June 20, 2023 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
Marion Nash Reports:
Yorgos has fledged
Mark stopped off at Petra/Yellow Pages to check on Yorgos. When he arrived Yorgos was on the overhang ledge above the shipping doors so one floor up from the ground. Linn was above screaming at him trying to get him to fly up off of there. When she saw Mark she started screaming at him and Yorgos ran down the ledge heading north. Mark called me to let me know I was a day off on my plan to start the fledge watch so he would stay and keep an eye on him. Well I hope he get some altitude before tomorrow.
Posted on June 20, 2023 2:56 pm
June 19, 2023 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
Marion Nash Reports:
I reported earlier that we had gone to check on him to decide when we should start the fledge watch and after an extensive search could not find him on any ledge. Well I have no idea how we missed him but he is now on the 12th floor area alive and well. The fledge watch will be starting in the next day or 2 so hears hoping he wont play hide and seek with anymore. I would appear the Linn from Rochester has become quite foxy and her attempts to hide her chicks has become better over the years lol.
Posted on June 19, 2023 2:50 pm
June 17, 2023 - Toronto - Rogers Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
June 17th
Mark and I took over for Cathy who had to make a trip to Ottawa. When we arrived in the morning Lightfoot was no longer on the 2nd floor ledge where Cathy had left her last night and we could see 2 chicks on the top of the roof assuming they were Paige and Gordon. Mark and I thought Lightfoot might be down and we would have to start scanning the ground.
We saw a photographer with a long lens watching the nest ledge and we stopped to talk to him. His name was Mike and he told us he saw Lightfoot take off from the 2nd floor and fly quite well over to 250 and land on the east 7th floor ledge.
We drove over to the east side of the parking lot to get a better advantage point of that side of the building and park in the only small sliver of shade available to start the morning watch.
However I could not get enough of a view of the 7th floor because the Good Life Fitness parking garage obscured half of that ledge. I walked past the garage over to the east side of 250 but cold not see her there at all. I know if they lay down flat close to the window the ledges are just deep enough to conceal a chick from the watchers on the ground so I needed to get higher. I hiked up the stairs of the garage to the 7th floor and top level of the open toped garage but no luck she was not there.
I then scanned all the roof tops of the buildings to the east I saw Mike walking the ground looking all over for her too. I decided to look at the nest building and see if she might have made it back there somewhere on one of the ledges and saw the adults and 2 chicks and what I thought might be a wing tip of a third chick. I had to wait a while to confirm it was her but she finally adjusted her wings and I could see her there having a snooze. I had both adults and 3 chicks confirmed all on the roof top phew all is ok. Now I can send an update text to Cathy who was quite worried about her Lightfoot and now I could go back down to where Mark parked who had set up our chairs to watch for the day.
Since Lightfoot had taken 2 good flights today and had gained altitude making it back to the roof of the nest building I felt she was no longer in any danger of being grounded but would like to see at least one more flight from her before we can make her a check mark.
Mike came over and talked to Mark and I and I gave him the update that all 3 chicks were on the roof. While Mark and Mike talked I saw Mom and Gordon fly together Gordon yelling at her and stooping her and begging for food. Mom put up with it for another minute before banking right and making a fast stoop and hooking around the building out of sight and Gordon landed back on th roof beside his sister Paige. Lightfoot finally got up from her snooze and all 3 spent the rest of the morning and afternoon on the roof. At about 3:00 PM Mom flew in heading for Lightfoot and she took flight to meet her mom in the air a very short but good flight together and mom again hooked right around the building and Lightfoot turned back to the building and landed on the roof a good landing for a newly fledged chick.
By early evening hunger and sunburned we called it quits for the day and will scale back the watch to spot checks daily for a few days.
I did not bring my camera today so the only photo I have of the 3 chicks is from my cell phone but you can see the 3 bumps on the roof top Lightfoot on the left laying down Paige just under the roof vent in the middle and Gordon far right.
Posted on June 17, 2023 10:50 pm
June 17, 2023 - Toronto - Rogers Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
Last night Mark and Lucie released Ruby back to her parents at the Rogers Center.The security Operations staff were very helpful and everything ent well. The adult peregrines were not even aware they were there so the release was fairly uneventful. She was released from the carrier and she quietly sat where she was placed until they left the roof to be found safe and sound by her parents in the morning.
Posted on June 17, 2023 10:46 pm
June 16, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills and Eglinton - Amexon
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS/AMEXON DAY 10!!!:
And we’re still watching… Arrived this morning to find Lightfoot low on the back of the building. She lost a lot of height… Never good. But I settled in to wait. If she flew around to the left… Trees ugh. Right would be better but the wind is bad… I watched her turtle walk back and forth, preen, sleep. Bob joined me in the late morning. We watched. Sally came late afternoon, just in time to see her fly off to the left. I saw her round the building. We headed around and thanks to some angry robins found her right away on a ledge… She lost more height and was another ledge down. Darn. It was now quite windy and she had lost more of her confidence. But she could see her parents and siblings as they all did great flights, play and her parents trying to teach her. No go. We left her low. Not the way Sally and I wanted to end our watch-we both have commitments this weekend. But we are leaving her in the best hands.. Mark and Marion! Couldn’t ask for better! And Bob said he would also drop by when he could. So we will wait for the news… She’ll either come down into very capable hands or she will fly. Sally and I are already planning our spot checks!
Posted on June 17, 2023 12:20 am
June 16, 2023 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
Marion Nash Reports:
The Peregrines have not returned to the Bell Media Tower this year. It is likely good news anyway since CTV has sold the property and the Bell tower is being taken down sometime in October. We are in touch with the company taking the tower down to rescue the nest box so we can use it for another needy peregrine pair. There have been some reports that the Peregrines have been seen Downtown but no nest site located yet. Hopefully we will get some more reports next year and they will be successful again in 2024.
Posted on June 16, 2023 9:30 pm
June 16, 2023 - Toronto - Rogers Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
We got a call from Toronto Wildlife and just after the banding at Bloor Islington Place Tracy Simpson our raptor center manager informed us they have one of the Rogers Center Peregrine Fledglings that has been in rehab for 3 days and is ready to go. We contacted Lucie who was happy to go and pick up the fledgling from TWC and take it ti Mark Heaton to have it banded. We also contacted Glenn from Environment and Climate change Canada who went to Marks home as well and did a small blood sample for their study on environmental toxins. It turns out to be a female at 815 grams and about 45 days old. Her band number is 31 over AB and she has red tape on her silver band her name is Ruby. Mark Nash spent much of the morning trying to contact The Rogers Center but the numbers and contact people we had on file were no longer in service and no longer working at Rogers Center. It took a while but we did find new contacts who were happy to help and Ruby will be released by Mark Nash and Lucie tonight as soon as it gets dark. Another successful rescue and banding and hopefully release. more on her release tomorrow.
Posted on June 16, 2023 4:44 pm
June 16, 2023 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
Thanks to Colliers building management and Sky Reach window washing who have been working with us since 1997 we were again able to extract the chicks and host the 26th annual banding of the Peregrine Chicks at Bloor Islington Place.
We were concerned about thunder storms predicted for the afternoon but luckily John Beals our climber and the guys from Skyreach got the chicks down to us and back on the ledge before the rain.
We had a good turnout of people who came to see their newest additions to the Peregrine family at Bloor Islington Place. There were 3 chick 2 boys and 1 girl. Bloor Islington Place staff ran a name the chicks contest and I had the honor of drawing the names from a bowl for each chick. The 2 boys were named Casey and Andre and the girl was named Angel, congratulations and thanks goes out to those who submitted their names. May they all fly well and stay high, our fledge watch team will do our absolute best to ensure they all survive their first flights which will begin in about 10 days.
Mark Nash from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation spoke to the visitors and explained the banding process and why banding is still very important to help us monitor this important species.
Once again Mark Heaton, Eva Bobak and Glenn Anderson volunteered to band the chicks, without them your banding could not have happened.
Here is the banding information. We put colored tape on the silver US band to help the fledge watchers identify each chick from a distance while we keep watch over them.
First- 585 grams male 21 days old band number C over 46 named Casey with Yellow tape
Second- 765 grams female 21 days old band number 20 Over AB named Angel Green tape
third- 650 grams male 22 days old band number C over 47 named Andre Red tape
Each chick was very healthy and alert.
Environment and climate Change Canada was also on site to take small blood samples from each chick as part of a 5 year study on environmental toxins as the peregrine being on the top of the food chain is one of our best avian environmental monitor species like the canary in the coal mine they are our first warning of harmful toxins.
Posted on June 16, 2023 12:31 pm
June 14, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills and Eglinton - Amexon
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS/AMEXON DAY 8:
I arrived to see a juvie flyoff the nest building and go west. Parent was off like a shot behind them. Lost sight of them, as I had just pulled up and didn’t have my bins out yet! I figured Gordon but who knows. Ted joined me for a bit. Parent returned alone or so I thought. Saw Lightfoot on the nest ledge. Up popped one on the roof of the nest building… Paige? No Gordon! Had he come from behind the building? Oh well, he’s good. Saw him do a few lovely flights. Then the parents were up alarm calling! In a frenzy… Two fledglings and one about to, total protective mode. Unfortunately the building had to go out into the “pit” on the roof (its like at least 10 feet down, too bad peregrines have such good sight!) but only very shortly. But after the last couple of days, they were on high alert. But, this lead to me finding Paige. No she did not pop up but the parents, once the guys had exited, were still circling and alarm calling.. And they went over to the other building and circled there briefly on one side. Paige? I walked over and found her on the sign there! Wow. Now that’s quite a feat, so I was impressed. They all stayed put for a bit. Then there she came flew from the sign trying to make roof of nest bldg and missed, touched off the concrete, recovered, out and back onto the rooftop! Way to go Paige!! Rooftop pair got fed for their efforts and even Lightfoot got a bit. Maybe to keep her down as it started to pour… Again. We even got a funnel cloud advisory! Really? What next on this watch?? Smoke, torrential rains, and funnel cloud advisory? Geez. As I was watching Lightfoot, all of a sudden Gordon popped up…he was back on the nest ledge with his sister and stayed there until the evening. Sally joined me in the afternoon.
This is her report for the rest of the day :
Bob joined us in the evening after an uneventful afternoon, with food brought in (and Paige eventually getting a large package) we started to pack up, joking that this would probably get the kids going. We jinxed ourselves. Wings flapped. The parents flew in circles for a bit as if to say OK time to settle. Paige and Gordon decided to fly off the ledge and slightly out and back, overlapping. Then Gordon repeated last night’s pre-bedtime flight. Over to Intel and back. He attempted to set off again but Mom was having none of it. We watched the peregrine version of a parent chastising their kid and pushing them ahead back home. He briefly pushed back and she literally kicked his butt. It was very entertaining.
Paige decided to try a flight over as well, but overshot the Intel building and soon came back over to ICICI. Mom didn’t go after her and Dad didn’t budge from his spot. She missed the roof landing but recovered really well, turning nicely and landing a little clumsily. After Mom flew out and back to a favourite ledge, Gordon snuck back across to Intel and landed for the night on a top ledge. And this time Mom watched him without budging. Surely they’d settle now, after 9pm? Nope. Paige flew again as well and dad briefly went after to check on her. She appeared OK on the top of Intel building. Talk about pre-bedtime zoomies. We closed the watch with Lightfoot unfledged, Gordon and Paige on Intel. These fledglings seem to be active mornings and evenings, just before close.
I sure hope Lightfoot goes well tomorrow… I’m a bit tired from the long days lol
Posted on June 14, 2023 11:56 pm
June 13, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills and Eglinton - Amexon
Cathy Kerr Reports:
UPDATE DON MILLS/AMEXON FLEDGE WATCH DAY 7: My day started at 630am with a call from Enrique from Amexon… He had found a bird down on lowest ledge of the parking garage gate! Could it be Gordon?? I was off like a shot lol. Arrived to find Paige! Scooped her up and into the crate with the great help of Enrique! Many thanks for the continued support from him(11 years now I think??). Into the car she went and went to see how her sister was doing… I drove up and much to my delight, found Gordon on the nest building roof!!! Way to go Gordon! He must have been on the ledge over from the nest and then flew up to the roof… Amazing! So all three accounted for. Next, get Paige back up to the roof. First, I gave her a check over, talked to Mark, and a few hours rest before she went home. As more rain was forecasted in the afternoon, noon was the time. But before then, Ted joined me to take some pictures. And Gordon did not disappoint. First, he flew back into the nest ledge–I thought it was a parent! But no, he was back with his sister Lightfoot! Then after a visit, he was off… Bolted out like his dad, then back and onto the top floor ledge. Then out and over to 250, tried for a letter, missed, back to nest building, touched off the upper concrete and over to the top floor ledge corner concrete where he “batted” for a minute or so, then off and flew over to the roof of the nest building!! Wow!! Great flying Gordon.. No need to worry about him. He even flew back into the nest ledge, show off lol. Ted headed out and it was now noon. Unfortunately I had no one coming until late afternoon, so I made sure she got home. It went like clockwork. She was up, minimal upset to the parents (though they did not like the crate being left up there lol… They got used it fairly quickly). They welcomed their girl back. Lovely. Gordon joined her and they had a great time. Sally and Bob joined me late afternoon and unfortunately, more rain ruined the party. It cleared around 730pm and food was delivered to the rooftop.. A tussle ensued but they both eventually got some. Then Gordon showed them how great he can fly… Rooftop to rooftop and back. He and Paige had some fun. Then, as we call it, 9 o’clock follies! Gordon got cocky and flew over to the other building, trying to entice Paige over!! Nooo… Mom put a stop to that! So, at 9pm, sun down, he flew home trying for the rooftop, just missed and dropped, flew out and Mom was out like a shot, bumping him up and around the building they went!! A few seconds later they came around with Mom under him, bumping and guiding him to the top ledge next to the nest ledge. Whew. He walked a bit then he was pancaked down for the night. And we were done… Long day but a good one! Now I hope to see some good flights from Paige and maybe one from Lightfoot?? Just not at 6 am please.Rollercoaster of a few days and emotions Sally said and it’s so true..
Here’s to tomorrow’s rollercoaster!
Cathy
Posted on June 14, 2023 1:45 am
