The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Friday June 28, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Today we have received confirmation at last that Victoria has died.  Her body was found a couple of days ago by a volunteer with the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) and we thank Michael Mesure for passing this information on to us.  Today we were able to confirm her band numbers.  She was found on a rooftop west of the nest site.  Based on the degree of decomposition observed, she may have been there for a while prior to her discovery.  Victoria will be transferred to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for examination, but it may be difficult to determine cause of death in such a case.  While this is very sad news, it is also a relief to have our suspicions confirmed and not have to continue with search efforts.  Thanks again to all who have conveyed to us their condolences about the loss of Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria, by e-mail, phone, and in person.

On a happier note, Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria's last brood of chicks were released today in Richmond Hill - click on the link for a full report.

Jan Chudy reports:  At 11:50  one bird was sitting at the back of the nest box.  At 12:20 there were no birds in sight.  Checking various times throughout the afternoon turned up nothing.  At 4:45 I spied the large bird sitting on the edge of the ledge.  At 5 p.m. it is still there.

Thursday June 27, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  An update on Pounce-Kingsley - his body will be taken to the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph for a full necropsy, and we have been promised the results of it once they become available.  This may yet take several weeks, but we wanted to at least alert everyone to the fact that the work is proceeding, and we will provide further information once it has been released to us.

Zoe Berger reports:  I went to Leader Lane at lunch - at 1:15 the window washers were very slowly washing the frequented ledges of  Scotia Plaza and two adult peregrines were circling the tower round and round and also just back and forth in front of the washers - many times they swooped by them - curiosity or daring?  They finally gave up and went out of sight going west - perhaps to the Sheraton. 

John Brett reports:  At 3:45, a seemingly large and bright-chested falcon was sitting in the "middle square" of 18 King.  At 3:48, it took off out of view to the south, only to return a few seconds later and go out of view behind 18 King.  At 3:49, a falcon landed on the northmost "grill square" at 18 King, and then took off at 3:51.  After 2 minutes of looking in the sky for it, I saw a falcon at "1st Financial" on one of the southern ledges.  It remained until I left at 4:38.

Jan Chudy reports:  4:30 I saw a large bird on the Sheraton nest ledge. 5:05 a second bird joined the first.  The much larger of the two has some brown on the front.  5:10 the smaller bird took off and flew along Queen then turned around, came back, went up University slightly and went around the hotel.  I then lost sight of it.  5:20 the larger bird is still alone on the ledge

Wednesday June 26, 2002
Jan Chudy reports:  Today there was a large adult (female?) sitting at the left rear of the Sheraton Hotel nest ledge from 1:15 to 1:55 pm.

David Dean reports:  5:10 From Leader Lane, both falcons are on the bottom step of Scotia, which is where they were when I left at about 5:30.

Tuesday June 25, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  4:55p.m. Adult male on the west ledges of # 18 King St. Adult female on the north side of # 8 King. 5:10p.m. Male takes off towards the west, female heads towards the east. Both return to the south ledges of One Financial Place.  A lot of chirping can be heard.

Monday June 24, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  5:50p.m. Walking south on Yonge St at Adelaide, Windwhistler is on  the north-east corner rooftop of the Plaza Club (Plaza Club is located on the west side of Yonge, south of Adelaide, between Grand & Toy and Dacks shoe store) He takes off and over to the north side of # 8 King St., chirping can be heard from him. I made my way to Leader Lane and saw no activity in that area.  6:15p.m. I returned to the Plaza Club. Female on the north-west corner of # 8 King St. Windwhistler on the west ledges of # 18 King St.

Saturday June 22, 2002
Harry Crawford reports:  When I arrived at Leader Lane at 11:09am, Windwhistler-Spike was on the lowest step on the east side of Scotia Plaza.  He took off, out of view at 11:44am.

Linda Woods reports:  4:50p.m. Adult female on the north-east corner of # 8 King St. She is sitting on the guard rail under the chimney.  6:00p.m. She has moved to the east side of the chimney of # 8 King St. east. Second adult not in view. (Windwhistler)

Friday June 21, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  The names have been selected for the five Toronto chicks now residing in Richmond Hill - see all the details on the Richmond Hill page.

Jan Chudy reports:  At 9:25 on Friday there are two birds on the ledge at the Sheraton.  One has a browny/peachy front.

David Dean reports:  3:05 there is a peregrine on the bottom east facing step on Scotia, but no activity in the area of the vacant nest site.

Thursday June 20, 2002
Harry Crawford reports:  Early this morning I checked the waterfront from Jarvis east to Leslie and didn't see any signs of peregrine activity.  There were a number of kestrels around the Hearne generating plant.  From Queens Quay at 8:32am, a peregrine could be seen circling just east of Scotia Plaza.  It soon took off to the west.  Leader Lane at 10:40am only revealed that steadfast kestrel on the church spire.  It does move around so it is real.  At 11:13am from 200 University Ave. a large peregrine, likely female, hopped up on the south Sheraton Centre ledge and immediately took off to the east.

Back at Leader Lane at 12:55pm, the kestrel was still on the church spire.  Both male and female peregrines were seen in the area from 1:21 to 1:35pm.  They appear comfortable in their new surroundings, both visiting the nest area for a time.  The female played a leisurely tag with a kestrel (not the one on the church) for a while.

Linda Woods reports:  3:50p.m. Two adults seen over the Leader Lane area. The unidentified female sets down on the south-east roof-top of One Financial Place. The male (Windwhistler) sets down on the lower south corner of One Financial Place.

Jan Chudy reports:  I have checked off an all all day and seen nothing.  However, at 5:20 I see an adult sitting in the left rear corner of the nest area at the Sheraton Hotel.

Wednesday June 19, 2002
Mark Nash reports:  Today was another big step for the five chicks.  They were transported from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation's Kortright facility to the hack box atop the Richmond Hill town hall, which will be their new temporary home.  Over the past three days, their weight, food consumption, and fluids have been monitored and weighed daily.   Gaining weight now in leaps and bounds, their increased weight gain is truly incredible.  What an amazing difference in both their size, weight and attitude!!  Although still underweight, and lacking the much of the muscle that these juveniles should have given their age, they are now all very active and with the typical feisty attitude we would expect.  I have never been so happy to be bitten, scratched, screamed at and hated!!    As I left the hack box this evening, I received several calls from Marion, Linda, Bruce and other volunteers regarding their search efforts in downtown Toronto looking and watching for Victoria.  Sadly, no luck yet in our efforts to locate her, but their search continues. On another note, the e-mail continues to pour in, and  I can't thank you enough for all of your kind words and support.  Your mail has truly touched all of our hearts.

Marcel Gahbauer reports:  I have done some calculations on the weight gains recorded by the chicks in recent days.  Since their rescue on Saturday, the males have gained 173-175 grams, while the females have put on an additional 201-239 grams of weight.  This represents a remarkably consistent increase in weight of between 34 and 39 percent for each of the birds.  Weight gain over the first couple of days was primarily due to recovery of fluids and the resumption of a regular food source; the more dramatic increase in weights over the past two days is indicative of the chicks resuming muscle development to a significant extent.

An administrative note:  Tomorrow the names of the five young peregrines will be announced on this page.  However, to minimize confusion, future reports about them will now be hosted on the Richmond Hill page, as that is where they now reside and will be released.  This page will be reserved for sightings of peregrines in the downtown territory.  On a different note, I echo Mark's sentiments in thanking all of you for sending us your condolences and reflections on Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria - I have tried to respond personally to all messages received, but am still working on a backlog, and if you have not yet received a reply, rest assured that we greatly appreciate your thoughts.

Linda Woods reports:  3:05p.m. One adult circling around One Financial Place. I think it's Windwhistler, he always seem to be in a "flap" when flying. He flies very close to the buildings and it almost looks like brushes  the windows with his wings. I wonder if he likes to look at his reflection as he breezes by the windows.  4:45p.m. One adult on One Financial, looks like the unidentified female. Second adult on the south-west corner of One Financial Place.  6:15p.m. New male at former nest ledge. Second adult not in view.

Tuesday June 18, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  While several of us have been involved with the monitoring and feeding of the five chicks since Saturday, David Pfeffer is the only one among us who has observed them daily.  He commented to me this afternoon that they have again made noticeable progress in the past 24 hours.  All are standing upright now most of the time, and the three females are beginning to flap their wings, a good sign that they are starting to build up their flight muscles again.  In terms of plumage, the younger ones are becoming noticeably darker, and the oldest among them have lost virtually all of their down feathers.  The youngest male has gained a lot of energy, and was today running around, more than holding his own against his older (and for the most part larger) siblings.  If their progress continues at this rate, we expect to transfer them to a hack box tomorrow as the first step in preparation for their release. 

On a different note, photos of the chicks will be posted on Friday, along with the announcement of the winning names from the "Name the Chicks" contest.

Linda Woods reports:  I was down to the King St. site for the afternoon. Not much activity with the exception of a large Kestrel on the spire of St. James Church. However, on my  return from a break, at 4:15p.m. one adult is seen sitting on the louvered ledges next to the former nest site on #18 King St. seeming very comfortable. 5:25p.m. it entered Kingsley and Victoria's former nest ledge and went around the pillar and came out the other side. Yuki called and confirmed the peregrine at Kingsley's nest ledge was indeed Windwhistler-Spike. Spike took off and landed on the top rail south side of CHFI. Very strange (that's where Kingsley liked to sit, Victoria like to sit lower down) Well it's a little pay-back time, a kestrel in the area has spotted Spike sitting on the rail and takes a few swipes at him. Spike takes off and seems to be hunting around One Financial Place. His flight pattern is very "flappy" he himself almost flies like a kestrel. No sign of any females in the area at this time.

Harry Crawford reports:  This morning, around 8:30am, I checked out the area around the old Canada Malting complex near Bathurst and Queens Quay.  There was a lot of kestrel activity, sometimes up to 4 visible at any one time. They occasionally disappeared to the north, towards Bathurst and Fleet.  Later, at 9:28am, the Redpath Sugar plant didn't offer up any peregrines either.  However, a peregrine could be seen on the old Trust building next to the King Street site.  It was in the same location as yesterday, the south east side, bottom step.  When I got to Leader Lane at 9:53, it was gone, leaving some food scraps on the ledge.  An unidentified raptor was on the church spire and was still there when I left the area at 10:07am.

At 1:07pm I didn't see any activity on either the west side of Scotia Plaza or the Sheraton Centre.  I arrived at Leader Lane at 1:22pm and the strange raptor was still in the same location on the church spire.  It moved around a bit and was still there when I left at 2:23pm.

Alan Kirschbaum reports:  When I arrived at Leader Lane at about 7 am, I saw a peregrine on the nest and on the National Trust buildings.  They were there long enough for me to set up my scope and have a look, but left only after a couple of minutes.  I heard vocalizing at about 7:45 and sure enough a peregrine circled the area and came to rest on the National Trust building.  It was not there for long.

David Dean reports:  10:20 At the Sheraton Hotel right now; peregrine in the slots which looks to be female, judging by size, but that's a guess.  11:50 back at Sheraton.  Once again peregrine in slots. No activity at Mount Sinai.

Paul Marshman reports:  For the second night in a row, I found a peregrine on the Financial building this evening. One lone falcon was on the bottom west step from 7:30 to 8 pm. It was hard to identify the bird -- from Leader Lane, it seemed very white on the breast, and seemed to be the same falcon Linda and I saw beside the nest ledge this afternoon. However, viewing from Yonge St., with the sunlight off its front, it seemed dark. Could have been either the male or female, but it was sitting in the same spot I saw the larger bird last night.

Monday June 17, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  10:45 am - This morning Akira Kanda was able to get a clear view of the colour band on the male peregrine at the Sheraton Hotel.  I have just looked up the band numbers, and can confirm that this is Windwhistler-Spike.  We are hopeful of identifying the female soon too.

11:00 pm - First and foremost, thank you to all who have been sending us your thoughts about Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria's legacy in Toronto.  For those who haven't yet discovered the new page, many of these messages are being collected here - your recollections are still most welcome at marcel@peregrine-foundation.ca.

I checked on the status of the five chicks this afternoon.  All are progressing well - each has put on 100 to 150 grams of weight since Saturday's rescue.  They still have a way to go until they are back to full strength, but their rapid progress to date is encouraging.  All are now standing upright most of the time and pounce eagerly on food when it is presented.  They are also noticeably more vocal now than just a couple of days ago.  

With their growth back on track, it is now evident that they are in fact three females and two males.  They were sufficiently underweight at the time of the banding that the determination of sex (which is normally easily done by weight) was not at all clear, and it has only been within the past two days that it has been possible to reevaluate them more accurately.  Those entering the "Name the Chicks" contest, bear in mind that female names can now be considered!

The condition of the chicks will be reevaluated again tomorrow afternoon, and at that time a decision will likely be made on where and when to transfer them to a hack box in preparation for their release.  More news to come as it becomes available.

David Dean reports:  It's 1:20 right now and I am on Yonge between Adelaide and King. There are two peregrines on the east side of Scotia right now. Look pretty dark to me with my bare eyes. Just started to rain. Male took off in a stoop toward the nest area, just looped around to the others. Male now gone from view at 1:31.  Just chased pigeon from area of Sheraton across Yonge just north of Adelaide; missed. Chased again to area of nest. 1:34 - Male at One Financial on bottom south east step, not eating.

Harry Crawford reports:  I checked the Sheraton Centre and west side of Scotia Plaza at 1:23pm -- nothing was seen.  Neil and I returned to the area at 2:08pm, I left at 2:27pm, Neil remained and nothing was seen up to that time.

When I got to Leader Lane at 1:38pm a male was on the centre of the bottom ledge of the steps on the east side of Scotia Plaza; a female was on the south east side of the former Trust building. Unfortunately both peregrines were facing away so I couldn't determine if they were adults or not.  They were still there when I left the area at 1:58pm.

Paul Marshman reports:  About 8:10 pm I found two peregrines on One Financial, one on the top step to the east and the other on the bottom step to the west. Both had their backs turned, so it was hard to see them from the front. However, viewing from up Church St., the one on top looked very white in the front and fairly slim. I took it to be a male, possibly Windwhistler-Spike. The other looked chunky, and viewing from the square below, it seemed quite dark on the front, except for a white chest. I watched them until 8:40, when I moved up Church St. to get a better view and found both had flown. I didn't see which direction they flew.

Sunday June 16, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  08:30 Sighting from Yonge and Adelaide St.  One adult on the north-east corner of CHFI. It was a gone a few minutes later (it appeared to be a male).  08:45 One female and one male peregrine ( female appeared dark) seen flying around the east side of Scotia Plaza and One Financial Place.  08:55 One adult (male) on lower west ledge of One Financial Place. It took off towards the west at 09:10; two adults then seen flying around Scotia Plaza.

Harry Crawford reports:  This morning, I checked out University Ave. from College to Adelaide.  There was no peregrine activity at Mt. Sinai, the Sheraton Centre or the west side of Scotia Plaza.  By 11:30 I was at Leader Lane and there was nothing seen in that area either.  I then returned to 200 University Ave and what was seen is below.

When I arrived at 200 University Ave. at 11:03am, what looked like a male adult peregrine was sitting on the west end of the old nest site.  A couple of minutes later, he took off rapidly (not in a stoop) to the south west, over Metro Hall.  At this speed and direction, he may have been heading for the old malting silos near the foot of Bathurst Street.

Saturday June 15, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  We are saddened today to share some tragic news, but relieved to also be able to speak of some positive developments.

Yesterday after the banding we learned that Pounce-Kingsley has recently died.  His body was found in downtown Toronto, and his band numbers were confirmed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources last night.  He has been a fixture in Toronto since his arrival in the spring of 1995, and will be sorely missed by all of his followers here, not to mention his original fans / human family in Akron, Ohio, where he was released with six other juvenile peregrines in 1992.  Over his eight seasons in Toronto, Pounce-Kingsley has produced 29 chicks with Victoria, making a significant contribution to the recovery of the peregrine falcon population, especially through their two offspring who are known to have gone on to nest elsewhere Cabot-Sirocco in Rochester, New York (15 offspring from 1998-2001) and Lucy in Ironton, Ohio (6 offspring in 2001-2002).

Pounce-Kingsley's death means that Victoria has been feeding their five chicks and defending the nest territory on her own.  This would be enough of a challenge at the best of times, but with five hungry young chicks to feed, the stress on her must have been incredible.  Though Victoria has always been a good provider and parent, this challenge may have proved a bit too much to handle, as shown by the low weights of the chicks at yesterday's banding.

Despite this, the situation initially seemed under control.  However, some concern was raised during the collection of the chicks when the adults failed to defend the nest by harassing the intruders.  Based on these observations and the low weight of the chicks, the Ministry of Natural Resources asked us to investigate further.  Representatives of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources remained on site to observe activity at the nest until late afternoon, and for the balance of the afternoon and evening, we observed the nest site and spoke with the various volunteers who had been watching earlier in the week, trying to put together all the pieces of the puzzle.  Mark Nash, Marion Nash, and Linda Woods stayed on the scene until after dark (10:30 pm) without seeing any adult peregrines attend to the nest.

Later that evening,  Mark Nash was able to review some of the video footage recorded by a film crew from Japan's NHK network, who has spent several weeks in the area recording the activity of the birds around the nest site .  This evidence, combined with the earlier discovery about Pounce-Kingsley's demise, made it painfully clear that things were not as they should be.  It was confirmed through the video that no adults had been recorded landing at the nest ledge or providing food for the chicks at any time on Thursday or Friday.  However, both an adult female and an adult male were both observed by some of the volunteers, and were captured on video flying around and past the nest ledge, and also seen on several usual roosting spots around the nest ledge, but not actually landing on the ledge itself .  Reviewing the tape on Friday night, it was known that the male could not be Pounce-Kingsley, and the behaviour of the female strongly suggested it was not Victoria, as she showed no interest in attending to the ledge or the chicks, but was flying with the male.  To most observers, a single incident like this would have no reason to arouse any suspicion; only reviewing it in light of Pounce-Kingsley's death was it apparent that something was wrong, i.e. Victoria appears to be missing too.

Had all of this information been known prior to yesterday's banding, the chicks would not have been returned to the ledge.  However, as described above, it was not until several hours later that several key pieces of evidence were learned and the puzzle was complete .  In light of the new information, it was agreed that the chicks were at risk of starvation, dehydration, and/or predation if left on the nest ledge without parental care, and thus it was decided that they should be removed this morning.  The rescue operation was lead by Mark Heaton of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, with the support of several Canadian Peregrine Foundation staff and volunteers and John Miller, an expert climber from Mississauga.

The chicks were retrieved successfully, and then brought to an avian veterinarian for examination.  The chicks had all been accurately weighed yesterday at the banding, and were weighed again today; all had lost 5 - 7% of their body weight over the previous 24 hours, verifying the need for immediate intervention.  Fortunately, all were still alert and otherwise healthy, with no signs of shock or prolonged stress.  It appears that action may have been taken just in time.  Each received fluids for rehydration, and after the medical check-ups they were fed (and ate very well!).  They will be kept under very close observation over the weekend, and on Monday morning their status will be reevaluated.  At that time a decision will also be made as to where they will be reintroduced back to the Toronto area.  Several possibilities are being considered, and we will inform the public as soon as a suitable release location has been determined, since volunteers will be needed to watch over them at that time.  Please bear with us as we work through these difficult decisions. 

As a final note, we are very grateful for the ongoing commitment of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to the banding of young peregrines.  Had it not been for the scheduled banding yesterday, the investigations begun in its aftermath would likely not have been initiated, and it is probable that most, if not all, of the chicks would have perished on the nest ledge as early as this weekend.  The quick action and support of Mark Heaton and Pud Hunter and of OMNR, the Canadian Peregrine Foundation staff,  and the support of Joe Mota of O&Y, Akira Kanda and NHK, the many CPF volunteers on site, and Mr. John Miller of Mississauga in responding to last night's conclusions were critical to the survival of these five chicks.  Our thanks goes out to Dr. Markus Luckwaldt D.V.M. and all of his staff for being there for us and the birds!
 
Mark Heaton comments:  On behalf of OMNR, it is important that we recognize the assistance of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation volunteers as critical to this successful rescue operation.  Thank you for your on-going commitment to the well-being of these young peregrine falcons.

Friday June 14, 2002
Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Today was of course banding day for the downtown Toronto chicks.  First we would like to thank our many partners who helped out with today's banding:  the King Edward Hotel and Meridien Properties for hosting the event in the hotel's historic Crystal Ballroom, Olympia and York (managers of the "nest building", 18 King Street East) for hosting this year's family and accommodating the banding activities, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their ongoing support of Canadian Peregrine Foundation activities in Toronto (and beyond), and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for the banding of the birds itself.

The start of the banding was delayed slightly by the heavy rain which forced those accessing the roof of 18 King to take extra precautions.  However, by around 11:20 the chicks had arrived in the Crystal Ballroom, and banding commenced, with Mark Heaton and Pud Hunter of OMNR handling and banding the birds.  One after the other the chicks were taken out, weighed, and banded ... and every one of them was identified as a male based on weight!  This is the first time that we have had all males at the downtown Toronto nest site, and is all the more remarkable given that there were five chicks in the nest this year, a great rarity in itself.  Weights ranged from 475-663 grams, somewhat lower than has been typical for Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria's offspring in recent years - perhaps at least in part related to food being distributed among extra chick(s) compared to the 3-4 in past years.  We are monitoring the situation closely to see how much food the chicks are getting.  

As is evident from the recently taken pictures in the Toronto Photo Gallery, there is quite an age range between the oldest and youngest chick.  In fact, based on plumage development, it's thought that the oldest one is up to 9 days older than the youngest - a remarkable range of ages within a brood.  This youngest chick was estimated at 28 days of age, and was still very white with down, while his older siblings (33-37 days) had already lost the majority of their down.  Photos from the banding will be added to the Toronto Photo Gallery early next week.

An appeal:  These youngsters are going to need help to stay safe as they take flight over the next couple of weeks!  Learning to fly in a city is always a considerable challenge, and in downtown Toronto volunteers have needed to perform at least a couple of rescues every year.  This year, we need volunteer help more than ever - for one thing, five chicks are going to pose much more of a challenge to keep track of than three or four.  Also, given the age range, there is a good chance that the younger siblings may take flight before they are really ready, simply to follow the older ones.  Add to this the family of aggressive and territorial American kestrels just to the south of the peregrines, and the unidentified peregrines around the Sheraton Hotel, and the youngsters may have to deal not only with the challenges of navigating around buildings, but also encountering unfriendly neighbours.  PLEASE consider helping us out on the Fledgling Watch if you can.  It will begin at dawn on Monday June 17, and will probably last 2-3 weeks (to be determined by the progress the chicks show over time).  Volunteers are needed at all times of day, dawn to dusk, seven days a week.  To help us determine how much extra help we will need to recruit, please contact us if you can help at any time - email volunteer coordinator Linda Woods at linda@peregrine-foundation.ca indicating your availability.  No experience necessary, just an interest in watching the peregrines!

On a lighter note, we are collecting suggestions for names for the five chicks.  Ideas will be collected between now and next Friday - to enter your pick, please review the rules posted in the large beige box near the top of this page.

Thursday June 13, 2002
Jan Chudy reports:  7:20 - 7:40 am Thursday, Leader Lane:  1 adult at 18 King.  I think it must have been feeding the chicks because it had its back turned to the street and seemed to be ducking down a lot.

7:45 am my office on the north wall of First Canadian Place - observed one adult at the Sheraton ledge.

12:25 at Leader Lane - two chicks on edge of ledge.  One large white and one with well-developed feathers.  12:35 one adult flew by from the east and did two clockwise circuits of the building and then rested on the NE top of the condo next to the King Eddie.  It stayed there until about 12:50 then flew low up Victoria Street.  12:55 approx. four chicks clearly visible.  1:05 Zoe arrived at the site and shortly thereafter we spotted all five chicks.  Paul arrived shortly thereafter and confirmed all I had seen since he had been up on the roof with the Japanese film crew.  He took two rolls of still pictures.

3:40 - my office in First Canadian Place - one adult on ledge at Sheraton.  Still there but on the ledge at 4:20.  It is now 5 p.m. and I am off back to Leader Lane - the adult is still a the Sheraton site but sitting on the box in the back corner.

Linda Woods reports:  08:00 - 12:00 Viewing from Leader Lane:  I saw all five chicks today! Truly amazing. A lot of vocalizing and they appeared to be looking in a north-east direction. I walked the area to find Kingsley and Victoria and once again I have not seen the adults. One adult (I'm assuming it was Kingsley) on the bottom ledge of Scotia Plaza at 12:00. Many Kestrels in the area this year, but they didn't seem to bother the nest ledge today.

3:00p.m. - 7:00p.m. Three kestrels were on the spire of St. James. Kingsley and Victoria not seen. Chicks were moving about and one was at the nest ledge and a pedestrian ( who have seen the peregrines in previous years) thought it was one of the adults. I think I might see Kingsley and Victoria tomorrow. In fact I am very sure I will see them.

Wednesday June 12, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  10:00 Viewing from Adelaide and York St. One Adult in the south slots of the Sheraton Hotel.   10:15 - 11:30 Viewing from Leader Lane: Kingsley and Victoria were not seen during this time. Three chicks seen moving about in the ledge.

Jan Chudy reports:  I was over at Leader Lane at lunchtime.  One very large chick stayed out on the ledge from 12:45 until about 1:10 and was joined by a second one.  After a length of time, they settled down a bit and weren't as clearly visible.

It is Wednesday at 4:20 and I just noticed a large (and fat) adult sitting on the floor of the Sheraton site.  4:35 the bird took off from the ledge and flew down the south side of the hotel towards the ground.  It is now 4:45 and when I checked the Sheraton I noticed an adult had returned.  As I watched it, the second adult arrived and they are now both sitting in the nest area.

Tuesday June 11, 2002
Lisa Johnstone reports:  The three peregrines seem to be having some dispute again. They just came south on the east side of my tower (130 King West), turned and headed back north again. It appeared to be two chasing the one. I couldn't get a clear look at the breast feathers as they made a wonderful banking turn in front of my window.

Harry Crawford reports:  Yesterday's sighting of 2 peregrines on the west side of Scotia Plaza was at the same time that Neil had Kingsley in view on the east side.  So far we may be able to conclude that we have two pair of adults in the area, 5 chicks in the nest on King Street and several kestrels lying in wait just south of the King Eddie.  This could be an interesting spring!!

Observations for today:  I checked the Sheraton Centre area at 1:21pm and didn't see any peregrine activity.  At Leader Lane, Kingsley was on the east side of Scotia Plaza at 1:50pm.  Shortly after, a kestrel came screaming in from the south east and ended up somewhere on the north side of the King Edward roof -- it was probably a juvenile.  Another kestrel came from the same direction and likely landed on the condo south of the hotel.  At 2:12pm a peregrine was spotted in an unusual location on the church spire.  It was possibly an immature female as it was quite dark.  This peregrine took off to the south east corner of the condo south of the hotel.  A minute later, Kingsley was off Scotia Plaza, was joined by Victoria and they circled the area for a few minutes, probably hunting.  The condo peregrine was still in view.  Throughout this time up to 3 chicks could be seen peering out from the nest area.

Monday June 10, 2002
Jan Chudy reports:  My office now overlooks the Sheraton site (61st floor at First Canadian Place).  I never updated you on something that happened at the end of the week before last.  I was looking out my window (north) when suddenly I noticed three falcons having a bit of a dog fight over the Sheraton.  It lasted about 15 minutes.  At first I thought it was Kingsley and Victoria being harassed by the kestrel I have been reading about.  However, every time the birds broke apart it seemed clear to me they were all peregrines.  Finally one took off towards the east and the other two went off towards Mount Sinai where I lost sight of them.

Marcel Gahbauer comments:  The description above strongly suggests that the intruders settling in at the Sheraton Hotel over the past couple of weeks are Windwhistler-Spike and Mandy, searching for a new location perhaps after their failed nesting attempt at Mount Sinai.  Clearly Kingsley and Victoria were not welcoming on this occasion, though more recently the encounters seem to have been less contested.  Perhaps both pairs are becoming used to each others' presence.

Harry Crawford reports:  As soon as I arrived at 200 University Ave. at 1:00pm an adult jumped up from the floor of the old nest site on the south side of the Sheraton Centre and took off at a leisurely pace towards the south east.  At 1:11pm a turkey vulture was escorted west across University Ave. by a gull.  When I left the area at 1:32pm there was an adult peregrine on the steps of the west side of Scotia Plaza. It could have been the one from the Sheraton Centre.

I arrived at Leader Lane at 1:40pm, the same time 9 turkey vultures were slowly circling above Scotia Plaza.  They were unchallenged. An adult male (Kingsley?) appeared on the east side of the same building at 2:48pm.  Back at 200 University found a peregrine on the same location on the west side of Scotia Plaza -- could have been the same bird as before.  When I left the area at 3:26pm, a second adult joined it, two levels lower on the steps.

Sunday June 9, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  I did a quick peek at the Sheraton Hotel at 07:20hrs on Sunday. One adult peregrine sitting in the south slots. I then checked King St. area and did not see K & V. Three chicks could be seen, flapping.

Saturday June 8, 2002
Harry Crawford reports:  At 10:29am an adult was standing on the ledge of the old nest site on the south side of the Sheraton Centre.  He quickly dropped to the bottom of the ledge, out of view.  His chest was very white and the size indicated that he was likely a male.  I then went over to Leader Lane to see what was happening.  Victoria (or at least an adult female) was on the St. James spire.  Neil said she was there since 10am and was still there when I left the area at 11:45am.  There was no activity seen on the nest ledge although Neil saw a couple of the chicks flapping around earlier.  They appear to be progressing quickly, showing darker wing feathers.  Kingsley was nowhere to be seen.  One thing that was somewhat unusual is that Victoria spent a lot of time sitting and walking around the flat part of the spire, just below the weather vane.  She has never been seen there before by Paul, Neil, or myself.

Back at 200 University (ING building, great viewing location), a large adult, much darker than the earlier bird, was on the west antenna of the Sheraton Centre at 11:55am.  It made a great stoop, west, directly over 200 University and returned two minutes later, circling north of the Sheraton Centre.  It made two minor attacks on gulls, hitting one.  It was out of view by 12:02pm.  This bird was quite possibly a female.

Paul Marshman reports:  First, on the "mystery bird" front, I think we've proven the bird hanging around the Sheraton is not Kingsley or Victoria. Viewing from Leader Lane, Neil Ruberry had both parents in view today about 1 p.m., when he saw Victoria fly in with prey, pluck it, and take it into the nest. Unbeknownst to him, at the same time, John Brett, a U of T student who has been watching with us for a few days, was scoping out the Sheraton nest. He saw a falcon -- quite white-breasted -- pop out about 12:30 and sit there until he left at 1:25. So three birds were accounted for at the same time. (This might indicate it's Windwhistler-Spike at the Sheraton?)

Even more interesting, we had an interloper at the Victoria St. nest. Neil, John and I were watching K&V flying around the Sheraton Tower about 2 p.m. and suddenly saw a fairly large peregrine coming in to land on top of the nest building. Immediately another peregrine stooped in and drove it back onto the roof. I looked closely and am quite sure the attacker wasn't a kestrel, so I have to assume it was Kingsley or Victoria, defending the nest. The bird on the roof took off and flew east, and was immediately joined by a second peregrine stooping in from the west -- probably the same one that had just attacked it. The interloper reappeared and flew off to the west. This bird looked like an adult, but it flew like a youngster, flapping very hard all the time; its landing on the nest building was pretty ragged, too. A few minutes later, we saw two falcons fly behind the Scotia Tower from the north, one flapping hard and the other -- looking like Victoria -- close behind but soaring. A second later a third peregrine followed them, in a shallow stoop. I don't know who this new bird is. It could be the peregrine that's hanging around the Sheraton, a lone wanderer passing through, or even one of last year's chicks trying to pay a visit.

Meanwhile, the chicks seem to be doing well. Neil saw food go in twice, once at 10 and again at 1. They appear now and then at the front of the ledge, and some flapping is being seen, with quite a lot of black on the wings. This evening we could see three at the same time, one of which still looked pretty white. 

Friday June 7, 2002
Jennifer Barr reports:  Given that there are 5 chicks to feed and to care for at 18 King I no longer believe that the peregrine that I am watching on the Sheraton Hotel is either Kingsley or Victoria.  This bird is there again this morning and spent most of yesterday and the day before at the old next box on the south side of the Sheraton Hotel.

Marcel Gahbauer reports:  Later in the day, Jennifer sent me another report which was even more puzzling!  She wrote that while showing a friend one of the peregrines, they watched another one fly past it, at which point the first took flight again; while they were watching this, a third peregrine flew past the other two!  Remarkably, none of them showed any noticeable aggression to any of the others, which is particularly strange given the proximity to the nest site.

Jennifer speculated that the third bird might be one of Victoria and Kingsley's offspring from last year, accounting for their mild reaction toward it.  While this is possible, it would surprise me, given how unwelcoming they were toward Trillium when he returned last summer after an absence of less than two weeks.  In general, Victoria and Kingsley have been quite determined in defending their territory against any intruders, and this seems somewhat out of character, but then with five young to feed, perhaps they aresimply conserving energy for where it is needed most.  All the same, the observation is a very peculiar one, and it will be interesting to see whether this third bird continues to stay in the area.

Thursday June 6, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  Not a lot of activity today. Skies were overcast and the temperature cooler than yesterday.  Victoria was seen earlier in the morning flying over the Toronto/Adelaide St. area. Two chicks visible from street level. The oldest is doing a lot of wing flapping and the colour change is very noticeable.

Victoria must have taken food into the nest, she appears at the nest ledge and takes off towards the south-east. One chick can be seen at the ledge looking in the direction of Victoria. Both Kingsley and Victoria were seen together circling over the Leader Lane area and then out of view. Something had the pair diving and swooping at the roof of the nest building. I didn't hear any vocalizing by either adult and couldn't see if it was a kestrel above the nest area. The swooping and diving by Kingsley and Victoria was short lived everything settled down moments later.

3:30p.m. Once again Victoria is seen entering the nest ledge. The angle in which she entered did not allow us to if she had prey, she did not immediately reappear so I am assuming she is feeding. After a while two chicks are clearly visible at the ledge. Wing flapping and stretching and walking the length of the ledge.

5:50 Victoria is seen on the south side of CHFI and the pesky little kestrel has returned to irritate her. The kestrel did get some good swoops and dives at her, but Victoria held her ground and eventually the kestrel gave up and flew off. Victoria was still on the south side of CHFI when I left the area. Kingsley was not in view for most of the time.

Wednesday June 5, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  12:30 - 2:00p.m. Not much happening between the breaks in the rain. Victoria was seen floating over the area during this time. The little ones weren't seen from street level. Hopefully the weather will improve for tomorrow and allow us to see a little more activity.

6:00p.m - 7:20p.m. Three chicks visible from street level. One sitting to the right of the nest pillar is barely visible. The other two, are sitting to the  left of the nest pillar, and  are a little more active. The chick to the far left appears to be closer to the edge and appears to be just "chilling" and enjoying the view. Its room mate, on the other hand, appears to be in some sort of "flap". A lot of wing flapping and stretching and one can clearly see the dark colouration on the underside of the wing and lighter brown patches appearing.

Kingsley and Victoria were not in view on my arrival, but appeared shortly after. Both adults are on One Financial Place. Victoria took off and returned later with prey to the roof-top of # 36 Adelaide (also known as # 33 Victoria St.) She cleaned the prey and then flew towards the nest ledge. It didn't look like she had the prey with her and when she reached the nest ledge she aborted the landing and took off towards the north and circled back towards the east. It  looked like she might have dropped the prey.  I didn't see anything fall. I checked the sidewalk underneath the nest ledge, and didn't find any unclaimed "food packets". Victoria returns to the area and flies directly into the nest ledge. Couldn't see if she had food with her this time. Once again it begins to rain and of course Kingsley heads for cover.

Monday June 3, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  12:45p.m.- 2:30p.m. Kingsley was seen on the louvered ledge beside the nest side on my arrival to Leader Lane, Victoria was not in view. Kingsley took off towards the east and was next seen in the King and Yonge St. area and eventually made his way to the upper ledges of the Scotia Plaza. Later on, one chick could be seen to the right of the nest pillar.  We could only see the head as it sat looking out over the area. A little bit of wing flapping and stretching. Dark coloured feathers were seen on the underside of the wing. Victoria did not come into view during this time.

Sunday June 2, 2002
Mark Nash reports:  We have some great news for Toronto Downtown nest site. Pounce-Kingsley and Victoria have five chicks on the nest ledge, all doing fine!  This is a first for Toronto!  The confirmation was made by Akira Kanda.

08:30 Viewing from Leader Lane:  Kingsley and Victoria are both seen on the centre ledges of the Scotia Plaza. Not much activity this morning. No movement can be seen in the nest area from this location.  

3:00p.m. - 5:00p.m. Viewing from the upper levels: Three chicks can be seen on the right side of the nest pillar. All appear to be about the same size and not all that active, but out from behind the pillar.  5:00 Victoria brings food into the nest and we wait with anticipation. The first three chicks are first in line to eat and then from behind the nest pillar the fourth chick appears and then the fifth! The fifth chick is smaller than the others but appears to be very healthy and active and not afraid to collect it's share of the meal. Victoria is making sure everyone gets something to eat. By this time everyone has had some food and they are all lined up in a row. Victoria starts at one end of the line and makes her way down the line picking clean the prey and giving every last morsel to her brood.  5:30p.m. All the chicks have had their fill. Victoria takes off and circles the area and then heads north along Victoria street towards Adelaide and out of view. Kingsley who had been sitting on One Financial Place during the feeding, heads for the nest area and sets down on one of the louvered ledges south of the nest ledge. He's vocalizing and then takes off and follows Victoria's path.  6:00p.m. Back to street level at Leader Lane, Kingsley and Victoria are not in view and I can't see the little ones from this location.

Saturday June 1, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  08:10 Viewing from Leader Lane: Kingsley and Victoria are seen on the east side of Scotia Plaza.  I don't see any movement in the nest area at this time.  A pigeon is seen flying around the west side of the King Edward Hotel, just then Kingsley took off from the Scotia Plaza and Victoria was directly behind him after the pigeon. Didn't see if the hunt was successful. Food went into the nest at 09:05.  Viewing from the upper levels of the King Edward Hotel.  One chick is very mobile and wandered to the south end of the nest ledge. Kingsley and Victoria were seen circling Scotia Plaza. They seemed to have settled down when we left the area at 12:30p.m.

Friday May 31, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  Viewing from Leader Lane, 2:30p.m. Kingsley is seen floating around the Scotia Plaza and eventually lands of the centre ledges.  2:45p.m. Both Kingsley and Victoria are riding the thermals off the Scotia Plaza. Chicks not visible at this time.  3:20p.m.  Victoria is seen approaching One Financial Place with prey in her talons. She lands on the lower east ledge and begins to clean her catch and takes it into the nest 5 minutes later.

Viewing from Parish Hall:  Two chicks can be seen during the feeding. One of the chicks looks like it already has black appearing on it's head. Kingsley not in view during this time.

Thursday May 30, 2002
David Dean reports:  7:10PM Walking north up Yonge, both Victoria and Kingsley were circling immediately east of Scotia tower. At about 7:15, the pair split up with Victoria returning to the area of the nest, and Kingsley entering a stoop, zipping over to the area of the Sheraton. It was good to see that they were taking a break from the kids!

Wednesday May 29, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  09:15 I was down to the King Edward Hotel this morning. Victoria was seen at the nest ledge and one large all white chick was seen to the right of the nest pillar, Very cute!  I didn't stay long, as Victoria was kept busy by that pesky Kestrel in the area. Those kestrels don't give up do they?  I then went over to the Parish Hall and the same chick can be seen from that location. They others were not seen.

Tuesday May 28, 2002
Paul Marshman reports:  The downtown chicks must be getting hungrier. About 11:15 I looked out the window over Church Street and saw Victoria circling around over St. James' Cathedral with a honking big black bird in her talons -- so big that she was working like crazy just to keep aloft. It could have been a really big pigeon, with its wings hanging down, but it was so big and black I wondered if she'd taken a small crow. She finally got straightened out and headed off to the west, toward the nest. I went out to take a look but couldn't see her near the nest, probably because there were window washers on the roof of the Financial building, where she and Kingsley often clean their prey.

Linda Woods reports:  1:15p.m.- 2:10p.m. Viewing from Leader Lane:  Victoria seen at the nest ledge, preening. Kingsley not in view. Couldn't see any movement yet from the chicks.

Sunday May 26, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  09:20 Victoria is seen at the nest ledge. Kingsley is not in view.  10:45 Victoria is flying over Toronto St. heading east, she returns a few moments later and flies directly into the nest. Kingsley was not seen at this time. Window washers out on One Financial Place.

Saturday May 25, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  08:50 No activity seen in the area. Victoria nor Kingsley are in view.  12:45p.m. approximately Victoria seen flying over the area of # 1 Toronto St. heading east. She returns moments later and directly into the nest area. Too fast to see if she had food with her. Kingsley has not been in view.

Brian Tjernstrom reports:  While participating in the Doors Open Toronto tour of the King Edward Hotel, I was able to see the nest ledge from the 17th floor.  It wasn't quite high enough to see directly into the ledge, but I was able to see at least one chick moving around.  While looking east from the Crystal Ballroom on the same floor, I observed a peregrine, probably a male, striking a large pigeon.  The pigeon survived the initial impact and veered off to the west out of view with the peregrine in pursuit.

Wednesday May 22, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  Viewing from Leader Lane, 1:00 - 2:30 pm.   Both Kingsley and Victoria were out of the nest at various times enjoying the sunny weather. The kestrel was at it again and took a swipe at Victoria as she set down on the nest ledge. Kingsley was last seen at the nest ledge and Victoria was last seen over One Financial Place. Couldn't see any movement at the base of the nest pillar yet.

Jennifer Barr reports:  2:50 pm.  For the second day in a row we have activity at the old nest site at the Sheraton Hotel.  I guess those kids are too much work!  I'm not certain but I believe that it is Kingsley and I know that he/she has been at the old nest tray for the better part of an hour now.

Thursday May 16, 2002
Harry Crawford reports:  Kingsley was seen circling high above King between Bay and Church at 7:44am, 7:57am and again at 8:22am.  He appeared to be hunting as he made a number of stoops.

Wednesday May 15, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  07:17 Victoria brought food into the nest. We can see at least 3 little ones behind the pillar. Many thanks to the Japanese film crew for the use of high powered spotting scope. They appear to be about 5 days old.  07:40 Victoria finished feeding the young ones and takes off with the carcass and returns moments later.

09:35 Victoria steps out from behind the pillar and has her back to the sun and her wings spread. Looks like she is soaking up the heat from the sun. Although it's sunny out, it is still pretty cool in the shade and the wind. Kingsley has not been spotted yet this morning.  10:35  Victoria has been moving around a lot and again steps out from behind the pillar and spreads her wings in the sun. She returns behind the pillar 5 minutes later. 10:45  Kingsley finally makes an appearance and is on the top ledge of the Scotia Plaza. Victoria remains behind the pillar.

Tuesday May 14, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  12:30p.m.  Victoria out from behind the pillar and over to the south side of CHFI. She returned to the nest about 3 minutes later.  12:40p.m. Victoria out from behind the pillar again and heads north this time and back again to the nest site.  12:42  Victoria out again and disappears from view.  12:55 Finally Kingsley comes in view and enters the nest and settles down behind the pillar. Very windy and pouring rain.  Victoria must be in the area, I can see feathers floating up towards me, but can't see where they are coming from.

1:35 Kingsley out and Victoria returns to the nest ledge about a minute later. She moves in behind the pillar and squats down. She is constantly moving about and seems very unsettled. She is up again and out of the nest towards the King Edward Hotel.  1:40p.m. I see feathers flying again and no one in the nest. Kingsley and Victoria are not in view. I can't see anything behind the pillar. I'm surprised to see Victoria leave the nest so often in such "fowl" weather.  1:42p.m. Victoria is approaching the nest and she has food with her and takes it behind the pillar and out of view. All I can see is a lot of tail bobbing. The food stays behind the pillar with Victoria, I assume she is feeding the chick/chicks.  1:55p.m. Victoria still behind the pillar and not really in view. Kingsley not seen. Still raining and very gusty winds.

Monday May 13, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  Rain, drizzle  7c.  07:30 - 09:55 Kingsley directly behind the nest pillar. Victoria is not in view. Frequent change of position and doesn't appear to be lying flat.  10:00 Kingsley appears from behind the pillar and takes off leave the area behind the pillar open to view. No movement noted at base of nest pillar and unable to see clear enough for number of eggs.  10:05 Victoria to the nest ledge and a Kestrel has followed and takes on last swipe at her at the nest ledge. She enters the nest area and  disappears behind the pillar. A few shakes of the tail feathers and then she settles down.  10:40 No other activity noted. The rain and drizzle continues.

Saturday May 11, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  Viewing from the upper levels.  07:30 Kingsley in the nest area. Victoria not in view.  07:50 Victoria is seen on # 7 King St. cleaning prey. She took the prey to the nest area on # 18 King St. Kingsley appears on the ledge and took off. Victoria disappears behind the nest pillar. Could not see behind nest pillar from where we were viewing. Very little activity noted behind the pillar.

10:45 Victoria and Kingsley are out of the nest area  for about 3 minutes. We now have a better location to view behind the pillar, but even with a high powered scope was unable to detect any movement or white fluffs. Like last year I think Victoria has them directly behind the pillar.  Two Turkey Vultures on the middle ledges of the Scotia Plaza. One stepped back into the ledge and out of view. The second Turkey Vulture took off and was seen circling around Scotia Plaza and First Canadian Place. Kingsley is after the one circling and the vulture is paying no attention to the constant swoops and dives.

11:00  The T.V. returns to the Scotia Plaza and the wing of the second vulture can be seen hanging over the ledge and then disappears into the back area. Vulture takes off again and Kingsley takes off from the roof of Scotia Plaza and dives at it again. Eventually the vulture wandered westward, but I think the second one remained on the middle ledge of the Plaza. Kingsley sets down on Royal Bank building.

11:35 He takes off and now a Kestrel is pestering him. Just like the vulture, Kingsley is not too bothered by the swoops and dives by the kestrel and he finally turns on it and chases it out of the area. Victoria remained behind the pillar and changed position about every 10 minutes.  We departed the area shortly after.

Harry Crawford reports:  There was no activity visible after arriving at Leader Lane at 10:05am.  At 10:12, a solitary turkey vulture was circling First Canadian Place below roof level.  By 10:25 two vultures were circling Scotia Plaza at about the same level, occasionally bumping up against windows.  Shortly after, Victoria appeared on the nest ledge and rapidly took off to the south.  She made a huge circle and returned to the nest ledge, disappearing from view.  This episode took no more than a minute and she was vocalising loudly the whole time.  The vultures were also in view but were not challenged.  By 10:45 the vultures landed on the east steps of Scotia Plaza and appeared to settle down.  Kingsley arrived on the top north east corner of the same building 5 minutes later.  When I left the area at 10:55, Victoria, Kingsley and the two vultures remained in the same locations.

Friday May 10, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  11:00 - 1:30p.m. Viewing from the upper levels of the King Edward Hotel, Victoria is seen down beside the nest pillar. Kingsley was not in view during this time.  Victoria is frequently changing her position and is quite active beside the pillar. I don't think she stayed still for more than 10 minutes at a time. She doesn't appear to be lying as low as she has been previously. Still haven't been able to see underneath her as yet.

Thursday May 9, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  1:00p.m. Viewing from street level, Kingsley is at the nest ledge, Victoria not in view.  From the upper level of King Edward Hotel: Kingsley is gone from the nest ledge, Victoria is lying down beside the pillar. She is shifting positions a few times and adjusting beneath her each time. At 2:00p.m.it starts to rain again,  and Kingsley reappears on One Financial Place. Once the heavy downpour started, Kingsley headed for cover on the louvered ledges beneath nest ledge. He was gone once the sun came out. Victoria remained behind the nest pillar.

Wednesday May 8, 2002
Linda Woods reports: 08:00 Kingsley and Victoria not in view.  08:20 Kingsley over Toronto St. area chasing three crows out of the area. The crows are very lazily flying around even after a few swoops from Kingsley.  08:40 Kingsley on the dark area of the St.James steeple. A kestrel is diving at him. Must be the same kestrel that has been in the area for about a month now and is not giving up on pestering Kingsley. No activity noted at nest ledge.

Monday May 6, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  11:15 Victoria is down beside the  pillar. Kingsley on One Financial Place. Workers are dismantling equipment on # 36 Toronto St. roof-top. The tarring of the roof must be finished. Window washers are out on the east side of One Financial Place.  11:30 Victoria up and fussing about the nest area. Still can't see underneath her. She's up a few minutes longer than I have seen her previously. She pokes and adjusts herself and then settles back down. Kingsley off his previous perch and not seen at this time.  11:45 Kingsley has returned to One Financial Place, centre ledge.  Victoria remains quiet.  12:20p.m.  Kingsley off  towards the south and out of view. Victoria is settled down beside the nest pillar and no movement noted from her for the past 40 minutes.

Sunday May 5, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  08:30-09:00 Kingsley is seen on the bottom ledge of Scotia Plaza. Victoria not in view.  09:40-10:30 Kingsley still on the bottom ledge of Scotia Plaza. No movement noted at nest ledge.

Saturday May 4, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  11:15 Victoria on the south side of CHFI. Kingsley is in the nest ledge at the base of the pillar. Victoria heads to the 1st ledge, steps back into the ledge walks behind the pillar and up onto the 2nd ledge. She takes off and sets down on the south-east corner of # 18 King. A Kestrel starts to swoop and dive at her. She ducks out of the way, and then I guess enough is enough. Victoria takes off after the Kestrel and out of view. Kestrel not seen again.

11:45 Victoria has not returned and there is minimal movement at the nest.  12:00 Kingsley is moving about and appears on the nest ledge and takes off towards the east. A  great opportunity to see the eggs, but I am just not high enough or maybe not tall enough to see over the lip of the ledge. Victoria lands on the nest ledge seconds later and enters settles in after a few adjustments of the eggs. Back to street level, Kingsley is not in view.

Friday May 3, 2002
David Dean reports:  Friday 7:00 AM I think it was Victoria sitting on the south eastern second from the bottom step of Scotia enjoying the morning sunshine. The sun was shining off her puffed up belly, I could see her from a mile away!

Wednesday May 1, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  09:30 Kingsley on One Financial Place, Victoria is in the nesting area beside the pillar.  09:50 Victoria changes positions and fussing beneath her.  10:00 Victoria is up again and changing positions. Looks like she is pulling in gravel with her beak and tucking it underneath her. She's still not letting me see how many eggs she has, every time she is up off the nest, she turns her back to me and drapes her wings around her.  10:10 Victoria shifting about again, Kingsley not in view at this time.

10:20 Kingsley returns to One Financial Place. Victoria appears to have settled down.  10:30 Kingsley off again towards the south-west.  10:40 Victoria up again and changing her position on the nest. 10:52 Kingsley has returned to One Financial Place lower ledge. Thought I might see a switch here but not yet. Victoria repositioning again.

11:00 Kingsley off towards the south-west heading for BCE Place and out of view. Kestrel heading towards Adelaide Street from the south and Kingsley is directly behind it. Kingsley veers off and sets down on One Financial Place and he has prey in his talons.  11:15 After his small meal Kingsley takes off towards the south-west. Victoria appears settled in and has moved very little in the past 20 minutes. 11:35 Kingsley not in view, Victoria settled beside the nest pillar.  11:40 Victoria up and although I cannot see them I assume she is turning eggs. She fusses as bit and then changes positions and is now facing the south-east. Kingsley not in view.

11:47 Kingsley has  returned to One Financial Place, same lower ledge as before and has once again he has prey with him. He starts to clean and feed. Victoria can be seen looking around, perhaps she is restless and wants a break.  12:00 Kingsley into the nest ledge. He  cautiously approaches Victoria with his head bowed and then slowly retreats back to the ledge. She's not budging from her spot. Kingsley looks like he doesn't know what to think and he tries again and approaches her a second time but she's not leaving. Kingsley hops back up onto the ledge and takes off. He sets down on the louvered area beneath the nest ledge. Victoria stays down beside the pillar.  12:10 Kingsley not in view.

Wednesday May 1, 2002
Linda Woods reports:  09:50 Walking south on Yonge St approaching King, one large bird flying south along Yonge St, too large for a gull.  10:00 Viewing from Leader Lane, Both Kingsley and Victoria are not in view. One Turkey Vulture is circling the upper half of Scotia Plaza.  Window washers are out on the south side and south-east side of Scotia Plaza. Window washers are also on #70 King St. across from Leader Lane.  10:05 Kingsley appears on the 4th ledge of Scotia Plaza, Victoria not in view.

10:20 Viewing from the upper levels of the King Edward Hotel, Victoria is at the base of the nest pillar, Kingsley remains on Scotia Plaza.  10:30 Victoria is up and changing her position and poking around beneath her. I'm assuming she is turning eggs.  10:45  Kingsley has now moved out of view, didn't see him leave the tower, he may have just stepped back into the ledge and out of view.

10:55 Victoria up again and changing positions and again fussing beneath her. After poking around she settles back down again.  11:00 Victoria up again and fussing beneath her and settles back down. Kingsley remains on the Scotia Plaza ledge.  11:15 Kingsley remains on Scotia Plaza, Victoria has settled down at the base of the nest pillar.  11:30 Kingsley still on the ledge of Scotia Plaza, Once again Victoria is up and moving about in the nest area, changing positions and fussing beneath her.  11:37 Kingsley off the Scotia Plaza and flies directly to the nest ledge. He pauses for a moment and Victoria seems like she is unaware of his arrival. Victoria finally moves out of the nest area and to the ledge. She takes off and Kingsley moves in behind the pillar and settles down. I didn't see where Victoria headed.  11:45 Back to street level, Victoria and Kingsley are not in view.

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