June 22, 2013 - International, National and Local News
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 22 - 2013
Had some help today at ICICI!! Many thanks to Pierre, Barb, Lucy & Richard for their eyes on our two! They report that Lucky (aka Superman) is flying superbly!! What a guy–he is even doing a little “J” ing!! He decided at around 8:45pm to try and land on a letter like his Mom & Dad, only to slide down off!! But he got his wings and flew back to the nest building only to fly right back to the De Beer’s building, with Mom in quick pursuit!! Around to the back of De Beer’s they went with him landing on the top floor and there he stayed for the night! His sister finally decided to show her face and ventured on the ledge of the roof, but that’s as far as she went! But at least we saw her lol. Everyone was very impressed at how lovey Mom & Dad are–they really are a sweet couple. This is a great site to watch some wonderful flying–maybe tomorrow our AME(Amy) will try some!!!
Cathy
Posted on June 23, 2013 12:52 pm
June 21, 2013 - International, National and Local News
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 21st - 2013
I was over to ICICI site today to check in on Lucky -(aka Superman) & AM-E(Amy). While I was there, I had no sightings of either one–they were snoozing! I did have the opportunity to watch Mom & Chester tho, and they are quite the love birds! They chased a hawk off, Mom went back to check on kids & Dad went back to his roost on the “S” of DeBeers. He then started squeeing and after abit, Mom flew over to roost on the “R” and they squeed quietly to each other. Irma reported the day earlier that they were flying around together as well–a really sweet pair! Mark dropped by after I left to go up and check on little AM-E and he reports that brother & sister were sitting quietly in the shade on the south side of the roof. He is sure AM-E is ready to go! Winnie stopped by to watch in the evening and saw the whole family–brother & sister were together on the roof ledge and Mom & Dad in their usual spots! Lucky took flight to the DeBeers building but sister AM-E decided she would wait another day! A great family-can’t wait to see my Lucky - (a.k.a. - Superman) fly some more and to see AME’s maiden flight!!
Pictures thanks to Irma (from June 20.13)!
Cathy
Posted on June 23, 2013 11:14 am
June 21, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
June 21st-2013
Very good news indeed!!
After much speculation and allot of confusion about the two little hatchlings at the Don Mills and Eglinton nest site, (referred to the ICICI nest site because of the their large sign that is located at the top of the building wall facing out towards Eglington), we have finally been able to positively confirm that BOTH hatchlings are in fact still much alive, still on the roof and looing very good indeed!
At 3:30pm this afternoon, I was able to brake away fro the Duncan Mills fledge watch for an hour and get down to the ICICI nest site to do a detailed investigation and help out Imra and Cathy. With the support of the Amexon Management group and the great security team, I was able to get to the roof again (the first time since banding) to see just what is going on with the hatchlings.
In short, seconds as I popped my head up to scan the upper roof area, I was face to face with both young hatchlings standing side by side on the leading edge of the south area of the roof, obviously catching both of them in a rather heart warming brother and sister moment,, and I couldn’t have predicted or chosen a better time to do a site visit! Both Lucky and his much larger sister Am-E were standing side by side touching beaks. While you all might find this this bazar or unbelievable, those that have ever spent any time on the fledge watch, know only too well what I’m describing.
We usually see this behaviour after one of the hatchlings has flown off and has been away from the nest and the other siblings for a period of time, and when the fledgling is finally able to return back to the nest and its siblings, they actually go through this excited greeting behaviour to one another and if you didn’t know better, you would swear that they were actually kissing each other given all of the beak to beak touching that goes on immediately after one has returned back to the nest. I will let you decide what is actually happening, but we have documented 17 years of this behaviour year after year, and this behaviour is consistent at all of the nest sites. Nice to have 17 years of data (and some very close-up views with thanks to the video cameras and the video recording and tapes that we have been able to record).
In any case, both hatchlings are fully feathered with the brown juvenile flight feathers, (not a spec of white down remains) and we’re all pretty sure that both hatchlings (lets now call them juveniles, and likely both fledglings) as we highly suspect that they the female hatchling may have also taken her first flights!
Please remember that the distances from our ground observations to the upper roof area is extreme and its very difficult to get any clear identification of the chicks given the height of the upper roof top. Add that they have the entire roof top - and the entire circumference - (360 degrees access to the leading edges for the roof), its incredibly difficult to follow them around the rooftop (especially when they can drop out of sight behind the roof top retaining wall, and then suddenly reappear second later on the opposite side of the roof. ITS A VERY LARGE BUILDING AND A HUGE ROOFTOP SPANSE!
We know that the little male - Lucky has been flying around with incredible skill, chasing his parents around in the air between the two office towers as both Irma and Cathy have witnessed some incredible games of “tag” and “catch- me-if -you- can” games with Lucky and his father. This evening, Winni was able to help out with her husband to relieve Irma and Cathy who have been on the fledge watch at ICICI for 12 hours a day for the past 7 days, (and this is in addition to running back and forth from the ICICI nest site to help me on the fledge watch up at the Duncan Mills nest site)!!
Both Cathy and Irma had taken a week of their vacation off just to help us on the various fledge watches!!! I can tell you that both of them will be returning back to work FOR A REST after what we have just put them through!!!!!!! Absolutely superstars!!!!
In any case, Winni reports this evening from her first evening on the watch:
As the first day of summer arrives, it seems that our fledgings at icici are getting more active too.
Cathy started her watch early afternoon and I met up with her at around 2:30pm to see where the little brother Lucky and sister Am-E were usually seen. While Lucky the little superman’s flying seems to be improving, Cathy was quite concerned about baby sister Am-E since she have not been seen for a few days.
I had to go back to office so i could not stay with Cathy but i plan to go back for the evening watch.
Around 6:45pm, i got a call from Cathy (thanks Cathy), that Mark Nash had gone up to the roof earlier and was able to see both brother and sister staying side by side.
When Alan and me arrive at ICICI at 7:00pm, we could immediately spot something on the building roof across from the De Beers sign.
With delight, we first saw Lucky showing off some wings. Then, we saw that there was another bump right next to him. When the bump moved around, we confirmed that it was another juvie. We also found dad and mom at the same time near by, so we have all 4 falcons in sight. Perfect to know that everyone is safe.
For the next 45 minutes, all they did was hanging around the ledge, flipping their wings with no real actions. Then, both disappeared from view until around 8:25pm when Lucky decided to open his wings again and let the wind carried him across to the De Beers building.
He flew smoothly and landed ok on the second top ledge. He kept looking back at his sister as to encourage her to come over too. The sister looked over the ledge many times and she definitely looked curious.
Around 9:00pm, things started quieting down. Little sister went back deeper into the roof and we did not see her again before we close our watch at 9:30pm. She has not fledged yet but looks like she will be ready soon. Maybe tomorrow will be the big day for her!
Winnie & Alan
Posted on June 22, 2013 1:33 am
June 20, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
July 20th - 2013
While I have not been able to get down to the ICICI nest site fledge watch, both Cathy and Irma have been doing a great job on the fledge watch!
The little male hatchling that was named “Lucky” is flying like superman!! While we had suspected that he had already taken flight days ago, we had not been able to prove it, as trying to get a decent view of either of the hatchlings given their upper roof top position has been more than a challenge from our ground level position. Cathy and Irma report that this little guy has clearly mastered flight, and already now aggressively chasing his parents around in the air from building to building and driving them NUTS!!
His younger sister on the other hand, is still several days behind him and has not yet fledged and taken her first flights. Both parents are attending the two young hatchlings and it would appear that she is still not ready to take her first flight,,,. But she is very close!!!
Stay tuned……… far more to come!
Posted on June 21, 2013 7:00 am
June 19, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
June 19th - 2013
A slow day again today with not allot of action at all. While both of the young hatchlings were never seen at all today during our various spot checks, both parents were very quiet as they were observed roosting on various parts of the upper roof ledge, quite obviously not stressed out about anything.
Stay tuned, as the official fledge watch starts tomorrow!.
Posted on June 19, 2013 11:49 pm
June 18, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
June 18th- 2013
After days of wondering whether little “Lucky” was still around - (and safe and sound), he finally showed himself today and gave us all a breath of fresh air - so to speak.
Persistence finally paid off as Cathy and Irma were able to confirm that little “Lucky’ is still very much alive and well, still atop of the nest building roof top.
Although his sister has not been so visible, we highly suspect given the resident adults behaviour and actions that she is still atop of the upper roof area where she was released with her brother the day of the banding. Its a huge roof top and lots of new places and spaces to investigate.
No flights witnessed again today as they appear to be very content with their roof top observation point. both parents are still very much on site and attending to their needs. Food was brought in at least once during our observations throughout the days fledge watch.
Stay tuned……….
Attached are some of the days photos of Lucky, taken and supplied by Cathy Kerr
Posted on June 19, 2013 1:14 am
June 17, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
June 17th - 2013
An uneventful day for the most parts today with Cathy on the watch until she had to be pulled off the watch to do a rescue up the street at the Duncan Mill road nest site.
Cathy reports that she was able to identify at least one of the young hatchlings on the upper rooftop (which is exactly where it should be at this time and age).
Remembering after the banding, we were forced to put the both the young hatchlings on the upper roof top (as opposed to the actual nest ledge) because of the mobility of the young male hatchling, named “Lucky”. As you recall, he decided that he would have nothing to do with this banding stuff and jumped off the nest ledge during the extraction.
While not exactly fully flighted, he did spread both his wings and had a long rather incredible and very successful glide down to the ground level. A rather incredible, and most graceful glide off into the distance, finally landing in a small tree about chest high several hundred metres from the nest building.
Easily retrieved (once we finally located him), he was returned back to the nest building and was banded along with his sister. A very feisty pair of hatchlings I might add!!! Oh my goodness, what a attitude!!!
(Actually nice to see)!
Both hatchlings were returned back to the nest building roof to their awaiting parents.
Needless to say, this location is even harder to view from the ground given its height from the ground, and with a small retaining wall that surrounds the upper roof area elevation, it makes it impossible to anything from the ground - (looking up). We must wait until the hatchlings are skilled enough, (and capable enough) to get up onto the top of the retaining wall ledge before we can actually see them.
We have confirmed at least one hatchling is visible and both parents are attending the upper roof top area obviously attending to their offspring.
Stay tuned, as Cathy and Irma will be there again tomorrow - (June 18th) on the fledge watch.
Stay tuned…….
Posted on June 18, 2013 1:37 am
June 12, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Marion Nash Reports:
June 12th - 2013
ICICI Don Mills nest site - Banding success - One very Lucky male and 1 female hatchling, as usual, not so fond of their new aluminum bling!
Today was banding day for the Don Mills ICICI chicks but someone forgot to tell the young male hatchling who was not having it, and decided to take flight or shall I say sore off the ledge and sale down to a tree on a branch at chest level just short of the Don Valley Parkway.
It took some time for the CPF ground crew and Mark Heaton from the Ministry Of Natural Resources to find the little guy but with directions from Mark Nash of the CPF from his roof top vantage, the ground crew soon spotted him and were directed right to him. Thank goodness for the 2-way radios!!
He was retrieved safely and got banded despite his disapproval of the entire process. He was appropriately named “Lucky” along with his sister who was named “Am-e” after Amexon, the property management company that have been so supportive with both the CPF and their peregrines.
Am-e was very feisty and spirited and vocalized her displeasure while being outfitted with her new “Bling”, but she settled down a few moments into the process. LOTS OF ATTITUDE with this little girl!!!
After banding, both hatchlings were put back on the roof top to the care of their parents no worse for the where. During the banding, John Millar who did the extraction waited on the nest ledge to distract the resident adults from ever noticing that their babies had been removed for banding, and as always, did a fantastic job. Both resident adults were on hand in very fine form and did a great job giving John their opinion and defending.
A big thanks to CPF Volunteers Kathy and Irma who went out to search for and help rescue Lucky and Mark Heaton and his crew who caught him up.
A not so “routine” banding event, but success never the less as always.
Stay tuned……….
Posted on June 14, 2013 12:32 pm
June 06, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
June 6th - 2013
We have finally been able to book and confirm a banding date for Wednesday June 12 at 9am.
While this will be the first official banding for the ICICI nest site, it will not be a public style event due to time restrictions and other logistics.
If you remember from last year, by the time we actually had a confirmation of nesting peregrines at the ICICI building, reports were flooding in from local members of the community the same day that two young peregrine fledglings were already on the ground running around the roadway. Local members in the community had been doing their best to herd the two young grounded fledgling peregrine falcons away from local traffic until help arrived. We scrambled manpower from five other ongoing fledge watches to mobilize CPF volunteers to get down to the ICICI location do the rescues!
The young fledglings were successfully rescued by Kathy and Bruce from the CPF and were taken to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation raptor centre to meet with Mark Heaton from the Ministry of Natural Resources so he could band the young fledglings. Later that evening, the two young fledglings - (named Ben and Len) were banded and returned back to the ICICI rooftop nest site to be reunited with their parents.
We will be posting all of the banding photos and other details of the banding, including their names, weights as soon as time permits.
Stay tuned………..
Posted on June 6, 2013 10:20 am
May 24, 2013 - International, National and Local News
Mark Nash Reports:
May 24th - 2013
A quick site visit this afternoon and just at the right time!! A changing of the guard allowed me to capture a few photographs of Chester along with his new mate and family members.
With blustery winds (and actually quite cool), it made for some great flying conditions for Chester and his mate, especially for some great kiting action. Both Chester and his new mate utilized the constant winds to freeze frame themselves in mid air both above my head (and inn my face) and do some great kiting while I was visiting.
It didn’t take them long to figure out the stoop angles and utilize the wind to their advantage as I was quickly chased off the roof and in short order! I can re-confirm that the resident adult female is not banded, and that Chester is in-fact the resident male. And boy, is Chester aggressive!!
Thank goodness for digital technology (and a digital camera) with some decent shutter speeds, as the vast majority of my shots were taken as I was scurrying back to the roof entrance doorway to seek the protection it offered once I was inside! Got allot of blurry scenery and blue sky shots - (and some of my feet)!
I was able to get a few photos and took my leave - QUICKLY!!!
Enjoy
Stay tuned………….
Posted on May 26, 2013 5:54 pm
