Quote by: BET

Quote by: lovethebabies

I keep losing the cam

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Darlene - shut your computer down and start over. It's the only way I have been able to resolve that "lost the cam" problem. Of course that down time is when the Action occurs. But - it's better to lose a bit than the continual freezing of the cam.

Thanks Bet, it seems to have worked!

8:24 pm
I have a feeling the chick with the fish will be spending the night on the nest. He's never going to finish that thing before dark.

The chick from the 7:00 corner flew off.

8:25 pm
The adult and chick with the fish begin chittering at something.


I have a few theories, but it could be way off base.

Theory #1 -- With Dad gone this nest is a target for unwelcome visitors. Mom will occasionally chase them off but she also can't afford to expend extra energy or risk injury when she is the only caregiver. So it may be easier for her to just let them visit.

Theory #2 --- Is this one of Mom's two year old chicks returned to the nest ??

Theory #3 -- Is this the original female from this nest that Mom drove off two years ago ?

and #4 --- it flew off at 8:33 pm and I never got to see the breast markings

8:30pm.............Just finished reading all your posts..........you guys are like Sherlock Holmes looking for clues! Well done! Great skills of observation and good reasoning is evident! What a wild day with many changing characters and still we don't know for sure who is who. Do we have a possible step dad for our chicks? Do we have a possible step brother/sister for them? It will be very interesting to watch the coming events as the next few days unfold. That adult does not seem to look like Mom.

2 chicks in nest.........1 on the left is standing guard on his fish........2nd one is eating and the adult's head is motioning as if eating but can't see what is in front of it.





:hello:Judy........very interesting ideas......you have clearly put a lot of thought into this.

8:35 pm
The chick from the 1:00 corner wanders about the nest with a fish tail and leaves part of another fish tail sitting in the open.
The chick at 10:00 corner continues working on his fish.

8:37 pm
The one chick is still at 10:00 eating and the other has now moved to the 4:00 corner to eat.


I would love to stay here and watch until dark but I got home very late from work and visiting my Mom and I haven't eaten or showered since I walked in the door ----- so I am going to have to say and thank you all for the most interesting details of events today. I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings.

8:38pm...........There sure is no shortage of fish for them to eat. The one on the left is eating. The one that was on the top right has now moved over to where the adult was perched.............and it too seems to be eating. And there is still a small fish in the top right part of this nest.........So the good news, after today's happenings,,,,,,,,,,,,,is that these chicks are getting lots of food which is what we were all concerned about!

Here are the markings of the female on the nest this evening

Head markings


Tail feathers

I think the visible barred tail feather has been "misplaced" the center tail feather is dark and the barred feather seems to have gotten caught over the top of the center feather


No chest view available.

I

8:46pm............The chick at the top of the nest is doing lots of wing stretches and the other one is joining in too.............







BET, that is interesting. Maybe this was Mom...........I don't know. It certainly is possible for wing feathers to be changed in the way they overlap each other and that may be what has happened here.

8:51pm..........Oh my goodness! They are still going at it! I guess this is really important for keeping their wings strong.........good exercise!