The name the chicks contest has closed and the winning names for the 2023 chicks are Elding for the boy and Olive for the girl.
There may have only 2 chicks but they sure were cuties. 2 boys this year.
Marlene booked space for us to band and the Property management had everything ready for us,
John Beals was again our climber and extractor and Mark Heaton and Eva Bobak banded the chicks. While they banded I recorded all the band information and Mark Nash spoke to the attendees watching and there were many, Mark explained the banding procedure and the importance of banding.
When John climbed down to the nest he found one of the chicks sitting on the ledge and held still so he would not cause the chick to try to run from him a possibly fall. John called up to the team on the roof to send down the net so he could insure the chick could be safely captured.
John captured the chick and had it in the bag with no issue and everyone watching below cheered and clapped.
Eva hauled the bag up to the roof and brought it down to the banding table whole John remained on the ledge to distract the adults so they would not know the chicks were actually removed.
The boys were named by the residents of the building Atlas and Turner. Turner was named after Tina Turner.
Environment and Climate Change Canada was there to do blood testing on the chicks as part of a year study on environmental toxins.
Both chick received 2 bands one on each leg. The first is the black band a Canadian Recovery band and the second a silver US fish and Wildlife band.
Here is the banding information.
Atlas weighed 590 grams his band number is C over 39 and he has yellow tape on the silver band
Turner weighed 660 grams and his band number is C over 40 he has Red tape on this silver band.
The colored tape helps the fledge watchers identify the chicks from a distance as it is easier to see the colored band then band numbers.
The fledge watch will begin in about 2 weeks.
Thank you goes out to to Marlene, the building management, John Belas our climber and our banders Mark Heaton and Eva Bobak for yet another successful banding.
Another site with 2 chicks this time one boy and one girl.
Don Barron form the hospital met us at the main entrance and explained that along with Mark Nash who explained the banding procedure and importance of banding and was also the person who stayed out on the ledge at the nest box to distract the adults, Mark Heaton and Eva Boback our banders, Glenn Barrett and Kyna Dawn from Environment and Climate Change Canada who were doing blood testing on the chicks as part of a 5 year study of environmental toxins, Don and myself there would also 3 people recording, filming and taking photos and because it is a very small area the hospital ran a contest allowing only 2 winners to attend the banding and the lucky winners were Tia and Laurie. I brought with me 4 more people who have been assisting the foundation to monitor the falcon family and who wish to become fledge watchers keeping an eye on the chicks when they take their first flights and rescuing them should they come to ground.
We were spread out enough that we could work without any problems and the chicks were not overwhelmed. All went very well and everyone who attended were able to got some photos. We decided in order to protect hospital staff and patients this year we not have anyone hold the chicks at the end of the banding for a photo shoot due to Avian Flu but doing a selfie with the chicks in the photo would be ok.
I want to thank Don Barron and Lakeridge Health for their ongoing support of Oshawa`s only Peregrine falcon family and for giving us access to band the chicks, place a nest box on the ledge for the falcons and install a camera in the box to better monitor the falcons. Their tremendous support has made a big difference in the survival of these falcons and management of this nest site.
Here is the band information of the Oshawa chicks along with photos taken by myself of the chicks at banding and Mark Nash of the chicks and adult female out at the nest.
There are no names of the chicks listed her because the hospital is running a name the chicks contest with the staff so stay tuned for the names.
Each chick got 2 bands one on each leg. The first a Black alpha numeric Canadian Recovery band and the second a USA fish and wildlife band.
First chick weighed 500 grams was a male his band number is C over 41 and he has Yellow tape on his silver band.
The second chick weighed 790 grams a female, her band number is 26 over AB and she had Red tape on her silver band.
The Colored tape helps the fledge watchers identify the chicks form a distance.
Looking through my scope, I could confirm there are 2 babies, little white fluff balls.
This is the best photo I could get with one of them and mom. I have to be quite far back to see in the nest.
A large area under the bridge has been blocked off for repairs so I couldn’t get closer for ID’ing any bands, not that it mattered, since mom didn’t move and there was no sign of dad.
Everything went well Anne Yagai and Mark banded the chicks and Lucie did the recording. Environment and Climate Change Canada was also there to take some blood samples as part of a 5 year study on environmental toxins. For some reason only 2 of the 5 eggs hatched one male and one female chick. All unhatched eggs recovered this year will also be part of the study.
Thanks goes our to ADM’S Eric Maxemuk and his staff for making this day possible.
2 healthy chicks
1070 grams Female band H over 77 named Cookie with blue tape on silver band
606 grams male band 39 over AW named Brownie with Red Tape on silver band
Love the names
Banding Day at Bloor and Islington Place has changed to June 15th at 1:30
Banding day at Duncan Mill Rd is changed to June 15th at 10:00 AM
A shot from the swing stage at the Mississauga Executive Centre. Skyreach volunteers Bradley Stanley and Ryan Khone. and Mark Nash CPF Director Great View I loved going up on the swing stage at past bandings! Photos from Bradley.
Marion
