JUNE 3, 2009
A – FEEDING BEFORE BANDING
B – THE ACTION STARTS
C & D – SIR AND CIRRUS CARRY ON DURING BANDING
E – IT’S ALMOST OVER
F – HEY MOM WANT TO SEE MY NEW JEWELRY
G – AFTER A VERY LONG DAY SOME DINNER
I’m happy to report that we have 3 healthy female chicks at the Lift Bridge. The birds were banded by this morning by Anne Yagi from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) who reports that all birds are healthy, strong and that they were in good voice. The birds are:
Berl weighing in at 941 grams – red band – 34/X - 31 days old
Maple – 890 grams – yellow band – 35/X - 26 days old
Truss – 935 grams – green band – 36/X - 30 days old
Photos to follow later.
Peregrine banding taking place today at the Burlington Lift Bridge at 10:30am. If you’re in the area, come by and see the extraction!
The Burlington Lift Bridge is located in Burlington, Ontario (see the map).
With a big thank you to the PWGSC for the photos of one of the hatchlings inside of the nest box, I think that you will find these two photos fascinating! Photos taken May 28th 2009
Bill was at the Lift Bridge from about 1:30pm to 5:00pm. Everything seems to be progressing nicely. There isn’t much to report today so we’re just attaching a couple of photos.
Paul Reynolds Reports:
Good morning Bill & Sue, I arrived at the bridge this morning at 9:30 to go fishing. I sat drinking my coffee watching for the birds. Cirrus made two attempts on pigeons missing each time. Then at 9:45 Sir came back in from Burlington with a blackbird and settled on the picnic table and proceeded to consume it. Cirrus did a couple of fly by’s. While watching Sir a couple of feathers floated down in front of me, and looking up Cirrus had caught a pigeon above me then took it to the buttress under the Skyway Bridge. She sat on it for a while and then flew over to the Hamilton Tower where it was stored for later. I then left to go down the pier. Sir had finished his meal and was now on the Hamilton hydro tower.
Paul.
Bill and I arrived at the Lift Bridge around 1:00 pm. As Paul reported above, they must have had a good morning of hunting because there seemed to be caches everywhere. As the day wore on, there were several feedings, but all the prey was taken from their storage locations. We didn’t really see any hunting today but as Paul reported, they had been at is early. As another storm approached from the North West, we headed for home around 7:00 pm, happy that the little ones had been well fed today.
We arrived at the bridge around 1:00 pm and met up with Barry and Linda who had been there since noon. When we left tonight at 7:30 pm, no one had witnessed a feeding. The chicks were definitely hungry as every time “Cirrus” went to check on them, they came forward in the box and were begging for food. A storm was approaching from the North West, so I’m afraid that the little ones will be going to bed hungry tonight. I’m happy to report that we are able to count heads today and there are definitely 3 young in the box. “Sir” spent most of the evening on the cables while “Cirrus” was hunting and hunting and hunting some more. She had a couple of close encounters, but never connected. It would appear that there are definitely fewer pigeons in the neighborhood and “Sir” and “Cirrus” have not learned to hunt under the Skyway yet.
The excitement of today occurred around 3:00 this afternoon. “Cirrus” flew from her perch chirping. She circled and circled trying to get higher. We couldn’t figure out why she was so upset. All of a sudden out of nowhere a juvenile Bald Eagle appeared. “Cirrus” continued to circle until she got close enough to dive at the intruder. She chased the Eagle until she became a speck in the sky. She was away for quite a while before returning to check on her home turf.
Bill and I arrived at the Lift Bridge around 12:30pm. “Cirrus” was on the front face of the Hamilton Tower and “Sir” was no where to be seen. At 1:10, “Sir” appeared from inside the nest box so I guess he had been assigned the watch. “Cirrus” appeared on the cable arm above the parking lot.
We are now CERTAIN that “Cirrus” does not like Turkey Vultures in her space at all. Once again the chase was on, over the Skyway and before we knew it, the TV was gone from sight, and I bet he will never enter into this area again. Throughout this encounter, “Sir” stood guard on the corner of the nest box. “Cirrus” returned to the cable arm.
At 3:30pm, “Sir” was finally relieved of nest box duty as “Cirrus” brought food from their cache on the Hamilton Tower and fed the little ones. While “Cirrus” was feeding them, we were very excited to see one of the juveniles make its way to the front of the box and look out at the world beyond.
We left around 4:15pm and all seemed to be in order. The juveniles had been fed and “Sir” and “Cirrus” were taking a break on their favourite roosts.
Bill and I were a little late arriving today. We finally made it to the Lift Bridge around 2:30pm and were happy to see Barry and Linda back on duty once again.
“Cirrus” was busy cleaning her prey on one of the picnic tables while “Sir” watched from the Hamilton Hydro Tower. “Cirrus” delivered the prey to the nest box at 2:40pm. It didn’t take too long to feed the little ones as she departed with the prey at 2:49pm (Photo A) and took the remains to the Hamilton Hydro Tower for storage. At 3:50pm we watched “Sir” enjoy a meal from a cache on one of the picnic tables while “Cirrus” watched from the cable arm on the Hamilton Tower. After “Sir” had eaten his share, he delivered the remains to the nest box (Photo B). I guess the little ones weren’t hungry as he left with the prey again (Photo C) and returned it to a picnic table for later.
Unfortunately, still no little white heads were visible. All was quiet when we left at 4:15pm.
It was such a beautiful day - 28 degrees and the first day that we haven’t needed our winter coats. HURRAY!!!!
Bill and I arrived at the Lift Bridge around 12:00pm and we discovered that “Sir” was doing nest box duty. “Cirrus” was no where to be seen until 1:12pm when she brought a meal to the box and disappeared inside. When we left around 3:00pm there was no one to be seen. It was a very quiet afternoon.
We dropped by again this evening at 6:00pm and again, “Sir” was doing nest box duty. After searching we found “Cirrus” preening on the penalty box (cable arm). At 6:45 “Cirrus” took over nest box duties and “Sir” took off towards Stoney Creek in a hurry. At 6:50, “Cirrus” starting checking their food caches, going from ledge to ledge and picnic table to picnic table. The cupboard must have been bare as she gave up and started hunting the neighbourhood pigeons under the Skyway. She kept returning to the cables and finally at 7:20 she was successful. It appeared to be as big as she was. She managed to take it to the face of the Hamilton Bridge Tower and commenced cleaning. At 7:30 she took it to the nest box and a feeding began. We headed for home and just as we were leaving the parking lot, “Sir” returned to the territory and did a sweep past the nest box to make certain that all was well.
