Incubation is in full effect!

Observations

We have just started our second week of observations. Last week was essentially 'practice' where we tested out data sheets and tried to find the perfect location to post up with the fieldscope so we did not alarm the birds. The female Broadwings are on eggs and spending the majority of the time incubating. Check out a few pictures taken on Friday, May 30th, 2014,  of what we presume to be the female from the Shartlesville nest.

 Notes from the Field:
  5/30/14- Shartlesville, PA- Observer: R. McCabe

  Cloudy, 55°F    Start time- 7:15     End time- 13:03 

      7:23- Male BW flies in South of the nest with prey in talons and perches on branch of neighboring tree (prey looks like small mammal- difficult to see from this angle). He calls to the female periodically as smaller birds attempt to mob. The female BW who is on the nest looks very alert but does not move or call back to the male. Male BW flies off with prey in talons at 7:28.

Looking down at the eggs

A view from the office :)

The female with a white patch on her throat

Staying Alert

Cameras

Ahhh the cameras... they have become quite the headache these past two months. We are intending to place cameras on two nest sites so we can get more extensive data on prey and behaviors. Cameras will be installed once young hatch.  But, there is always some sort of issue, whether it is the DVR, the monitor, specific adapters and cables that we need to buy. It is a good thing we have had some time to test out the equipment before putting it out in the field! We are currently working on the last piece to the puzzle, and hopefully by next week the eggs will have hatched and we can start the camera installations.

The Camera Set Up

Checking out the footage from our camera test conducted on the captive Black Vulture.

Tramsmitters

The units are in! David Barber, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Research Biologist, let the 9.5 gram solar platform transmitter terminal (PTT) soak up some sun this weekend. Dr. Laurie Goodrich and I were excited for their arrival and had to go check them out!

9.5 gram PTT Transmitter up close

Dr. Laurie Goodrich examining the satellite telemetry units