May 29, 2015 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
Friday May 29th - 2015
Beachville Carmeuse Lime and Stone Quarries
Again, sorry for the lack of updates, but it has already been a very busy season and we are always stressed for resources and manpower at the best of times, and this time of year has us doing 14 plus hour days with or field activities and on-going banding events. Please remember that we are limited and subject to available funding and resources at hand, as we are not government funded and depend on contributions and donations along with allot of volunteer support availability to do many of the things we are involved in throughout the year.
Having being able to combine this visit with the London City Centre site visit, I was finally able to get back down to the Beachville nest site and the Carmeuse Lime and Stone Quarry to get an update on their resident peregrines. A big thank you to Lucie who also met me down there to do a pre-site inspection and gather some observations while I was meeting with the folks at the Quarry administrative offices.
With the support of the Regional Environmental manager and support staff at the Carmeuse Quarries, we were able to conduct our investigation and quickly found both of the resident peregrines on one of the large towers. During out site visit, both adult peregrines were quite aggressive and protective while we were at elevation around the suspected nesting cavity. Upon our initial arrival, the adult female was observed roosting on the upper ledge of the sister building with a large kill, and was in the middle of eating.
The adult male alerted to her screams, quickly appeared in our view and they both joined in their efforts to encourage us to leave!!
After we left our elevated observation position with the Quarry staff, the resident adult female peregrine quickly returned back to the covered nest location and disappeared from our view, where she spend the balance of the day light hours concealed and out of our view. She never appeared back in our view. The resident adult male landed and roosted on a spot of the adjacent building at elevation with a direct line of site into the nest cavity where his female mate had disappeared into hours ago.
At no time did we see another shift change and no food ever when into the nest cavity during the balance of our observation period, so we can be reasonably assured that there are no hatchlings being fed at this point.
It was quite obvious after Lucie and I departed the site much later in the evening around 9pm, based on our 8 plus hours of observations that the pair are currently involved in full time incubation of an undisclosed amount of eggs.
We will be back within the next two weeks to do a another check on the pairs activities.
A big thank you to Lucie for her support and for some of her attached photos!
Stay tuned……….
Posted on May 31, 2015 2:41 pm
May 29, 2015 - London - TD Tower
Mark Nash Reports:
May 29th - 2015
Its been a long time since we have been able to get back to the London City Centre nest site, but we can finally provide an update on what’s been happening. At the request of the building management, I was able to combine two visits today, one in London Ontario to the London City centre to gather an update on the status of the resident peregrines.
We have good new and not so good news to report.
First the good news,, in that we can confirm that there is still resident adult peregrines on the London City centre, and they are still very territorial and very protective of the nest building rooftop and still very much occupying and utilizing the old nest ledge. Upon our arrival, both adult peregrines were observed on the nest ledge. I was also able to photograph both resident adults, and can also confirm the adult male is dawning a solid Black band - (indicating that he is a Canadian produced peregrine),, and that the resident adult female is dawning a Black over Red leg band - (indicating that she is a USA produced peregrine). I was not focused at this time trying to get an identification or trying to ID their leg band numbers, but will return again in the next two weeks in an effort to get a positive identification of the two. See the attached photos of the adults.
The not so good new:
I was able to lower the new CPF wireless colour camera down from the upper roof elevation to gain a peek at the nest ledge. Sadly, it would appear that the resident pair have not been successful in producing any chicks this season. While we can not confirm if they did in fact produce any eggs this season, it was quite obvious given the recorded video footage that the camera captured that there is no eggs or hatchlings currently present on the nest ledge or in the nest tray.
Some detailed close-up footage of the nest tray clearly shows that the volume of pea-gravel in the old nest tray is almost all but gone and there isn’t much left in the nest tray for the peregrines to hollow out a nest bowl to allow them to properly incubate eggs. Remembering that this nest tray was installed sometime way back in 1995-1996 and has never been serviced or had its pea-gravel topped-up or cleaned to our knowledge. The old nest tray is also showing signs of rot and it may not be very long before its starts to fall apart.
Over the past three years, we have been involved in replacing all of the old CPF installed nest trays and nest boxes with the newer poly-composite materials that have a much longer life span and shelf life, in addition to replacing and/or topping-up the pea-gravel at each of the nest sites. Aside of the obvious, (providing new and improved materials and renewed nesting conditions), the new composite material does not delaminate or rot, their water resistant and UV protected, thus minimizes the liability of nest box and nest tray materials from rotting with pieces falling off and down to the ground where it could injure people or cause damage to automobiles at the ground level.
Most of the older nest boxes and nest trays that the CPF has manufactured and installed (now at some 19 different active peregrine sites), were originally installed way back in 1995 to 2000, and although served all quite well, these older pressure treated wood materials have succumb to rot and delamination due to the harsh Canadian weather conditions they have been exposed to for the past 15 to 20 years, and as such needed to be replaced.
We have posted some of the video footage taken of the nest ledge and old nest tray that confirms that while the resident pair of peregrines are still very much demonstrating territorial behaviour and still very active on the nest ledge, there is no evidence of eggs or hatchlings again season.
We hope to be back in the next two weeks to check out the other ledge elevations around the building just to ensure that they peregrines have not deceived us and decided to go to another ledge to produce. We know that the peregrines always have a second and third choice to nest on/in in the protected territory and want to ensure that the up and coming London City Centre events and window replacement projects will not be met with any surprises that could hamper or risk human activities.
You can see the London City Centre video footage of our nest ledge inspection at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZl7kLEEj5A
The video (and still photos taken from the camera video footage) were taken of both the left and right of the nest tray on the next ledge itself, and of the nest tray.
Sorry for the shaky video footage, but the wind was quite blustery and it was very difficult to control the camera on this day. 
Stay tuned……..
Posted on May 31, 2015 1:47 pm
May 28, 2015 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
Bruce reports
As of Thursday May 28th there are 2 hatchlings in the nest.
Posted on May 29, 2015 10:50 am
May 27, 2015 - Brampton - Courthouse
Mark Nash Reports:
May 27th - 2015
Just a quickly update, with both Toivo and Grace reporting that although the waiting for something to happen is driving every one a little crazzzy, (watching peregrines incubate for over a month is kinda like watching paint dry),, both resident adults are still very active in their shift changes as they continue to incubate their eggs.
Based on their best guess, (based on when we believe that the pair started their full-time incubation), we are expecting a hatch by early to mid next week.
Marion reports that the property manager had another opportunity to take a closer look through the office suite window and they have confirmed that there are still four eggs and none have hatched as yet.
Given the odd unseasonal temps., going up and down like a yo-yo, many of the resident adult females have been sticking pretty tight to their eggs during the incubation , (and during the early stages of them brooding new hatchlings),, and as such, its been very difficult to see much of anything.
Toivo and Grace also report that the American Kestrels are back (also nesting) and they have been watching both families of falcons - (the Peregrines and Kestrels) involved in several intense territorial disputes! One moment the resident adult female Kestrel is seen both harassing, dive-bombing and chasing the resident adult Peregrine, than moments the tables are turned, and the peregrine is now stooping on and chasing the Kestrel!
Mother-hood full of hormones!! Its breeding season alright!
This has been going on for several weeks now!
With two sets of falcons in the same territory, (both nesting a hopefully producing offspring), one of the last places on this planet that you would want to be if you were a bird, is anywhere near this territory and these two falcon families!!
Stay tuned for additional news as it become available……….
Posted on May 29, 2015 12:03 am
May 27, 2015 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
May 27th - 2015
We are delighted to confirm that we have been able to secure a date for the OPG Pickering banding! While there are still allot of details to be ironed out, we can confirm that June 15th will be the banding date.
For the obvious reasons, this banding will be closed to the public due to security reasons and restricted access, but we will although have lots of photos and updated news of the banding and updated news of the young hatchlings.
For the past two seasons, the Canadian Peregrine Foundation has been working very closely and in partnership with the great folks at the OPG Pickering facility while dealing with their resident nesting peregrines and we have some very exciting news and great stories to tell with regards to the history and happenings of their nesting peregrines, in addition to some of the great folks that have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to both accommodate, protect and support their resident nesting peregrines!
We are delighted to report that their resident peregrines have successfully hatched and produced three baby peregrine hatchlings this season and we’re all looking very forward to seeing them up close at the banding.
Stay tuned for lots of great stuff to follow ………………….
Stay tuned……..
Posted on May 28, 2015 11:24 pm
May 27, 2015 - Oshawa - Lakeridge Hospital
Mark Nash Reports:
May 27th - 2015
We are happy to report that we have been able to coordinate and confirm a banding date and time for the Oshawa Lake Ridge Hospital peregrines. The banding will take place on June 15th at 9:30 am sharp.
The plan will be to meet at 8:30am to set-up, with a meet and greet from 9am to 9:30am, and hopefully to commence the banding by 9:30am sharp!
Further details will follow in the next few days as arrangements are made.
Stay tuned…
Posted on May 28, 2015 11:14 pm
May 28, 2015 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:
May 27th - 2015
We have finally been able to coordinate and book the Canada Square banding for June 10th at 11am.
The plan will be to meet at 9am for set-up and start banding at 11 sharp. This requires additional set-up time given the additional resources needed in consideration to the physical location that the peregrine have chosen to nest on this year.
This banding is not open to the general public and by invitation only at the request of the property manager, in part due to the limited space that we have to conduct the banding. All CPF fledge watch volunteers are invited.
Please stay tuned as we will get the details, photos, video and particulars of the banding as soon as we can there after.
Posted on May 28, 2015 11:06 pm
May 28, 2015 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Marion Nash Reports:
May 27th - 2015
A quickly update, we have been able to confirm a June 5th banding date for the William Osler Hospital peregrine hatchlings!
The plan is to meet at 9am for set-up, and to start the banding process for 9:30am.
This is a closed to the general public banding due to the restrictions of space and time constraints.
Stay tuned for all of the banding details, photos, video and updated news.
Posted on May 28, 2015 10:52 pm
May 28, 2015 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
May 27th - 2015
A quick note to let you know that we have finally been able to book and confirm the banding date and time for the Toronto Sheraton Centre hotel peregrine hatchlings. The set-up time is 1pm in the Pinnacle Room on the 43rd floor of the Toronto downtown Sheraton Centre hotel, 123 Queen Street west, across from the Toronto City Hall. There will be a meet and greet at 1:30pm, with banding to commence at 2pm sharp!
We welcome your attendance and hope to see you all at the banding!
Posted on May 28, 2015 10:45 pm
May 25, 2015 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Mark Nash Reports:
May 25th - 2015
Banding Day - May 25th - 2015
Todays banding went very well indeed despite the feisty attitude of the three young hatchlings! While this is only the third banding so far this season, these three hatchlings were just down and outright nasty with LOTS of attitude!! Actually, just the way we like to see them!!!
The two males weighed in at 676 grams and 666 grams, with the larger female weighing in at 975 grams!
So we have the female named Stella - banded K over 24 with Yellow Tape,
Wellington banded B over 10 with Red Tape,
and finally little Lucifer - banded B over 11 with Blue tape - (guess who weighted 666 grams) 
While up in the tower, I was able to get another close look at the resident adult male, and was able to reconfirm his band number Black 29 over Y
A big thank you to Clare and Jerry at the bridge and the PWGSC for accommodating and hosting the banding with all of the construction and limited access.
With the hatchlings clocking in at 26 to 28 days old, we can expect that they should be fledging and taking their first flights sometime in the next 6 to ten days.
Its going to be a very interesting watch indeed this year with 10 bandings still to complete and overlapping many of the fledge watches due to start between now and over the next three weeks.
Going to need lots of eyes and support as this site is going to be a huge challenge this year given that we are spread so thin with manpower and resources with all of the fledge watches and overlapping bandings!!
We are working with PWGSC and the contractors on site in an effort to iron out a site access protocol should any of the fledglings come to the ground in need of support.
Posted on May 28, 2015 10:33 pm
