It’s been a difficult couple of days at Great Spirit Bluff. Falcon Savanna was attacked and likely killed by an owl on the morning of June 12. While we waited on tenterhooks for Newman to return, John looked for Savanna and we began talking about what to do if Newman was gone too. The little falcons turned 37 days old today and are just days – if that – from fledgling. It would be difficult to feed them without bumping them from the box, although we would have had to consider it if Newman didn’t return. Fortunately, he did! Newman has been busy provisioning Thomas, Alice, Kami. and Jayce, and guarding the box from owls or anything else that catches his eye.
Removing the young is not an option with Newman there, but he’s doing his very best to feed and protect he and Savanna’s young. We hope her bravery and fierceness at the end keeps the owl away for a few more days. She was an amazing falcon mother.
I’m not posting the final video – it’s just heartbreaking – but here’s a look at Newman and his family. It’s not easy to keep fledgling falcons fed, but Newman is doing a wonderful job.
The Raptor Resource Project