Orange NSW Australië 2012/2013

Snow had been found alive and well and after some measurements were taken, has been placed in a tree in an obvious spot near the nest.

Scott will put up some photos soon, but for those interested here are the measurements:

Wing 264 mm
Tail 130.2 mm
Weight 570 g\

As this is approx 80% of adult male wing and tail length, it confirms Snow as a male.

Snow has departed

Posted on 05-11-2012

We’re pawing over some very average, (very low light) archive footage from this morning, but it seems that Snow has left us in a squawking, anxious moment, at 5.43am, hanging on to Swift, before taking off out the window. We’ve done a brief recce around the grounds and in the trees first thing this morning, but to no avail yet. The poor quality image from the very old ledge camera didn’t give us a very good indication as to exactly which direction Snow headed, but we’ve got campus staff, including the gardening crew, on the look-out for the first sighting. If Snow is anything like Solo 2 seasons ago we may not find the brat for a few days yet, but long as we get a sighting shortly to know Snow is safe we’ll all be happy. Will also try to obtain handheld video footage soon as possible too……..

Feisty but free – Snow has fledged!

Posted on 05-11-2012

With calls out to campus staff early this morning to keep an eye out for a loose young peregrine Snow was finally located in a very precarious spot in the campus top carpark by maintenance staffer, Betty-Anne, so was retrieved by Cilla and brought back to the office for weighing and measuring. Car drivers would not be expecting a bird of that nature to be strutting around the car park so it was elected to remove Snow to a safer location. Snow will be considered a male as all measurements fit (more info from Cilla shortly). Snow proved to be quite fiesty and indeed without gloves Cilla would’ve received large pinholes from claw marks, and narrowly missed losing parts of her hand as Snow spun round for a bite, but all’s well, no harm done, and Snow was returned to the same tree as 2 of the 3 young ones from last year’s brood, looking a little alarmed but happier in his own space. Swift has spent all day resting up in the Concrete Hilton and doesn’t yet seem interested in joining Snow outside in the trees just yet.
New photos of Snow in the big wide colourful world can be found over in the photo gallery to the right, and further video clips will be uploaded tonight….

Anca schreef:Foto's staan ook in mijn bericht, Coriena ;-)

Snow has found the roost tree

Posted on 06-11-2012

After disappearing yesterday afternoon and causing a certain amount of anxiety, all is now well. Scott and I found Snow at the top of the usual dead pine roost/feed tree about 50-60 m away from the tree where we left him, in the tiny patch of bush opposite the nest. It’s a tall tree, so he must have flown well to get up there.
Mum was sitting quietly in the box, but Dad was patrolling and chattering a warning call, so we didn’t go close.
I did take a photo, but it’s probably not web quality – too far away and backlit, but will have a look tonight.
Orange is expecting some harsh weather in the next few days, so that will be a further test. These babies are so spoilt as they have been under cover all their lives.
Cilla (relieved)….back to the stats.

Snow in action
Posted on 08-11-2012

With Snow now safely out in the trees being constantly monitored by both Swift and Beau we’ve uploaded a couple more videos of this season’s “poster boy” before life changes too much and Snow drifts away from us as the months go past.

The video clips – Beau arrives with food but Snow takes over on the ledge, a last supper together for Snow and Swift, another of Snow in one of those scary moments on the ledge, and the rather rushed and panicky moment when Swift and Snow drag themselves out over the threshold (there’s grainy ledge cam vision too which we’ll upload shortly).