June 29, 2010 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
As they have been affectionately referred to, there are now two lovely little “cotton ball” chicks at the William Osler site!! At 8:00pm this evening, thanks to the amazing folks in security, I was able to get an accurate count of the chicks that have hatched, totalling two so far. The adult female, who’s identification still eludes us, was revealing little to nothing of what she protected underneath her on such a chilly night in June. She was amazing at concealing the 2 to 3 day old chicks from the elements and my view until the resident adult male, Hurricane, made an appearance with food. Although the chicks are too young for feeding right now, the male is on top of it anyways, just in case. I will be checking back in over the weekend to see if the third egg has hatched and how our new parents are doing with their family.
Congratulations everyone at William Osler!!
Posted on June 30, 2010 8:20 pm
June 30, 2010 - Toronto - King Street
Mark Nash Reports:
Yet another call from Toronto Wildlife after they received a call from Rob, an employee with Image Design who calls from his cell phone while working at job site at George and Adalide in downtown Toronto, as he watches a young banded peregrine falcon struggle to get free from yet another glass balcony enclosure.
Identified as Zera by her 18 over X black band, she was produced at the Toronto 18 King Street nest site this year, and has hopefully learned a valuable lesson today about urban living. Uninjured and very peeved off, Zera was rescued safe and sound and will be released back to her parents and the nest site at 18 King Street nest site were she was produced.
With all of the rescues so far this year, we are very thankful that all of these fledglings are banded, as it makes it very easy to both identify them, and to know exactly what nest site they are to be re-released!! Without the band identifications, terrible mistakes could be made releasing a young fledgling back to the wrong nest territory, as the residents adults would not tolerate anything other than “their young” being in their territory. The fledglings have clearly demonstrated that they don’t always come down in their own territory, (remembering that they are birds and do fly some distances away from their nest sites), and in some cases have been grounded by the other resident adults in a territory other than theirs. While these errors in judgement on behalf of the young fledgling usually results in the fledgling’s mortality as they are dispatched very quickly by the other resident territorial adults, we sometimes do get lucky when the fledgling strays from it’s home turf, and are able to retrieve them if they are unharmed. With some of our urban nest sites being so close to one another, (and the juveniles having yet learned what the invisible lines are that each parent has defined as “their protected territory”), venturing or wandering into unknown territory can be very dangerous indeed!
Peregrines, (as many other birds of prey), especially during the family rearing and fledgling time, are very territorial and overly protective of both their territory and their young, Rarely do the adults tolerate outsiders of any kind, as any outsiders are either killed or driven out of the area in very short order!
Just ask some of the building engineering staff and the window washers trying to wash the windows on other buildings in the area at this time of year!
A huge thank you you to the Aspen Ridge Homes rescue team and all of the guys that made a effort to find us, Fab, John, Rob, Greg, Joe and all of the other guys that showed that everyone can make a difference!
Photos will follow
Posted on June 30, 2010 1:23 pm
June 30, 2010 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:
Just thought I would give everyone a look of the nest building (and the actual nest ledge) from the east.
Also indicated is where little typhoon was rescued from a glass balcony - (in red).
Posted on June 30, 2010 12:22 pm
June 28, 2010 - Niagara Falls
Mark Nash Reports:
With a huge thank you to Connie and the great watchers in New York, it would appear that some of the mystery has been solved with regards to the peregrine activity in Niagara fall this season.
With many visits and lots of time logged in, we have a pretty good idea as to what’s going on.
Photos showing that there is a new resident female, banded with a Black 42 over a Red H, indicating that the new female is a 2009 bird, produced I Canton Ohio,,, named “Diamond“.
Her mate is un-banded. They have been pair bonding and observed in and out of the nest ledge over the past few weeks, but there has been no incubation or food transfers, clearly indicating that there is not real nesting activity. Some great photos are included with this report, with many thanks to our friends in New York state.
All of the peregrines attention ad interests is still with the “hole in the wall” as we say, at the old Ontario Power Generation facility I the gorge. The only viewing of the nest site is from US side of the gorge.
Stay tuned………….
Posted on June 30, 2010 11:02 am
- Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:
Today was a good day. Although both Cyclone(female) and Typhoon(male),had some hectic flights and made the watchers frantic,by the evening both were flying very high and well.
I arrived to find Cyclone on the roof of the nest building,and it took ages to see Typhoon. Cyclone gave us fits flying and hiding. Typhoon just stayed hidden most of the day giving us only hints of a possible bird on the nestledge. Harry and I scrambled madly when we saw Cyclone take off and go very low near Yonge and Eglinton. We thought she was going to the ground. Soon I saw her coming back towards me,barely clearing the traffic of Eglinton Ave,then the old TTC bus bays,heading in the direction of the raised parking garage. After some searching I tried going up a ramp and there she was on the wall of the parking garage. She was fine and reasonably high. At 12:48pm she finally took flight again and landed first on 53 Police Divsion. From there it aborted a landing on the Aviva building and ended up on the roof of `the reflective building`. We then lost sight of both juveniles for some time. While searches were done,eventually both were seen flying.
Mark Nash arrived with Tara,the name chosen for the 2nd female to come down from the nest. Tara`s band number is 22 over x . She has no tape.
At 810pm food was brought in. Both siblings were fed. Tara was returned to the ledge at about 930pm by Mark Nash. She was a very nasty bird to Mark.
Posted on June 29, 2010 11:56 pm
June 28, 2010 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Mark Nash Reports:
While out on the Up-town Yonge & Eglinton watch last night, I received some very good news indeed, as we received a telephone call from the staff at the William Osler Health care centre in Etobicoke to let us know that there was something different in the nest tray this morning. This morning, there were fluffy white cotton balls visible instead of the reddish-brown coloured oval rocks. 
Yes, it has been confirmed,,, in that there has indeed been a hatch!!!
Congratulations to all of the staff at William Osler Hospital!!
Stay tuned, as there is more exciting news to come………..
Posted on June 29, 2010 9:38 am
June 28, 2010 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:
The good news is we did everything right and rescued 2 of young Peregrines. One was rescued successfully,but the impact suffered caused it to succomb to its injuries later. The ride home for the fledge watchers was very sombre. The other bird,the unbanded female was rescued after landing in a tree and eventually coming to the ground. She will be banded and released tomorrow.
We thought the day was done with the remaining 2 youngsters on the TTC building,but at after 9pm and 2 feedings,the female chick flew to the aentena atop the nest building. The male made a good flight and landed on the roof of the nest building.
In all a day of defeat and triumph. Sadly this is the reality of being a young Peregrine Falcon,life is not easy for them. Hazzards of fledging and later migration,result in a high mortality rate of 80% in their first year. Knowing we do our best to help the Peregrine Falcon beat the odds is what we have to look at. We are hoping for a much better day tomorrow.
Posted on June 29, 2010 12:01 am
June 28, 2010 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Zoe Berger Reports:
Frank and Harry were there when I arrived - watching the 3 chicks (the 2 rescued chicks and the female who had been doing lots of flapping the past 3 days and apparently finally fledged) on the black building where the Eglinton busses turn in and out (constantly!).
We still had one in the nest - the male who had not been flapping at all the 3 days I’d been watching. We kept eyes on the 3, sometimes 1 completely out of sight…and all of a sudden we had to decide who the 4 birds on that building were. It appears that quiet little guy fledged on his own totally unnoticed. We checked and definitely had 4 chicks on the black building. After lots of sitting all around, Frank and I suddenly had to get up to watch the path of a chick flying…and we BOTH watched it pass a tree and not come out the other side. We both walked up and down the roads in the area, both scanned the tree many times and finally Frank listened to a robin on the roof next to the tree where we had lost that chick on and sure enough there he was. The quiet non-flapping male had gotten himself trapped in many oak leaves and branches. Shortly after locating him he was really ready to get out of that mess and tried as best as he could to fly out - but he was trapped by a few leafless branches right above him and could not get flight…his wings got tangled in the bare branches and he lost his footing and literally fluttered in slo-mo down to the street just out of traffic. Frank got the towel and we checked him as best as we could and got him in the carrier which was taken by Lyn to her cool and comfy apt - all of which coincided with Lyn arriving at the scene just after the rescue. So, rescue #3 from the site, he will be banded too (3 of 4 chicks).
Just before I left one of the female chicks took flight north across Eglinton and had a very good landing. Linda and Bruce had arrived so I left. Can’t wait for the update from Frank of what happened after I left.
I wanted to add more photos but my computer is not cooperating…!
Posted on June 28, 2010 8:48 pm
June 28, 2010 - Hamilton - Sheraton Hotel
Sarah Washington Reports:
Chedoke took her first flight today before 8 AM. The last chick has left the Hamilton Nest site. The flight was a solid one. Although she did fly, more attention will be given to her as she is still very venerable.
Every flight that a Peregrine makes is a success. Chedoke will have to catch up with her siblings and learn the “skies” so to speak.
This is great news!
Posted on June 28, 2010 4:44 pm
June 27, 2010 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:
A long day in the heat with endless traffic delays and tie-ups due to the G8/20 and looking like a police state, we did our best to navigate around the city trying to do the rescues and re-releases of the three downed juvenile fledglings. Now on the road from Bloor & Islington back to the CPF centre in Woodbridge to hook up with Mark from the OMNR, and with Tracy on the road to pick up one of the earlier rescued downed fledglings from the Up-town Yonge & Eglinton nest site that was also trapped behind the glass on a condo balcony, we all assembled at the CPF raptor centre to get the two young fledglings banded. The Good news, with one juvenile male and one female fledgling in hand, both birds were banded without incident and in good time. The heat, sun and humidity was although debilitating at times for all of us, and the juveniles were re-hydrated with fresh water from spray bottle on numerous occasions. Reports from the watch team at Yonge & Eglinton still indicating that the other two juveniles are still on the nest ledge.
Obviously one is a male and the other one given its much larger size in comparison is a female.
With banding successful completed, its back on the road yet again to Yonge & Eglinton nest site for the release of the two banded fledglings. After hooking up with Lyn and Frank who were holding the fort at the fledge watch, we waiting for darkness and let up of the torrential rains to do the release back to the nest building.
The two banded juveniles will be named:
For the first young female - (banded 21 over X) - was named “Cyclone “ - (violent hurricane) - given her robust energy and very nasty attitude, this is a most suitable name for her!
For the young male, (banded *6 over D), he was named “Typhoon”,, - (very appropriate given the torrential flooding and rain storming that we are currently experiencing in Toronto at the moment !
Under the cover of darkness (and with two juveniles still on the nest ledge),, we were escorted by building security to a lower balcony ledge just below the actual nest ledge to do the release of Typhoon and Cycloon. A big thank-you to Tracy, Big Frank, Lyn, Marion, building security and the building management for allowing access, and Mark Heaton, his son, and both of this parents for assisting with the banding, the rescue and the release of these two fledglings!
A very special thanks also to Toronto Wildlife and The Toronto Animal Services for their support, and to Zoe, Bruce, Jan and Linda - (some of the greatest fledge watch team members in the world) for also coming to our rescue (or should I say to the birds rescue) . As you can see, there are MANY involved in the rescue of these birds here in the urban settings.
Stay tuned………
There are still two more to fledge…….
Posted on June 28, 2010 2:22 pm
