April 27, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills
Frank Butson Reports:
Usually,we find CPF links to news on the Rfalconcam forum,this one goes the other way for a change.This is MAK’s report of “The Rochester Gang’s” day visiting with Quest and Kendal. http://rfalconcam.com/falconwatching/?p=1624
The photos of Quest, included below this report are from CPF volunteer,Ann Brokelman. Many thanks to Ann for use of her incredible images. Folks from Rochester and everyone who has seen them at Harlequin just love them! Mark and Marion are very appreciative of them and wanted me to publically thank Ann for them.
Posted on April 27, 2011 4:11 pm
April 24, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
After more than two years in the planning, and with the incredible support of the Osler staff, our dreams have finally been realized with us having now been able to replace the aging black and white infrared camera on the Toronto Sheraton Centre nest ledge.
In addition to the incredible day time colour images that the new camera is now providing, the night images are much better than those provided by the 1999 vintage camera that we originally installed.
Should this camera stand the test of time, efforts will be made to seek further sponsorship and partner opportunities that will allow us to replace all of our older CPF nest cameras at many of the other urban peregrine nest sites that we are currently monitoring.
While the camera’s provide an incredible educational opportunity for all, they also help us learn and understand more of the ways of the urban peregrine, their behaviours and adaptations. The cameras have long since proven to be a most valuable as a necessary management tool, particularly as it applies to the management of the species in this urban environment on these man made structures, and help us gather and report on the birds activities so that we can provide up to date and accurate information on the birds activities, including their courtship, egg production, incubation times and the exact hatch dates at each nest sites being monitored.
This detailed information in turn assists in helping with the coordination and the scheduling of routine building maintenance activities, window washing schedules, banding times frames and helps us with predicting the fledging times of the young hatchlings.
A much added bonus, allows us to closely monitor both the health and development of the hatchlings themselves, identify the types of food that they peregrines are eating, and of course assists us at fledging times during the actual fledge watches.
Stay tuned…………
Posted on April 27, 2011 12:03 am
April 26, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Just as it appeared that everything was finally settling down to a normal routine for the birds, there were more challenges yet again for the pair to contend with. It was reported this afternoon that another peregrine crossed into the territory - (this time, a female peregrine), that had both Quest and Kendal take to the skies in hot pursuit in defence of their territory. After several minutes out of everyone’s sight, Kendal returned to the nest tray and resumed incubation duties.
Quest on the other hand, did not return in any short order and had everyone worried that a battle might have occurred between the two females and the victor may not have been Quest.
After waiting and watching for what seemed like an eternity, Quest finally did in fact return no worse for ware and they were both spotted back on the nest ledge. Shortly after Quest was convinced that the territory was clear of intruders, she did eventually relieve her mate from his incubation duties on the nest tray.
It was also reported that a second far more serious disturbance occurred when one of the occupants in the office suite that is located directly behind the nest tray unaware of the nest trays exact proximity to this windo, opened their blinds scaring Quest off the nest tray and had her bolting from the nest ledge leaving the eggs unattended and exposed to the elemants. Several minutes passed, and only after the occupant disappeared from the windows view, and the perceived threat was gone, did Quest return to the nest tray and resumed her incubation duties.
As a result of this action, efforts will be made to contact the occupants of the office suite for their support and cooperation to minimize these types of preventable disturbances.
Posted on April 26, 2011 11:27 pm
April 20, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
As promised, I have enclosed some photos of the nest tray that you been requesting I post.
These shot were taken shortly after Tracy Simpson from the CPF delivered the nest tray to our location. While iorginally built and designed the nest tray for use at the Windsor nest site, Tracy and Steve were easily able to some some minor modifications to the tray while up at the CFP Raptor centre. tracy wss kind enough to transport the nest tray down to the Don Mills nest site, as Harlequin was kind enough to store it in their offices until we could get it installed on the ledge.
Posted on April 26, 2011 2:06 am
April 24, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
A big thank you to Matt our CPF web master for giving up so much of his time behind the scenes for sourcing out, researching and endless hours programming the new camera, rebuilding two new computers, and all of the field work he has been putting in to get us back on top of our web camera game. And to Linda, our downtown falcon watch coordinator for all of the running around, co-ordinating and arranging accesses to the various downtown nest sites that have allowed us do the necessary repairs and fixes to get the CPF web cams back up and running.
A huge thank you to Wendy and her colleagues at Osler, and to Jan Chudy who now both lives and watches the nest site from France for all of their continued support and contributions that have allowed us purchase the new camera and finally able to replace the aging black and white camera.
Lastly, we would like to thank the Toronto Sheraton Centre hotel management and staff, security , and ITT Hotels and Resorts for all of their support and patients, and for being both there for the CPF and the birds, and for being such great nest site hosts and foster parents to the birds.
We are delighted to report that the Toronto Sheraton nest has a new colour camera that is producing a great colour image of the nest ledge!
Enjoy, and stay tuned…………
Posted on April 25, 2011 11:37 pm
April 25, 2011 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
A good day indeed. We all had an opportunity to meet and greet our good friends from Rochester New York today while they were visiting Quest and Kendal here in Toronto. While it was a rather quiet day on the nest ledge and I was able to capture a few photos of the birds on the nest tray during one of the birds shift changes. While it is obvious who rules the roust, and the fact that Kendal is conforming to the family type of responsibilities. It appears that his bachelor lifestyle is over.
During the shift change when Quest relieved Kendal from his incubation duties, and by the look of Kendal’s body posture and actions, it appears that Quest had some additional instructions for him. In a serious of photos that I was able to take during this particular shift change, there was some serious vocalizing going on between the two birds that lasted for several minutes before he was allowed go. Quest took over the incubation duties and settled down on her two eggs.
It was worth noting that her body language today told yet a different story, in that it would appear the she may not be laying another any more eggs. Unlike the past week, where it was obvious that she was in production of eggs, (and with plenty of copulation going on during that time frame), that this was not the case today, despite the bright sunny and rather mild weather conditions for more than half of the day. Today, both the birds were more settled in to other more domestic activities.
As we departed Harlequin around 5pm, there was no indication that Quest was going to produce and lay another egg. Both birds are now involved in full time incubation duties and we can start the clock as to a predicted hatch date. We all have our fingers crossed that the eggs are fertile and looking forward to the birds successfully hatching one or both of the existing clutch of eggs.
In another photo, Kendal roosts on a concrete pillar looking rather dejected after the misses seemed to have scolded him for something he did wrong? Perhaps he is only just realized what he has got him into?
Domestic Bliss,,, two eggs in the nest tray and full time incubation appears to have started. The countdown for a predicted hatch day starts today..
We all have our fingers crossed that the eggs are fertile and looking forward to the birds successfully hatching one or both of the existing clutch of eggs.
A big thank you to all of the CPF supporters that came out in force to show a little solidarity, to our great friends from Rochester and to Harlequin for their generosity, kindness and support..
Posted on April 25, 2011 11:00 pm
- Toronto - Don Mills
Frank Butson Reports:
Today it was the pleasure of CPF to host the ladies from Rochester,where Quest was hatched,followed and so well loved. Thanks to Harlequin Enterprises our most gracious hosts,for hosting all of us today and their amazing continued support .We all enjoyed watching Quest and Kendal. Kendal had just caught some food,while Quest was sitting on her precious eggs. There is a short video of the day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAlhH_Ky3Ak
There will be a complete posting of todays visit to the Don Mills nest.Here are some fantastic photos which were sent to us by Canadian Peregrine Foundation volunteer Ann Brokelman.
Posted on April 25, 2011 5:50 pm
April 23, 2011 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
Bill and I spent an hour our so at the Lift Bridge around noon. We could some a small amount of tail feathers in the nest box so we knew 1 adult was accounted for. During the time we were there, there was no sign of the second adult. We finally gave up and headed for home. Around the dinner hour we went back down and there was still only 1 adult. We searched all their favorite spots but no luck. All off a sudden, a Peregrine flew past us and went into a dive under the Skyway. He immediately disappeared again and there was no sign of him for about another half hour. Then from Burlington, we saw the adult approach from the Burlington side of pier with prey in talons. It appeared to be a Gold Finch so we assumed it had to be Sir. When we got home and Bill reviewed his photos, we determined that it was a Flicker. The female left the box and flew out to meet him, but no way was he sharing. Cirrus returned to the nest box and Sir continued his meal on the face of the Hamilton Tower. Poor Cirrus.
Now this exciting report from Big Frank from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation website. It is great news.
April 24, 2011 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Bruce Massey was on-site at the Brampton Courthouse today and was able to positively identify the female by her alpha numeric band number. Up to this point, the pair at the courthouse consisted of a banded male and an unbanded female as reported earlier. The female is Black 36 over Black X. Her name is Truss and she was hatched and banded at the Burlington Lift Bridge in 2009. It would appear that Truss is now the resident female and Bruce was able to witness copulation and lots of vocalizations around the southwest corner of the building where there is a ledge that they appear interested in. The identity of the male remains elusive and until we have positive confirmation of the alpha numeric band number, considering all of the combinations available, we won’t speculate as to who he is. We will certainly continue to monitor the site for potential nesting and pictures of the building will follow shortly.
Please pass this along to whoever would be interested. Frank
Posted on April 25, 2011 9:46 am
April 25, 2011 - Toronto - King Street
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Working feverishly over the last couple of days while refocused back on the CPF web cams, it seem that we get one step forward and fall two steps behind. We have been working behind the scenes at several of the nest sites on both the computer systems and cameras in an effort get them all up and running before a hatch, so please bear with us. Plagued with internet service disruptions, broken connections, a new camera install, and two crashed computers to deal with along with all of the usual “now what the heck is going on”, we are still working behind the scenes to get them back on line. You know what they say, when it rains, it pours!! Well, it pouring!!!
As you all know, we are usually stressed at the best of times given our typical financial shortfalls to deal with the surprises with the equipment, and it’s always a hurry up and wait for donations and contributions to come in to assist us with these expensive and time consuming equipmant challenges.
In the interim, we are getting some great nest site observations with LOTS of activity, and we are watching very closely to keep you updated.
Stay tuned……….
Posted on April 25, 2011 9:32 am
April 25, 2011 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Working feverishly over the last couple of days while refocused back on the CPF web cams, it seem that we get one step forward and fall two steps behind. We have been working behind the scenes at several of the nest sites on both the computer systems and cameras in an effort get them all up and running before a hatch, so please bear with us. Plagued with internet service disruptions, broken connections, a new camera install, and two crashed computers to deal with along with all of the usual “now what the heck is going on”, we are still working behind the scenes to get them back on line. You know what they say, when it rains, it pours!! Well, it pouring!!!
As you all know, we are usually stressed at the best of times given our typical financial shortfalls to deal with the surprises with the equipment, and it’s always a hurry up and wait for donations and contributions to come in to assist us with these expensive and time consuming equipmant challenges.
In the interim, we are getting some great nest site observations with LOTS of activity, and we are watching very closely to keep you updated.
Stay tuned……….
Posted on April 25, 2011 9:31 am
