May 30, 2012

"The first of the three eyasses (chicks) to fledge took off this morning (May 30, 2012) at 6:59 a.m."

Here at the University of Wisconsin—Madison:



Thanks to kcom in the comments over here for pointing to that video. We — especially Meade — have been watching the hawkcam a lot, and we were checking it out at 7:30 a.m. We've seen them almost take off a few times, but the helicopter-like total liftoff in that video is truly cool. We'd have loved to witness that live.

33 comments:

Big Mike said...

We'd have loved to witness that live.

You're writing what a lot of us who've been periodically checking out the Hawk Cam are thinking.

Bravo to the University of Wisconsin for putting up the camera and making the feed available to all of us.

traditionalguy said...

That's sad. Will he write or phone home on Mother's day?

The squirrels are not happy at this news.

pm317 said...

Yay! I sent an email to Meade about this this morning. Thanks to kcom for the video. I gasp everytime I see it taking off. The one who fledged was polishing off a whole pigeon by itself yesterday and the mom was feeding her more. The other two were just looking on. I saw it flex its wings and thought it might be ready. In this video the second one seems almost ready but it is still in the nest and the third one seems to not let this one go -- they have been huddling together all morning.

I have been watching this off and on and can't help notice how polite the babies are to each other.

bagoh20 said...

It looks like he was not quite expecting it. He opened up his wings just as a sudden gust of wind hit in the right direction and instantly was lifted off the nest and then just went with it. A common method of good fortune in life. Create opportunity for yourself and then be ready to go with it. Or, maybe he just crashed to his death.

pm317 said...

I witnessed a live fledge last year with the NYC hawk cam. It happens in a split second nothing registers. There is no slow motion for us to linger on.

This year, both babies are already gone. Their view of the nest was not as clear as this one.

pm317 said...

bagoh20 said...
---------
He is sitting on a building (as kcom noted). The parents are always watching and hunt food for them still.

edutcher said...

Just so long as he stays on his side of Lake Michigan.

Patrick said...

Hooray! I reckon the little beggars are just about all growed up now.

The Drill SGT said...

I would not have said helicopter.

more STOL (short take off & landing)

turns into the wind, and makes a liftoff with very little runway

lemondog said...

Mom and Dad still have to direct and oversee development of hunting skills.


SSEC News

pm317 said...

Speaking of birds, I went in the attic just now to check on my a/c and found a dead bird and am all spooked about it. Want to rinse and clean all over.

lemondog said...

Youtube poster indicates fledgling is perch on Geoscience building roof behind camera.

Before the news I'm guilty of accusing the two of sabotaging the loner.

MadisonMan said...

It's almost sitting right on top of the camera.

Dave D said...

What happened to the third chick?

pm317 said...

OK, looks like the second one is ready. I see it eating a bird right now by itself.. The 'loner' is standing there cleaning itself..

lemondog said...

It's almost sitting right on top of the camera.

Sure, smart guy, it's easy to go up, now lets see you get down!

mariner said...

I'm glad that's what it was.

I checked the hawkcam today for the first time in two or three days and only saw two birds.

bagoh20 said...

It's just freaking amazing that you take what popped out of those eggs a few weeks ago, feed it rabbit and squirrel and it becomes a thinking, flying, self-sustaining creature in such a short time. A miracle.

pm317 said...

bagoh20 said...
---------------

You have not done so badly for yourself! :)

The Drill SGT said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Drill SGT said...

lemondog said...
It's almost sitting right on top of the camera.

Sure, smart guy, it's easy to go up, now lets see you get down!


Funny, I had almost the opposite thought.

In flying like in tactics, the high ground is everything. The most common (now I'm pulling facts out of my rear) cause of juvenile avian deaths is premature nestulation. e.g. jumping out too soon and fluttering to the ground to be lunch for some cat. I was pleased to hear that the hawklet had the sense to park uphill of the nest, an easy glide down, even if he did crash into sublings on landings (thinks of some of those old WWII films of injured wildcats cartwheeling upon carrier landings :)

Steve Austin said...

For me the brilliance of that video are the "expressions" of the other two birds as their sibling goes airborne.

You can almost imaging the other two says "WTF did he just do?!?!"

pm317 said...

Well, the second one is feeding on something all by itself. so I guess it is ready..

Steve Austin, yeah! They have the same look when their mother swoops in and out of the nest.

lemondog said...

Picture of Hawk sitting on Hawkcam

Patrick said...

First one just came back! The second looks like he's about ready.

bagoh20 said...

What's up with that camera mount setup. I'm sure it has some logical explanation, but is this the Rube Goldberg building?

rhhardin said...

Someday they'll find the protein that makes baby birds back up and poop off the side of the nest.

pm317 said...

Well, I just saw two guys wave to the cam and then draw 'HI MOM!' on the ground in the parking lot in view.

The two little ones keep looking up. The fledged guy is still sitting on the building?

lemondog said...

There is a big "Hi Mom" in the parking lot.

Do fledglings write?

lemondog said...

Well, I just saw two guys wave to the cam and then draw 'HI MOM!' on the ground ...

I guess that quashes my fledgling notion.

pm317 said...

lemondog, people may think you and I don't have anything better to do, :). It is fascinating for me to watch them.

I think the second one is itching to go but something is holding her back.

lemondog said...

The second one is sure bulking up.

When it leaves, tomorrow?, maybe the loner can get an undisturbed meal.

lemondog said...

3rd hawk back, all puffed up on being first out.