Falcons and watchers on full alert in K-W!
May 10, 2014 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
Lisa Reh Reports:
On Monday May 5, Rudy observed a shift change around 1:00 p.m. Tony snapped a few pictures of possibly Caster at 3:55 p.m. having dinner on the balcony facing Union and Park. On Tuesday, May 6, Rudy observed a shift change again around the same time about 1:00 p.m. At 6:30, Rudy was on the watch again but didn’t see much activity other than seeing a grin flying to the parapet on the right side of the box. Rudy left at 7:45 and the grin was still sitting in the same position. Lisa was back at the site at 8:15 to 8:30 and the grin was still on the same parapet.
On Wednesday, May 7, Lisa observed: “1 falcon swooping north from Caroline St. eastwards and landed on the yellow globe of the Sun Life sign facing King Street at 12:15 p.m. Between 3:30 and 3:45, from Union Street, 1 falcon was dive bombing and swooping at 2 crows who were in some trees on the side lawn of the Sun Life building to the right of the Union Street entrance. The grine chased them from Union St. side across to King St into the tall spruces by the Travel Plus. This display went on for some time. The falcon was flying fairly low at about the 5th floor height and would fly a little higher and would then stoop and dive bomb the crows. He kept at them again and again near the Travel Plus on King St. and then disappeared westward. As soon as the falcon disappeared both crows in tandem flew towards the northwest side of the building. I have sighted the crows in the spruces by the smoking area on the Park side of the building numerous times and believe they may have a nest in those trees.”
On Thursday, May 8, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. It got very interesting between 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. today Lisa reported… “1 falcon sighted on the north side parapet over the Caroline Street entrance just before 12:00 p.m. I had a clear view for an hour and a half from the Thai Bistro on Belmont with my binoculars in hand. At 12:00, 1 flew into the nest box, a few minutes later one flew out and headed east. At 12:30 - 3 grines flew out from the direction of the nest box; 2 together and one flew up much higher and appeared to be following the others from a much higher altitude. All headed west towards Belmont towards my position and then I lost sight of them as they continued westward. At 1:00 p.m., 2 turkey vultures landed on the Park & Union parapet. From my vantage point it looked like they were right beside the nest box!! They were there for a few minutes, then 1 falcon flew south and a little lower than the vultures. The turkey vultures ever so casually flew in the direction of the hospital as soon s the grine came from the west. The grine didn’t attack the vultures and I could see them soaring quite low on Belmont St. A at 1:20 I witnessed a grine chasing a seagull around the west side of the building at quite a low altitude.” Rudy was also watching at around 12:30 and confirmed that the vultures were indeed right beside the nest box but a grine didn’t come out to chase them away nor did he see any grins in the area. Rudy also observed a crow chasing an Osprey that was soaring from Waterloo about 1:10. Tony was also watching at about 12:30 from Union St. He noticed one grine which was sitting on the parapet to the right of the box soar from the building northwards and then circled higher and higher to the point where he lost sight. Wendy also had 2 sightings from the 11th floor window: at 11:40, one grine flew down from the nest area of the roof and one at 2:30, one grine flew up towards the nest box. Karen was on the watch from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. with absolutely no activity at the nest box. Karen did hear one call briefly before she left. Tony and Helen were also on the watch at about 6 p.m. but had no activities to report. At 8:15 pm. Lisa was on the watch and there was a bit activity, one grine making 3 swoops around the nest box.
On Friday, May 9 at 10:40, Lisa observed the osprey soaring around Caroline Street. One of the falcons made his presence known and the osprey headed back to Waterloo. The falcon also chased a seagull at the same time. At 3:00 p.m. a falcon was dive bombing the crows.
Photos courtesy of Tony Bergauer.
