May 17, 2013 - Toronto - Hearn Power Station
Mark Nash Reports:
May 17th - 2013
A great day indeed in the field for me today with a very successful and very productive day gathering information at several other nest sites that were on my list to visit, combined with clear sunny conditions and allot of good luck, I finished off my day at the Hearn nest site to get an update on the Peter and his new mate.
I can confirm that they are back at it, with incubation duties being observed on their second clutch of eggs, starting over in another location.
It didn’t take me long to locate Peter, (the resident adult male) who was observed on several locations on the superstructure overlooking and guarding his territory, but I must admit it did take me some time to scan the entire superstructure with my binoculars to finally locate his mate, who appeared to be down on full time incubation duties, on a horizontal steel beam tucked in behind some of the white metal wall flashing.
Shortly after I located her, (and only able to see the end of her tail and wing tips that stuck out from behind the metal flashing), Peter did eventually fly in to relieve his mate for a very short period of time. The change-over, (or changing of the guard as we say), happen very quickly,, in only a few seconds as he disappeared in behind the metal flashing from my view. Moments later after hearing the pair squawking to one another, the female suddenly appeared from behind the white metal flashing and flew off out around the building and out of my view. The entire event was over in less than six seconds!!
Needless to say, it would appear that the pair maybe once again involved in incubation activities (now for their second time,, if not their third attempt).
Stay tuned, more to come…….
Posted on May 18, 2013 1:18 pm
May 17, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
May 17th - 2013
A great sunny day with no wind, and we were finally able to get some detailed shots of the new hatchlings at the Etobicoke Sun Life nest site. It appears that I arrived just a the right time, in that O’Connor was out getting food and the nest ledge was un-attended for a short period of time during my observation period.
I was finally able to snap a few shots of the hatchlings, and while not the best of shots, I can confirm at least three hatchlings in the nest tray, with the possibility of a fourth hatchling that was huddled in the middle of the group. Jack was of course no where to found and again I got lucky with an un-interrupted period to get the shots and complete my observations.
We have some very special news that we will be reporting next week and hoping that you all will stay tuned, as its very exciting indeed!!
We are also working on a banding date of Wednesday May 29th around 2pm. There is allot to coordinate but so far its looking pretty good for a banding event May 29th.
Stay tuned…………..
Posted on May 18, 2013 12:44 pm
May 17, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
May 17th - 2013
After more than an hour trying to get a peak at the new hatchlings, mom was not giving up much! The good news of course, it that we can confirm our suspicions and haven’t lost our touch. While the web cams really do confirm the story and provide a mountain of scientific information, (in addition to the detailed happenings going on in the nest ledge),, good old “time-in” on site observations and having detailed knowledge of the peregrines biology, tells a similar story.
After more than 17 years working with peregrines, not much escapes us.
That being said, even intense monitoring can still lead to mysteries and unknowns, and that is the case at the ICICI Don Mills nest site. During our observations, the resident adult female stayed tight down on her clutch and was not bothered at all with our presence from above. Curiously, the new resident adult male was no where to found and we had a uninterrupted observation period.
After more than an hour of observing, I can confirm that there has in fact been a hatch, and we did get a very short peak at what appeared to be at least one, if not two white fluffy squiggly balls under the brooding / incubating adult female. The easy part was being able to observe at least two un-hatched eggs, but its every early in the hatch cycle. We believe that the first hatched happened on or about the 15th or 16th of May, which would consistent to when we believe that the pair went down into full time incubation duties and actually started cooking as we say.
With a very cold damp rainy and snowy spring, most of the southern Ontario peregrine pairs went down onto full time incubation from the day the first egg was laid, and as such, we expected that hatch rate would be lower as the failure rate we documented several years ago when similar spring like conditions resulted in a low hatch rate.
So what we can confirm, is that we have a hatch for sure and our congratulations go out to Amexon Property management and all of the great folks at 150 Ferrand drive.
Stay tuned, we will be back on Tuesday after the long weekend to do further observations.
Posted on May 18, 2013 12:29 pm
May 17, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
Looks like three new ones at the Sheraton having a morning feeding at 09:35
Posted on May 17, 2013 9:37 am
May 16, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
May 16th - 2013
I was able to catch a feeding at MEC today. Some great shots!
Enjoy!
Posted on May 16, 2013 5:03 pm
May 16, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
Beautiful sunny morning and O’Connor is for the first time in a few weeks on her favorite cam perch. Jack is above her on the building and both are focused on the ropes hanging off the condo building right across from them…it’s window washing day!
When I came in earlier, I caught what looked like the end of a feed as I could here her chupping and making up and down motions as if she was feeding someone in the nest box. How ever many are up there, they would now be old enough not to have to be covered and it’s going to be a gorgeous warm day for them.
Otherwise it’s been quiet and calm here the past week..save for the odd TV group coming through.
Posted on May 16, 2013 8:23 am
May 15, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
Image taken from the web cam, afternoon snack for the Sheraton Chicks.
Posted on May 15, 2013 3:59 pm
May 15, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I tuned in just now to the Mississauga Executive Centre webcam and caught Cass in the middle of a feeding. It would appear that only two of the four eggs have successfully hatched which is not unusual for a first time mother. The two hatchlings that she has are sooooooooo cute!! One is distinctly larger than the other and was most likely due to a “first egg, later egg” hatching. Mama Cass was gingerly feeding the little ones moments ago and the two are up on their haunches and getting much more mobile. Cute doesn’t cover it!!!
Posted on May 15, 2013 3:50 pm
May 15, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Yesterday Bruce and I had a fabulous opportunity to release a young peregrine falcon from rehabilitation back into the wild. This young bird bearing the markings of a juvenile ( now coming into its sub adult year ) was found in the Guelph area in need of assistance and was taken to rehab for rehydration and a little fattening up. Yesterday was release day and we were contacted to do the job as we are on top of where all the other peregrine sites are located and therefore could find the most suitable and safe location. We chose the Rosetta McClain Gardens park as this gave the bird great updrafts for lift, lots of food in the area and was suitably distant from nesting pairs. Bruce manned the box and I was set to get pictures of the release but “Peanut” as I affectionately called him burst out into free skies and I wasn’t ready. I did manage to get a shot or two but boy was he eager. This little peregrine male is unbanded and so his origins are unknown but he is back in the wild and happy for it!! He flew out over the water with a Red Winged blackbird escort and immediately flew west. He circled back and gained elevation as he did and passed over us going east. He circled back again a second time before finally opting to head west along the shoreline and out of view. Good luck little one and may the winds be with you!!
Posted on May 15, 2013 12:37 pm
May 15, 2013 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
Bruce Massey Reports:
Tracy and I went up to the Yellow Pages nest site to check in on Rueben and Linn’s progress towards hatching young this year. They have moved to a different ledge on the building this year that faces north and so we set up in the parkette just to the north of the building. We found Rueben on the peak of the building rather relaxed and enjoying the day and he spent the next 20 minutes up there preening. Linn was nowhere in sight and we believe that she was in the nest ledge incubating. Rueben took off of the top of the building and flew down into the ledge and was there for over 5 minutes. Did we miss Linn emerging? Nope. She refused to move as evidenced by the popping up of Rueben after which he flew to the next ledge over. There he sat and preened for a while and Tracy and I decided to head back over to the parking lot after Rueben’s ousting from the ledge. Just as we left the parkette and were at the corner, Rueben came off like a shot and took a pigeon right out of the parkette feet from where we were standing!! He flew out over the townhouses, circled around to the Investor’s Group “kitchen” but didn’t stop there. He flew back up to the west side of the Yellow Pages building and began to pluck. We decided to stay and see if this food was intended for the nest ledge and we watched as he ate at least half. You see, Rueben is a smart lad. How do you get big Linn to move? How was he going to get his turn? Pidgie!! That’ll do it!! He flew off of the antenna on the west side and into the nest ledge with the remainder of the package. Linn quickly waddled out of her spot on the eggs and took the food from Rueben who quickly jumped on the eggs. Ha!!! Linn took one last look at the man that foiled her plot not to share, shouted out a few choice chups at him and flew around to the same antenna on the west side that Rueben had just left. She ate every last scrap even though she already had an impressive crop!! There she stayed roosting and preening as we left.
We can say for sure that there has yet to be a hatch at Yellow Pages but we believe, based on our observations of partial incubation on April 9th, that the first young one will be coming soon. Food did not go to the ledge to feed young but rather to get Linn off the eggs so Rueben could have a turn at them. Boy, he knows her well.
Posted on May 15, 2013 12:28 pm
