June 23, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
We arrived on site to once again find no one visible. I am one day older and one day wiser so I decided to wait and watch for juveniles to make their appearances. It was a good choice as the two females were on the northeast corner of the nest building roof and had just popped up from a nap. Storm was clearly visible in the nest tray and seemed quite happy to not have to “share the bed” with two big clunky sisters. The females are gaining much greater confidence and control with their flights and are back and forth to the tower and the building roof quite readily. By noon, the rain was moving in and the juveniles got to experience their first good shower. They thoroughly enjoyed it and spent the rest of the time preening their new feathers; Storm on the nest ledge, Rain and Wind on the roof. We left the site as we were called away to two other site checks and upon our return, all three juveniles were now sitting on the east facing “H” sign which is Hurricane’s favourite spot. He has been displaced from that spot by his kids and now is perching on the nest ledge to the right of the sign. The juveniles at this site are doing very well now and we are going to reduce this site to check ins and help out at the other fledge watches around Toronto. As we were set to close down, I hoped out of the truck to find O’Connor grappling on the ground with an adult Canada goose. This goose had just been walking through the parking lot minding its own business when it was grabbed by the back by a Peregrine falcon!! The look on the face of the goose was pure shock and it stayed still for quite some time before beginning to wander over to the grassy hill again. O’Connor watched it from the top of the light post and let it be for now. It would appear that walking geese ( not flying, she leaves those alone ) now need to be added to O’Connor’s list of unwelcomed guests in her territory!! As we finally pulled out, all three juveniles were now sitting on the east facing “H’ enjoying their view from above.
Posted on June 24, 2011 12:32 pm
June 22, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
When I arrived, Hurricane was on the nest ledge looking confused and O’Connor sat firmly in the tower at the ready as usual. I saw no sign of ANY of the juveniles and of course began the search of each face of the building in turn. I found Storm by his “little screamies” on the northeast corner of the roof and so that left two to find. I circled the building; nothing. I circled the berm on the outskirts of the property; nothing!! I looked to the parents for some guidance and they consistently led me back to the northeast corner. O.K. A different perspective was needed. So across the street and far away I go to get a better angle of the building. I see Storm jump up on the northeast corner and then go back down onto the roof out of view. Then another larger juvenile jumps up onto the corner ( huge and dark ), that would be Wind. That’s two. I circle the building 4 more times and come back again to that northeast corner. There’s one bird ( lighter and a bit smaller ) which turns out to be Rain. Seconds later the other two turkeys pop up and the three are now sitting shoulder to shoulder and laughing their beaks off at how wet I am!! At 11:30am, O’Connor brings in a huge pigeon for lunch and all three juveniles take their fill. Now energized, Storm takes off for some flight time. His landings are now excellent on the nest ledge, the roof top and everywhere else he wanders. His harassment of his parents in their favourite roosting spot has their feathers somewhat ruffled. Both females have now made it to the rooftop; Wind from the nest ledge and Rain from a 4 storey windowsill. The two girls will still have to work a bit more on control and landings to really excel at this flight thing.
During the afternoon I took some time to dry off as best as I could and I was glad for the break given that by 7:00pm, it was absolute madness. O’Connor flew over to the antenna just above the three juveniles and sat there staring which incited much silliness and screaming. In moments, the first female was off and heading for the hydro tower. A successful landing was celebrated by Rain as she reached the top platform of one of the tower spires. Storm flew over to join her there and Wind, who now sat on the rooftop alone, refused to be outdone and abandoned by her siblings. She took off and flew towards the tower only to veer off at the last minute and head for the stack on top of the nest building roof. No sooner had she touched down than Storm came over and chased her off. This set off a series of events that was pandemonium!!
Wind takes to the air and circles around to the tower but cannot land as Rain is in the runway. Storm is hot on her tail as this game of chase is fun. Wind circles back around the north side of the building and she appears above it in a really beautiful soar. She tries for the stack again. Storm cuts her off and forces her back off the building. Rain is now in the air headed around to the north. Storm chases her. Wind tries for the hydro tower again. Storm is back and turning her away so she aborts the landing. Wind has been airborne for over a minute now. Rain comes back around the south side of the building heading for the tower. Storm’s on it!! I look into the tower and see one bird land, one leave and one soaring and I have no idea who is who anymore. Two juveniles cross over in the air. One to the tower and one to the west side of the building. I’m running to see where birds have gone. Two in the tower, one has disappeared around the other side of the building. I go around the entire building and find a bird on the west facing ledge. I am now soaking wet for the second time and I still don’t know what’s going on! The parents wait until everyone is settled and then leave feeling very proud of their kids and are off to hunt for the three now flighted juveniles. I head to my truck soaked and exhausted only to find all three kids in the tower. THEN ALL THREE EXPLODE OFF AT THE SAME TIME!!! All I can say is that I count five heads that won’t stop moving around but still add up to five and they’re all happy dance screaming!! Now that the juveniles are all airborne, I have relegated myself to head counts as no one bird is settled long enough to readily identify. By tomorrow, some of the newness of flight will wear off for these young and I will be able to tell much more readily who is doing what and how well.
Posted on June 24, 2011 12:24 pm
June 21, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Bruce was on site at first light to check on the two girls’ progress in navigating their newly discovered airspace. Rain was still on the west side of the building on the windowsill just beneath the nest ledge, Wind had left the roof and was now on the low mechanical building on the south side and Storm was all over the place screaming about how happy he was to be flying. When Frank and I arrived, Storm had gone down to the lower mechanical roof to visit with his sister Wind and the two of them were having a flapping good time. Rain was still on the western side of the building and Frank positioned himself to witness her coming off from and heading around the building to be with her siblings. When I arrived later that afternoon, there were two juveniles on the lower mechanical roof and one up on the roof of the nest building. It was clear that it was Storm on the roof as his little scream is hard to miss. That meant that Rain had sneaked around and evaded the watchful eyes of Frank to land on the mechanical roof with her sister. As the evening progressed, the two females were getting rather excited to fly again and Storm had been down to visit them both quite regularly. Wind finally took off from the low roof and circled the entire building gaining altitude as she went. She finally ended up on the northeast corner at the nest ledge and was so jubilant to be back, she dropped where she stood and napped the night away. Rain also made a flight attempt from the same low roof and wasn’t as successfully in gaining height as her larger sister. She landed on the north face of the building on a 4th floor window ledge. She managed to tuck herself up against a pillar separating the windows where she finally fell fast asleep. Storm wasn’t quite done for the day as he gathered up his courage and made a try for the tower that he fell off of during his initial fledge. You can only imagine how loudly he screamed when he successfully landed on the top of the tower, joining his parent in their favourite perching spot. O’Connor and Hurricane were so pleased to see Storm succeed that they stuffed him with food as he sat on their tower. Storm eventually flew back to the roof and then made another “cheater” drop down back flap flight to the east facing “H”. It is clear now that the resident adults have no haven left away from the kids; Storm has now made it to all their personal perch sites!! Storm ended the evening by returning to Wind on the nest ledge and slept next to her. With Wind and Storm “home” and Rain settled in for the night, Frank and I left the site ready to return early tomorrow morning.
Posted on June 24, 2011 12:22 pm
June 20, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
A hectic time at William Osler is an understatement of events at this fledge watch. With Wind deciding to fledge at 9:45pm last night and ending up on the low roof near the emergency entrance, we needed to be on site as early as possible to witness her next attempt. Frank and I were here by 6:00am and counted the two youngsters on the nest ledge but there was no sign of Wind. After a couple of searches around the building and perimeter, I decided to sit down and let the parents tell me what I needed to know; where is Wind? Within 10 minutes they had pointed out the general area and I was able to find her in a pine tree on the northeast corner of the building. We took up positions nearby and it wasn’t long before she took flight low to the ground and bumped a first floor window. I was able to corral her into a corner and catch her up. I must say that this is one enormous female not to mention that she has her mother’s temperament!! Paladin Security staff witnessed the rescue and assisted by retrieving the carrier from their office and holding it steady while Wind was placed into it. After a quick exam, she was in security cooling off and awaiting release that night. Back outside Storm and Rain, the other two juveniles, were excitedly flapping about the nest ledge and Storm was feeling braver by the minute to take another flight. At 7:15am, an adult brought food into the southeast corner of the nest ledge for Rain. Storm, who was sitting on the roof retaining wall, was so wound up by the sight of food that he made an attempt for the nest ledge by coming off and back flapping down to a safe landing on the northeast corner. After a frenzied feeding, Storm and Rain retired to the nest tray for a nap. The rest of the day was spent watching Storm take short flights out to the roof and back to the ledge using his “cheater” drop down flight. At 4:55pm Rain decided that she would try her first flight and successfully circled the building and came to rest on the window ledge two floors below the nest ledge. She made a second attempt to gain some elevation and only achieved one floor higher on the same side. The two flights and her efforts to balance on the narrow ledge took enough out of her that she now required a nap!! She spent the rest of the evening right up to nightfall on the window ledge peering in at the people inside.
At nightfall, after a complete health check, Bruce Massey and I took Wind to the rooftop for the release. Upon opening the carrier door, she raced forward and stopped in the doorway of the carrier which she amply filled. She stretched out her wings and every feather on her stood straight up as she defended HER carrier!! I reached in to pull the towel out ( with Wind firmly attached ) and she dove for my hand. She then bolted out and attacked the wall before realizing that she really meant to go after me but by that time I was already making my way through the door into the stairwell. She really is her mother’s daughter!! We will be back early in the morning to make sure that her flight off of the rooftop is a good one.
Posted on June 24, 2011 12:09 pm
June 24, 2011 - Brampton - Courthouse
Mark Nash Reports:
!!!Confirmed hatch!! One hatchling observed!
June 23, 2011 - Brampton - Courthouse
Mark Nash Reports:
We have some great news to report today, in that we have been able to confirm that at least one egg at the Brampton courthouse has hatched! I was able to put Tracy from the CPF and Mark Heaton from the OMNR together today in an effort to make contact with the property manager from the Brampton Courthouse.
Both Tracy and Mark were able to meet late this afternoon in a unscheduled meeting at the Brampton Courthouse and able to speak with the property manager so that we could do a visual observation of the nest ledge to confirm the observations that we have been getting from Winston who has been diligently attending the site almost daily to provide us with observations reports of the happenings going on a the Brampton Courthouse nest site.
At around the 18th of June, the resident adults behaviour changed dramatically indicating that incubation had finished and brooding activity had started. While there was some gaps in the observations from June 15th to June 19th , the observation report filed on June 18th told a story of brooding activity as opposed to incubation activity and we knew that a hatch had happened.
The photos taken today - (June 23rd) of the single hatchling does gives us a hint of the age of the chick putting it at approx 8 to 13 days old as of June 23rd.
We are in the process of trying to work out banding possibilities with the property manager, the district office of the ministry of Natural resources and the Ministers office. In addition, we are looking into a dark window film covering that might be installed for the window that lies directly behind the nest ledge, as any human activity from this office window at this time can cause a huge stresses on the resident adult female and there is a risk of her killing or abandoning the nest site and the hatchling.
The property manager seems very eager, supportive and accommodating and equally excited about their peregrines.
Stay tuned……..
Posted on June 24, 2011 12:08 pm
June 14, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 14th - 2011I watched the peregrines this evening for about two hours.
The mother flew off at one point and a few minutes later flew back to the Rio-Can south face, landed on one of the window ledges and then flew to the level directly below the nest level but on the north face. She ate there and although she was joined by the male she did not share with him. Once she had satisfied her hunger she picked up the remains and flew onto the nest ledge where she fed all three youngsters. She took about 25 minutes to do so and then left. The youngest of the three was right there demanding his share of the pigeon. He is an aggressive little youngster but being the youngest I guess he has to be.
After the mother left the ledge there was some flying back and about by both adults until the male flew south of the condos and disappeared from view.
Some long minutes later he returned with what looked like a European starling. He landed on the south face of the Rio-Can building and then flew to roof on the west face where he plucked and ate his fill. Then came the surprise. He flew to the nest ledge with remnants of the carcase in his talons and hobbled to the widow side of the ledge (out of my view). I have no idea whether he fed the youngsters, himself, or just left what he had brought to ledge. After some minutes the female flew to the Rio-Can south face. A few minutes after that the male left the ledge and flew to the southwest corner where he spent time cleaning his feet and his beak. Then he flew to the Rio-Can building south face. One of the youngsters was up again near edge of the ledge and that is how I left them.
I don’t know if anyone has seen the male take food onto the nest ledge before but this is a first time for me.
Cheers
Lyn
Posted on June 24, 2011 11:07 am
June 24, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
GREAT BIG THANKS, and much appreciation to the Staff of The Keg, on York St. Toronto, and Thomas Chesterfield, Corporate Concierge of Oxford Properties at 120 Adelaide St, Toronto, for their unending persistence to find help for our young male Peregrine Falcon, Cinnamon.
Cinnamon in attempt to take yet another flight brushed a building and came to the sidewalk outside the Keg Restaurant on York St at Lunch time. Keg Staff pulled into action and had the fledgling placed in a box and secured the area, so it would not come to harm, from foot traffic or vehicles. Thomas Chesterfield made numerous calls to different Toronto agencies, before he reached us. I was immediately dispatched to the site and found Cinnamon, safe , secure with no injuries.
He was later returned to the nest ledge, to give him a second chance of making a successful flight.
Can’t say how thankful we are for their assistance to help this member of a Species At Risk. It is most rewarding that in a large city such as Toronto, there are people that do care about the wildlife that resides along side the huge glass towers that dot Toronto’s skyline.
Please if you are visiting Toronto, please drop by the Keg on York st, have meal and say thank-you to the following Keg Staff;
Cassandra, Sabrina, Sheena, Jordan, Heather, Agnes, Aja, Elizabeth and to Kelly McGoey, Lunch Manager for allowing her staff to go beyond their regular duties.
With Much Appreciation;
Linda Woods, Zoe, Annie, Harry, Paul, Vanessa, Mark Nash, Marion Nash, and the Rochester New York Falcon Crew
Posted on June 24, 2011 10:46 am
June 22, 2011 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
CPF Postmaster Reports:
I got to the Ambassador Bridge at 1:50pm to start my watch… Boy was I surprised.. Lady Gaga 20 minutes before I got there took flight… She was on the ground and very active jumping and running all over the place. She was very sneaky trying to out smart us.. Spitfire was vocal and flapping around while Voltaire and Freddie did there best to try and get him to fly.. Dennis rescued Lady Gaga just before the storms hit.. I wonder what tomorrow will bring..
Collette Denkers
Posted on June 24, 2011 10:19 am
June 22, 2011 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 — 12:10 p.m. ~ 12:35 p.m. ~ 1:00 p.m.
There are light sprinkles of rain this afternoon in Ottawa. Connor is perched on the ledge just to the left of the 3rd pillar from the SW corner of the Delta Ottawa City Centre rooftop. He is facing inward and scanning his surroundings. By 12:20 p.m. he is getting restless and hops inside the ledge area after stretching his wings. He returns after a few minutes and resumes his watch on the ledge. He is looking towards the SW of the city. A window washing crew is preparing its rigging on the Constitution Square Building Tower 1 facing Lyon Street. After one final look around Connor takes to the skies in one graceful swoop and contours the last section of the Constitution Square Tower 1 Building before disappearing from sight over the Minto Place Suite Hotel.
I drop by again at 1:00 p.m. but there was no activity coming from the nest area. The window washer began to clean the windows of the Constitution Square Building without any interference from Connor. They must have an amazing bird’s eye view of our famous duo.
I checked the ground where they usually perch to see if there were any bird carcasses but none were to be found.
Take care and keep smiling!
Ciao,
N. McKenna
Posted on June 24, 2011 9:42 am
June 22, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Report for June 21st & June 22nd - Canada Square.
I did not make any notes yesterday but spent about three hours watching the Peregrines. They eyases spent time on the edge exercising their wings and hoping for food. The adult pair only fed the young later in the watch. We saw the male take a small bird over Eglinton Ave right at Duplex. I think it may have been a sparrow but I am not sure. The little bird was minding it’s own business as I spotted it when the male peregrine came swooping in and caught it.
Today there was not a lot of activity from the eyases. They spent some of the time just sitting on the edge with the occasional bit of wing exercise. The mother swooped down the Yonge street side of the Canada Square Building and two minutes later came back with a large bird which I think was a pigeon. She tried unsuccessfully to climb long the western side of Canada Square but eventually did make it to the rooftop of the black building over the bus station. There she proceeded to pluck the bird and for many minutes feathers rained down the side of the building. The male had followed her and perched on the roof not too far from her but he eventually flew off over the Police Station.
Bruce saw him make an attempt on a pigeon just up Duplex Ave. He apparently did tag the pigeon but did not make the catch. He flew back to Canada Square and sat on the top of one of the *walls* south of the nest. He remained there the whole time the female plucked the bird she had caught and then ate. When she had finished she *buzzed* the nest and flew across Eglinton to the Rio-can building where she perched. Two minutes later the male flew to where the remains of the pigeon were and he ate well.
He then picked up what was left flew a circle before flying to the north end of Canada Square building and out of sight. The female followed him. Shortly thereafter one of the Peregrines flew into the nest ledge and dropped the leftovers for the young and flew out again to settle on one of the walls south of the nest ledge.
The weather began closing in and we left the two adults on the edge of the black building where the female had plucked the pigeon. The eyases were bedded down but as we moved off one popped up.
The oldest eyas is now 41 days and has proved me wrong about being ready to fledge!! We still have three youngsters on the ledge at Canada Square. Bruce assures me that one and maybe two will fledge by Sunday. I just hope the two oldest do not fly at the same time!!
We can still see some of the baby down on the youngest, although his adult feathers and colours are beginning to show. At the moment he is noticeably smaller than his older brothers.
Cheers
Lyn
Posted on June 24, 2011 9:39 am
