June 21, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 21st - 2012
Absolutely no sightings of Peregrines at the courthouse so far in June. On the Hurontario side, just above last year’s nest ledge, I saw pigeons there a few weeks back! I can’t remember seeing pigeons hanging out there ever before. Also no body parts of other birds on the ground to suggest peregrine activity.
Winston
Posted on June 22, 2012 2:59 am
May 30, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
May 30th - 2012
These pictures were taken on 3o th may, 7:00pm. At 24 queen st the BDC building. That’s a pigeon that he has just caught.
Ian Gregory
Posted on June 1, 2012 12:54 pm
May 22, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Bruce Massey and I attended the Brampton Courthouse this afternoon and then finished our observations in downtown Brampton in an effort to sort out who is where and doing what with whom!!
Many excellent reports have been coming in from our Brampton watchers Toivo, Winston and Grace. Thanks so much everyone for all of your efforts in trying to sort out the pairs and places!! At the courthouse, Bruce arrived first and had the unbanded subadult female on the courthouse calling quite racously. A male flew in, much too quickly to identify, and was gone as fast as he arrived. He flew northwest toward the police station and disappeared, soon to be followed by the female. Bruce and I then met up and headed downtown where many daily observations have been made of peregrines in the George St area.
When we arrived, we found an adult male on the George St building preening away. It took a while but I was able to get a look and a picture of the black over green band of Milton, the resident male from the courthouse. After about 10 minutes, the subadult female flies in with food and joins Milton on the George St building. They both disappear into the back of the ledge and the female pigs out on the food package without sharing much. We moved to another location that allowed us a view into the ledge and I could clearly see that the subadult female was quite full and now was sleeping it off. Milton was 10 feet to her left and was snoozing as well.
It is clear that the pair are not nesting right now at either the courthouse or the George St building. They are not incubating any eggs currently and seem to be spending time pair bonding rather than family rearing. There is still time for nesting to occur so we will continue to watch the pair closely for a change in behaviour.
Posted on May 22, 2012 12:43 am
April 27, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today it was time to make the rounds of the GTA west nest sites to ascertain just where we are at in the peregrine breeding season. The first stop was at the Brampton Courthouse where Milton and an unbanded sub-adult have been holding the territory and showing interest in the nest ledge used last year. When I arrived, I found the sub-adult female on the south side of the building preening and there was no sign of the male. I entered the building to meet with ORC Property and Land Management Services for an escort to the window that looks out onto the ledge. When we arrived upstairs, I found the sub-adult female in the ledge chupping but she didn’t remain long. This allowed us to take a quick look at the ledge and sadly there are no eggs as of yet. There is a great deal of scraping going on but this young female has yet to produce anything. We will continue to monitor the site as there is still a lot of spring left to come and warmer temperatures are on the way!
Posted on April 28, 2012 8:06 am
April 20, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Many of our volunteers have been checking in regularly on Milton and his new unbanded subadult female at the courthouse and it is clear that the pair are focussed on the ledge used the previous year as a potential nest site. During the last site inspection, Mark Nash was able to note that the although the pair did not have eggs as of yet, they are certainly working on scraping out the corner ledge on the southwest side of the courthouse. Both Winston and Toivo have been seeing the pair staying closer to the site in recent days and one of the adults is usually down in the ledge. Bruce Massey also visited the area today and noted that only one adult was visible at a time suggesting that they are focussing much more of their time and attention in the ledge. We will be back on site soon to check on the progress of the pair as they endeavor to set down a clutch of eggs this season. Many thanks to Winston, Toivo, Frank, Mark and Bruce for all of their efforts to monitor the progress at the courthouse. A great team of watchers!
Posted on April 21, 2012 9:43 am
April 12, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Thursday April 12th - 2012
A big thank you to the courthouse property management for assisting us in gathering additional logistics on the activity of the Brampton Courthouse peregrines. Despite all of the happenings going on around and on the courthouse these past weeks, it appears that this is still no eggs or incubation happening as yet. With Milton (the resident adult male of last year) sill on site and a number of available (at least two) females still vying for his attention and the nest site, the courthouse still remains absent of eggs and incubation activities.
A huge thank you to Toivo and Winston for their dedication and persistence in trying to get a handle on all of the peregrine activity now going on at three different sites within the area.
Milton is still been observed at the Brampton downtown John street location with a some time adult female in addition to being a regular at the Brampton courthouse with a sub-adult un-banded female.
Hwy. # 401 & Hurontario (Hwy. # 10) - Territorial Pair
The third territorial pair with two banded adults on site is just down the street from the Brampton Courthouse at Hwy. # 401 and Hurontario Street (Hwy. # 10). This pair, (both banded) have yet to be positively identified,, but the resident adult male has a solid Black band indicating that he is a Canadian produced bird. His adult female mate dawns a Black over Green band.
Stay tuned………..
Posted on April 14, 2012 11:16 am
April 06, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Frank and I went out to Brampton to check in on the peregrines as there has been no shortage of action as reported by Winston, Toivo and Grace. Sightings have been reported both at the courthouse and in downtown Brampton of peregrines sorting out the nesting arrangements amongst themselves. When we arrived on site, there wasn’t any sign of a peregrine on the west side of the building where they nested last year and so we made our way into the parking lot to check the other ledges. Just then an adult came bombing in with another bird hot in behind it. The male landed first and immediately took up position over the southwestern corner and the female swooped up to land on one of the antennas on the roof. Back across the street we go and we were able to positively identify Milton as the male with his Black 4 over Green B recovery band both rotated 90 degrees left. We then focussed our attention back on the female and we knew for sure by her coloration and streaking that it was not Truss. A few pictures later and a sharp eye on the scope revealed that this female was an unbanded subadult bird. During the previous week, both Winston and Toivo had witnessed mating between Milton and this new female and it would appear that she is the new resident gal for 2012. We were joined shortly by Toivo as the female left her antenna perch and headed straight for the ledge used last year for nesting. She disappeared into the ledge out of our sight and Milton took off heading north towards downtown. It was a full 45 minutes before the female reappeared on the flashing of the ledge and when she flew, she didn’t travel far. By 2:00pm, Milton had returned and was perched atop the southwest corner of the courthouse directly above the nest ledge while the female chose to sit on the northwestern corner. Within 10 minutes, she was up and on the roof next to Milton and whining very loudly. While there has been much action over the past few weeks, it would seem that this pair may already have at least one egg in the nest with more to come. We will be keeping a close eye on this site and will update you as developments arise so keep checking in!!
Posted on April 10, 2012 6:03 pm
March 27, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
March 27th-2012
A pretty good day today.
I first spotted Milton who landed on an antenna on the NE corner of the Court House. He took off towards the nest site but I couldn’t see anything. Once the traffic died down a bit I heard calling coming from the nest area but still couldn’t see anything. Then Milton popped up, did his hunchback walk along the ledge then down again. Then more calling. It sounded like more than one PG was there. Sure enough a different PG pops up, does a hunchback walk then back down again. More calling; sounded kinda like a small dog barking; a vocalization new to me. After about 15 minutes the female flys up a ledge and feeds off a cache. Milton flys to the West and is followed by the female who drops her leftovers into the trees.
So I can tell this female is not Courtney as it is a full adult. I also don’t think it is Truss since the colour is a bit off and I can’t see any bands on it. Time will tell!! Photos to follow.
Stay tuned………
Winston
Posted on March 28, 2012 3:28 pm
March 25, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Sunday March 25th - 2012
Well this morning at 8:30am, no one Downtown but a pair on the Court House. NE corner very similar to the old site, a number of short flights , over to the old SW corner nest ledge. Male in on ledge calling, then goes out on a very short hunt or to pick up a cache on the plaza roof and returns with a small pkg. A food exchange occurs in midair over my head, and the female takes it to a top corner. Male returns to nest ledge.
Within two minutes the male takes off south, flying straight and quick. The female waits 30 secs then follows carrying the pkg. At that moment another adult female arrives (from the N) and lands on the top corner that was occupied by the 1st female.
I watch the two adults fly South till out of sight. Then I take one more pic of the new arrival, and head on down hwy Ten to poke around.
Within ten minutes I find them on the Wells Fargo/Samsung bldg at the SW corner of 10 and 401 (about 5k down hwy Ten). I watched for ten minutes, some short flights, sign to a ledge. Then an a dual attack on a kestrel about 300 meters out and back to this bldg.
I have three pics, pair on Court house then the intruding female and the pair on the Wells building.
No need to post them, I just wanted you to see them.
Flipping amazing…..
Toivo
Posted on March 25, 2012 12:31 pm
March 24, 2012 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Saturday March 24th - 2012
Today, three more checks of the Court House. Active pair all day, with the male going in on the nest ledge, and calling.
If you recall I mentioned the possibility of more Grins, I had a feeling…..
Stay tuned for more observations tomorrow……..
Toivo
Posted on March 25, 2012 12:29 pm
