June 17, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Canada Square Peregrine report 20120617
I arrived at 8:54 am and of course the first thing I did was search for Simcoe. He was not to be found. Haven was on the Rio-Can building lp0oolking south and Stormin was on the antennal above 2180 Yonge, looking south. I thought possibly Simcoe might be on the part of that building south of the *bump in the middle*. So I decided to go walkabout and went around that block. That meant all the way south past the construction on Duplex Ave, along the street south of 2180 Yonge, past the parking entrance, up Yonge to Eglinton. Because I had to fetch the ID I had left behind I decided to look out over the Black building and that parking lot as well as the front half of 2180 Yonge. Not a bird to be seen.
So I returned to the outdoors and Marion was in place. I gave her my report. We sat for a bit and watched Haven flying, perching and flying again. When I met Marion Stormin had flown from the antenna and Haven was on her way to replace him. About twenty minutes later she flew north on the west side of Canada Square and upset the youngsters still on the ledges.
Simcoe was in this area and also flying about a bit before going south, followed by Haven.
Marion wanted to look for Simcoe and chose to take the opposite route from mine by going along Eglinton to Yonge, down Yonge, along the street with the parking entrance which she went into. Marion went up to the roof and along it to the outside fire stairs and climbed them for a better vantage point. There was no little bird to be seen or heard!
At 10:59 am whilst Marion was away I saw a peregrine flutter into a window and drop several floors. Haven immediately flew in to offer guidance and assistance to gain the height to reach the top of the *black* building. He made it onto the roof but was not on the edge so I could not see him. I believed this to be Simcoe and when Marion arrived I relayed the activity. There was only one eyas visible at this point! I thought I had checked the ledges after the peregrine had flown and had seen two eyases. Not so !! We waited and watched for ages and there was no movement on the lower level. Haven was doing a lot flying around but not to the nest or level below. Finally, an hour after I had seen *Simcoe*, Marion saw him on the edge of the black building. By this time we had established that it was Brisk who had flown!!!
Brisk flew from the edge out of sight and a few minutes later he flew back. Then he moved along the edge all the way around the roof to the second corner.
12:19pm we had him in the air again. This time he was on a long flight from the black building over the residential area. While Marion moved south to an opening I tried north over the 53 Division parking lot because Haven had flown in at speed and low over this spot. I did not see anything. A few minutes later we heard a call and Marion charged up to Eglinton to look for him but to avail. We saw Haven fly to the apartment building and then to the balcony railing on Canada Square. Shortly thereafter Haven flew to RC.
Marion kept scanning the area and at 1:50 found Brisk, pleased as punch sitting on the railing on the balcony on the nineteenth floor! He was not comfortable on the metal and moved off on the concrete wall.
Three minutes later, at 1:53, he flew off the balcony, around the corner of Rio-Can over Eglinton to the roof of Canada Square where he attempted a landing but missed his footing and fluttered down the concrete wall, recovered beautifully and flew out over the old bus bays, around and back onto the roof – perfect landing! All of his flights thus far were strong steady wing flaps and for the most part he either gained height helped by Haven or maintained his height himself. Very impressive. His recovery from encounters with walls is very good too.
Haven flew high and low, back and forth and each time Brisk saw her he squawked. He definitely wanted FOOD NOW! At 4:12 she flew in with a food package for Solar. She continued her flaying and Brisk maintained his squawks! He stayed in the same spot for all these hours. Finally he walked north along the edge of the roof and did make it to the north west corner of Canada Square.
Haven chased a pigeon over Eglinton, must have hit it because it fluttered a bit. Stormin came to assist and someone got the pigeon. It must have been Haven because she flew to the top of the black building and began preparing the bird for one of her offspring. Feathers were flying everywhere and at one point it looked like a snowstorm. Stormin joined Haven and gradually made his way closer and eventually was simply a couple of feet from her.
It was at this point that I lost the thread as I was talking to some people who had stopped and asked what we were looking at. When told peregrines they said thanks and moved off from the traffic light only to stop a bit down the road. It was here I spoke to them.
There were exclamations from the watchers up the road and then again and it from here that I hope Tracy will pick up the story as I did not see much of the activity nor retain what I saw with any clarity.
At the end of the day the rain came down in big drops at first and then the heavens opened and it poured. A very stuffed and wet little peregrine named Brisk did not like being on top of Rio-Can and FLEW to Canada Square where he made a not so graceful landing away from the edge and then popped up on the ledge afterwards. We were being soaked and fled the scene for shelter. I just hope that Brisk stayed put after that.
Lyn
Posted on June 18, 2012 12:04 am
June 16, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills
Ann Brokelman Reports:
Posted on June 17, 2012 10:50 pm
June 16, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
A few photos of Blaze and the girls at Don Mills.
Posted on June 17, 2012 10:45 pm
June 17, 2012 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
After spending the entire day on # 20 Toronto Street, Dundee finally mustered up the courage to take his second flight and headed south over the lower portion of the King Edward Hotel. That was the last confirmed sighting of him. I believe he could be camped out on the roof of the Hotel or the Condo’s next door. A food drop was made to the roof of the King Edward Hotel around 8p.m. and at least two juvies took part in the meal.
Three of the juveniles have taken a liking to the scaffolding around the chimney of the hotel, sitting up there frequently. At night fall, all had settled and out of sight. Adults could be seen in the area, so Dundee can’t be too far.
Posted on June 17, 2012 9:51 pm
June 17, 2012 - Toronto - King Street
Harry Crawford Reports:
Morning Shift: When I checked the camera around 5:15am, nothing was
visible. Further checks until 6:30am didn’t show Dundee. I got to
the site just before 8am and was joined shortly after by Zoe. From
Leader Lane Zoe spotted our Dundee in the middle of the south roof
ledge of the penthouse of 20 Toronto St. He stayed there exploring
the ledge and roof area for some time. Dad spent a lot of time on
the CHFI loop antenna watching him. Some food was given to him and
he finally shut up. I left the site in Zoe’s capable hands and
headed back to the Sheraton Centre for another head count.
Posted on June 17, 2012 2:00 pm
June 17, 2012 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Harry Crawford Reports:
From street level at 7am, I spotted a peregrine on 130 Adelaide W.
When I got up to Sheraton 43 to try to identify it, it was gone. I
do not know if it was an adult or juvie. I then moved to King St.
but returned at 11:15am for a quick check. From Sheraton 43, I
spotted Marlee with one of his sisters. No other peregrines were
visible.
Posted on June 17, 2012 1:50 pm
June 17, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 17th - 2012
9:10am, Mira takes her first flight and Amora remains on the nest ledge!
details to follow.
Posted on June 17, 2012 11:04 am
June 17, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
Saturday June 16th - 2012
5:05 am start minutes before Blaze takes his first flight. At 5:08 am Blaze takes his first flight. Both of the young females still on the ledge.
The big event today was really Blaze during his second serious of flights, a long serious of bumps and grinds with three different buildings and three different windows.
Still an infant both in mind and body, little Blaze took his second serious of flights and learned in part what windows are all about. Three bumps later, losing altitude after each collision he got his first real life lesson that hopefully he will retain for future reference. We can expect to see more bumps and grinds as he has still a lot to learn about calculating speed, the use of his brakes and distances! Then there is his concentration and focussing on the activity at hand!
Stay tuned, as there is more to come………
Posted on June 17, 2012 10:43 am
June 16, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I was late arriving this morning, at 9:35. Marion came in five minutes later so we do not know whether the eyases were fed before that or not. Apart from the odd bit of flapping and running along edges there was not much happening. There were still two peregrines on the level one down from the nest and one on the nest level. Haven was sitting with her back to the world on the balcony railing below them. The youngster left on the nest ledge was winding up his wings and then, exhausted he would rest for hours! We did not see Stormin until after 1:00pm. His visit was short-lived! Haven flew in and out but did not make any real effort to coax a youngster off the ledge. Haven visited her larder on the balcony floor below the level where the babies were and hopping back to the top of that balcony wall and ate. A bit of the activity in the afternoon was created by Haven flying from here to there and also checking on the youngsters. Lance and Charmane had visited and Caroline joined us for the watch. There still was not much activity. The heat of the day had affected us all I think. Marion had picked up a coffee and I had taken a break, still nothing. When Caroline said she was going to pick up something cool I thought nothing of it.
At precisely 5:12 pm we had lift-off!! What an epic first flight this was! The fledgling flew from his level towards the black building but changed his mind and direction and flew up Duplex Avenue, across Eglinton Avenue and towards the Rio-Can building where he had seen his mom and dad perch and the window uprights all these weeks and though he would do the same! He did not quite make it and touched a window, fluttered a bit and then Haven steered him away from Rio-Can towards the Canada Square building! He had maintained altitude all the way until he brushed the window! So whilst directing his flight Haven also nudged him upwards to the height of Canada Square’s roof!! He MADE it!!!! Haven is a wonderful mother!! She flew the whole circuit at his side, in front or below him the whole way. She was just amazing. He had good strong flight and did very well. He had left Canada Square half a level below the nest level, flown a complete and very wide circle and ended up HIGHER by two floors and a bit than when he had lift-off!!! No mean feat for a first flight. The very sad part about this was that Caroline Lance and Maggie missed this first voyage. However, we did not know it but there was much more to come! I sort of thought that he had made such a long trip that he would stay put for the rest of the afternoon and sleep up there. Hmmmmm!!
Stormin put in another appearance, lengthier than before. He ate his food parcel. Haven flew in with a food parcel, onto the north edge of Canada Square, right under the fledgling’s nose! He protested she ignored him, had something to eat and then flew onto the nest ledge and dropped of the remains for Solar! Brisk protested and was ignored! Maggie arrived and then Lance and Charmane. Then Tracy arrived and we repeated the story of this epic flight to everyone who would listen. I managed to get a picture of the band tape on this valiant little bird’s leg and also of the one left on the ledge. Simcoe, the eldest, was first to fly at, I believe, forty days old!!! I took a picture of the band tape on the bird left on the ledge – it was red indicating that Brisk was still in place.
At 7:27pm Simcoe took flight again and Haven was with him. He did a semi-circle from the roof of Canada Square, over the old TTC bus bays and he and Haven turned but Haven turned more than he did and was headed back towards Canada Square whereas Simcoe was headed across Eglinton again. He maintained altitude all the way to the 22nd floor balcony wall of the apartment building behind the *gold* building. He brushed the wall, tumbled one, two, three floors down, RECOVERED and flew over the gold building and back over Eglinton where Haven met him. He flew towards Canada Square west wall and lost a bit of height but Haven was right there and coaxed him into landing on the *black building*. He appeared at the very northwest corner and had a think! Then he moved from there along the zig-zag roof top to the third *zig* in from the corner. He disappeared and re-appeared and sat again.
It was 7:46 pm and time to fly again and he did!! He flew from the black building roof towards Canada Square north end of the building. He had lost some altitude after contact with the *glass* wall but Haven launched off the RC and helped him regain enough height to the black building again where he had a bit of a clumsy and hard landing! He was fine though!
7:55 pm Simcoe flew again, right across the old TTC bus bays across Eglinton (again) and onto the north west corner of the gold building at the corner of Duplex and Eglinton. There he looked around and began walking south along the edge of the roof on Eglinton, paused long enough for me to MISS a photo-op, disappeared from the edge and next thing I knew he was airborne again and flew towards the black building via the concrete wall on Canada Square. There he hung onto a grid, briefly,
With Haven’s wonderful guidance and assistance he flew to a black structure on top of the black building where he caught his breath and we caught ours.
I have no idea what time he next flew as I was barely keeping up now with camera, binoculars, notebook, pen (which I temporarily lost) and traffic lights but he flew again from the top of the structure on the black building to Canada Square and managed to get as far as the venting on the concrete wall, low down where he hung on for a few minutes.
Again with Haven’s help he flew once more and she guided him to the black building and attempted to help him with altitude but he was a tired little falcon but this time and settled on a narrow ledge where the black building meets bare concrete! Haven joined him and sat with him for a while before flying off. I think he really wanted to get back to the nest ledge but just did not make it today!
After all that excitement Haven finally *chuk-chuked* and had a serious talk to her first hatched and told him to stay put!! This he finally did.
There was a bit more flying – all Stormin and Havens! Haven flew onto the nest ledge, Stormin flew onto the nest ledge. When Stormin flew off he flew between the two condos and landed on some tiny ledge-cum-decoration on a building beyond them. He stayed put.
Haven finally put in a last appearance on the nest ledge and perched as I had seen her do so many times; back to the world and eye on her young. It was 9:36 and pitch dark when we left. At last look Simcoe was still on his last perch and the two eyases were on their levels on Canada Square.
What an exhausting day for the fledge watchers and of course Simcoe and Haven. Thanks to everyone who pitched in and kept an eye on where Simcoe flew to and from; Marion, Caroline, Maggie, Lance and Tracy. Thanks too, to the many who took the time to stop and find out what we were doing. It is *open house* every day at the corner until the eyases have all fledged and have become strong flyers so do drop in!
I have a strong feeling I missed reporting on one of Simcoe’s flights – I have no note of it but I feel something is missing.
I have no doubt Tracy will add her impressions of the evening so watch for her report and photo’s
Posted on June 17, 2012 9:25 am
June 16, 2012 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Dundee still remains unfledged. At banding his age was estimated to be 18 days old, that would make him 43 days of age on June 18th. Even if the age is off by a few days, he is still is late in taking his first flight. Today lots of vocalizing and flapping, but doesn’t really appear to be interested to lift off as yet.
Lots of wonderful flights by the other three juveniles. They seem to be perfecting their landings as they make short trips to neighbouring buildings.
Watch continues, hopefully tomorrow will be Dundees’ day to fly.
Posted on June 16, 2012 10:05 pm
