FEEL FREE TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS BELOW OR IN GREATER DETAIL AT THE RAPTORX FORUM FOR BLACK VULTURES 2016. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN REAL-TIME VULTURE NEST CHAT
If you lose live video (which may occur during camera changes), click on the “play” arrow or refresh your screen by clicking on the circular arrow to the right of the URL line.
The Tri-State VultureCam is up and running for 2017. From the 2010 to the 2013 breeding seasons, 6 chicks hatched and another 3 orphans from other locations fledged for a total of 9 fledglings from this nest site. The nest site was not used by vultures during the 2014 and 2015 breeding seasons, and the adult male, tagged #17 in 2013, has not returned. However, an untagged pair took up residence in late February 2016 resulting in two successful fledgings. An untagged pair took up residence again in early February 2017.
One of our long-term research objectives is to determine whether the same pair tends to occupy the shed year after year or if occupancy changes, possibly resulting from some form of competition or due to disturbing the nest site by tagging adults and/or chicks. Another objective of this multi-generational study is to observe ongoing working relationships between family members from year to year.
As in previous years, we are recording selected video and audio from several cameras, 24/7 for research purposes. However, our computer only streams video to this website from one camera at a time. We try to display the most interesting vulture behavior at any given moment. Sometimes the screen goes black after switching cameras. If this happens, you may be able restore the video by refreshing the webpage (by clicking on the circular arrow near the top center of the webpage for Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers). Known technical difficulties preventing viewing will be reported at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bkvu-test-3. Real-time chat regarding nesting activities is also available at this site. Day-to-day narrative and photos of nesting activity is available at RaptorX Forum for vultures, owls, and eagles
Viewing nesting behavior over the Internet, rather than observing the birds directly, avoids activity near the nest that could lead the adults to abandon it. PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO LOCATE THE NEST SITE OR APPROACH IT AS DOING SO COULD RESULT IN DEATH OF THE CHICKS AND THE END OF THIS RESEARCH.
Comments from viewers relating to observations of vulture behavior or suggestions for research are most welcome.
Thanks, Lynn. The text was in error and has been corrected.
Good Morning Lynn and All. Lynn, if you go back to my original observation of the arrival of the second egg and Bob’s subsequent confirmation, you will see the correct date and time. See Older Comments for March 6. I don’t know how the above information is generated or why there is a discrepancy. Carol
Good morning,
A beautiful Monday on the nest. The reason I questioned the arriving of the eggs is (above) they both still say P.M. Interesting that she laid one in early evening and I only arrived the next day!
Observations, additions, corrections, and questions are VERY welcome.
The first egg was laid sometime around 7:00 PM (definitely between 5:00 PM and 8:30 PM) on 3/3/13. On 3/6/13, Carol watched the female’s restless activity shortly before the second egg was visible and correctly anticipated egg-laying, which she confirmed at 8:34 AM.
May I please question the time of the second egg. It was Mar 6 in the a.m. not p.m??? I missed the first egg, but is 7 p.m. correct?
First egg is two weeks old today! Nice to see parent sleeping sound on nest… well a nice silhouette.
Great to have camera back. Thanks, Greg, for time and effort that go into a delicate operation during incubation.
THANKS GREG! Nice to have cam again.
Sorry about the hiatus. Lost power to the shed. Greg just fixed it, taking time and care not to unduly disturb the prospective parents. THANKS GREG!
Ditto, Lynn and Carla. Oh, no!
Went off air yesterday early afternoon. This is my first chance to check in since then. High hopes all is good again, soon.
Oh no! off the air? and there still seem to be two of us watching. I live in Odessa with many of these fine feathered friends always in evidence – so I can see vultures live pretty much anytime – – I want the interior shots….now!
Merry Maids, here I am. Leave for a couple minutes and miss the eggs. I should take the day off and just watch.
Those blinking eyelids… nictitating or however you spell it, I smile.
Carol, like minds. I’ve been doing the same thing!
Using photos from after egg #2 on the 6th. Since it is obvious that one is the female.
Good timing catching the changing of the guard. I have been perched here far too long and missed it but noticed the face is changed.
I too watched the MTV, cam is back online now, so I have split screen with the two vulture cams. Last summer started feeding them in our yard and it’s been an amazing experience.
I am adding the link to my Birding Photos. Mainly Vultures. TV and BV from New Castle County, DE. If you click View All, it has all the albums. Enjoy!
https://plus.google.com/104960470265656221386/photos
Lynn Seagull google or igoogle works also. I am learning slowly.
Changing of the guard around 12:35 PM
Great views of wing patterns on the parent on duty around 11:15 A.M. Now, Lynn, if the other parent would just be so kind as to pose in exactly the same position, with this great camera work, we might have a start in eventually distinguishing between male and female. This was very helpful for me in telling the differences between the Missouri TVs.
I’ll have to go back to my screen shots of March 6 when I saw the second egg immediately after it was laid. Just hope I did actually do some screen shots. I was pretty excited that morning.
Clear view, there is a spider on the wall, these should be awesome close ups of BV
Bob, it’s nice to see more interest this season in such fascinating birds. Be assured OCD is a widespread disease among birders in general, witness the RRP Forum. Lots and lots of bird obsessives. I’ve been one for most of my life.
Very pleased to hear about a possible upgrade of camera for night viewing.
I am calling it a night though, again… had to take one more peak.
The website counter indicates there are eight users currently watching the vultures. I’m glad I’m not the only obsessive/compulsive watching the dark blob on the shed floor. We are looking at options for increasing the night vision capability of the camera so we can see the dark blob better.
Lovely quiet day at nest today. Came to see cam view being adjusted, as evening approaches the view is sharp and fading. Good night.
Hi again, Does anyone have opinions as to which is which? I think the male has more sheen and a lighter area on the beak. I am basing this on the differences between the two I’ve seen on the nest. Saw egg #2 and realized that one is female. So far, I believe I’ve been watching two adults on the eggs. The female seems similar in size but the feathers aren’t as glossy. Since this morning, there has been a changing of the guard. It is now 11:00 EDT Thursday. Mar 14.
Carol, On 3.6.13 I did see parents switch, it was about 9:30 a.m EST. I made a note it was the first time the male saw #2 egg. The rest of the day I didn’t record any changes and had no more screen captures that day.
Hello, great to see cam On Air. Chilly day and Parent is resting comfortably on eggs! To me it is so relaxing to watch them breath. As I typed that Parent stands and extends wings beyond cam view!Repositions eggs and settles down again on eggs. Preens, stands and adjusts again. Carol made an interesting point earlier and I will do the same, I did not notice if Parents switched.