At last we had the opportunity to take some pictures of the Gyrfalcon chicks.
Next year we will set up a video camera so that we can watch the entire process of raising the chicks from the time the nest is made through to when the chicks are ready to leave the nest, for this year we have to wait for opportunities such as the following when the chicks are removed from the nest, rings placed on their legs and then quickly returned to their, by then, agitated parents.
OK, so I should have used a flash 
, but let's describe what is going on. This picture shows brian climbing the ladder to the hatch that is located just above the ledge that the Gyrfalcon makes its nest. Dorothy is seen about to enter the Mews, her job is to distract the falcons such that they will not attack Brian when he reaches in to take their chics - Dorothy is brave, Brian is brave too plus puts a lot of faith in Dorothy!
It amazes me how fast the chicks grow, in the following pictures the chics are only 10 days old! (more…)
