The Airport Saga Continues! Claire and Casper Found and Identified
July 23, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Ok. So here’s the story. Back in 2012, a pair of peregrines were hanging around at the Alt Hotel near Viscount Rd which is on the north side of Pearson International Airport. We were alerted to their presence as the hotel had called for assistance regarding these birds on their building. Not knowing what they were, they reported two loud grayish birds with one louder brown one dropping prey remains around the grounds. After investigating the site, Bruce and I were able to confirm the pair of peregrines and identify them as Claire banded Black *S over Green *B hatched in 2009 at the Blue Water Bridge in Michigan and Casper banded solid Black 35 over Y hatched in 2009 at a residential nest site in southern Ontario. They had produced at least one male offspring that we were able to photograph and we were able to determine that their buildings of interest were the Hilton Garden Inn and the Alt Hotel. We continued to check in on the pair and by early December, Claire was no longer present. This prompted Casper to incur on a neighboring territory, the William Osler Hospital, and oust the resident male Hurricane who was missing and replaced sometime after Dec. 22, 2012. We continued to monitor both territories and by mid January Chessie, the resident female at William Osler, was now following her new mate Casper down to the Hilton. In Feb. 2013, they were photographed in the Hilton territory and were also seen roosting at the Osler territory. Casper was forcing a decision by Chessie; which site dear? In March they were copulating in both territories but Chessie finally settled on the Osler site which Casper was bound to follow. Just prior to egg laying in late March, I attended the site and found the male sitting calmly in Hurricane’s usual roost spot mimicking his behaviour. No imitation here, it was indeed Hurricane back on the site. We checked the Hilton territory off and on for weeks thereafter with no sign of any adults whatsoever. No white wash on the buildings. No presence at all. We deemed the territory now void and moved on to the nest sites that were now hatching eggs and in need of our attention.
As reported by Mark Nash earlier, on July 4th a juvenile peregrine falcon female was rescued from the ground in the Hilton Garden Inn territory at 427 and Dixon Road. She was turned over to Mark Heaton that day, was banded and then released on the roof of the neighboring Hilton hotel (there are two). Bruce and I were determined to check this out once watches were concluded.
On Sunday, we attended the territory and were on a mission. We started at the Alt Hotel and made the rounds. Bruce was at the Alt Hotel with no birds in sight and I was at the Hilton Garden Inn. I had located an adult male roosting on the light above the sign. Casper’s favorite hang out. I sat and waited for the look I needed at the band and was able to clearly photograph the 35 over Y on his solid black band. This was confirmed Casper. We continued our search and I located a second peregrine on the office towers one block south. I raced over to find a juvenile female on the edge of the roof. I was able to photograph, and Bruce confirmed this by scope view, that this female was unbanded making her a second surviving produced offspring by Casper and his unknown mate. We left the territory for another site with intentions of returning in the evening for the late day roost. I found the adult female on the sign of the Alt Hotel and had already had the adult male on the Hilton Garden Inn sign. I waited her out and was able to confirm by scope view that this is in fact Claire banded Black *S over Green *B. She’s back!
Our theory is this. Claire partially migrated in the late fall of 2012 prompting Casper to seek partnership elsewhere. He invaded the Osler territory and wounded Hurricane in battle. Casper won the day , the site and Chessie. At breeding season in March 2013, Chessie decided on the Osler site as her nest site of choice and Hurricane, watching from afar, was determined, now stronger and wiser, to get her and his territory back. Hurricane engaged Casper and won this round and was back at Osler with Chessie. Casper had now disappeared and was healing up from battle. Claire returns to the Hilton Garden Inn territory. Her and Casper reunite and produce a late clutch resulting in the July 4th fledge and rescue. This juvenile female had obviously not been on the wing long. If we estimate her age as around 45 to 50 days, that would put her hatch date as late June. Tracks with all that’s happened. By that time we were all engaged in dawn to dusk watches and this pair slipped two girls in right past us.
Congratulations Casper and Claire on another successful year. We are determined to confirm just which building the nest site is on although we suspect the Alt Hotel or the Hilton Garden Inn. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
Pictures to follow.