Canadian Peregrine Foundation

!!! Quest is back at her nest box!

November 29, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

CPF Postmaster Reports:

November 29th - 2012
We received some good news this morning that came with some updated web cam snapshots of Quest back at the nest ledge in her nest box reviewing the situation. While her visit was short, we can confirm that she is both aware of its return and that she has in fact visited the nest box.

We can expect to see her doing the usual house cleaning (re-organizing) of the pea-gravel inside of the nest box over the next few days!
Stay tuned………..

Another Episode of “As The Brampton Eyrie Turns”

November 26, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse

Tracy Simpson Reports:

I have been writing an enormous report on peregrine activities and have not been out and about for weeks.  Bruce decided to “kidnap” me for the day ( I was all too willing to get out ) and head up to Brampton for a check in on Milton and his girl.  We learned today that Milton is one of two things.  He is either a cheating cad or he is in fact the real James Bond.  Let me get you up to speed here.

In 2011, Milton nested successfully at the Brampton courthouse with Truss from Burlington producing one offspring.  In the spring of  2012, he showed up around the courthouse with a new young lady on his wing; an un-banded sub-adult female still in juvenile plumage.  They toyed with the idea of nesting but eggs were not forthcoming.  They were still seen together off and on all summer.  A month ago, I was in downtown Brampton and reporting seeing two females going talon to talon over the core of the city; one girl was the un-banded female and the other…   …all I knew is that she was banded with a purple USFW band and was possibly wearing a black over green recovery band.  A week ago, Winston of the Brampton Fledge Watch team photographed and confirmed Milton at the courthouse with an unbanded adult female peregrine hanging out.  OK.  You’re all caught up.

Bruce pulls into downtown Brampton and finds Milton, confirmed by his band number, sitting on the east sign of the Brampton Plaza building with a female.  I get an excited phone call that she is banded and I better hurry up and get there before she finishes her pigeon!!  OK.  Like lightning I race along.  Check the courthouse, no one.  Checked Shoppers World, the Kaneff buidlings, Gage Park area, the church, George St….  ….no peregrines to be had.  I pull up onto Queen Street, pulled over and…  …here’s Milton on the sign sitting just to the left of a female peregrine.  She appears to be in adult plumage, she’s picking away at a pigeon and  I could clearly see that she is banded.  Milton sat about 5 feet away from her hoping for a tasty treat but she knew better.  She filled her crop and then fell asleep standing right on top of her prey.  Milton shuffled a few feet closer.  She woke up, ate a bit more and Milton settled back down roosting nonchalantly.  She fell asleep again.  Milton shuffled closer yet again.  This time she woke and ( I can’t believe this ) pulled off a teensy little piece and fed him!!  Yes, fed him like a child!!  She clearly told him that this little crumb is yours, and this big pile…  …yeah, that’s mine!!  He made one last attempt at the food, she flew off and landed on the SW corner of the BDC building to finish in peace.  By this time Milton was showing off his prowess and taking out his frustrations on a local Red Tailed hawk flying to the west.  The female then cached the remains on the SE corner of the BDC roof and took off to the east and out of our view.

Moments later, who should sneak in but Milton.  He flew straight over to the BDC, grabbed her cache and flew back to the Brampton Plaza sign to eat.  He kept looking nervously over his shoulder to the east hoping to plow it down before he got caught and when he finished he was off to the John St apartments to roost.  By this time, the female had returned and was looking for her cache on the SE corner of BDC…  …cad!!  Stole my goodies!!  It was there that she stayed to digest her enormous crop of pigeon and it was there that she told us who she is as Bruce and I were able to get a good scope view of her as she preened.  Her recovery band read Black 98 over Red E with a purple USFW band on the other leg.  This bird is Midnight, a 2011 hatch from the Chase One nest site in Canton, Ohio.  She is daughter of the late, great Maverick and is from his final brood with Mystic; this dashing 12 year old male having been tragically lost last year. 

So.  Questions begging to be answered.  Is Milton really a cheating cad or is he just an innocent bystander in a turf war?  We’d prefer to think he’s the real James Bond; irrestable, charming and dashing 007.   Will Midnight be his lady love this coming spring or will the un-banded female win his affections?  Tune in soon for another thrilling episode of “As The Brampton Eyrie Turns”.

!!! Birds of a Feather

November 23, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Kathy Reports:

9:00 am and I was on Aberfoyle and spotted O’Connor perched on the back corner of the West Tower so I decided to go around and see if I could find Jack.  By the time I got onto Bloor Street both of them flew out from behind the building  together gliding and soaring in the wind. 

It’s a windy day and they both seem to be taking advantage of it.

!!! Both RheaMae & Tiago back on the ledge this morning!

November 21, 2012 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

CPF Postmaster Reports:

November 21st - 2012
Again thanks to Nona who was able to capture some screen shots of the Toronto Sheraton Centre hotel nest ledge with the CPF nest camera, both resident adults were see again today back on the nest ledge.

So far, the weather has been rather delightfu, although cooler over the past few weeks, its still very easy to take!

**One thing that was brought to our attention is that the camera’s time stamp seems to be off by an hour. Ooops, I guess we forgot to adjust the camera’s clock for Daylight savings time

So far, RheaMae and Tiago haven’t noticed, so DON”T TELL THEM!! It will be our secret

!!! Home is where the heart is! But the nest box helps allot!!

November 21, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

CPF Postmaster Reports:

November 21st - 2012

Despite the fact that Quest and Kendal have been not very visible these days (although pretty typical of most all of our urban resident territorial adult peregrines throughout the winter months), they have been very much around watching the happenings and all of the ongoing work around the 220 Duncan Mill nest building. Yesterday, (November 20th) we received a flurry of calls from watchers reporting that both Quest and Kendal were very visible around the three Duncan Mill buildings involved in several “fly-byes” of the nest ledge obviously pretty excited about the return of their nest box.

While they kept their distance and didn’t actually land on the 220 Duncan Mill nest building, they were more than interested in the fact that the nest box was back on ledge!

Stay tuned, as we should start seeing them more often in the next few weeks, and hopefully we’ll catch some camera views of them back in the nest box in the evenings after the workmen have left the work site for the day. I’m sure that Quest will have some house-cleaning and straightening-up to do once she gets back in the nest box

Quest and Kendal Have New / Old Digs!!

November 20, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills

Tracy Simpson Reports:

A picture taken today of the progress at 220 Duncan Mill Road!!  Not only are these folks working like the wind to get the south face cladded, Quest and Kendal have their nest box on a fancy newly cladded ledge.  The work still continues on the south face but its progressing incredibly well.  Excellent job done at 220 Duncan Mill Road!!

!!! I.S.

November 19, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Kathy Reports:

Found O’connor on the ‘I’ and Jack had just flown in chupping to her and he landed on the ‘S’ of their new hangout at 9:30 this morning. 

He has been seen at his other site  and I personally saw him flying north the other day as well so everything seems to be back to normal for now.  Or should I say the ‘New’ normal.

One Spotted Today

November 18, 2012 - Toronto - Hearn Power Station

Frank Butson Reports:

While out doing some birding near Tommy Thompson Park, Cori and I decided to stop and check up on what was happening at Hearn.  Upon arrival we immediately spotted the shape of a bird on the roof  level. With binoculars at the ready we quickly ID’d the bird as being an adult Peregrine Falcon. It clearly had a full crop, so had eaten very recently and thus didnt do much of anything during our visit, but sit and enjoy the warmth of the sun. There was a good deal of activity in the area, but the bird which I believe was male, after reviewing the photos, was not bothered at all.  We left him as we found him.  Periodically over the winter, I will check in on this location.

Wild Birds Unlimited; Our Next Great Event!!

November 18, 2012 - CPF Events

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Come one, come all to the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Thornhill on November 22 for an awesome evening of stories and birds!!  Two of the CPF educational birds will be there to talk to the crowd about the role that raptors play in the environment and the unique features of their species.  The presentation will be from 7pm to 9pm and our hosts Debbie and Andy Neale will have snacks, prizes and much more!!  Come on out and don’t forget your camera!!

Getting Front Row Seats at King Street

November 18, 2012 - Toronto - King Street

Tracy Simpson Reports:

After Bruce and I left the Toronto Sheraton Hotel yesterday we made a quick pass on our way east at the King Street nest site to check in on Erin and Windwhistler.  A film crew was set up on Toronto St. so we couldn’t really stop and spend some time but we did manage to catch one of the adults on the nest ledge right beside the web camera and as we turned east on King Street, the other adult was on the St James spire in the sun.  Think they might be getting their Santa Claus parade seats before the crowds get there.