2012 ROME~2012 Appio & Vergine, Aloa & Vespero

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

The weather is very bad in Rome at the moment and it has rained - heavily - almost every day :girlsad3:

for about a week.

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

Appio and Vergine's chicks were ringed yesterday. Here are their details:

Robin: Ring No. CJ2110, Weight: 730 gm, Wing: 145 mm
Akira: Ring No. CJ2109, Weight: 725 gm, Wing: 156 mm
Diana: Ring No. CJ108, Weight: 500 gm, Wing: 120 mm
Adonis: Ring No. CJ2111, Weight: 480 gm, Wing: to confirm as the data wasn't clear.

The chicks are in good condition and all had very full crops. While the observers and others interested in the ringing were there, Vergine arrived with another prey item :egg7:

There are probably two males and two females.

I'll post some photos as soon as I can...

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:31 pm

Thanks Warbler!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

Thanks Warbler!!!

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

There's something very strange happening in Rome this year... :egg14:

There are two year-old juveniles feeding chicks :egg16:

These photos by Sandrobico show what happened today. The juvie is NOT Ariane (its markings are different). More to the point, it can't be one of Appio and Vergine's from last year as they lost all theirs :egg10:

and it doesn't have a ring, so it's not from one of 'our' nests...

It seems familiar with the chicks but I don't think it's been caught on cam before.

Watch this space...

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

SusanE · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 1:20 pm

Just when you think you've seen it all . . . :egg14:

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

I don't think we know how Appio and Vergine have reacted but I can't imagine that one of them is far away when the chicks are left alone so I assume that they're aware of the situation. Today is the first time pics have been posted showing the juvie and, apart from the times when the cam has been down, the nest has been more or less continuously observed over the last few weeks. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that this is a new development in this nest.

I'll keep everyone updated over the next few days...

Beth · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:34 pm

Strange year for all the juvie help??

Thanks for all the news/updates Warbler :egg9:

ljames · **Posted:** Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:56 pm

Haven't seen the juvie, but the chicks were looking cute. I could understand a juvie from this nest but a stranger. :egg14:

Well the babies seem to like the juvie. :biggrin:

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

piet_peregrines from Helmond in The Netherlands posted this on our forum late last night:

Quote:

"At this moment I am almost sure that we are looking at Vergine.
But why are we confused?
First of all, we are looking from another angel as before. (new higher camera position)
Which gives another view at the nestbox.
But there is more.
The focus and quality of this cam is much better as from the lower positioned cam,
which shows much more details of the falcons.
And last but not least: The pictures have a different color as the old cam had.
This coloreffect of the cam, shows a rather brown back of vergine, where as
with the old cam her back was more blue/gray
Taking this colorproblem of this cam, and the better quality in mind, I did take again a look at the
pictures of this falcon, and of old pictures of Vergine.
And from that I concluded that we are just looking at Vergine, and there is no stranger involved at all."

If there is any more information and/or more pictures I'll post them later

SusanE · **Posted:** Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:02 am

That sounds like a very logical explanation. Gosh, Vergine is very heavily spotted on her breast, isn't she? Beautiful nonetheless.

ljames · **Posted:** Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:03 am

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

There has been further discussion about the 'stranger' falcon with some disagreement over Piet's analysis. The 'stranger' has spotting at the end of the wings (it looks like 'spruzz' from the chicks) and I think a definite identification would be to see if Vergine has similar spotting. If she does, we have the answer; if not, we can start answering all sorts of questions again :egg16:

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

Thanks Warbler

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

Update on the Vergine/non Vergine question... There has been very careful analysis of the photos of the last three years and it would seem that the 'juvenile' is actually an adult with plumage that is very brown in colouring - and so is not 'our' Vergine.
The experts have to give their verdict but it would seem that there's been a change at the nest. Some people on the Italian forum also suggest that the male hasn't been seen for a while.
In spite of all this apparent upset, the chicks are doing well, as we can see, and they're fed regularly.

What will happen next at Salone? I'll let you know when we have more news...

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

WOW. . what an interesting turn of events. . and so strange to see an adult with that coloring. . I do hope the male shows up soon!!! The kids do look great!!

SusanE · **Posted:** Wed May 02, 2012 6:05 pm

I haven't followed this nest from the start, so forgive me if this is a stupid question. Did Vergine lay these eggs and now another adult female has arrived to care for them? Or was this new female here from the start and it has just been discovered?

Warbler · **Joined:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:09 pm **Posts:** 375

Vergine laid the eggs, incubated them and cared for the chicks when just hatched. The newcomer turned up a few days ago - the first picture was posted on Saturday 28 April. Unfortunately the cam was off-line on 26-27 April (there are no posts from 25/4 and it may have been off then, too) and so we don't know when it really started coming to the nest :egg16:

SusanE · **Posted:** Thu May 03, 2012 9:49 am

Oh, poor Vergine. Something must have happened to her, possibly a battle with this new female. I guess we should be thankful that this new female is taking care of the chicks or else it would be an even bigger loss.

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2012 ROME~2012 Appio & Vergine, Aloa & Vespero

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