Downtown/Midtown Toronto Summary
December 25, 2010 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Harry Crawford Reports:
I developed a short summary of my involvement with the Downtown and Midtown Toronto peregrines from a volunteer’s perspective. Brief information on some of the other sites is included. The purpose for doing this was to accompany Christmas cards. Since it covers several sites, I have placed it here in the Sheraton site postings as this is where my year began.
Harry and the Peregrines – 2010 Summary
The phenomenal success of last year has repeated itself again this year. Of the available nine chicks, eight survived to the end of the watches. We also had an additional site to monitor. I worked the two downtown sites as well as Yonge and Eglinton. Because of the G20 Summit, we were issued photo id cards in case the watches overlapped the G20. Fortunately this was not the case.
The first watch was at the Sheraton Centre. Rhea Mae and Tiago had three chicks – two males, Star and Lorenzo and a female, Legacy. Star apparently likes opera. He flew into the underground parking garage, perched on a pipe and eventually flew out again. A rescue was not needed. I attended the banding at this site. Our MPP, Glen Murray, also attended and made a nice speech. It was good to get his support. Next year, the watch here is going to be more difficult now that Jan has retired and moved to France. It was great to have her high up in her perch in First Canadian Place and in almost constant radio contact. Hurricane, born here in 2004, is the resident male at the William Osler Health Centre in Etobicoke.
The next watch was at 18 King East. Erin and her mate had two chicks – Malik a male and Zera a female. We still have not identified the adult male. Zera was trapped on a glass balcony and had to be rescued. Both chicks did well and kept their height. We have word about previous chicks. Jasmine from 2001 was severely injured and had to be put down. Ely from 2008 is raising a family in central New York State. Majesty from 2002 [one of the Toronto Five] is raising another family in Flint Michigan. She is also the last survivor from this hatch. Her parents were Ponce-Kingsley and Victoria.
Just when we thought the watches were over, Mark got a call from Toronto Animal Services that a baby peregrine had to be rescued from a glass balcony near Yonge and Eglinton. Ranger and Hunter used to be the resident falcons in this area. Clearly these were different adults. The nest is located at 2200 Yonge. An emergency watch had to be set up quickly. Frank, from the Etobicoke site, took charge. Most of the downtown team participated along with Bruce and Lyn, who lives in a nearby condo. All four chicks had to be rescued with one not making it. The survivors are two females – Cyclone and Tara, and a male – Typhoon. We took the opportunity to have the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources folks band the birds when we had them in hand. Also, Lyn kept them in her condo when necessary.
At Mt. Sinai, Wind and her partner had two clutches of four eggs. Nothing hatched. There is some suspicion that the male may Hunter from Yonge and Eglinton which was another failed nest for several years. Up there, they were on the Canadian Tire building.
In Etobicoke at the Sun Life complex, Angel and Jack had three male chicks – Blackberry, Dot-com and Mercedes. Three rescues were necessary, including Blackberry from a balcony. OMNR folks later let us know that a male peregrine chick was found dead in Guelph. It was Blackberry. Mackenzie from 2009 has a mate in Burlington.
In Ottawa, Diana and Conner laid two clutches. Unfortunately nothing hatched. Nihei from 2009 was injured and died in Quebec. Zanar from 2004 has a successful nest on the Ogdensburg bridge with four chicks.
At Yonge and Bloor, the pair from last year remain. They did disappear for a couple of months during the summer but that was probably due to the number of building cranes in the area. No nesting attempts were observed. They tend to hang out at the CIBC building at Yonge and Bloor, the apartment tower in the Manulife Centre and the TD Waterhouse building at 77 Bloor West. There was no evidence that they were around the Four Seasons Hotel this year.
In Rochester, they have a new pair of adults – Archer and Beauty. From what I gather, they successfully raised three chicks this year. The nest box was moved to the top of the Times Square building downtown. The Kodak cameras were moved there as well.
The red-tailed hawks at Queen’s Park are still around and have raised a family again this year. They can now be found on the tallest of three pine trees just east of the east flag pole on the south side of the Legislature.
The turkey vultures in the Bloor and Sherborne area are still around. They are often seen in the Yonge and Bloor area being chased by peregrines. Large flocks of these birds often pass overhead. Welcome to once a week garbage pickup.