June 20, 2013 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today was another day where I was split between the MEC nest site with Miss Ashley and the William Osler nest site with the fabulous four flapping up a storm all over the ledges. I was able to dedicate a good portion of the afternoon to the four chicks here thanks to the many watchers down at the MEC site that we’re keeping an eye on Ashley for me . Of all of the chicks on the nest ledge the one that is impressing me the most as the first bird to most likely take flight is the little boy with blue tape. He made his way out to the southeast corner where he stood flapping up a storm and was able to get a slight lift up off of the edge for all of his efforts. The three lazy Daisy siblings of his sat back in the nest ledge watching him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. I stayed on site for several hours watching as the young ones played and romped ran and flapped all up and down the north, east and south side of the hospital but none other than the little male with blue tape looked even close to taking its first flight. What was really enjoyable was watching the dynamics between all four siblings as they played, as they napped and as food came brought in by their parents. At each and every meal time all four fought ferociously over the food but once it was gone and your appetites were satisfied, they all laid down together in a neat little row along the ledge. Both females were still sporting a great deal of down on their heads and backs and therefore I don’t expect that they will be leaving for their first flights anytime soon. The boys on the other hand are much further advanced and they could take their first flight any day now. The first official dawn to dusk of the fledge watch here at the hospital will start tomorrow. As I left the site to head back down to MEC to close the watch I looked back at the hospital to find a large blob of baby Peregrine falcons huddled together on the southeast corner of the nest ledge watching the world go by.Oh to be young again.
Posted on June 24, 2013 9:19 pm
June 21, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Bruce Massey Reports:
With Tracy now switching priorities to MEC, I took over watching young Ashley in the hopes that today she would take her first flight after her release last night on the roof of the third building. I set up in the morning at MEC2 and positioned myself to watch. Ashley did make a few appearances this morning up on the retaining wall of MEC three but they were brief and then she quickly jumped back down onto the catwalk which he chose to explore for most of the morning. By 10:30 AM Ashley had disappeared down on the catwalk and didn’t reappear for the rest of the day. This had many of us curious as to what she was up to. It would seem that when Ashley disappears for a while it’s usually because she’s found some sort of trouble to get herself into. I called Tracy at William Osler and let her know of Ashley’s little disappearing act and because it had been such a short period of time since her release, we decided that we weren’t going to worry too much yet. She had certainly received an excellent morning feeding and was quite full by the time she dropped back down onto the cat walk. It was not concern about whether the parents were attending to her or whether she was getting enough food,it was more just curiosity as to where she had actually disappeared. Both the parents spent a great deal of time hanging around on the ledge with Ashley and soaring over top keeping a close eye on their daughter. Will have to wait and see tomorrow if Ashley makes a much longer appearance and whether her interest in trying another flight has returned.
Posted on June 24, 2013 8:31 pm
June 24, 2013 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Harry Crawford Reports:
Day 10 - morning check.
Around 8am I saw what I thought was an adult circling above York and
Adelaide. Then a second one joined in the fun. It was Gurdy and
her brother putting on an impressive air show. They were vocalising
so loudly that you could hear them over the rush hour traffic. When
I last saw them they were as high as the top of Shangri-La. Way to
go!
Posted on June 24, 2013 12:52 pm
June 24, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
When I arrived there was once again no sign of Ashley on the retaining wall. This was not how I wanted to start this day. I stopped in at MEC 1 as all of the Garda staff had just finished their rounds and were getting ready for the day. I asked whether there was any sign of her on their rounds but no one had seen her. Up I went to the roof to check and see if she was there before a ground search began and there she sat on the catwalk of the pit preening and looking great. I left her there and headed to the watch post at MEC 3. Several hours passed with no sign of her but that is not unusual as like us, during the heat of the day it’s time to seek shade and rest. By early afternoon when no food had gone in and still no sign, I went up to check the pit again. The cooling tower pit is easy to check as it is a man door at the base of it that is entered through the building. When we opened the door, there she sat having a blast in a puddle of water. Scoop number 4. I called Mark Nash and using words I cannot repeat I expressed my frustrations and concerns. When a bird is rescued this many times we suspect an injury but this was an odd case. I believe she went down into the cooling tower pit by choice, drawn by the puddle, and fluttered down in. Still I wanted a second opinion exam to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. I met up with Mark and she was given yet another thorough exam. Again all clear. Hissy and full of vinegar, she lashed out at the procedure and was exactly as she should be. We decided to release her, this time on MEC 3 where she had less trouble to get into. The adults located her immediately and fed her a small tidbit for the night. Although she is driving us crazy with her choices, Margaret, Shannon, Katherine and I have not given up hope that great flights are in her future given her ferocious little attitude. Tomorrow’s a new day. What she’ll decided to do next is anyone’s guess.
Posted on June 24, 2013 9:57 am
June 18, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This morning in the pre dawn light Ashley took her next flight. Happening before I had arrived at 6:30am, I now had the task locating her somewhere within the MEC complex. Thank goodness for Katherine who had arrived just beforehand and was already on it!! We met out front MEC 1 just as Sante was flying in with food. He circled above MEC 4 calling. Over we went to investigate and sure enough Ashley was sitting quite calmly amongst the petunias of a flower pot. I grabbed my towel and headed towards her for the rescue. She darted off towards the building which is exactly where I needed her to be and she was scooped up. Boy was she furious that I had now touched her for the third time!! She was placed in security to await her exam and rescue so I headed off to William Osler for some time there as these two watches were now over lapping.
Later on in the day I headed back and was joined by Katherine for Ashley’s exam. All checked out great and after she gave me some acupuncture, it was time for her release. Margaret was at the watch post while up on the roof of MEC 1 she was placed in a spot that she is now quite familiar with and as I made my way off, she ran over into the shade and glared back. We kept watch until dusk for her appearance on the retaining wall but she chose to stay out of our sights for the day preening her ruffledness and practicing her really mad face!! Well watch for her tomorrow and hopefully a good flying day.
Posted on June 24, 2013 9:17 am
June 23, 2013 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
On arrival this morning Ranjet was on the SW corner of Canada Square
Tinia same place we left her last night
Imagine had obviously took her first flight before we got there and was on the black building between TVO and the Nest building but high.
9:27 Haven caught a pigeon, plucked it on the 4th floor of Canada Square then flew to Tania and gave it to her.
10:08 we had all three babies
Tania on the pigeon ledge 4th floor level of the black building
Imagine up on the Black building
Ramjet on sw corner ledge of Canada square who was fed a few minutes later.
By 11:00 AM it was getting very hot and all birds including the parents were feeling it and were seeking shade and became quiet.
4:51 Imagine popped up from the top of the roof to the retaining wall again from her shade spot for a few seconds and then back down, good she is still there playing peek a boo with us.
5:00 SEO C Collins from 53 division came out spoke to Marion about a bird reported by someone - down in the garden of the police station on Eglinton ave just around the corner from us. I went to look and it was Imagine she must have flown off the south end of the black building out of our site and did a circle around to the north lost altitude and bumped the station. When we got to her she was being watched over by S/Sgt M Hamilton-Greene to keep her from flying off into the traffic and he helped us catch her up then provided a box to transport her back to the nest. A very big thank you to our friends at 53 Division - E Platoon. Who allows us to sit outside on the garden wall on Duplex Ave to watch, lets use the bathrooms during the day and gives us place to come in and get cooled down when it’s blazing hot out there and now helps with rescues.
We took Imagine back to the 15 floor put her in a rescue carrier and gave lots of water to re-hydrate her, covered her carries with a towel and left her to rest up and cool down until release tonight.
5:30 Stormin circled over the bus bays over duplex ave and 53 Division looking for her Haven also did a couple circuits they had obviously seen Imagine’s flight even if we did not and were now looking for her.
6:37 Tania flew back to 4 flr ledge off the black building same level to Canada Square but missed the landing and fluttered down off the wall down low behind the old bus bays and we were off to the rescue again.
Lyn went down duplex, Marion packed her bag and set off to find Security who opened the gate into the bus bay area we searched, nothing?????
I heard calls high up on the Canada Square and it sounded like 2 babies? to our surprise and astonishmant we spotted Ramjet AND Tinia on the top roof of Canada Square.
Just as all this had started the wind had picked up and was blowing very hard with a few sprinkles of rain so she must have caught the wind like a kite and it took her up to her home another lucky bird!
8:09 Tania flew from roof Canada Square to RioCan almost to roof, brushed wall, recovered circled out and back to SW corner of RioCan where she landed on roof good flight.
8:43 Stormin flew to Canada Square roof with parcel, plucked it there circled the bus bays once more then flew up to Tania on RioCan and gave her the food.
Now we wait for dark to release Imagine. Mark Nash came to pick up Marion and helped her with the release all went very well and we found her brother was there on the balcony so we just opened the door and put her out with him and got out of there fast so we did not scare either one off.
We left at about 11:00 PM with all babies high and safe see you tomorrow.
Marion
Posted on June 24, 2013 9:17 am
June 23, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 23rd - 2013
Well, if you were looking for a free sauna bath and/or wanted to loose a little weight through sweating, you needn’t have gone much further than just outside of your front door today! While almost debilitating for most on the fledge watch crews, if you were outside on the fledge watch today, you don’t need me to explain what its like to be 16 hours standing out in the streets today!
While most inexperienced falcon fans would have told you that the young juveniles would not have flown today given the extreme heat and humid-x conditions, nothing could be further from the truth, as several of the young juveniles fledged today for their first flights at two nest sites, while many of the other young juvenile peregrines took to the skies despite the extreme heat and humidity.
I guess that these young peregrines have not reading the same books that some have been reading, or they simply haven’t read the e-mail or memo’s.
Today, the Duncan Mill road fledglings were active, as were both Quest and Kendal. Donna reports that Luna decided to follow in her sisters footsteps, and did her own face plant into one of the office tower windows.
Unlike her sister Carina’s collision with one of the windows this past Friday, Luna didn’t come to the ground and was able to regain her posture and fly off to safely land on a window ledge across the street.
By 9:30pm, both of the fledglings has been fed and tucked down on a window ledge, with Carina on the back side of 220 Duncan Mill Road - (the nest building) and Luna tucked down on a west facing window ledge on the 240 building.
Also, there seemed to be rumour going around that the fledglings has not been few much (or at all yesterday), but that is simply not the case.
Both Bob and I watched three feedings yesterday evening alone, as Quest grabbed both food from poor Kendal and fed both fledglings, and on another occasion, grabbed food away from the hatchlings, - (that Kendal had delivered directly to them), flew over to another ledge, (prepared it) and them flew back over to the fledglings (who were both waiting together on the same ledge, and proceeded to feed them). **See Photos taken by myself that I have attached to this observation report.
Interestingly, history has repeated itself again this year with regards to Kendal’s activities, along with a twist with regards to Quest’s night time roost. By 9:15pm, with both of the fledglings settled in for the evening, both Quest and Kendal had flown over the Thales building to the south east, and had perched on one of the window ledges. They remained there into the darkness as we closed down the fledge watch for the evening.
Also worth noting, that despite Kendal’s best efforts to provide food to his daughters, each and every time he has delivered food directly to them, (when Quest watching), as soon as Quest witnessed the event, (twice this evening, and more than dozen times throughout this past week), she was very quick to fly in and take it from the girls and flew off to ‘prepare it”, and only then would she return with the prepared food and feed it to the fledglings. Both fledglings are still for the most parts being beak fed by Quest. In contrast, Kendal simply drops unprepared food off to the fledglings and flies off, obviously believing that they actually know what to do with it.
Neither of the fledglings have not figured out what to do with the food (let alone unprepared food) that has simply being dropped off and left for them.
It would appear that although Carina is still a little flight shy after her collision with the window this past Friday, she has now taken four short flights back and forth from building to building. I’m sure that she is still bruised and likely experiencing some discomfort as a result of the impact with the window. In addition, this type of thing knocks the confidence out of them, and we are seeing her having to build up her confidence again before she will be flying high again.
The better news, is that she is holding her altitude quite well and back in the saddle again as they say, this time being far more cautious and not so reckless. Her sister Luna has also just learned a valuable lesion and also seems far more cautious inn her flights this evening.
Last but not least, for anyone that has learned to fly an airplane, one of the first lessons I was tough when training for my private pilots licence, was about air density. Hot humid moist air is actually less dense, and lift is far more difficult in these conditions as opposed to colder less humid air.
Most of the birds flights this evening, (including that of the parents) was far more laboured today given the extreme temperatures and the high humid-x.
Let alone, physical difficulty with breathing this ugly hot humid air!
Stay tuned……….
Posted on June 24, 2013 3:01 am
June 23, 2013 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 23rd - 2013
Alan and me arrived around 4pm to join David Currie on the watch. David had picked the perfect corner that is away from the sun and give us the best view of the nest ledge. For most of the afternoon, the siblings were just hiding from the edge. We got some occasion wing flapping and heads popping up telling us that both hatchings were still here. Usually for a few minutes Brother Loki would practise his wings, then he would go very quiet, probably worn himself out in the very hot and humid weather. A lot of times, we also had both parents, Linn and Reuben sitting very close.
Then around 6:40pm Loki was up again near the edge but then he fell off the nest ledge very fast without much preparation, down 8 stories onto the next horizontal ledge. We were very nervous for the next 10 minutes until we saw a little head popping up on the far side of that lower level horizontal ledge. He was actually ok! Guess he was delighted that there are so much more running space for him now that he definitely took advantage of that, flapping his wings and running back and forth the entire length of the much longer ledge.
Niera got fed by Dad on the nest ledge once. A rain storm was rolling in around 7:15pm. Then for a split seconds, we saw one bird got bump, went up into the air for a foot or so, then marginally landed back on the ledge.
Another bird sort of had flown away. That one just touched base on the ledge fell off again and sort of flap its wings to fly away.
Although they both flied pretty ok, we could not see Niera anymore, so as soon as the rain stopped, we took a perimeter walk to check if it was her that was fell off and flied away.
Luckily when we finished the walk and went back to our watching area, sneaky Niera showed herself again. We were so glad to see her safe on the ledge. However, she is definitely progressing since she kept looking at brother Loki on the lower ledge and she is also trying some of the wing-ercises. Both Loki and Neira stayed where they are for the rest of the night until 9pm. Both probably will try something new in the next few days!
Hopefully more watcher volunteers can come for the next few days since these two babies are getting very ready for some exciting fledging experience.
Winnie & Alan
Posted on June 24, 2013 12:51 am
June 17, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
With 3 hours sleep in me and still on a high from finding Ashley, I bounced down to MEC to see what today had in store for our two girls. As I pulled in, Ashley was being fed by the parents on the retaining wall above the nest ledge and Catherine had discovered not only that her sister was back but that she was getting the food she wanted. She ran across the nest ledge flapping and hopping feverishly and then slipped… …she half fell and half deliberately took off of the ledge and was heading out towards MEC 3 in an attempt to turn and gain height to the retaining wall of the nest ledge. Her flight, lacking the deliberate concentration needed to do this, was un-coordinated and she was instantly caught up in the wind tunnel that moves through the MEC complex almost constantly. The winds were high today and they pushed her to speeds she did not have the skills to handle and she struck the building. The impact was head on and she fell to the ground at my feet. I don’t feel that I have any appropriate words to express how we the watchers at MEC feel about the loss of Catherine today. In direct contrast to the high we were all on finding Ashley last night, this morning we were brought back down sharply to the reality of life for an urban wild animal. The Fledge Watch program that the CPF pioneered and has continued to run since 1996 has saved the lives of hundreds of peregrines and given them a second chance at success. We are regularly reminded that these wild creatures that we watch must walk a fine line to succeed and sometimes individuals do not make it. Although saddened by this loss, we all turned our attention to the success story sitting in front of us on the retaining wall of MEC 1. Ashley has survived her first fall / fledge that landed her on the ground and needing a rescue. She survived a slip down into a cooling tower which her parents alerted me to (for which I am grateful) so that she might be rescued a second time. Now she sits atop the building with a ridiculously huge crop, a new found confidence and a new chance at making a first impression. With Catherine firmly held in our hearts, we turned our attentions to helping Ashley.
For most of the day she slept. Her ordeals over the weekend had taken a bit of the vinegar out of her and she was happy to make eating and sleeping the agenda for the day. Cass sat with her almost all day, never letting her out of her sight. Sante made several visits up to his daughter as well but preferred to post himself on the porch of the nest box should she return home. After a day of not much action, Shannon, Katherine and Margaret made their way home and I set up for the last few hours hoping for a flight. Winston arrived and I must say just in time. It wasn’t long before Ashley began to run and flap along the retaining wall down to the northeast corner where she finally laid down for a good nap. When she woke, it was time for action and she ran flapping as hard as she could all the way down to the southeast corner of the roof. Then she turned the corner. We raced out across Robert Speck and positioned ourselves so that we could see her. Cass was under the Symcor sign prepping food and Ashley wanted it now!! We could see that she was willing to try a drop down into the well of the ledge and we were on edge. She was now on the southwest corner facing Hurontario and the traffic was heavy. Cass took the food over to MEC 2, cached it and flew over to the northeast corner of the nest building. Sante went to the same corner one ledge below. Ashley began running back towards her parents and in her exuberance, her feet lifted off the wall (still moving them in a run) and she was airborne. She flew along the east face of the nest building towards the north, lost altitude and banked around the corner out of view. Winston ran the east face and I the west. We met behind the day care on the north side of the nest building and shared notes. She didn’t pass me and she did not double back and pass him. So she was here somewhere. I looked up and that same sweet face was now staring back at me from the ledge. She was home! She ran all the way back, jumping the gaps, to the nest ledge and was in the box for the night. The flight she took was challenging and complex to pull off requiring her to flap, bank and then swoop up to the ledge with care. This was a huge confidence booster for her and I look forward to tomorrow when she takes her next flight. But the best part of all, she’s home.
Posted on June 24, 2013 12:30 am
June 16, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today was to be day 2 of Ashley on the lamb as my morning walk around the four MEC buildings yielded no sightings or signs of her whereabouts. Catherine was on the nest ledge and winding up as the adults made several attempts to tease her off. She didn’t take the bait but rather sat and screamed her indignation at the whole flight thing content to rock around the ledge. In and out of the box, in and out of the well and lots of flapping was the flavour of the morning with the adults trying their utmost to get her out into the air. When the parents realized that this little potato had no intention of flying at the time, the fed her up and put her to bed so that they might turn their attention to the missing Ashley. This is where things got interesting. The parents were soaring around above the roof of MEC 1, in particular the southeast corner. Now previously, I had checked the roof for Ashley but did not see her. I visually inspected the corner of her release and the environs but was quick to exit. A quick and stealthy peek yesterday was all that I accomplished and yet I still drew the attention of the parents. Now they were kiting and soaring over the roof of MEC 1 and paying lots of attention to that corner. So what did I miss? Their calling and searching of the creek valley and neighbourhood had ceased. Did they find her? I think they did and she was still up there somewhere. I intended to go back up and see what I was missing but Catherine slowed me down as she woke up and took a brave step forward towards flight. She jumped the gap. While this may seem like a small thing, for these juveniles at MEC it is a huge step forward and a big confidence booster. She first jumped one gap to the south of the box, then another and another until she was finally at the southeast corner of the building. She dipped in and out of the wells at that end and then finally made a swift and sure leap-fest back to the nest ledge. It wasn’t until Winston arrived that I finally decided it was time for a look at what the parents were kiting over. To make this even more compelling, they were doing this at mealtimes only. They weren’t flying around with food yet the behaviour was timed with the feeding of Catherine. When I got upstairs, my targeted search was the area of the parents interest. Behind the hatch is a 4 foot high retaining wall that has a catwalk type channel around it and machinery in the middle. I walked over and to my surprise, it was an open area that was about 16 feet deep. I’ve only seen this rooftop at dusk during releases and had no idea there was an open cooling tower “pit” behind and to the right of the hatch. As I looked into the depths, two cute little eyes stared back with an “I’m really stuck” expression. Down we go to the door to the base of the tower and a quick scoop up of a fussy little girl was complete. She bit, taloned and drop kicked me but that was what I wanted to see out of a juvenile that had been missing for a few days. Her health check complete, I released her to the roof once again all the wiser for her experience. By the time I was back in the street, she was on the retaining wall howling at her parents that were now greeting her and re-bonding. Thank you so much to Margaret, Shannon, Katherine, Winston and best of all the staff at Garda Security for helping me to find and free Miss Ashley!! Great job everyone!!
Posted on June 24, 2013 12:28 am
