!!! Lakeridge Hospital - Baby peregrine hatchling confirmed!!
July 10, 2014 - Oshawa - Oshawa Activity
Mark Nash Reports:
Thursday July 10th - 2014
I met with Kevin and several senior members of the hospital staff and we proceeded to one of the north upper roof elevations to investigate further. Moments after our arrival to the roof , we were immediately met by two very vocal and rather annoyed adult peregrines that were already airborne, stooping and diving at our presence. I was directed to a lower elevation and quickly scanned the rooftop with nothing unusual to report. Despite not seeing anything after clearly seeing 98% of this very small roof elevation, the adult peregrines were far tooo upset with me to just be protecting a territory or food caches, so I asked if the latter could be moved to take a look at the other end of the roof.
The latter was repositioned that allowed me a view of the last few feet of this particular roof elevation where my original view had been partially obstructed by a chimney that exited from the top of the roof. It didn’t take but a second once the latter was repositioned to see the tiny secret that the chimney was hiding. A single small young peregrine hatchling was observed, looking quite healthy and very alert indeed!
The resident adults were photographed by all and hopefully we will be able to confirm their identity via the leg band identification as both adults are in fact banded. The larger female dawns a Black over Green leg band and the adult dawns a Solid Black leg band, with Yellow tape overtop of his silver leg band.
We suspect that this pair is the very same pair that attempted to nest on the Oshawa City hall back in April of this year that we were monitoring, where three eggs were produced. Sadly, the pair abandoned the nest ledge and their three eggs the following week after our site visit as a result of a heavy rain and wind storm moved in that drenched the ledge with water and high winds. Typical of most commercial urban rooftops, with the lack of suitable nesting sub- straight, and water accumulation are among some of the many reasons the peregrine nests fail in these environments. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure the necessary funding support we needed that would have allowed us to manufacture a suitable nest box and get it installed in time to prevent this inevitable outcome.
The nesting Oshawa city hall peregrines were both identified via their leg bands by the photos that I was able to take during my site visit. Both of these peregrines are know to us as the same pair that Rob photographed in Whitby back in January of this year.
We have confirmed that the resident nesting adult female at the hospital is in fact the same female that attempted to nest at the Oshawa City hall back in April of this year. The adult female peregrine was hatched in 2012 in New York State in the USA. She dawns a Black over Green leg band – 73 over AW and she was named “Alfrieda”,,,, named after one of the architects of the Central Terminal in Buffalo NY USA where she was produced.
Her solid Black banded male mate - band # 63 over X with Yellow tape overtop of his silver USFW band on the other leg is one that we banded on May 24 2012, produced at the Canada Square nest site. ** We have not confirmed that this is the resident male at the hospital as yet.
If it is in fact the same male, he was named “Simcoe”, (and was produced at the Canada Square nest site at the Yonge & Eglinton nest here in up-town Toronto). You can see the history of the Canada Square nest site on the CPF web site at - http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/c/sightings/toronto-uptown-yonge-and-eglinton
Given the age of young Hospital hatchling, there remains a very short window of opportunity to get it safely banded. Thank goodness for Kevin and the hospital team for all of their incredible support and cooperation, and the dedication and amazing support of Mark Heaton from the Ministry of Natural resources, as I was able to coordinate in part a banding time for this Saturday!! Scramble, you bet,, but by Saturday morning, the little peregrine hatchling will be named, examined for it health, banded and returned safely back to its parents.
Stay tuned for additional news, as its going to come fast and furious given the rather short time this has all taken place!
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