Canadian Peregrine Foundation -- Etobicoke Archives: 1998

The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Etobicoke

Daily Updates - April, 1998

Tuesday, April 7
-- Terry Sheilds reports seeing just one mating shortly after 2:00 this afternoon. Then, Toby went to the nest box where he sat for about twenty minutes before they both chased away a nosy red-tailed hawk. They both returned to the nest ledge, with Alberta resting in the nest box. She preened herself, then started bobbing her head up and down continuously for more than an hour.

Thursday, April 9
-- Bruce Massey reports: Arrived around 1:15 and met Ian from the Toronto Ornithological Club. He hadn't seen two birds at the same time for at least the past hour -- only Toby.
-- Was able to have a look at the monitor, and saw Alberta on the nest, hunkered down, so I couldn't see if there were any eggs. Finally Alberta got up and seemed to be pushing some stones around -- there were no eggs visible. A few minutes later Alberta flew off the nest and did not return.
-- At 3:10pm, Toby flew onto the nest ledge, and the wind was so gusty it blew him a step sideways.

Sunday, April 12
-- Arrived around 10:20 am and found Alberta perched on the nest ledge and Toby on the roof directly above her. He remained there for about 15 minutes before flying off. He returned to the roof around 10:45 and Alberta flew off almost immediately.
-- Alberta returned to the roof and perched several feet from Toby. At 11:35 they mated for about 5 seconds, then Toby flew away. A couple of times Toby returned to the nest ledge and remained there for about half an hour each time. Alberta flew over the SE corner of the building. Twice Toby flew away to the east and each time Alberta continued looking for him in that direction. At 12:55 he finally returned with food which he dropped on the nest ledge. Alberta flew to the ledge to eat while Toby retired to the roof to keep watch.
-- It is evident from the above behaviour that the adults are still courting and there are no eggs yet in the next box.

Bruce Massey reports: -- 1445 HRS: Saw one Adult soaring over Bloor St. as I was crossing Bridge heading West from Royal York Station. But, by the time I got there the bird had disappeared.
-- 1510 HRS: Circled around the back of Buildings, and when I came to Aberfoyle and Bloor, the [M] was on the Nest ledge at the Base of the Camera Pylon.
-- 1520 HRS: 2nd bird appeared @ Nest Box, (Must have been lying down)
-- 1525 HRS: Both birds flew off, but [F] returned 5 or so minutes later.

Friday, April 17
Ron Scott reports -- Saw an interesting aerial display outside our office at Bloor and Islington this morning. Facing southeast from our offices at LAVA Systems, I saw a peregrine swoop up at a gull from below. The peregrine quickly circled above the gull, then dove after it again and pursued it vigoursly for some distance, while the gull went into an evasive-action flying pattern. At one point, the falcon hit the gull in the back, spinning it around in midair. After resuming the chase, the falcon suddenly doubled back and flew off behind the center tower of the office complex, leaving the gull unharmed. I could not tell if it was Toby or Alberta I witnessed.... It was quite a show ... I nearly collapsed a desk trying to jump up for a closer look.

Tuesday, April 21
-- Telephone lines are being installed today, and the computer is being set up. Mark has been keeping an eye on the monitor and reports finally seeing a changing of the guard. There are at least 3 eggs in the nest -- that's as many as he could see, but there may be one or two more out of view of the camera in the nest tray. Based on observations by maintenance people watching the monitor, it is estimated they started incubating the eggs on Friday, April 17.

Saturday, April 25
Mark reports there are four eggs in the nest. While he was working with the programmer on the video link (which will be available within the next day or so), he saw a changing of the adults on the nest box, and was able to observe the eggs.

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