Orange NSW Bula missing?

Bula is missing?
Published 2 October, 2016 | By Cilla Kinross

I may be wrong, but I don’t think I’ve recorded a sighting of Bula since 1300 on 30th September ie Friday. This is not at all a good sign. As far as I can tell Diamond has not had a feed since then (over two days) and, coupled with the frenzied activity on the Thursday, when I suspected an intruder, and the eggs were only irregularly incubated, I fear the worst.

And I don’t think that it is a coincidence that the box was visited by a strange female today, a very large bird that was instantly chased away (definitely not Bula). I’d show you some stills, but the software is once again playing up. I’ll send them to Scott and see if he can upload the stills or a videos. I went around afterwards to see if I could see this bird again (or Bula) but all was quiet. It could be an offspring from previous year.

Bad weather (and we’ve had plenty of that) does often lead to reproductive failure and so these problems may stem from difficulty in procuring food (they can’t complain of their nest getting wet!). Or it may be that something has happened to Bula and he’s no longer able to hunt.

Anyway, let’s hope that I am wrong and that Bula (or another ‘suitable’ male) turns up again. It’s a pity she isn’t inclined to accept another female, but I don’t think peregrines are that progressive:). It’s also not unheard of for peregrines to raise a brood on their own, but very unusual and the poor weather (more expected tonight) is definitely not helping.

Fingers crossed.

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That means that my last observation, Bula returned, was wrong, although it seemed logical at first. I've checked my recordings of the last few days, but did not see Bula appearing.


playlist Falcon Peregrines Orange NSW 2016