Our three fledglings Hercules, Gwenis and Tecumseh are flying high. We thank the number of volunteers who helped to keep them safe. A few of them are shown in the attached photo. With this photo we also want to thank Great Lakes Safety Inc for keeping us safe by supplying us with safety cones and vest for traffic control.
Day 6 - morning shift.
I first checked Sheraton 43 to see if I could find the missing
chicks or any sign of the adults. A half hour didn’t turn up
anything. Next, my first of three trips to Cloud Gardens saw
something on the north side of the old Bell building. Back to
Sheraton 43 and the bird was gone. I ran into Terry and she said
she saw two chicks or an adult and one chick head west and towards
the Keg quite low earlier in the morning. A ground check behind the
Hilton and a view of the Keg roof didn’t reveal anything.
I later spotted an adult on the north side of KPMG and at one time,
circled just north of it. This moved me back east of Bay - still
nothing. Before lunch, I met up with Linda and we went up to
Sheraton 43. We spotted an adult on the north side of KPMG and
another on 130 Adelaide. In addition, Felix has been hiding
somewhere. Earlier this morning, he hid behind the camera on the
nest ledge.
Finally at 12:48 Ramjet takes his first flight and maintained height and climbed about 2 floors above Canada Square and hooked around to land on one of the collumn above the nest great flight. After spending some time there he then flew to window ledge on elevator wall.
At 3:17 Haven brought in a pigeon flew out and back onto nest ledge. Ramjet in an attempt to get to mom and the food fluttered down, grabbed onto a crack in the wall and did a bat manoeuvre. Finally let go flew high over NW corner of Canada Square and disappeared from sight
3:47 Ramjet flew to Rio-Can and brushed a window then latched on – another bat manoeuvre. When he let go he flew over the gold bldg on the corner of Duplex and Eglinton then to the concrete wall of the apartment bldg which he brushed and fluttered down a bit and back onto the gold building.
5:40 he flew to Canada Square, connected with a window, lost height in spite of his dads attempt to *raise * him. He appeared to fly low around the corner and we lost him.
Lyn stayed to keep an eye on the other 2 babies while I went in to security to get access up to the 15 floor of the Canada Square building to get a look down on the lower roof where we thought he may have fluttered down to and 1 of the Paragon security guards joined me out on the 15 floor balcony to help scan the roof tops to find him.
No luck he was no whare to be found, however the adults were very aggressive with us stooping on us several times so I knew Ramjet was there somewhere and likely just above us on the roof so we hurried back into the building before Mom decided to strike us with a full contact hit Yikes she is getting very close this was the guards first encounter with Haven and you never saw a big guy move so fast to get back into the safety of the building, can’t say I blame him.
When I got back down to the street and met up with Lyn she pointed up to the ledge beside the nest and there he was right where Mom had earlier prepared the evening feeding.
The Girls have not made any flights yet but are ready to go soon.
Marion
Well after all this time, assuming Felix took off again, it was confirmed to us today, that Felix is still on the ledge. Terry, an observer from one of the office towers, snapped a cam photo clearly showing the bands of the lone juvie on the ledge, Felix. I guess he never left after his short stay pool side.
So where are the other two, they have been very elusive this year, and not following the typical behaviour of juveniles. We are used to them taking the first flight to the nearby building rooftop and sitting for hours if not a day or so and then a second flight. Always in clear view.
But, some encouraging news from this evening, finally Rhea Mae and Tiago were giving me some indication to where perhaps one or both Welcome and Gurdy might be. At 8:30 p.m and adult flew into my view from street level. I went back up to the Sheraton and took another look and it appeared to be Rhea Mae on the very top of 120 Adelaide and Tiago on the corner of 130 Adelaide. Rhea Mae’s position was of the greatest interest, as the adults do not sit there unless there is a juvenile nearby. Very encouraging, and I hope tomorrow will bring all three into view at the same time. The weather is fantastic for flying, clear skies, nice breeze and cool temps. Good weather to keep birds aloft.
June 19th - 2013
A slow day again today with not allot of action at all. While both of the young hatchlings were never seen at all today during our various spot checks, both parents were very quiet as they were observed roosting on various parts of the upper roof ledge, quite obviously not stressed out about anything.
Stay tuned, as the official fledge watch starts tomorrow!.
June 19th - 2013
Sadly upon my arrival just after 6am this morning, the young fledgling named Kimini that I had successfully rescued and later released back to the roof of 225 Duncan Mills road had apparently already taken flight and at some point prior to my arrival and was no where to be found.
By 10pm, as I closed down the fledge watch down for the evening.
By the early afternoon, and after a lot of intense flapping going on at the nest ledge by the two remaining siblings, the second hatchlings took to the air and attempted her first flight. It was Carina, 90 over Y. Quickly loosing altitude as she drifted down across the street and slammed into the lower retail windows at 225 Duncan Mills Road and bounced to the ground only several feet from my position. I quickly dove into the garden and a quick snatch and scoop-up and she was in my hands.
She was examined and after a short hold over to ensure that she was Ok, she was later released back to the 220 Duncan Mill rooftop. There she stayed running the rooftop ledge for the balance of the day until dark.
By 8:30pm, just when we had hoped that there would be no further excitement, Luna, the third hatchling (still on the nest ledge), started her ledge hopping. Unbelievably, we watched in horror as she squeezed her body flat to the front face of the columns on nothing more than an inch of ledge that runs between each ledge in front of each column and worked her way to the east of the building.
Just when we had had just about enough, she worked her Back almost reaching the nest box ledge, and them at 9:15pm she fell and was into the air! Quest immediately took flight to join her in the air as Luna flew eastbound across the face of the nest building. During her decent, Quest managed to get under her in flight and bumped and guided her from beneath slowing her decent and allowing her to gain a few critical feet upwards and they both landed on a window ledge on the west elevation of 240 Duncan Mill road, about half way up. While not a great landing, (kind of like using the back of the window ledge as a stopper), Luna clung to back wall upside down hooked on the face of the concrete wall with a single talon. Seconds later she finally freed herself and fell a few feet to the window ledge and righted herself. Quest was right beside her.
By 9:30pm, Quest departed the window ledge, leaving Luna on her own. Luna remained there until darkness when we finally closed the watch down for the day.
Stay tuned, more to come tomorrow………….
June 19th - 2013
Hi Mark
I was at the Falls today and got a good look at the four little juveniles in the window nest. It looked like two females, one male, and possibly another male. The adult male, Onyx, flew in briefly and perched on the OPG building, but didn’t go to the nest. He took off hunting again over by the casino. A few minutes later one of the little males hopped onto the window ledge, and then one of his sisters followed. There was a lot of wing flapping happening in the box and on the ledge. Then before I left, everyone had hopped back into the box to rest in the shade. I included some pictures, but they are not the greatest quality due to being digiscoped over such a long distance.
- Jacquie
A phone call early this morning, confirmed by the professional staff of the King Edward Hotel, that the first fledge from 18 King Street was sneaking a free stay at the King Edward Hotel. CPF was escorted to the vacant new condo suites at the hotel. There she was, Cosmina, sitting on the balcony.
Neil, Zoe and Evan assisted in the recovery, much to Cosmina’s disapproval. But a little encouragement with a towel and in the box she went. On initial assessment she was thought to have a slight droop of the wing, but on later release this was not apparent. Perhaps a flight feather out of place.
She was kept quiet and later released this evening. On release she was hissy and full of energy and scooted out of the box and onto the area next to the nest ledge and ready for Erin and Windwhistler to feed her in the morning.
She is beautiful and healthy as Zoe commented.
P. S. tonight, I could hear an episode of “running of gulls” which meant the adults are in the area and on full alert.
Lots of great flights again today by all. I was at the bridge this morning briefly and got to see a few good, high flights and some skillful landings. Came back this evening and though the young have spent a lot of time just waiting for dinner, there was a nice flight with a chase by Hercules and Gwenis. Great to see them chasing each other around. Typical siblings!
Gwenis and Tecumseh just had a nice chase and looked like they might be playing the falcon version of Tag. Now all 3 are united on the same ledge waiting for their reward.
From Mark, Mike and Marliese tonight: Hercules learned a new behaviour tonight; he dove down from a ledge, very close to the ground after a small bird and just missed it by a hair…..Lots to learn in a short time so more new things to try each day!
A huge thank-you to all the wonderful people who gave their time to help watch this year. It was great to have so many people willing to give time to help us protect this nest. What a great team this year! A special thank you to Cathy for getting the safety equipment donations, to Paul for all his extra time at all hours of the day and night, and to Marliese for all the great daily posts!
Keep looking up!
Marilyn
Day 5 - morning shift.
I started out the morning thinking that I would be looking for Felix.
City Hall was my first stop and I found one bird on 390 Bay and one
on 130 Adelaide. I next confirmed that they were the adults so I
went looking for Felix. Nothing was visible in the 2 trips to the
43rd floor of the Sheraton so I concentrated in and around Bay and
Adelaide. One of the adults moved to KPMG and the other to the
west side of Scotia Plaza. They showed no signs of concern and were
content to sit and wait and were visible most of the morning.
Later, I met up with Linda and she said that Tracy believed the male
on the ledge was Felix [white tape]. Early afternoon, Terry sent us
a photo clearly showing Felix standing on the nest box. Yesterday
must have been our second male’s fledge, Welcome [green tape]. I did
a couple of ground searches as well, just in case. Time will tell.