June 05, 2013 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
Oh my goodness, it has been an unbelievable 36 hours. Yesterday morning (June 4th), when Bill and David Williams arrived at the Lift Bridge, it was very difficult to figure out what had happened in the early morning. They determined that Hadfield was in a very dangerous spot walking a large beam on the Hamilton Tower directly above the roadway. What was a very dangerous spot turned into a heartbreaking situation. By the time I got to the Bridge around 10am, she had fallen into a hole in the beam where she was trapped. We watched her all day as we tried to figure out a way of getting at her. Could we phone the Fire Department? Could we get the Construction Company working on the Skyway to volunteer their Scissor Lift? Could we get at her with a net and a very long Pole? Would the Lift Bridge stop the traffic while we tried the rescue? Tracy Simpson from CPF arrived around dinner time to assess the situation. It was decided that we couldn’t do anything more last night. Mark Nash from CPF was going to get on it and see if he could get a Scissor Lift and approach the Lift Bridge about good time and if they would stop traffic. When we arrived this morning (June 5th) she was still trapped. It was very hard to watch her as she walked back forth inside the beam looking for a way out. Well, around 4pm this afternoon, she managed to get herself out and was on the roadway just under the guardrail with cars and trucks passing within inches of her. Shawn (sorry I don’t recall his last name), who had spent the last couple of days with us watching and photographing the family noticed her on the road. He ran and notified us and rescue protocol was started. First it was up the stairs to locate her, then down the stairs to the Control Tower to get the traffic stopped. Finally back up the stairs for the rescue. She was just barely clear of the traffic, but once the traffic was stopped, Bill and Barry Cherriere, were able to grab her, get her into a rescue box and moved her to the safety of the Control Tower. A call was placed to Mark Nash. Mark and Marion arrived around 7pm. Mark went over Hadfield with a fine tooth comb and it was determined that she was fit to release. So Mark took her up to the roof of the Tower and released her. Mom and Dad were circling and alarm calling as they don’t like you on the roof. Mark retreated and within minutes Dad arrived and delivered a meal. So awesome. When we left at dusk, she was still on the roof and after a meal we hoped she would stay there for the night.
While all this was going on yesterday (June 4th) we determined that Lancaster was no longer in the box. So the search began for him. He was located on one of the cross beams of the Burlington Tower. He spent most of the day walking the beams, exploring his new environment. Late afternoon he decided to make a move. He tried to step onto a ladder that he thought he could climb down. Not successful. He fell off and took a very short flight to the top of the bridge span. He could walk the beams of the whole bridge. When we arrived this morning (June 5th) he was still on the same beam as where we left him. Throughout the day he made a few short running flights. This evening he tried again. He made a good strong flight around the towers, with some failed attempts to land. His final attempt had him land back in the same spot where he was this morning.
So when we left at dark, we had Hadfield on the roof of the Hamilton Tower, Lancaster on the bridge and the two girls Isabelle and Sarah still in the nest box.
To Thank: Bill McCreadie, Barry Cherriere, David and Rob Williams, Shawn, Mark and Marion Nash and all PWGSC for all the assistance.
Whew, what a stressful day. What will tomorrow bring. I hope they behave as the weather forecast is calling for rain.
We will post more photos as soon as we get a chance to process.
Posted on June 6, 2013 8:22 am
June 06, 2013 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
After a totaly unanticipated and unobserved fledge.
Thank You to Paul for some quick detective work through the grounds keepers at the University of Windsor which led to finding Hercules. Thanks to some quick work by the MNR we were able to retrieve Hercules, he is the one with yellow tape, a quick trip to Dr. Sweetman’s and he will be released to the wild.
Special thanks to Kim the lift operator for the Ambassador bridge
Calling all volunteers because we thought his two siblings for sure were going to fledge first so it’s show time. We need early morning help, mid morning help, we need mid afternoon help and evening help. Just bring a lawn chair, binoculars and an open heart and these birds will sure fill it. Gwenis and Tecumseh appear well and flapping like crazy. Lets hope we don’t get a repeat of last year where big sister knocks little brother off the ledge over and over.
So come on down.
Dennis and Gwenster
(still retired but thanks for all the help)
Posted on June 6, 2013 1:12 am
June 05, 2013 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
This morning around 8am Hercules left the landing and flew to the U of
Windsor grounds. He was picked up by the Humane Society and will be
released this evening.
Paul
Posted on June 5, 2013 2:11 pm
June 05, 2013 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 5th - 2013
Banding Day Successful.
Details and photos to follow.
Posted on June 5, 2013 12:03 am
June 04, 2013 - Toronto - King Street
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 4th - 2013
Banding day Success!
Details to follow.
Posted on June 4, 2013 11:58 pm
June 04, 2013 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Wow, what a beautiful Friday, May 31 was for Banding the three Chicks. Thank You to Paul and Larry for helping us set up the tent, tables and Thank You to the Ambassador Bridge Company for cutting the grass. While we were setting up lots of noise was going on with the Peregrines, while Freddie was sitting on the ledge below the nest, Voltaire came in with a food package and they were all a very happy family.
Thank You to Mark & Marion Nash from CPF, Anne Yagi, Management Biologist who did the Banding and her two daughters, Heather and Erica. Also, Catherine Jong, Species at Risk Biologist. Of course we can’t forget members of the Windsor Team that came to observe and help where possible. We have Tecumseh, 25 days old, 677 grams, R over 13, Blue Tape, Hercules, 27 days old, 714 grams, R over 48, Yellow Tape, and Gwenis, 29-30 days old, 1016 grams, S over 25, Red Tape. We wish them all a healthy and very productive lives. Now the Team Members will be on Watch for the next few weeks to see what the three chicks will be doing.
Gwen & Dennis
Posted on June 4, 2013 4:43 pm
June 03, 2013 - Mississauga - Holcim
Tracy Simpson Reports:
June 3rd - 2013 - Banding Day
On Monday June 3rd, we had the wonderful opportunity to band the three chicks at the Holcim Cement plant surrounded by excited plant staff. Armando and Barb at Holcim having been keeping an eye on the resident adult pair Caspian and Storm as they laid and incubated eggs throughout the spring and hatched three young ones in early May. Once we knew we had a hatch, Barb Smith was quick to set the arrangements in motion, alerting Mark to the hatch dates so that we could book our extractionist, John Miller, for a day within the safe age window to band. We then coordinated with Mark Heaton, Aurora district OMNR biologist, to set it all up and it was underway.
When we arrived, John Miller got set up for the extraction while Caspian took off to the west on a hunt. Storm then flew out to the east but didn’t go far on a hunt of his own. As the extraction began, it was Storm that took the initiative and was all over it!! He did an amazing job as Caspian was well out of the sightline and earshot so was unaware what was taking place. Storm flew out to the west, found her and told her what we were up to. Boy was she mad!! She joined Storm in the defence of the ledge and the pair did an awesome job being healthy and feisty parents. The three young chicks were taken to the banding station and we were well underway. Your three Holcim chicks are;
Hope 665 grams 25 day old male R/46 Blue tape
Liam 665 grams 25 day old male R/47 White tape
Hurricane Hazel 675 grams 25 day old male R/54 Red tape
So many thanks must go out to the Holcim staff that have for so many years looked after their peregrines so well. Thanks to Barb Smith for arranging everything, Mark Heaton of the Aurora District OMNR for banding the chicks, Mark and Marion Nash for the behind the scenes arrangements and safety checks, John Miller for the extraction and all of the plant staff that joined us. Congratulations Holcim on a happy and healthy threesome and being our first site with all boys this year!!
Pictures soon to follow.
Posted on June 3, 2013 10:44 am
June 02, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
Not too often are we able to capture an image of the entire family together.
Looks like Tiago is having left overs.
Posted on June 2, 2013 4:24 pm
June 02, 2013 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Volunteer Reports:
Just a couple of minutes after I arrived to observe the peregrines I had action and a front row seat. I was watching a pigeon flip-flop flying, as they do, west along Eglinton Ave, through the Yonge and Eglinton intersection when a peregrine homed in on the hapless bird. Haven hit the pigeon and I saw feathers literally flying. Unfortunately she did not get a good grip on the pigeon which ducked and swerved and Haven swooped on it again and missed. By this time the pigeon was so low it was almost on the sidewalk and disappeared from sight.
Stormin had appeared at the time Haven made her second attempt on the pigeon – not sure if he was there for support or to find out how it was supposed to be done.
The two of them flew over and around Canada Square for a couple more minutes before disappearing on the east side of the Rio-Can building. Haven then flew to the Canadian Tire logo on the west side of 2180 Yonge St. This is something new, utilising the flat top of the logo. Stormin was in close attendance and perched on the mast on the same building. They both flew back to the east side of Rio-Can and shortly thereafter Haven flew onto the nest. She did not fly onto the edge of that ledge but rather hovered slightly above the ledge and dropped down.
Haven was there, hidden from view, for about ten minutes before she hopped onto the edge, then back down again and once more back to the edge before flying to the south face of Rio-Can. Shortly after that Haven flew to the wall just north of the nest where she preened.
Stormin flew over Canada Square from east to west, turned and flew south through the gap and between the two Condos and was gone. Haven just ignored the whole exhibition and continued preening. Stormin came back over the taller of the two condos, over Yonge street, flying west at a rate of knots and disappeared somewhere over the crane at Duplex and was gone.
Next I saw of him he flew in from east of Canada Square again, weighed down with a food parcel and landed on the northwest corner of the concrete wall on Canada Square. Haven saw him long before I did and was airborne as he landed. She chupped at him very loudly and attempted to take the food and both disappeared from view. Haven reappeared, victorious, with the food parcel in her talons and she settled down on the corner and tucked in. Stormin was slightly nonplussed and flew east of Rio-Can again. Haven picked up her food parcel and flew to the same level as the ledge below the nest but on the northwest corner where she continued attacking the food. She flew back to the Canadian Tire logo where I assume she stashed the bird she had been eating. Stormin followed her, just checking to see what she was up to. Both flew back, Stormin to RC and Haven to Canada Square. It was raining at that point so I came home.
Lyn
Posted on June 2, 2013 1:08 am
June 01, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 1st - 2013
Sorry for the delay in getting these photos posted, as the e-mail was grabbed by the new anti-spam software installed on our office computers. We are only just now finding allot of missing e-mail and starting to go through it.
Good photos captured by Eileen on June 1st of this year.
Eileen writes:
They’re starting to wander!
All 3 made it out today after a snack Tiago brought in. Then Rhea Mae lured them back to the tray with a more substantial meal.
Eileen
Posted on June 1, 2013 7:31 pm
