January 19, 2013 - Toronto - King Street
Tracy Simpson Reports:
On Saturday I was checking out the web cameras in the morning and caught Windwhistler at home doing the housework. For the most part he wandered back and forth along the ledge and spent a good patch of time preening but at one point, Erin must have done a fly by to check on him and he became very animated. He ran off of the ledge and straight into the nest bowl behind the pillar with a look to say, “Almost done, dear. I’m working on it.” Erin did not land on the ledge but you could tell that she’d left as he peeked out from behind the pillar and went back to the ledge to nap. Nice to see him there and so animated!!
Posted on January 21, 2013 8:54 am
January 15, 2013 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I stopped in for a quick site check at the William Osler Hospital to see what was happening today at the site. I was unable to locate any peregrines on the building or in the towers to the east, north and south. I will continue to check in and keep you updated as events unfold.
Posted on January 16, 2013 10:52 am
January 15, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Yesterday I stopped by for a visit at the Etobicoke Sun Life nest site and found O’Connor perched high on the west tower and Jack nowhere in sight. After a few minutes, O’Connor flew off of her perch straight to the nest ledge and landed right in the tray. As she bowed and chupped, Jack flew in from the south and swooped up to the sloped window section of the ledge. The two exchanged a few words before settling down for a few minutes. O’Connor was feeling a little hungry and decided to line herself up for lunch. While O’Connor opted to shop for fresh stuff, Jack was content to fly up to the ledge to the right of the nest ledge and have leftovers.
O’Connor flew over to the west tower looking north and in a blink of an eye she was off. I circled around to the Lomond parking lot to try and relocate her and the pigeons were going wild. The next thing I see is O’Connor circling with a pigeon in tow and I am amazed at the size comparison. A pigeon is no easy meal to carry but she managed quite well as she circled up to the hydro tower at the subway. Before I could get there she had already taken off with her meal to the nest building and was chowing down.
It was very nice to see the pair together on such a sunny day and I look forward to seeing more of them in the coming months.
Posted on January 16, 2013 10:34 am
January 14, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
As recent events have tied this site with the William Osler Hospital, I am trying where possible to monitor both for activity by the peregrines in the area. As I drove to the site I could see two birds on the antenna of the Holiday Inn on Airport Road. This is just opposite the Hilton Garden Inn, is a perfect sightline for the Hilton and alt Hotels and is an area that Claire has been seen defending. As I approached the site, both birds flew off to the east and I followed one as it travelled. The bird came down low near the Doubletree Hotel on Dixon Rd and was definately on a hunt. I located the bird and it was an enormous female Red Tailed hawk. Usually when the RT hawks sit on the Holiday Inn, Claire gives them all she’s got to move them off as this is a hunting area for her. I have on several occasions watched her stooping on any loafing raptor on this roof. She must have been out of the area to allow this disregard for her territory.
I drove back along Dixon to Airport Rd and saw two sizeable birds whipping through the Hilton Garden Inn area towards the airport. I cannot say what species they were for certain, but flight style suggests peregrine. I checked the Caroga Drive hotels and the alt Hotel but no peregrines were to be found.
I will be attempting to include the Viscount Road area in my site checks as often as I can as the sites are only 4km apart. I have posted a map showing the distance as the peregrine flies. So far, no sign of Claire or Casper at the site or in the area but this is not unusual for the peregrines or at this time of year in general. I will keep you posted.
Posted on January 15, 2013 10:05 am
January 15, 2013 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
As the William Osler Hospital site is close to the Raptor Centre and easy for me to get to, I stopped in briefly on both Sunday and yesterday for some quick observations of activities. On Sunday, as I pulled in I found Chessie in the east tower on the third pillar eating. As she plucked and ate, Casper flew off of the nest ledge and landed in the first pillar closest to the building and began to whine. He was begging, not chupping, in the hopes of getting a morsel of food. Chessie didn’t budge and aggressively tore into her food. The entire time she was eating, her head would snap up every few seconds and glance to the south. There was something in her vision that she clearly wasn’t trusting but she continued to eat without interruption. After a minute or so, Casper gave up on trying to beg for food and sat quietly in the first pillar of the tower preening.
Yesterday I arrived late in the day as the light was growing dim and spotted a peregrine on top of the eastern pillar of the hydro tower. It was Chessie and once again she was aggressively plucking and eating giving me a sense of unease. She would pluck, then look south, then pluck, then look south… …each mouthful of food was followed by an intense look in that direction. She was definately on guard. Casper was nowhere to be seen.
Chessie is now prepping and eating her food on the very top of the hydro tower. This is not her usual spot but it is the best vantage point for her to watch the area. I will continue to watch and report.
Posted on January 15, 2013 9:36 am
January 13, 2013 - Toronto - King Street
Tracy Simpson Reports:
On Sunday, I met up with Linda Woods and we were chatting about the downtown pairs at King Street and Toronto Sheraton Hotel and how camera shy they have been lately. I was able to capture an image on Sunday of a tail sticking out from behind the pillar indicating that someone was indeed home at King Street during the warm spell. As we were chatting and watching the skies, zzzzzzzzzoooooooooommmm… …Linda’s eagle eye catches one of the adults flying south through the downtown core towards the lakeshore. I remarked how nice it would be to see them both and confirm the presence of the pair in the area. Before I could finish my sentence, zzzzzzzzzoooooooooommmm… …Windwhistler flies through in hot pursuit of Erin towards the lakeshore. The pair were definately onto something and had serious intentions! Great to see the pair in action, however brief, and I will be back down to visit with them in the near future.
Posted on January 15, 2013 9:10 am
January 12, 2013 - Brampton - Courthouse
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Our last stop this weekend was over at the Brampton Courthouse to check in on the happenings with Milton and his new girl Midnight. When we arrived at the courthouse, there were no peregrines to be found and so Bruce and I headed up to Shoppers World to look for Midnight. She has been see almost daily hanging out on the roof tops of the apartments behind the plaza and she is actively hunting the abundance of pigeons in the area. When we entered the parking lot we indeed found Midnight perched high on a building and digesting a crop of food. Many pigeons were swirling around her chosen perch and one nearly landed beside her before realizing what she was and veering off. Although interested in watching the activity, Midnight made no move to hunt any of these foolish daredevil pigeons that were flying around her as she clearly had already done that earlier and was satisfied. As we haven’t seen Milton in a while, we decided to drive north to the downtown area and look about. Bruce and I did a walk about of the area but were unsuccessful in finding any peregrines. Milton may have a new hangout and Midnight was sure interested in something to the east of Shoppers World. We will be back to check in on the pair and keep you updated as spring approaches.
Posted on January 15, 2013 9:02 am
January 14, 2013 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:
Lyn Reports:
Canada Square Peregrine report 20130111
I have been keeping an eye put for the peregrine pair from this location and have seen them at odd intervals.
On Wednesday this week I saw both of them. I saw what turned out to be Stormin on the east side roof of the Heart and Stroke building. I had no binoculars but I think he was having a meal. As I was staring at him I just happened to glance along Eglinton Ave. east and saw Haven struggling to fly in against the wind. Her breast feathers were really ruffled and her colour was clear - even naked eye. She made it to one of the top window uprights and stayed put for a bit.
Today I was out and about and checked the west side of Canada Square and found a peregrine sitting on the balcony railing below the nest ledge. I thought this was Haven but to be sure I fetched the binoculars and had a look. Definitely Haven. There was a rope from the roof to the ground at the third balcony over. She was unperturbed by this as she kept a look out over the west end.
Cheers
Lyn
Posted on January 14, 2013 8:39 pm
January 12, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Bruce and I visited the MEC site to check in on Cass and Sante and whether the pair were around. As with many other sites around the city, window washing stages were set up on three of the four buildings in an attempt to take advantage of the warm weather this week has provided. We searched all four towers and there was no sign of the pair who were most likely out on a hunt or over at their new fave hangout on the west side of Square One shopping mall. Three condo towers on that side of the mall have a good supply of prey hanging about and the antennas on the tops of these buildings make for amazing look out towers. While we didn’t drive over to check, we wouldn’t have been surprised to find them there.
Posted on January 14, 2013 11:35 am
January 12, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
After visiting the William Osler Hospital and finding the male from this site over there, we drove straight to the area and began an extensive search of the buildings and environs for any sign of Claire, the resident female. We searched the alt Hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, Marriot and Hampton Hotels to no avail. After combing the area, the only evidence that was to be found of peregrines in the area was the relatively new white wash found on the alt and Hilton hotels.
The lack of a sighting in and of itself means little as she could be out hunting or in an area where she cannot be seen. Given recent events at the William Osler site, we will be watching Caroga Drive and Viscount Road areas to see if Claire is re-sighted and whether she has another suitor.
Posted on January 14, 2013 11:31 am
