July 04, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS DAY 8: And that’s a wrap!!!
Day started out as last night ended. Kids together, same spot. Mom came in but no food. She pecked at some left overs. Then left. Rob and Ted joined me, hoping to get Lorelei flying… They had to wait. Dad flew by and landed on nest building, on the top of the window,2nd level from the top. Valkyrie was getting hangry and finally flew over, knocked Dad off and landed on the window top! Wow, great move for only flying for 2 days!! He eventually flew off , no problem. He’s doing great. Now Lorelei… She stayed in the same spot until some time after 2pm. It was a brutally hot day. She must have had enough (I had left to cool off) and when Ted came back, he found her almost on the top of the building across the street! Way to go! Rob arrived back in time to see her fly to the building next door(and across from the nest building) and try and land next to her brother on the top floor. There is only a small ledge… She missed slipped and flew off. I arrived then. We saw Valkyrie fly off nicely. And found Lorelei on the rooftop of that same building! Nice job! She also went from 0-100 in just a few hours… Hard to believe that we just rescued her a mere 24 hours ago! She then ended up next on the very top of the building next to the nest building. Excellent. Mom came in with some food and Valkyrie came screaming over from the roof of the nest building. They both got fed and hung out together for a bit before Valkyrie flew across the street to the copper building and Lorelei followed. The watch ended with both the kids together on the roof of that building… Lovely. And so ends this year’s watch. I’ll be spot checking often and will be posting.
I would like to thank first, Bob, for joining me almost every day and helping me with both the rescues.. It really does take teamwork and after all these years, I think we have it down! Thanks to Ted and Rob, not only for their great pics but joining me and being my eyes, whether I needed a quick break, or when things were going 2 ways lol. Thanks guys! Also thanks to the security and the property management at 220 for all their continued support. So very much appreciated. And a shout out to Carolyn for being my eyes off season! And finally, to the 2 people who started all this, got me involved in this crazy but very rewarding work, Mark and Marion Nash. Not only for coming almost every day but all their knowledge and experience… They have taught me so much… And continue to do so. They are the best.
Can’t wait for next year!
Posted on July 5, 2023 12:22 am
July 03, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS DAY 7: Well it was quite a day!(Sorry, this is going to be a long post lol) I arrived to find Lorelei had flown next door, 2nd level from bottom. Well at least she was off the other building. Valkyrie was in the same place but not for long. He took off, pretty good flight, to top balcony on the copper building on the outside of the glass. Lorelei then decided she wasn’t able to ledge hop here so back she went… Back to yesterday’s spot… Lowest level. Ugh. I settled to watch her as she was the most vulnerable and there was only me. A photographer named Jean went over to see Valkyrie. I saw him fly off but didn’t see him land. Lorelei was lying down so I decided to go check. Jean hadn’t seen him fly off but did see him land… On the street! She said the cars went around him and then he flew down the middle of the street towards Don Mills and then lost sight of him. Shoot. We walked down and I heard the birds… I was explaining to Jean how when you heard the birds alarm calling, look for him and she said there he is. In a tree just into the forest. Top of an evergreen. Oh Valkyrie, what a pickle you got yourself in… Boys! As Lorelei was at most risk, I had to leave him. Jean remained taking pictures. Bob arrived as I got back and he headed to Valkyrie. It wasn’t long and he was back… Valkyrie had gotten himself out, gained height, over the road and back, behind where he started and landed on the top of the garage back there! Good job.
Now, back to Lorelei. I stepped away but Bob was there and called out, she was down. She just slipped and floated clumsily right down on the walkway around the building. Bob went on one side of her, me the other. She ran right towards me! Finally started to the wall, we were both on her, Bob had the net on her but she slipped out! I said no way, and just grabbed her. Whew. Into the crate, a nice rest and up to the roof for her release! Teamwork . Ted and Rob had joined us(their pictures will be posted tomorrow!). Bob had to go, and Mark joined us. Soon it was just Mark and I sitting there when a shadow went over us.. We looked up and saw a peregrine on the 2nd from the top ledge. Lorelei!! Way to go girl. In the mean time, Valkyrie was flying all over the place. Sat for days, then off he sure went! Mom and Dad finally rewarded him with a huge lunch. Naptime. Lorelei never moved. Valkyrie did some more flights, then Mom brought the late meal Dad had caught (nice big pigeon) to our hungry Lorelei! Valkyrie flew in shortly after (nice job) and Quest beak fed them until they were stuffed. She left with the remainder and the kids were together again and there we left them, sleeping together . What a great way to end the day. We’ll do one more day to see some flights from Lorelei and make sure she stays high. Valkyrie is good.. Time to learn from Dad!
Good day!
Posted on July 4, 2023 12:10 am
July 03, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
On Banding Day just before we arrived Canuck was defending his turf from a skunk who was wondering around across the street. He was missing later in the day and we joked that he may have been sprayed and is now having a bath. Thanks Ted for sharing the photo.
Posted on July 3, 2023 7:27 pm
July 03, 2023 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
Lucie has confirmed that it is Andre who fledged this morning at Bloor Islington Place and is still on roof top. Mom beak fed him and dropped off food on the nest for the other 2.
Posted on July 3, 2023 3:42 pm
July 03, 2023 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
Bruce reports
At 10:08 this morning the first chick fledged and flew well around the nest building to the South West side of ADP at roof level. I have checked the webcam and although I can’t see the band colors very well the one color I can usually see fairly well is red and I don’t see that now so I expect it is Andre who flew. Will try to confirm that later.
Posted on July 3, 2023 12:50 pm
July 02, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS DAY 6: I arrived to see noone on the roof and noone on the nest ledge. Quick drive around to check and found one right away on the building next door, 2nd floor from the top! I saw that face and knew right away who it was but needed a band confirmation… Not long before Valkyrie obliged. Good job! So he was high and safe….now to find his sister. It didn’t take long before I found her low, on the nest building. Shoot. I settled in to see if she could get herself out of this or I would have to rescue her. She mastered the ledge hopping that took her brother down, quite quickly. Bob joined me around noon and we saw Ted who stopped by for a quick visit. Then Quest did something that we have never seen her do… She fed Lorelei low! Most make the fledgelings get higher first. But it has been an unusual year so… Shouldn’t be surprised lol.
Bob and I then watched her sleep, and ledge hop all around the building for the rest of the day. Ugh. One funny moment was when she sat on the light.. She must have covered the light sensor as all the other lights came on quite early in the day!
So, both have fledged but we need to see some flights and high! Looking forward to that tomorrow.
Posted on July 2, 2023 11:37 pm
July 02, 2023 - Toronto - Rogers Centre
Marion Nash Reports:
We received a message on Facebook from Ray that he had a falcon on his balcony with bands on number 31 over AB for 4 days and that it may be injured. It was Ruby from the Rogers Centre who we just banded and released a few days ago.
Mark called and spoke to Ray and he got the full story. She was not injured she like many other fledglings was confused by the glass balcony fronts and was stuck. Apparently one of her parents was feeding her there because he could see the leftovers and many poops. There was also one a parent above her on the roof.
Mark was confident this was someone he could teach how to do a balcony rescue so he went through the procedure with Ray who was keen to help. Because the balcony has a passthrough to his neighbours balcony it took another day for her to come back to his aside so he could rescue her and today was the day.
Here is his message back to us and photos of Ruby on his balcony. There is another photo of her on another building with one of her parents after the release see round photo.
Great Job Ray and Thanks So Much!
Ray’s report
Hi Mark, so I have some good news. Good news is that I did the towel maneuver and got 31AB to a platform I made on the railing. She was pretty scared and shaking but she eventually took flight and had no problems flying. She went straight to the rooftop of another building nearby. She is screaming out for her parents who are circling and have landed on a nearby building.
Posted on July 2, 2023 10:46 pm
July 01, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS DAY 5: Valkyrie is off the ledge! Unfortunately, it wasn’t his idea… The day started early with both on the ledge, hungry. Complaining loudly. Finally Mom brought a small package which Lorelei grabbed immediately. Valkyrie found a tiny bit left behind. Bob joined me with Ted and Rob not far behind. Bob mentioned that noone had tried to ledge walk… Shortly after Valkyrie tried.. And slipped off, fell, recovered and flew out over the Purolator lot, around and behind the building across the street, right behind us. Bob headed back there while I headed to the front where I saw him come through the buildings, low. He crossed the street and I lost him due to the trees. Rob and I headed over, with Bob not far behind. Rob and I headed beside the parking garage and Bob went up.. And found him there. Rob and I went up at one end, Bob at the other. Could he jump up on the low retaining wall and maybe fly the short distance to the nest building? Nope. He tried to fly across the garage but got no height. Bob had gone down to the bottom of the ramp, I yelled down he needed rescuing. Valkyrie decided to try the stairs.. I headed over to cover his exit and Bob waited at the ramp. He went down a couple of steps, flew… Right at Bob!! He put his net up (he was headed to the road!) and Valkyrie went down, jumped into the flower bed where Bob put the net over him. Great job Bob! I got him into a towel, then into a crate for a much needed rest and time out. He spent a few hours in the nice air conditionined building, where our wonderful security guard Mano took great care of him until Mark and Marion got there. Now Quest had been on the copper building so she saw the whole thing go down. She knew we had him. Never moved or looked for him. Until Mark and Marion got there. Then she went up to the top of the building and was peering down on the roof area where we always released her kids! Time to get him up there lol. He was checked over by Mark, given a go ahead to be released. Bob and Mark put him up there…under Quest’s watchful eye. She never said a word. Her boy was back. Meanwhile, Lorelei was looking for her brother.. She checked out the same ledge, started to do the same thing but changed her mind and got back, whew. Then she was hungry. And boy did she complain, loudly. Demanding… Took a little tantrum and jumped up on the nest box! That took her mind off her tummy lol. She spent most of the rest of the day up there. Just as well as rain and thunder rolled through. Valkyrie did not pop up… He had had a stressful day so not surprised. Lorelei finally got her way, and got beak fed by her Mom. And so the day ended. It’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow, so we’ll see what the kids do with that!
Ted and Rob have some great pictures which I will share tomorrow when they get them to me. In the meantime, these are a few that I took.
Happy Canada Day!!
Posted on July 1, 2023 11:34 pm
June 30, 2023 - Toronto - Don Mills
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH DON MILLS DAY 4: Well here we go again… Still no fledge. It’s Amexon all over again lol. At least the weather was better than they predicted and the smoke was only bad in the morning. Much more action from both of them, especially when they were hungry. This morning Canuck brought food to Quest who brought a small parcel into the nest box. Lorelei was on it like a flash and grabbed it from her. Out of the box, past her brother who looked rather shocked lol. He then jumped down and a slight tussle ensued which Lorelei won of course. Valkyrie complained so Mom brought a bit more for him! Ted joined me for a while. There was a beautiful exchange done by the parents in front of the kids, showing them how it is done! Lots of food delivered and beak fed. Sigh. Not going to fly after that! After Ted left, Bob joined me. The kids were down for afternoon siesta so it was a quiet few hours. Quest did a few low flights right over us which was very cool. Love watching them fly! Ted rejoined us, then Rob and then Mark. We watched the kids begging lots for food, Canuck joined them for a bit which got them riled up. There were no more food deliveries made, so maybe tomorrow?? Let’s hope the weather channel is wrong again.. They’re calling for possible thunderstorms again tomorrow .
All pictures are courtesy of Ted Duncan-thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures!
Posted on July 1, 2023 12:21 am
