June 30, 2009 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
At various times through out the day, all four juveniles were seen in the direct area of the nest building. As they develop advanced flights skills, humorous landings do occur, as seen by volunteers this morning. A slight misjudgement had one juvenile land on top of another pushing it off it’s perch and into the air. They seem to prefer the spire this year, I am waiting to see the entire family on the church in the coming days.
Posted on June 30, 2009 8:49 pm
June 30, 2009 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Mark Nash Reports:
Late this morning brought yet another call from the hospital security staff, with Todd on the phone in the middle of rounding up yet another downed juvenile peregrine on the hospital grounds. After a short conversation with Todd and some basic rescue instructions 101,, Todd and staff jumped into action and were successful in their efforts in rescuing the down fledgling. The young fledgling was identified by her band number as Magarita. She was placed in a rescue carrier and held in safe keeping until someone could be dispatched to attend.
While we expect that most of the young fledglings will at some time come to the ground during their first couple of maiden flights and need to be rescued from the ground, this situation is most concerning with regards to Magarita’s third time down to the ground. After having been rescued from the ground once after her first flight, she was observed holding her altitude and being able to return to the nest ledge on her own steam for several other good flights on consecutive days there after, it is obvious that Magarita has sustained some not so obvious injuries after the fact that is now preventing her from sustain flight.
Bruce was dispatched and picked up Magarita, and she was transported to the CPF Raptor centre for further examination. After a brief examination, it was concluded that despite the fact that she looks in very good condition and that there were no signs of any injuries or broken bones, it will now be necessary for a more detailed examination and x-rays in an effort to determine the reasons that Magarita can not hold her altitude. She was transported to the Toronto Wildlife centre for x-rays and further testing.
Stay tuned…….
Posted on June 30, 2009 12:18 pm
June 29, 2009 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Our next to last day! We had no one on 6 - 9 so this report starts at 9am. I found Nihei still on the southwest corner of Tower B while Tailer was on the southwest corner of the roof of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Both our adults were on the Carlisle antenna.
Just after 10am, Diana brought food to Tower B where her daughter was sitting, but Tailer, who followed her there, grabbed it first and all Nihei could do was watch and wait until he had finished. Diana flew off and Connor sat on the antenna of Tower C. After eating, he flew to Tower A and his sister immediately jumped on the rest of the food for herself.
At 11:30 Nihei left Tower B. She headed towards the gap between Towers 2 and 3, changed her direction and went between Towers 1 and 2. Her flight was a good, steady one, maintaining her height and speed. She disappeared! We started our search, while Nancy put out the news. Our eyes searched every building top edge, every balcony and ledge, and in between without seeing her. Eventually I had the feeling she was somewhere on the top of the Minto Suites. That is a logical place to go when first flying in that gap. Diana then flew close to the top row of windows at the northwest part. Tailer went flying and showing off all his tricks and lessons, and most of that took place right above the Suites. We settled down to watch the roof from different places. We saw Tailer and the adults at various times flying around here and there, but mostly where they could see the Suites. We watched the new OC Transpo Double Decker bus pass by. We had many people pass by to see if Nihei had flown, and a few disappointed that they could not see any falcons.
Around 4, Tailer came speeding by to the antenna on Tower C, tickled the top of an upright post, and sped away again, as if practicing his stoop horizontally. He came back and landed on a red “hub” on that antenna. How comfortable he is with his flying!
And then the rain came. We still hadn’t seen Nihei, so I went up to the penthouse of the Crowne to have a look at the roofs around. I checked all the ledges, etc but still no chicklet.
Just before 7:30 there was another food drop to Tailer at the northwest corner of Tower 1, so up I went again with Nancy, for another check, still without our baby. Tailer was really working over what looked like the body of a pigeon minus the head and wings.
After 8, Chris came over and decided to go up on the roof of Tower 2 for a look. Sure enough, he found her, as he has in the past! She was on that roof, sitting on a satellite dish! We had thought she had moved from the Suites to Constitution Square, but thought Tower 1, not 2. So much for our thoughts.
Tomorrow should bring a day of eyes upwards, hoping to see Nihei flying, as well as enjoying Tailer and his parents. How lucky we are to have this family in Ottawa.
Eve Ticknor
Posted on June 30, 2009 10:40 am
June 28, 2009 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
None of us thought we would be still doing this 22 days after we started, but here we are. Our morning was very quiet. Breakfast was served early and as far as I know there were no more food drops to either chicklet. Nihei had to have her nap, of course.
Tailer has now mastered soaring, and has been seen going very high in the sky. He looks wonderful! He still likes to tuck himself in the box on the Crowne.
Nihei, on the other hand, seems to like the northeastern corner of Tower 1. Her brother flies over from time to time to sit with her. This time, when he flew over, both were at the corner, flapping vigorously. We expected her to bop him off the ledge, but that didn’t happen.
Then late this afternoon, the adults issued warnings and both flew over Tower 2. It turned out to be men working on the Minto, putting up the flag for Canada Day. Eventually the adults gave up. Tailer showed up on Tower A begging for food. Nihei was out of our sight.
We were sitting under the trees across the road when Nihei was in the air! She flew across to the hotel and tried to land in the box that her brother liked, but she couldn’t, so she turned back and landed on another part of the same roof she started out from. Then it poured. We ran into the bus shelted and continued to watch. Tailer was still on Tower A behind us. We could see him in the reflection of Tower 2. She then flew across to a good landing on Tower A and walked over to join Tailer. Diana and Connor showed up on the same tower. Apparently Diana had a small piece of meat. Connor jumped in and grabbed it! He flew out overhead and dropped it and Tailer flew out and caught it! Needless to say, Nihei complained loudly. We all felt she should have been rewarded for flying with dinner, but when we eventually left, she still had not eaten.
Soon Tailer was up on Tower B. Nihei wanted to join him and slowly flapped and walked down to the closest corner and flew, or hopped over to his side. They both made it to the southwest corner.
Then we saw a strange thing. Tailer flew very fast westwards. He muffed 4 landings, made it to Tower 1, left and went around the Crowne, back, missed another landing, flew around and landed on the corner of the nest ledge, flew out again and landed in the box where he likes to sleep. That is where we left them, in the rain.
We will continue tomorrow and possibly Tuesday, but I doubt our chicklets will need us further. Let’s hope we can sit and watch as they fly and play together in the sky!
Eve Ticknor
Posted on June 30, 2009 10:36 am
June 29, 2009 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Mark Nash Reports:
I attended the William Osler Health Care Centre again today after Magarita was rescued yet again from the ground - (her second time) by the hospital security, to take a final look at her one last time before releasing her back to the roof and to her family. While we are unsure how she was able to damage the leading edge primary feathers on her left wing, it appears that that this injury is very minor, and that she can be released back to her family.
After spending a quiet stress free dry evening, Magarita was released back to her family today without innocent. She was full of energy and has quite an attitude indeed!! Ready to take my head off, she was clearly unimpressed with the overall experience and did not hesitate to let me know that she was not amused with short stay in captivity.
She was released back to the roof top of the Hospital and quickly took up a position atop of the upper retaining wall on the north west corner of the Hospital. Sadly, the heavy rain today really didn’t offered any decent flying opportunities and most of her family spent much of their afternoon roosting on their favorite spots. Magarita stayed on the north west upper corner of the roof top while her other two siblings, “Katarina” and “Apollo” stayed perched together on the top of the east side hospital sign.
We are a little concerned as to why Magarita was retrieved from the ground for a second time and not able to get any altitude as she was doing so well in short flights back and forth from the hydro towers and the roof top. She will be monitored a little more closely over the next few days to see if she keeps her altitude now that she has been put up to the roof top yet again. This is the second time that she has come to the ground.
Photos were taken of her just prior to and just after her release back to the roof area. I finally departed just after 4pm this afternoon as the three young juveniles held firm in their roosting spots with no activity having been observed.
Both adults were also accounted for at this time, on the south and north upper building ledges while trying to avoid the driving rains.
Posted on June 30, 2009 10:24 am
June 29, 2009 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Jan Chudy Reports:
During the course of the morning, and before the thunderstorms, I only ever had two juveniles in sight at any time. At 11 a.m. as I checked the roof (literally) of 100 Adelaide, a juvenile flew off from food towards the Sheraton and loud kaking was heard from the east. Turning around I found a large juvenile on the west side of the Bell building, clearly annoyed that its sibling had been disturbed. In the afternoon, once the thunderstorm had passed, I spotted one juvenile on the SW corner of 150 York and one on the north wall of the building directly to the south of that.
Many thanks to Oxford Properties who gave me access to the roof to check out a “suspicious” package, and to security guard Nicholas.
Posted on June 30, 2009 10:03 am
June 29, 2009 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Jan Chudy Reports:
Checking in at 8 a.m., one juvenile was visible in the nest ledge. At 2 p.m. an adult was on the nest ledge and a juvenile was in view on the air handling unit of 120 Adelaide. At 4:45, one juvenile was on the Sheraton nest ledge and one was on the NE corner of the other hotel. As I watched it took off and flew to the east wall of the Sheraton roof. A few minutes later, an adult arrived on the nest eldge with food. The juvie ran towards it and the adult took off - the juvie stayed put! A few moments later a large juvenile (must be a female) flew up to the Sheraton nest ledge. The juvie already there (either Osler or Stormin) got VERY excited and was running up and down and jumping up and down flapping its wings. The female went to the dge of the ledge and the male came up behind her and gave her a nudge from behind. She managed to stay on the ledge but the male remained very excited. The female moved to the back wall of the ledge and the male followed and ran full tilt at her, hitting her! A third juvie remained on the east side of the other hotel.
Posted on June 30, 2009 9:56 am
June 29, 2009 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Although Mollie has two missing tail feathers, she is doing well at pestering her brothers. Lots of “tag” today and this evening. They seem to get really active this evening, perhaps the heavy rain and thunderstorms kept them from burning off energy.
They do enjoy the spire of St. James Cathedral and use it as a “home” to launch themselves to chase the each other. Late this evening, I could see them flying back and forth and eventually, two set down on the north side of the # 7 condos on King St. One adult on Dundee Place over looking the two on the condos.
Posted on June 29, 2009 9:12 pm
June 22, 2009 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
It’s 5:47am. Who calls at this time of the morning? Bruce Massey, that’s who! The two female juveniles decided that they were going to toy with him today and shake up his routine a little. He parked the car, got out his chair and binoculars and just as he was lowering himself into watch position… …BLAM!! Both female chicks took their first flights off of the ledge in TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS!! Both Katarina and Margherita came down low but managed to stay off of the ground and land instead on the south side; one on the 6th floor and one on the 7th. It didn’t take Katarina long to figure out that she had no interest in being there. Within 5 flights she was back on the nest ledge and feeling rather proud of herself ( way to go!! ). Margherita made similar attempts to regain elevation and was able to maintain her current altitude. After a few attempts she ended up… …you guessed it! On the tiniest little post she could fit her big feet on!!
There she stayed until Bruce decided to run for coffee. As if to get me back for the trick they played on Bruce this morning, the minute he was out of earshot… …WOO HOO off she goes! This time she came down to the ground where a quick rescue could be made, a check on her physical condition done and into the carrier she went. Thanks so much to the William Osler staff member who assisted in gathering up the rescue box.
During all of this excitement, Apollo and Katarina were having a grand time testing out their new wings, all under the watchful eye of their resident parents O’Connor and Hurricane. Much to the parents chagrin, the kids had now discovered the hydro tower to the east and were regularly over there harassing them for food. Up until now, this had been the parents paradise; a roosting spot where it was nice and peaceful and yet the juveniles could be watched. Although not perfect yet, the landings of Apollo and Katarina on this new spot were still controlled and on target; an impressive feat for two birds who have literally just taken their first flights!
As darkness came upon us, it was time for the release of Margherita. Not only is this female big, she’s full of spunk!! I knew I was in for it! Bruce and I picked her up in security ( Amazing people! Thanks guys! ) and with a maintenance escort, we were off to the roof. Just inside the access door, Marherita was looked over once more to make sure that she was good to go and we were off. On the roof and back in business. Good job Marherita!!
Posted on June 29, 2009 7:08 pm
June 28, 2009 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Spec’s second flight was seen by Harry and Bruce today around 09:30. He took off north and ended up on the roof of the office building at Court and Toronto Sts. He sat there the entire day and decided to take a third flight, well after Zoe left for the day. Zoe and Bruce waited through the rain but Speck was content to stay put. His siblings were showing amazing flights skills. Two were seen chasing and pushing each other in mid air using thier talons, amazing to see.
Spec took off on his third flight and headed towards the nest building, he aborted that flight and circled back bouncing off one building, then headed north on Toronto St. batted on the south facing windows and headed east over the Rosewater Supper Club. He came to rest on the building beside the Courthouse. The other juvies are now seen on the spire of the church and flying over King St. Spec took again, after a lie down, and headed south over King St and landed on the Gooderham condos at Colborne St and Church (pizza pizza area ) The last flight took him off the roof of that building and gain height. He ended up on a window ledge of the condos at 92 King St. He was higher now, but then another juvie came flying in off the spire and knocked him off. The last we saw of him, he was headed east in the King and Church area. Paul and I searched the church, church yard and surrounding building and ledges all the way over to Jarvis St. No luck.
The only sightings of a juvie was at 9p.m., one was on the south-east corner of # 33 Victoria St. and we don’t know if that was him. We were loosing the light quickly as heavy rain was moving in. Paul and I called it for the night.
Good flying by the other Juvies.
Posted on June 28, 2009 10:10 pm
