!!! Holding their altitude!! Still terrible landings!
June 30, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Canada Square report, Thursday, June 30th 2011
I went to the bank before walking over to my favourite perch from which to observe the peregrines. I looked south and north at Yonge Street and found two out of three juveniles. One was sitting on a wall on the Canada Square building and the other was sitting on the roof of the Heart and Stroke building. They were in the shade! This was at 4:05 p.m.
Things became a little active after 4:46 p.m. when one of the juvies flew to the south west corner of the Rio-Can building. After looking at him for a few minutes my eye caught another youngster on the ledge on the west face of the building. I searched for number three but to no avail. However, I did find a pigeon on the same ledge about three window widths away from the juvie. The peregrine on the SW corner sort of buzzed his brother and this gave the pigeon a fright so it immediately launched into flight. It flew south over Duplex Ave., and in hot pursuit was the juvenile from the SW corner. It really was no contest as the pigeon was flying for its life and the peregrine was simply chasing it. Once over the cinema building the pigeon did a few swoops and dives and disappeared and the juvie flew west.
For the next few minutes two juveniles were in the air practising their tag and talon touch skills, over Canada Square, over both of the condo buildings and one even went into a slight stoop towards his brother! Then there was a heart stopping moment for me. I was not sure whether to run and hold out my t-shirt or just stand and hope things were okay. Running was out of the question so I stayed and watched the two juveniles *playing tag and talon touch* and then they grabbed talons and began a fall! My heart was in my mouth as they fell about three floors. Fortunately they were high to begin with and as the one squawked his protest they let go and flew in different directions! Pheeeew!
Maggie and Lance kept me company for a long while and after seeing one of the juveniles landing on the north west corner of Rio-Can Lance suggested that it might be Chester! We all had a look and agreed with him. The landing had been *Chester-like*, a bit unsteady and barely high enough!
Once Lance had left and gone to the mall, Maggie and I saw an adult come in with a pigeon and attempt to fly to the top of Rio-Can but just did not quite make it and flew out, circled and came back with the same result so it flew to the north side of Canada Square and landed on the top ledge there. One of the juvies flew in with a great flurry of wings but did not stay there and flew to the roof. After much activity from the other peregrines it finally hit Chester (NW corner of Rio-Can) that something was happening and he flew north over 411 Duplex round to the east side of Heart and Stroke and eventually ended up on the antenna on top of Canada Square.
At roughly 7:30 p.m. I had one juvenile on the north ledge, two juveniles on the antenna and mom feeding on a different pigeon from the one dropped earlier. The adult male flew in much later and went around the side of Rio-Can and was gone from sight. After this there was a pause in action and then two of the juvies flew, did a half hearted tag and talon touch and disappeared around the side of the Rio-Can building. Eventually mom flew too and actually looked as if she was about to land on the south face of the Rio-Can building but changed her mind and flew along 411 Duplex and out of sight. I chose this moment of no action to call it a day and left. It was a very satisfying afternoon. The two older juveniles are flying strongly and Chester is now able to get the height needed to fly well above the Rio-Can building.
Lyn