Ruby and Buzz appeared to begin incubating March 8, possibly as soon as March 6. Perhaps they were sitting just to keep the nest free of snow, or Ruby knew she would begin laying eggs imminently. Whatever, once she starts laying incubation should take 28 to up to 35 days max. That means we should have had hatching beginning last week. ON the 11th, I saw Buzz take over incubation for Ruby early in the morning, when he stood in the nest looking down between his legs for some time. I thought that might be a sign. If so, I am no longer sure of what.

However, watching early every morning has not yielded any signs of Buzz or Ruby feeding young chicks. Ruby has been incubating overnight and in the early morning. Buzz usually flies in about sunrise to check on Ruby. Several times they have executed very quick, surreptitious nest exchanges, with Buzz coming in low, swooping up to the southeast gate of the nest, standing there for just a few seconds, and suddenly Ruby stands up and jumps out of the nest, dropping like a brick to fly down Wheeler Street below the radar of any potential aerial threat. When she goes, she is usually gone for more than ninety minutes. At least twice, Buzz has not shown up "soon enough," whatever that is, and Ruby has exploded out of the nest for a quick "bathroom break." She is out, beneath the radar, goes less than a hundred yards, apparently perches and voids, and wheels quickly back into the nest, all below the horizon. The first time that happened, when Buzz finally did arrive, I think he got a scolding for not showing up earlier. She was communicating something to him. I believe it was audible, but I was too far away and my hearing is too poor to have heard any noise she might make. But Buzz looked apologetic and became very solicitous of his mate for days after. Before sunrise, he would whiz in, stand on the edge of the nest for a few seconds, and then leave. Apparently because Ruby showed no sign of standing up and leaving. He had made the gesture. He was there for her if she wanted to take a bathroom break or make a complete nest exchange. But Ruby almost always appeared very reluctant to leave and stretch.

Several times we have seen Buzz bring in a small rodent to the nest, and one day a small stick to "freshen" the round walls that have become the limits of Ruby's universe for 20 hours a day. Mornings have generally been cold and wet. Even so, if there were chicks yet, one would expect to see some feeding activity in the early morning and I have seen none. Observers have been watching in late afternoon and not seen any feeding behavior either. Today Buzz was perched on Raytheon shortly after dawn. He disappeared, and a few minutes later flew to a post on Fawcett St with what appeared to be a young rat in his talons. He called loudly to Ruby, apparently informing her he had food for her and she should come to get it and eat it away from the nest. (When Buzz delivered the meadow vole a week or so earlier Ruby immediately left the nest with it and flew down Wheeler to eat it, probably in the confines of Fresh Pond Woods.) During incubation, they don't want to eat in the nest because the scent of prey remains might attract terrestrial predators and the remnants increase the likelihood of nest parasites and disease, potentially dramatically increasing the threats to their young in the nest. Thus, all eating appears to be done outside the nest until the eggs are hatched.

Today Buzz delivered the rat and left. Ruby did not get up, nor did we see her eating the rat in the nest. Perhaps she stuck it in the fridge to take out (and away) and eat later. Perhaps she was keeping it to feed something little in the nest when the air became drier and warmer. Bringing in a rat to the nest and leaving it there is a break in the old pattern. Something appears to be changing. Certainly we should know within the next several days what, if anything, the change means. Like Buzz and Ruby, we are waiting....waiting....waiting....

New photos of Buzz and of Buzz taking the rat to his mate are posted at http://www.flickr.com/photos/30136859@N06/

Best,

Paul


Paul M. Roberts
Medford, MA
phawk254@comcast.net