Wednesday April 23, 2003
Stephanie Carriere reports: I hadn't seen either bird since the "adult activity" in mid-March. About 5:30 p.m., on my walk home from work, I finally saw some action. Connor (he of the missing tail feather) was flying back and forth over Lyon Street. He would swoop close to the nest site on the western ledge of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, bank away, and kite over Queen St. and Albert St. After a few of these slow-motion figure eights, he landed on his perch over the niche on the hotel's south side. I didn't hear either bird calling to the other, but I assume that Horizon was content to brood their eggs and her mate was just checking on her before retiring for the evening.

Friday April 11, 2003
Eve Ticknor reports: The nest scrape is near the northwest end of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, between the 1st and 2nd columns, simple, right? Not exactly. It is neither against the wall, nor near the front edge, nor even between columns. After much moving around, I finally staked out a spot to place my scope and watched and waited. I did see Horizon on the eggs. She is sitting a bit differently this time not flat as usual, but more upright with her wingtips pointing up. At one point she stood up and started some preening and I could see the upper half of 2 eggs. She never did move right away, so I can only guess at a third by the way she moved around when resettling, and the way she was standing.

Wednesday April 9, 2003
Arlene Williams reports: 2:22 pm - On this bright and sunny day, both of favourite raptors are displaying moments of passion (mating on the northwest corner of Tower 2 of the Constitution Square building) as well as putting on quite the aerial displays on the western side of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building and the surrounding buildings which form part of the Place de Ville complex. The weather is conducive to them both being present in the downtown area and in full view of this onlooker. It is such a joy and wonderful experience to view these beautiful creatures in full flying mode noting their wing span of approximately 3 to 4 feet, if not larger. They truly are most magnificent creatures.

Tuesday April 1, 2003
Arlene Williams reports: 12:42 pm - Our famous duo are perched on the northwest side of the ledge area of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building. Horizon is on the actual northwest corner of the ledge and is facing south. Connor is perched between pillars 2 and 3 and is jumping up and down from the lower ledge to the upper ledge. Off an on, all morning, both peregrines have not ventured far from the north/southwest side of the hotel building. I say again that I would not be surprised if Horizon decides to make her next area on the west side of the building this year, as both birds seem to prefer perching there and investigating the lower ledge area for whatever reason(s).

Thursday March 20, 2003
Arlene Williams reports: 11:35 am - Connor just made another visit over to the northwest corner of Tower 2 of the Constitution Square building, which as you are well aware is Horizon's favourite roost. The mating was short-lived but hopefully the results of his efforts will produce one to three eggs in the approaching months. He has now returned to the northwest corner of the Crowne Plaza Hotel ledge area and is facing inward. Horizon has remained on the northwest corner of Tower 2 and is facing southeast.More updates to follow.

2:59 pm - That Connor is a busy little beaver today as he has just completed a mating process with Horizon on the northwest corner of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building and then flew off almost as immediately as he had flown on. He contoured the hotel building and then decided to come back to that corner and be near his mate. He then jumped down to the lower ledge area and investigated some possibilities of a tidbit, but obviously nothing was found, so he decided to put on quite the aerial display on the west side of the hotel building. He has since decided to rejoin his beloved and is back with her, although he is now on the lower ledge area.  I did notice earlier that they had a portion of an unplucked pigeon stashed away in the cubby-hole which is on the northeast/west side of the hotel building, but it has since disappeared and maybe that is why Connor is bouncing up and down from the lower ledge area to the upper ledge area. 3:03 - Horizon has decided that she does not like the view from that northwest corner of the hotel building and has flown off in the direction of the Marriott Hotel building which is located on Kent Street. Maybe she stashed away that protein morsel (half a pigeon) for her afternoon snack.

Wednesday March 19, 2003
Arlene Williams reports:  4:40 pm - Well the official mating has commenced to this viewer as Connor has just returned to the northwest corner ledge area of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building, just after mating with his beloved - very momentarily, I must add - on the northwest corner of Tower 2 of the Constitution Square building - her (Horizon's) favourite roost. For the past two years now, I have been privy to viewing one of many matings which occurred on that very spot, while watching their daily movements between the buildings forming part of the Place de Ville and Constitution Square building complexes. I am quite sure that there will further amating ctivity(ies) going on in the days ahead as the sun beams brighter and the days become longer and milder. Horizon seems un-phased by their brief encounter and is currently facing the south part of Ottawa gazing against a backdrop of the congested 417 Queensway and the airplanes departing from the Macdonald-Cartier (Ottawa) International Airport.

4:51 pm - He (Connor) has been flitting to and fro around the buildings and has since landed on the lower portion of the northwest corner of the Crowne Plaza ledge area. Viewing his activities from her favourite roost, she (Horizon) has decided to do the same and they are now both investigating the gravel area on the lower ledge area of the hotel building. Again, I am hoping that they are both staking out that northwest corner as a possible nest area, but only time will tell.

4:54 pm - Both have vacated the lower ledge area and she has returned to her favourite roost and he has departed for the western part of the city. Must be getting near dinnertime and if he brings something back to the hotel building ledge area, then we all know who will ensure that they get their fair share, if not the whole meal - her highness Horizon.

Tuesday March 18, 2003
Arlene Williams reports:  All day today, off and on, in this bright sunlight, our famous duo have been basking in the sun on the north/southwest ledge area of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building. They would land on said ledge, then jump down to the lower part of the ledge area and would almost instanteously jump back up on the upper ledge. Neither seemed to be too concerned with stashing away a
treasured morsel for a snack later in the day and both appeared to be having quite a bit of fun just enjoying the sunlight and minimal wind. On occasion, our famous matriarch (Horizon) would fly from the ledge area over to her favourite roost on the northwest corner of Tower 2 of the Constitution Square building and ENJOY the view. This observer can only hope that Horizon is staking our her nest area and will come back to the northwest corner of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building ledge area to lay her eggs, brood and nest, as was the case two years ago. Needless to say, I am ecstatic that they both appear to have come back to stay in the downtown area, although I know that they like to frequent the Tunney's Pasture area regardless of the time of year.

Wednesday March 12, 2003
Nathaleigh McKenna Rochon reports:  (8:00 a.m.) It is a mild morning in Ottawa. Blinding snow is blowing with intensity as one of our falcons is perched within the sheltered area of the NE corner of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The falcon proudly faces NE towards the parliament buildings.

Jim O'Neil reports:  Our other falcon is facing the sixth pillar on the east side of the nest ledge half way down from the one on the NE corner.

Tuesday March 11, 2003
Nathaleigh McKenna Rochon reports:  (8:10 a.m.)  It's a full house this morning!  Our magnificent duo can be seen perched on the Crowne Plaza Hotel on this chilly March day.  Connor is to the left of the SE corner while Horizon is perched between the 2nd and 3rd SE pillars.  It is a joy to see them both upon their urban cliff.

Jim O'Neil reports:  The magnificent duo were also seen Monday side-by-side enjoying a snack.  It was quite an unusual sight to see them so close together while eating.  Them seem to be returning to the Crowne more frequently these days must be that time of year!!!

Friday March 7, 2003
Arlene Williams reports:  10:24 am - Horizon is once again perched on the northeast corner ledge area of the Crowne Plaza Hotel building. She had set launch for same from her other favourite perch area, which is the northwest corner of Tower 2 of the Constitution Square building. No sighting of Connor at the moment.

I should have mentioned on Wednesday that both peregrines were enjoying a snack on the north/south west side of the Crowne Plaza ledge area and it appeared that it had been a pigeon, which is obviously one of their delicacies. Connor I think had made the kill and brought it back to the ledge area and Horizon very quickly took her half - the lower and feathered end of the bird - and brought it back to the northwest corner for plucking and consumption. Connor continued to munch on her remaining morsels, but very quickly flew over to join Horizon to hopefully finish off what she had started. Needless to say that she did not allow any portion of her meal to enter into his claws - so to speak and he was very quickly made uncomfortable with his presence around her meal and he flew off for parts unknown.

Nathaleigh McKenna Rochon reports:  It's been many weeks since I've seen Horizon and Connor but I was delighted to briefly observe one of them this morning.

(8:05 a.m.) Despite the biting cold weather, one of our falcons is perched between the 3rd and 4th NE pillars of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The falcon is facing inwards despite the chilly wind that weaves between the buildings. From my vantage point at street level, the falcon appears to be large, could be Horizon.

Thursday March 6, 2003
Gabriella Williams reports:  I saw Horizon on the Southwest corner of the Crowne Plaza, at about 8:45 am. She left by 9:15. Connor wasn't around.