Pip's Excursions

Many of us have been surprised today, seeing that Pip disappeared again. Now that he's discovered the wide, wide world of the ledge he won't spend that much time on the nest any longer. Pictures like this could become the norm if there wasn't Andy from City Room. He changed back to the other camera, even if it is technically pretty difficult as he told us yesterday.
We're still trying to contact Andy to find out more about his plans for the cam and the possibilities he has but since it seems to be pretty hard to get an e-mail adress of him we may need some additional time and help.

So here's the official appeal to Andy from City Room, if you could contact us at aenigmadragon@hotmail.com we'd really appreciate and we assure that your e-mail adress won't be given out if you don't want us to do so!

If you have a specific question you'd like to ask him or you'd like to know? Then you can also send us an e-mail to aenigmadragon@hotmail.com, I will collect all received questions and if I get the chance to interview Andy, I'll come up with your questions too.

So here we go.. the new Camera again.

Asides of that we had John Blakeman in the chat again and we spoke about Pip's future and surviving chances. Here some Quotes:

The first question was about the concern of many of us that Pip could fall from the ledge..
JohnBlakeman: No one needs to wach the kid. She has enough sense not to fall off.

JohnBlakeman: P will be spending much more time out on ledge, flapping wings and learning to walk. If you saw it, you'd be anxious.

JohnBlakeman: Unless there is a new camera, this will be much or most of what we see in coming weeks. The ledge has the edge.

JohnBlakeman: By the end of June, when P is fledged, the empty nest syndrome will be very oppressive here.

JohnBlakeman: But will the entire Pip story be told, especially the hard parts after she leaves Wash Sq park? The truth? P has only a 20% chance of surviving the winter.

JohnBlakeman: After P leaves, when she's on her own, she will have trouble finding habitats with enough prey. Most first-year RT's starve.

JohnBlakeman: No mating for P until her second yr, at least.

JohnBlakeman: The haggards (P and B) will watch P this summer, and provide food if she's starving. But in Sep she's outta here, on migration.

Can't pip just fly into another region where there's more food?
JohnBlakeman: No, that's why P has such a low chance of becoming and adult. There are already  so many out there, using all the good habitat.

bluish: and JB, so the parents will still recognize him during the summer but not afterwardsJohnBlakeman: yes, summer will watch and protect. Will drive out P in fall.

Could pip freeze to death in winter because of the cold temperature or why are her survival chances so small?
JohnBlakeman: No, it'a not temperature. She can take anything here in winter. It's availability of voles and mice to capture.

So Pip could die because there are not enough food?
JohnBlakeman: Actually, it's not even the rodents they eat, it's the availability of open habitats where they can hunt those animals. Most have adults who drive out the young.


Hope this answered some of your questions, if you've got some questions you'd like to ask John Blakeman while he's away you're always welcome to send them to aenigmadragon@hotmail.com, I may open up a category for your questions then in this blog.


That's all Folks!