August 11, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Bruce Massey Reports:
As I arrived, an adult flew in from southwest and flew to the north of the nest building while vocalizing. Five minute or so later, an adult flew to the DeBeers building followed by a juvenile. The adult headed southwest and toward the Foresters building. The juvenile then met up with the adult and continued over to the Foresters building where they continued to fly about. After continuing around the nest building and getting my truck and going over to Don Mills, I saw a PeFa being stooped by a smaller bird (Probably a AK) to the west of the Foresters building.
As I was driving East on Eglinton and was just about to go under the Don Valley Parkway, a PeFa flew in from the north. As I was driving, I really only got a very quick look and couldn’t tell if it was an adult or juvenile.
Posted on August 15, 2012 12:36 am
August 11, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Bruce Massey Reports:
I stopped in on Saturday August 11th to check in on Claire and her family at the Hilton Garden Inn. I started off at the alt Hotel and couldn’t find any peregrines there. I took a walk over to the Hilton Garden Inn, east towards Dixon Rd and back over to the Airport Rd. Hilton and still no luck. In the two hours that I spent looking, I think the birds must have been out on a breakfast hunt!! I will be back to try again soon!!
Posted on August 15, 2012 12:28 am
August 08, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
The past few days I have been attending the Hilton Garden Inn site just off of Viscount Rd in Mississauga to try and identify the adult pair, determine the number of juveniles they have and locate the nest site if possible.
Wednesday August 8th
I arrived on site at approximately 6pm and found Claire, the resident adult female, roosting in her favorite corner of the Hilton Garden Inn. I left her there sleeping while I circled around the neighborhood checking out the alt Hotel, the office towers and another cluster of hotels to the northeast. In all my searches of this local radius I was unable to find either the resident male or the juvenile that I have been seeing back at the Hilton on a regular basis. I came back around to the Hilton Garden Inn and decided to sit tight for the return of Claire’s family as I suspect that this is the nest location. I was not to be disappointed as the resident male flew in and landed on the eastern facing hotel sign and began vocalizing at his female. He ee-chupped and bowed with her joining him for a good 10 minutes on the ledge just beneath the sign. For the most part, he was hidden behind a cross bar that holds the sign in place but for a brief moment. It was in that moment that I was able to see that he has a solid black recovery band on his left leg and a silver USFW on his right making him of Canadian origin! I was determined now to try and see the band but he just wouldn’t sit still enough with his female in attendance. I was able to see a partial ID on him and can say for certain that the bottom letter on his band is a Y. There are two top digits and it is those that I will need to positively identify him.
Check back soon as I will stay on the case!!
Posted on August 15, 2012 12:22 am
August 07, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Yesterday, Bruce Massey and I responded to an observation sent in about a pair of peregrines hanging around on a hotel near the airport on Viscount Road in Mississauga. Bruce arrived first and sure enough had a female peregrine roosting on the west side of the alt Hotel at Viscount Road and the 409 exit. He watched her for a while and was able to ascertain that she was indeed banded but she wasn’t prepared to give up her ID just yet. I arrived around noonish and just before I pulled in, the female took off and disappeared somewhere to the northeast. I met up with Bruce and we chatted with staff of the alt Hotel about the activity that he had been seeing on the building. At the most he had seen three peregrines together that would indicate that this is a nesting pair and they had successfully produced at least on juvenile. After chatting with Marc for a few minutes, we decided to walk in the direction of the female’s travel to the northeast where a cluster of hotels were in close distance along Viscount Rd. As we neared the area, Bruce and I were able to see a peregrine who was now roosting on the Hilton Garden Inn sign and we made our way over to the hotel for a look. When we got there, the bird had left the sign and another peregrine, a confirmed adult, was now on a ledge around the corner sleeping. We walked back over to our vehicles, drove over and got out the scopes for an ID but this bird, the adult female, was now very busy and moving in circles around the hotel. What was keeping her busy was a very loud and determined juvenile!!
The adult female landed back on the northeast corner on the ledge she initially occupied and the juvenile landed on the ledge beneath the sign on the east side. The young one continued to vocalize and ran the ledge over to the adult female who clearly didn’t have any food but the juvie didn’t believe her. She took off over to the hotel next door, the Marriot, and landed on the sign on the west side while the young one just sat in the corner vocalizing on the Hilton. By this time, Bruce had spotted another peregrine back on the alt Hotel and he took off to monitor that one.
At some point between us leaving the Hilton and heading over to the alt Hotel, the birds pulled a switch-er-roo on us and it was now the adult female roosting on a ledge on the east face of the alt. We parked, set up our scopes and honed in on her in the hopes of getting her band number. I must say that the MEC female has me very well trained and I can wait an eternity… …apparently. It was hot and bright but I wasn’t giving in; this adult female would have to cave first and give me the ID!! I was rewarded for my efforts and I am pleased to introduce to you our first successfully nesting Michigan peregrine falcon named Claire banded black rotated S over green rotated B. She was hatched at the Blue Water Bridge nest site in 2009 and get this… …she is daughter of Tonga who was hatched at MEC in 2003!!! This is very exciting news and I look forward to identifying her resident male.
We still don’t have an exact location for a nest site but the Hilton Garden Inn looks rather exciting as a site and I wouldn’t rule out another cluster of hotels to the east at Dixon and Carlingview area. Still, I do believe that we are in the right area and all looks quite perfect for an aerie. I will be back soon to check up on Claire, try to identify her mate and see how their single juvenile is doing.
Posted on August 8, 2012 12:47 am
August 05, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Bruce Massey Reports:
My next stop yesterday was at the ICICI building at Don Mills and Eglinton and when I arrived I found two birds on the nest building. One of the two was the resident male and the other was one of the juveniles, Ben or Len, but I was unable to see the tape color and confirm which boy it was. The adult male had just flown in with food and the juvenile took possession right away. He was not in the mood to share and was left by Dad to mantle over his food and keep it all to himself!
Posted on August 5, 2012 9:55 am
August 04, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
These observations were made by Cathy who works in the area of the Don Valley ICICI nest site. Thank you so much to Cathy, Irma and Patty who continue to check up on the boys!!
This is a pic of Ben(on left) and Len I took last Friday! Stopped by yesterday ( Wed Aug 1 ) but missed them–Irma did see them in the morning and they were fine!
Cathy
Image soon to be posted.
Posted on August 5, 2012 9:48 am
August 02, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Tracy Simpson Reports:
As the saying goes, its not over until the fat peregrine fledges!! After visiting MEC yesterday evening, I decided to take Hurontario north to the 401 and on a whim, stopped by the Revenue Canada building at 5800 Hurontario St.
As you may recall, this past spring we had a pair of peregrines hanging out and mating on this building and their final choice in nest site was never truly discovered. We certainly suspected that it was to the south towards MEC but as you can imagine, the pair were very secretive about where they were going. At one point, after witnessing copulation several times, things dramatically changed and only one bird was seen at a time leading us to further believe that the pair had a nest somewhere. This nest was not successful as the area was watched very closely and there were no fledglings to be found.
Last night, when I arrived at Brittania and Hurontario the last rays of the day were fading but there was more than enough light to clearly see a male peregrine perched on the northwest corner of 5800 Hurontario St. This was one of the typical spots that the male was spotted using in the spring as a night roost. I was unable to get an ID on the bird last night but back in the spring, we confirmed that he has a solid black recovery band on his left leg; a Canadian boy. The female he was keeping with had a black over green recovery band on her left leg and a purple USFW on her right. I will be keeping a close eye on this site and work to determine the identity of the male that roosts here and see if it is in fact the same male as this spring. I will also try and determine if he has a female that is accompanying him and just where on earth they are going!!
Posted on August 2, 2012 12:52 am
July 30, 2012 - International, National and Local News
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 30th - 2012
We havea family of Merlin’s in our neighbourhood in Transcona, Winnipeg, MB.
I think there are 2 juveniles.
I’ve attached several photos of a juvenile that has several times rested on a birdhouse next door.
Taken by: Judy Collins - Transcona, Winnipeg, MB - July 30, 2012
Judy Collins
Posted on July 31, 2012 12:13 pm
July 29, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Bruce Massey Reports:
Yesterday I also made a stop in at the ICICI building to check up on our newest peregrine family. When I arrived, I found an adult on the nest building and the other adult on the DeBeers sign. There was no sign at the time of Ben and Len but they’ve done this to me before!! I walked around the buildings but still no sign of the juveniles. One of their favorite places to nap at this time of day is the ledges at the top of the window sections and that is where I found them at my last visit. I sure if I stood under the windows and listened really hard, I would hear the sounds of peregrines snoring!! These two boys, Ben with the yellow tape and Len with the blue tape, are flying exceptionally well and I will check back in on them again soon at non nap time!!
Posted on July 29, 2012 10:22 am
July 25, 2012 - International, National and Local News
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 25th - 2012
The Rowdy Boys Wednesday Morning!
Got your text asking about the boys. Sorry I didn’t e-mail or text you yesterday-just too tired. Anyway, I saw both the boys as I drove down the street just past the Forrester Building. The were again both on the roof of the Southwest side of the ICICI building. I just had time to park and the fun began immediately.
First one started to fly over to the DeBeers building but then Mom was spotted approaching ICICI coming right at him so his brother took off after him too, both flying to meet Mom with much squawking. I saw that Mom had a small food parcel and she flew right PAST THEM!
The boys were really upset and the squawking go much louder as they quickly turned around and started chasing Mom. I laughed and laughed by myself in the parking lot (wonder if anyone watching thought I was nuts!) The look on their faces when Mom went by was just precious and their vocalizations told it all! Well the big chase was on-Mom with two of them screaming and chasing twice around the ICICI building. On the third time around one of the boys tired out and landed one the next ledge west of the nest ledge. The other continued the chase but by the time he came around again, he had lost Mom. He landed on the DeBeers ledge (the same as the nest ledge) directly opposite his brother. This was Ben.
Ben flew over to Len and obviously was upset with him as he tried to land right on top of him and they screamed at each other with Ben then flying back to his perch on DeBeers. I then saw Mom in the distance flying away and watched her land all the way at the Forrester Building on the roof. I must have missed something walking back to my truck as the sun was very hot. Ben was still on DeBeers but Len was gone. I drove to the back of the lot to look at the nest ledge and saw fluff flying up out the the nest. I’m pretty sure Mom somehow got the food to Len and he was down in the nest cleaning and eating his breakfast. Mom was probably on the hunt for more breakfast for herself and Ben.
At this point I was so hot as there was no breeze at all so it was time to go home. I hope this makes sense as I’m fighting to stay awake. Lousy sleep yesterday-only 3 hours. I will try to stop by again tomorrow morning.
Take care,
Irma
PS: Saw the boys and an adult from the DVP on the way home this morning!
Posted on July 27, 2012 12:17 pm
