June 18, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Mark Nash Reports:
Today was not much unlike yesterday, cold, rainy, damp and over cast. High winds from the lake, and gloomy. Sadly, as the early morning watch drew on, it became quite apparent that something was wrong. One bird in the rescue carrier waiting to be released, one bird on the nest box ledge,, and ….. OH GOD, only one bird on the nest box ledge!! NONE in the nest box itself. This is not Berl, it’s Maple,, the smallest, youngest female that is the one on the nest box ledge!
Hours later after turning the entire area upside down scanning and searching the fields, the beaches, the docks, the towers, the rocks, the parking lots, the bridge, the beams, the towers and every nook and cranny, some terrible sobering thoughts surfaced: Berl had obviously fledged at some point in the very early morning hours and has in fact gone missing. Not a trace. As the day passed, numerous other searches were conducted by all, together and independently, all with the same result, and by the end of the day as darkness fell, Berl had not be found.
Despite the gloomy day, there was some good news. Truss, now dried off and recharged was released back to the wild to her family without a hitch. Once again the fledge watch team sprung into action, positioning themselves at all four points around the towers and bridge, radios in hand: they poised themselves for Truss’s release from the roof of the north tower. Despite the high winds and a risky daylight release, and with the direction and supervision of the bridge staff, Truss’s release went like a routine everyday happening. Thank goodness!!! A half and hour later, Truss eventually left the roof top of the north tower with a very short flight out and back around to the land on the overhead cables high up on the north tower. Throughout the afternoon she was visited by both of her parents and encouraged to take another flight. But this time, Truss would have no part of it. For the balance of the day light hours, she remained on the overhead cables only a few short meters from the nest box. Her sister Maple (now for the first time) was observed roosting on the leading edge of the nest box landing platform, just as her two older sisters had done. On one occasion, mom did bring in a small food scrap to Truss, but sadly Truss was unable to balance on the cable and hold the food at the same time, and eventually dropped the food without getting a second mouthful.
No food again today for Truss! Maple was fed at least once by the parents, but for the most parts, both juveniles did without. Both parents were observed making many attempts at catching food today, but the it was quite obvious that the rain and heavy mist in the air took its toll on the adults ability to catch food. They spent most of the day very wet.
With a huge thank you for to all of the fledge watch team, the bridge staff and the many other supporters that helped throughout the day.
Only a special few actually know what it is really like to put in 12 to 16 hours a day standing in the streets or the field enduring the rain and cold or the heat and humidity day after day trying to make a small difference, to give something back to the small creatures in this world that really have no voice in this hustle bustle world that we live in. The world that we control and manipulate to suit our needs, not theirs. Life in the big city and in the fast lane for these small fragile creatures with voices that go unnoticed, clinging and holding on to a tiny space trying to survive for another day. Just one small page for the life and times of a falcon watcher on a fledge watch, and an urban falcon family in the big city.
I know that I can speak for us all in the hope that tomorrow brings some warmer temps., and maybe the return of Berl.
Stay tuned,,,
Posted on June 19, 2009 1:51 am
June 17, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Mark Nash Reports:
While this morning started out adrenaline filled with “Truss” having taken her first flight, the balance of the day up until this evening was a terrible, cold, blustery rainy damp day! Thank goodness for all of the great company and support of the other fledge watch team as this was one of the longest drawn out terrible days on a fledge watch days I can remember. A huge thank you to the bridge staff and management team as without them we would have all frozen.
Just when you thought the day was almost over, (and hoping that the fledge watch day would end), Truss made an effort to fly from the south tower to the north tower back to her siblings and the security of the nest box. Despite the heavy rains, the cold constant winds from the lake and huge gusts of wind, and her being soaking wet, Truss attempted her second flight with the expected disastrous results, down down down she came ending up on the other side of the canal - (thank goodness on land and NOT in the water), and ended up behind a fence enclosure under the lift bridge. After a coordinated effort by all, she was finally spotted by Linda and we all rolled into action. Some with the rescue carrier, others with towels in hand, radios chattering, corralling and blocking, it was like a master game plan just before the final play,, and finally Truss was in hand! Talk about having a BAD FEATHER DAY,, Truss was retrieved , rescued and in the bag as we say, safe and sound! Truly a coordinated effort by all and a job well done!
Soaked to the bone is an understatement! Vicious and Feisty is also another understatement to describe her! Truss was carefully examined to ensure that she had not been injured in the ordeal, and was allowed to de-stress in a warm, dry quiet space. After consultation with the MNR regarding her drenched and cold condition, and in consideration to the heavy rain fall and high gusty winds, the decision was made to hold her over the night and release her in the morning made perfect sense. With dangerous conditions on the tower roof, and the further threats of thunderstorms and lightning throughout the night, in addition to not being able to put her back in the nest box itself without the risk of scaring her two other younger siblings out of the nest box before their time, Truss will have the opportunity to dry out and warm up over night before being released tomorrow.
Sadly, it appears that more rainy, damp and cold temps., will continue to haunt us all for the next few days of the fledge watch. Stay tuned, tomorrow is another day.
Posted on June 18, 2009 1:09 am
June 17, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Mark Nash Reports:
On site very early this morning and set up house expecting a busy morning before the rain. Both parents were very active trying to coax the three hatchlings from the nest box. At 8am, and without any warning, the first juvenile “Truss” took her first flight. In seconds, both parents appeared out of thin air and escorted Truss positioned on each side of her almost touching wings as she struggled in her flight with the head wind trying to reach the roof top of the south tower. At one point it seemed that both of the parents inside wings touched Truss’s wings on either side as they escorted her in flight. Holding her altitude, Truss tried to make the upper roof ledge of the south tower, but it was not to be, as she came short by about a foot and slid down the upper south tower face (bay side) and ended up doing a face plant on the top of the cable arm. Her two sisters looked on in amazement. Truss quickly recovered to her feet with a very bewildered look and clung on to the piece of metal extending out from the top of the cable arm. For the next two hours, she hold on tightly in the strong wind guests that followed.
Both parents circled more than a dozen times, briefly landing on the same cable arm where Truss had landed. At approx. 8:30 am, mom headed off to the Skyway bridge out of sight only to return moments later with a fresh kill. She landed on one of the of cable collectors (nicked named the pic-nic tables) and prepared the food. She then flew to the nest box and kited in front of the two remaining hatchlings trying to coax them out of the nest box. The adult female tried on several occasions with various “fly-bys” but was unable to convince her other two daughters to take their first flights. Mom then flew over the south tower and teased Truss to get back into the air, but once again had no luck convincing Truss to try a second flight.
By 9:45 am , both parents were alarm calling and stooping and diving at something down low in the north tower base at the same level where the lift bridge meets the tower. For the next two hours, we watched both parents, (particularly mom) stoop, hover, and complete many fly-bys through this lower section of the tower. After spending more than two hours of scanning the spans of the tower, none of us have been able to see anything. Stay tuned, more to come…….
Posted on June 17, 2009 10:57 am
June 15, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
It was a long day at the Lift Bridge today. Bill and I arrived around 9:00 am. We were greeted by Reiner who said that a small food package had just been dropped into the box. Cirrus watched the results from the front of the Hamilton Tower. Today, we noticed that the “Mohawk” dos are pretty much gone. At 9:30am, Berl took to the front edge of the box with a “Whole Lot of Flapping Going On”. At 10:00am, Truss took a turn on the front edge. Maple seems to be a few days behind. She’s not spending too much time at the front of the box. She still prefers the back corner. At 12:15pm, our hearts were pounding as the bridge went up and Berl and Truss stood on the edge checking out “Canadian Leader” as it went through the canal. It’s always a relief when we do a head count and see 3 heads when the bridge goes back down again. At 3:00pm Cirrus dropped off a half prepared pigeon and she watched again from the face of the Hamilton Tower. It was pretty obvious from our view that the kids weren’t really too sure what to do with it. They continued to pick at it for the remainder of the day. Unless they were fed before we got there at 9:00am, it would appear that they didn’t get too much to eat today. We departed around 9:00pm, leaving all under the watchful eye of Mark Nash.
Yesterday, a Cormorant made it way, by mistake into Cirrus’ No Fly Zone. As you can see from the picture, it was promptly introduced to the wrath of a falcon Mother protecting her young.
Tomorrow is Tuesday, I guess we’ll have to wait and see who wins the pool!!!!!
Posted on June 15, 2009 10:46 pm
June 13, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Mark Nash Reports:
Although the afternoon was a quiet time at the bridge, the resident adults were very active in and around the nest territory. The juveniles are still showing a lot of fuzzzzzy down on their heads, but its coming off fast. The bridge tower face around the nest box is coated with white down that has been coming off the hatchlings. The resident adult female has been very active, with several food packages, (mostly pigeons) having been brought in this afternoon and evening.
I arrived at around 2:15 pm and was created by the group along with Barry and his wife Linda among several other on lookers. Bill and Sue returned after having been on site most of the morning and early afternoon. We got the tent cover set up with the chairs and a small table and I signed in with the bridge staff.
It was nice to see everyone again. I was able to see some of the fantastic photos that Bill and Barry had taken earlier in the week of the adult peregrines defending their territory against an adult Bald eagle that won’t be coming back anytime too soon!!
Fantastic shots of the resident adult female peregrine showing absolutely no fear as she stooped and dived bombed this poor adult bald eagle right out of sight. It was chased and dive bombed viciously as the camera’s at ground level snapped away. Other observations recorded of this new resident adult female attitude , commenting that she is “anal” about protecting her territory. Nothing is left alone in the surrounding air space. She aggressively pursues and attacks even the passing gulls that are caught off guard as they casually wonder by the twin towers. There is definitely a declared “no fly zone” that is aggressively enforced!
By dusk, both of the adult peregrines were displaying an unusual behavior (one that the group had been observing for weeks) of the two adults flying very close to the underside of the upper concrete support span of the sky way bridge, but not actually landing. It would almost appear that they are looking for something, perhaps looking for bats clinging to the warm concrete or larger insects?? We watched this new pair carry on with this unusual behavior over a 10 to 15 minute time frame and must admit can’t figure out what there so interested in. Time will tell.
By darkness, things were very quiet and as they should be. Hatchlings in the box, parents on the roost.
More to come,,, Stay tuned…….
Posted on June 14, 2009 2:38 pm
June 11, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Matt MacGillivray Reports:
If you have photos of any of the CPF monitored nest sites, birds or fledglings in this exciting time, we would love to see them! If you have older photos or videos from CPF events, like the 2009 Sportsman show, we would love to see those too.
We’ve got a flickr group that you can upload photos and short videos to. If you have longer videos, upload them to youtube and tag them with cpf and peregrine and I will find them.
Example shot from the Sheraton Banding in the Flickr Pool -
We might include some of the videos or photos in our updates, or around the site. You could be famous!
Matt.
Posted on June 11, 2009 10:29 am
June 10, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Mark Nash Reports:
We are going to kick of the official start of the 2009 Fledge Watch and looking forward to another successful year. Your hatchlings are warming up to take their first flights and Marion and I will be on site this year as the official fledge watch coordinators. We look forward to seeing you all again this year and welcome your support and assistance to help out with the fledge watch. Everything should be set up and ready to go by 10am on Saturday morning June 13th and hope to see you all again this year.
Posted on June 10, 2009 10:32 am
June 09, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
This afternoon, while hanging around during a boring watch, Cirrus took off screaming at about 3:30pm. What was entering her “No Fly Zone” this time? My first thought was another Turkey Vulture, but to our surprise, it was an adult Bald Eagle. The chase took place directly over our heads. As Barry said “that was worth the price of admission”!!
Also, below is a photo of “How We Look Today”. The daily change is amazing. The wing flapping has started, but it is still inside the next box. Thank goodness.
Posted on June 9, 2009 9:20 pm
June 08, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
Despite the 13 degree temperature, the North East Wind at 14 knots, winter coats and gloves, it was a great evening for falcon watching. We arrived at the Lift Bridge around 5:30 pm to find Cirrus hunting from the roof of the Hamilton Tower. After several failed attempts, she took off over the trees towards Burlington. About 6:00 she returned with a large pigeon, landed on a picnic table and prepared the meal. About 6:10 she dropped it off for the chicks while she kept a close eye on them, flying back and forth to the nest box. It would appear that they wanted to be fed by Mom in light of the screaming coming from the box. Cirrus was having no part of it. Cirrus continued to keep an eye on them from an eye bolt on the Burlington Tower. At 6:40, Cirrus took off again and this time grabbed another pigeon from under the Skyway. Again, to the picnic table to prepare. This time she had her own dinner and at 7:00 took the remainder to the nest box and this time fed the chicks. AT 7:10 she took the remains to the walkway under the Skyway to store for future use. At 6:50, Sir appeared and did a fly by of the next box. I guess check to see if all was well and then disappeared again behind the Burlington Tower. Cirrus was amazing to watch tonight as she soared in the wind back and forth between the two towers. It appears that Cirrus is travelling a little further from home to do her hunting these days. I guess the resident pigeons have gotten too smart for her. When we left at 7:30, Cirrus was sitting on the cable arm of the Hamilton Tower and Sir never made another appearance. The chicks have very little white down today. At the rate they are changing, it won’t be long now.
Posted on June 8, 2009 9:19 pm
June 07, 2009 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
Over the past few days, there hasn’t been too much activity to report. Cirrus has been doing drive by feedings. She just drops off the prey and the kids are feeding themselves. It won’t be long now. Take a look at the new feathers. Not little white fluff balls anymore. You can see in this photo that “Maple” is definitely a few days behind her big sisters.
Posted on June 7, 2009 9:21 pm
