Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Site Check Yesterday at William Osler. Casper is back.

January 15, 2014 - Etobicoke - William Osler

Tracy Simpson Reports:

So here we go again.  I had to make a trip out to Mississauga yesterday and stopped in at the William Osler nest site hoping to see Chessie and Hurricane at the house.  I found the adults in the hydro tower, Chessie top and centre ( I could confirm it is her by her band ) and the male up front.  Except that the male is definitely not Hurricane.  Seems that since Claire took off on hiatus for the winter from the Viscount territory, Casper came trotting over to William Osler again this winter and is now hanging out with Chessie.  I hope that Hurricane has done the same as Claire, taken a trip somewhere only to return this spring.  Is this a trend now with these two sites?  We’ll see. While I welcome Casper, son of Milton, to the southern Ontario nesting team, I hope I get to see my little man Hurricane again this spring.

Jack and O’Connor at Home Yesterday

January 13, 2014 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Yesterday both Jack and O’Connor were home at the Etobicoke Sun Life nest site and were enjoying the milder weather.  One of the camera shots I was able to capture was a lucky one with Jack on the nest tray bowing as O’Connor was coming in for a landing.  Nice to see the pair together at home!!

Spring Chit Chat at King Street

January 13, 2014 - Toronto - King Street

Tracy Simpson Reports:

This morning Erin and Windwhistler were discussing the upcoming spring season on camera.  It was great to see them both at the nest!  Erin stayed on the ledge for another hour or so soaking in the morning rays and preening while Windwhistler was out and about.

Love is in the Air at Toronto Sheraton

January 13, 2014 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Rhea Mae and Tiago both made a brief on camera appearance today at the Toronto Sheraton.  It was great to see them both chit chatting about the spring and stopping in to give us a view of them both.  Great to see them!!

!!! Haven & Stormin

January 10, 2014 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton

Marion Nash Reports:

Pictures taken of Stormin and Haven taken by Lyn on January 10th.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

January 12, 2014 - Burlington - Lift Bridge

Sue McCreadie Reports:

+6 Degrees Celsius
1 o’clock PM
Sun breaking through the grey skies
Cirrus and Mackenzie both present (not verified as yet by band numbers)

Bill and I took a trip to the Lift Bridge for the first time in a few days, as the temperature was finally above freezing.  When we arrived Dad, Mackenzie, was sitting on the old nest ledge of the Burlington Tower and Mom, Cirrus, was sitting on one of the cable supports, otherwise known as a Picnic Table.  As we watched, Cirrus took off as if on a mission to catch lunch.  We lost sight of her as she went down behind the Lift Bridge and the next thing we knew, Mackenzie was after her.  We carefully, because of very icy conditions on the pier, made our way back to the parking lot.  Lo and behold, Cirrus was on the ground taking a bath in a puddle of melting ice in the parking lot of the marina.  We found Mackenzie sitting on top of one of the light standards watching her.  What a great photo op for Bill and everyone else who was around.  As we usually only see these birds from a distance, you forget how big they really are.  Seeing Cirrus on the ground really brought this to my attention.

After her bath Cirrus disappeared for a while and we watched Mackenzie on the cables and then on the old nest ledge.  He has the most beautiful white chest which is so visible when the sun hits it.  A short time later, Mackenzie was off and this time definitely after lunch.  After a couple of attempts, Cirrus joined the chase, but they were unsuccessful.  When we left, both birds were kiting over CCIW.  I guess they are thankful for the above freezing temperatures.

A great afternoon of Falcon watching for all.

All is well after the ice.

- All Reports

Marion Nash Reports:

I was out briefly, without binocs or camera, and saw two peregrines on the balcony railing on the Canada Square building. I dashed home, willing them to stay put, and returned armed with camera and binocs. They were in the same spot but I only managed a few bad pictures before they flew. Both flew around the west side of Canada Square. One disaappeared from my sight whilst the other one flew to the top of the mast on the building housing Canadian Tire. I did not manage positive ID but am making the assumption that I saw Haven and Stormin, based on the fact that their favourite perches were used. ***

Lyn

Saw the pictures from Lyn and yes it looks like Stormin and Haven. Can’t make the landscape picture fit to post it sorry.
Marion

Sweet Moment at King Street Yesterday

January 08, 2014 - Toronto - King Street

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Yesterday afternoon while working away at the Raptor Centre, I took a break and tuned into the web cameras to see if I could catch sight of any adults in this -32 deep freeze.  On the King camera, I first found Erin sitting alone on the ledge and I was admiring her profile shot with a crop that could be seen from space.  In the very next frame, her lifetime mate Windwhistler appeared and the two sat together, chatted about the weather and preened the day away for a good long while.  With each image update, you could see that they were watching their territory together as their heads were moving in unison and looking at the same thing most of the time.  It was really adorable.

Usually catching the adults on camera in the non breeding season is quick and fleeting.  Most often it is one or the other adult visiting the ledge and not often do I catch both at the same time.  This seemed, in such cold temperatures, to be a bit of a special moment out of the wind on their ledge together.  Very sweet.

Erin and Windwhistler on Camera this Morning

January 05, 2014 - Toronto - King Street

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Over the past few days some of the resident adults have been seen briefly on camera inspecting their nest trays and roosting on the ledge.  This morning I was watching Windwhistler relaxing at King Street when all of a sudden Erin appeared on camera with him.  It was fantastic to see the pair and capture a few images of their time together.

!!! Sad news to report to end 2013. Ranger from Rochester NY has been recovered dead!

January 02, 2014 - Toronto - Mount Sinai Hospital

CPF Postmaster Reports:

December 27th - 2013
It is with sad news that we must report about news received this afternoon - (Jan 2nd 2014) that a deceased adult female peregrine was recovered from the downtown city streets of Toronto. We have been able to identify the peregrine as being one of our long standing resident territorial adults,, named Ranger, a peregrine produced in 2001 at the Kodak nest site in Rochester New York, USA.

Both Ranger and her mate (named Hunter,,, a 2000 year produced peregrine from Ohio USA) has been nesting here in Toronto at several different nest locations for almost 12 years. Both peregrines have been closely monitored by the Canadian Peregrine Foundation staff and volunteers for a very long time indeed and have been part of Toronto’s landscape.

Sadly, Ranger and Hunter were never successful in hatching any of their eggs year after year despite all of their dedicated efforts. It certainly was not from the lack of trying, as the pair remained fateful to one another since their arrival almost 12 years ago! They produced several clutches of eggs every year, (some years, they produced three clutches of eggs),,, and underwent continuous prolonged incubation periods on every clutch of eggs!! The pair spent some 50 days of prolonged incubation on several of the clutches and refused to give up incubating until the eggs finally imploded.

Ranger and Hunter spent time at the old up-town Toronto nest site, - (the Canadian Tire building at Yonge & Eglinton),,, at the Four Seasons Hotel nest site at Bay Street & Yonge Street,,, and their final nest territorial nest site in downtown Toronto at the Mt Sinai Hospital nest site.

We received communication from Mark Heaton from Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources today - (Jan. 2nd - 2014) that a deceased peregrine was picked up from the streets on Dec. 27th 2013. Photos were forwarded along to us clearly showing the Black A over Red 0 leg band numbers.

One of the photos shows evidence of a wrist injury on her left wing, but as of this date, we have no details of the cause of her death. Despite the minor injury to her wrist, Ranger appears to be in very good condition and very good weight.
You are advised that some of the images may be disturbing to look at.
Stay tuned…..