner kuiken erbij en die is niet kleiner omdat ie weinig eten krijgt, maar gewoon omdat het een mannetje is.
We zullen af moeten wachten hoe het verder gaat met het opdringerige gedrag van het vreemd wijfje. Laten we hopen dat haar hormonenspiegel sterk gaat dalen en dat ze op veilige afstand van de toren blijft. De bezoekjes aan de toren en het kijken naar de webcams moet tenslotte wel leuk blijven, een ontspannende hobby, en geen angstaanjagende thriller, toch.
Groetjes Dorine
Vrijdag 20 april 18.00 uur,
Zoals jullie weten ben ik dus straks spoorslags naar de toren gegaan. Ik wilde toch wel eens weten wat daar aan de hand was. Bij aankomst heerste er een serene rust, uitgezonderd de plaatselijke vogeltjes, de haan en de pauwen.
Maar direct naar boven gekeken en kon niemand van de familie ontdekken. Ben naar het veld achter de loop gegaan, op dit veld kun je met wat loopwerk de voorkant, zijkant en achterkant zien. Hier ook niemand te ontdekken. Dan maar naar het veld aan de achterkant, daar is namelijk de andere zijkant ook redelijk zichtbaar, zodat je de hele toren hebt gehad. Vanaf hier ook geen valk te zien.
Nu waren mijn kids niet thuis en kon ik ook niemand raadplegen om even op de cams te kijken en ik wist dus niet of er inmiddels al iemand de piepende kroost aan het warmhouden was. Ik ben verder doorgelopen, een stuk door het bos gestruind om op de zandweg uit te komen, vanaf hier wederom geen valk gezien. Over het zandpad maar weer terug naar de auto. Nog even bij het houten hek naar boven gekeken en wat zie ik daar, twee valken in de lucht die heerlijk aan het zweven waren. Het was denk ik zo 16.45 uur.
Ik heb die twee gevolgd totdat ze in een snoekduik naar beneden vlogen en achter de bomen uit het zicht verdwenen. Dit was in zuidwestelijke richting en ze waren al een heel eind weg. Terwijl ik die twee heb gevolgd, inmiddels was ik over het hek geklommen en op het veld, is er ook nog een buizerd langs geweest, die door die twee met rust gelaten werd. Dit tweetal was in mijn ogen, ik ben er bijna zeker van, een mannetje en een wijfje. Zo te zien konden ze het goed met elkaar vinden, ik zag hier hetzelfde gedrag als wat ik zie als de jonge kunnen vliegen en wat ze dan doen met Pa of Ma. Lekker zweven en regelmatig naar elkaar toevliegen, alleen deze twee raakten elkaar niet aan. Ik vond het speels gedrag.
Natuurlijk heb ik nog even gewacht maar er kwam niemand terug en in en op de toren was ook niets te zien. Ik ben naar huis gegaan via de rondje toren weg, ik wilde nog aan de achterkant stoppen. Heb ik gedaan en daar nog in de lucht rondgekeken en zag weer niets. Toen ik de toren wilde bekijken zag ik een valk in de buurt van de kast even boven de toren uitkomen. Het was maar heel even en ik had toen eindelijk rust, ik wist toen pas dat er weer iemand aanwezig was, Pa of Ma, dat was op die afstand niet te zien, helaas. Dit was rond de klok van 5 uur, enige speelruimte want het klokje in de auto is niet te vertrouwen en ik had dus geen horloge om.
Thuisgekomen begreep ik dat Pa inmiddels al lange tijd weer op de kroost lag en dat Ma zich ook weer heeft gemeld. Maar wat ik nu gezien heb weet ik dus niet. Wie waren die twee valken in de lucht. In eerste instantie dacht ik aan Pa en Ma, maar die vliegen nu niet samen rond, tenminste niet op die manier zoals ik het gezien heb. Inmiddels weet ik dus ook dat het niet Pa was. Maar ik had toch duidelijk verschil gezien. We hebben hier thuis ook nog even gedacht en wat natuurlijk ook nog zou kunnen, het vreemde wijf met een het jong van vorig jaar dat zo lang is blijven hangen en dat was een mannetje.
Lieve mensen, ik weet het dus eigenlijk niet, wat ik wel weet is dat ik weer geen vijandig gedrag heb gezien, absoluut niet, eerder vriendschappelijk gedrag, zoals Pa en Ma dat met hun kids zo lekker kunnen doen, wanneer de kids eenmaal aan het vliegen zijn.
Helaas van mijn kant dus ook geen duidelijkheid.
Groetjes Dorine
Donderdag 19 april, 23.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Vandaag ben ik niet bij de toren geweest, er moest in de nestkast hier thuis eens wat opgeruimd en gepoetst worden. Mijn knie laat het nog niet echt toe, maar daar moet ie dan maar tegen kunnen. Dus ook niet heel veel naar de cams gekeken, maar als ik er was, was ik er wel op het goede moment.
Vanmorgen de prachtige prooioverdracht recht voor de buitencam, schitterend. Alleen vergeet ik op zulke mooie momenten om dit op te nemen of screenshots van te maken. Daar denk ik dan dus helemaal niet aan. Maar goed ook, ik weet toch niet precies hoe dat werkt en daar hebben we op het forum weer andere knappe koppen voor, toch.
Vanmiddag heb ik ook wel even zitten grinniken hoor, het spul had weer een lekker maaltje achter de kiezen gewerkt en Ma ging even de afwas doen. Ligt het spul daar zo'n beetje uitgeteld te zijn, krijgt er eentje een beetje een vol gevoel. Dan maar even wat van achteren loslaten, nou, ik vond het voor zo'n ukkepuk een hele straal. En poepen steekt aan, al snel volgde nummer twee. En waarom grinnik ik dan, als ik op stal ben en zoon of dochter zijn aan het paardrijden, met meerdere ruiters in de bak, dan gebeurd hetzelfde. Eén paard die het nodig vindt om te mesten, dan weet je zeker dat er nog minimaal één volgt, maar meestal meerdere. Het schijnt dus echt aanstekelijk te zijn.
Dinsdag heb ik op het forum gepost dat de kids nu al een hobby hebben: sumo-worstelen, ik moet zeggen ik vind ze al steeds beter worden, oefening baart kunst, is bij de valkjes duidelijk te zien. Nou moet ik er wel bijzeggen, dat er ook de hele dag door flink geoefend word, dan mag je enige vooruitgang ook wel verwachten, toch.
Wat de indringster betreft, dit zou ook een valk kunnen zijn die in de buurt een territorium aan het opbouwen is, en zodoende regelmatig in de buurt van de toren terechtkomt. Hier wordt ze dus weggejaagd en wat ik ervan gezien heb ook niet meer dan dat. Dus een echte indringster in het territorium van Pa en Ma zal ze dus wel niet zijn. Waarschijnlijk gewoon een nieuwe buurvrouw die de weg nog niet zo goed kent.
Misschien dat ik morgen nog even bij Pa en Ma op de koffie ga, ligt eraan, wil morgen ook weer eens een keertje in de tuin wat doen, moet het alleen niet zo hard en koud waaien als vandaag. En dat ik morgen weer mijn tijd niet ga zitten te "verwachten" in het ziekenhuis. Ik weet niet of die zin zo klopt, maar jullie snappen hem denk ik toch wel.
Jullie hebben vast wel mijn zin, hierboven dit stukje, gelezen over het donateurschap van de werkgroep slechtvalken. En is er ook al iemand donateur geworden? Binnenkort worden de kids geringd, jullie willen toch zeker niet dat dan juist het geldpotje leeg is om voor onze kroost ringen te kopen, of wel.
Groetjes Dorine
Woensdag 18 april 20.30 uur,
Hallo Vogelvrienden,
Het was vanmiddag voor mij een geweldige middag, ik heb veel gezien en heel veel gelachen en twee hele lieve mensen ontmoet.
Liesbeth en Theo van het Planetforum. Met Liesbeth mail ik wel eens en daarin vertelde ze me dat ze een keer met Theo wilde komen. Op een woensdagmiddag. Vond ik prima en heel erg leuk. Kom ik er gisteravond pas achter dat ze deze woensdag bedoelde. Dus vanmiddag met de kijker, scoopje en thermoskan koffie naar de toren toe. Er was nog niemand maar na 5 minuutjes kwam het stel aan. Toen ze uitstapten en me de hand schudde had ik al meteen het gevoel dat het een hele leuke middag zou gaan worden. Dat is ook uitgekomen en we zijn maar liefst tot na half 6 gebleven. Gerrit, die van mij wist van hun komst, had ook nog even wat tijd vrij kunnen maken om te komen.
Wat doe je op zo'n middag, vertellen over de valken, over mij, over hun en over allerlei andere dingen, als het maar met de valken te maken heeft. Nu was ik toch wel bang dat we weinig valk te zien zouden krijgen, maar daarin had ik me dus lelijk vergist. Ik heb vanmiddag voor de eerste keer de vreemde valk live en met eigen ogen kunnen zien. Met 100% zekerheid een wijfje. We hebben tot tweemaal toe gezien hoe dit mens verjaagd werd, eentje kan ik me heel erg helder voor de geest halen, alleen weet ik niet welke keer het was. Helaas weet ik daar zo ook geen tijd van. Alleen dat ik het nu zeker weet en dat is eigenlijk het belangrijkste, tenminste wel voor mij.
Wij staan op de weg en zien voor ons aan de achterkant twee valken aankomen. Vrij snel kon ik zien dat het Pa en Ma waren, tenminste dat dacht ik toen nog. Ze vliegen richting waar wij staan, met een grote boog voor de nestkast door. Wat mij toen wel verbaasde was, dat ik Ma niet uit de kast had zien komen, maar we waren ook af en toe gezellig aan het babbelen en dan kijk je niet naar de kast. Terwijl die twee voorbij de kast vlogen zag ik ineens Ma als een gek uit die kast komen vliegen en ze ging toen dus achter dat vreemde wijf aan. Nu wist ik wie wie was in de lucht en dat de derde valk dus inderdaad een wijfje is. Die twee vlogen richting het zuiden. Ik heb heel even weer naar de toren gekeken om te zien waar Pa was gebleven, die ontdekte ik snel op de hoge mast. We hebben toen Ma en indringster gevolgd. Ma vloog wel regelmatig naar haar toe, maar het leek echt niet op een gevecht. Het zag er best wel rustig uit. Op de manier van: "wegwezen jij en wel nu"! Ik verwacht ook niet dat Ma een echt gevecht met dat wijf zal aangaan nu ze in die kast drie jonkies heeft. Het vreemde wijf verdween en Ma keerde weer terug.
We hebben nog een keer drie valken in de lucht gezien en menigmaal Pa, Ma ofwel die indringster. Dat kon ik dus niet zien vanaf de grond. Ik vond het toch wel bijzonder, zeker omdat Peter me laatst schreef dat er geen gevallen bekend waren van een indringer bij een nest jonge valken. Nou, bij deze het eerste bewijs. Het eerste wat ik dus deed nadat ik gegeten had was Peter een mailtje sturen, ben benieuwd naar zijn reactie. (laat ik jullie wel weten hoor).
Ik denk dat dat vreemde mens de hele middag heeft rondgestruind, want er was voor mij abnormaal veel vliegverkeer rondom de toren. Ik had nog even de gedachte dat het kwam door het bezoek van Liesbeth en Theo, niet dus.
Zoals ik al