July 08, 2011 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 8th - 2011
I attached some pictures from banding day for you! We had a great view from Terrapin Point and visibility was nice and clear. I was watching with John Shiposki.
I took these with a little point-and-shoot through a spotting scope so they are not the best quality but I picked some to send to you that I thought were pretty decent..
Jacquie Walters
Posted on July 13, 2011 2:58 am
July 08, 2011 - Niagara Falls
Mark Nash Reports:
All photos by Mark Nash of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.
Photos showing that there is a new resident female, banded with a Black 42 over a Red H, indicating that the resident adult female is still “Diamond“,,,, a 2009 bird, produced in Canton Ohio.
Posted on July 10, 2011 3:56 pm
July 08, 2011 - Niagara Falls
Mark Nash Reports:
A huge success today with two healthy hatchlings banded, a new nest tray installed with lots of nest substrate, hatchlings moved from the window ledge to the new nest (old nest cavity), and both parents attending the chicks!!
A big thank you to ALL involved today, as Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Power Generation, Canadian Peregrine Foundation, Niagara Parks Commission Police staff, and with John Millar and support rock climbers assembled at 9am this morning at the old Ontario Power Generation station down in the Niagara Gorge, we were all poised for a full day of activities and jobs to complete.
Like a well choreographed play and a solid game plan, 11 people organized and set into motion the days activities. Rock climbers setting up lines and ropes, banding table and banding equipment was being set up, safety instructions delivered and reviewed, over all game plan reviewed, nest tray fabrication underway and 210 pounds of pea-gravel being mixed and poured into the buckets, the days events were all completed with a overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
With the rock climbers down over the wall into the gorge, the two very healthy and very feisty hatchlings were extracted from the window ledge on the side of the OPG station wall, raised in the carrier to the upper roof elevation and were weighed, sexed and banded successfully by Anne Yagi and support staff of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
Both hatchlings were identified as females, and they were named Lady Millar and Lady Phinney, and were examined and deemed healthy and cleared to be returned back to their parents and the new nest cavity.
While the hatchlings were being banded, the rock climbers re-positioned themselves to the old nest cavity to await the nest tray and pea-gravel substrate that would be lowered back down to them.
Measurements of the nest cavity were relayed back to the Mark Nash of the CPF via two way radio communications so that a nest tray could be prefabricated and assembled, then lowered via rope back to the climber down the wall face where they were holding their position awaiting to install it.
MNR support staff were preparing the buckets of pea-gravel and OPG staff were providing the necessary distractions to keep the resident adult peregrines away from banding team and the climbers.
By the end of day, and without incident, and thanks to the incredible efforts by all on both sides of the border, a new nest tray and nest substrate had been installed, the two hatchlings had been sexed, banded, examined, named, and returned to the new nest cavity, the banded resident adult has been identify. By Saturday morning, both resident adults were attending and feeding both of their offspring in the new nest.
A huge thank you to the Rochester group - (now nick-named the RFW,, - (the Regional Falcon watchers) who travelled from Rochester New York to Niagara Falls, Buffalo New York to provide the valuable observations from the Niagara Falls New York side of the falls,,,, that were able to visually confirm that both parents were in attendance and were already involved in feeding the hatchlings in the new nest cavity.
Another huge thank you to the Buffalo New York Department of Conservation - (NYDEC) staff, and to both Jackie and Connie of the DEC for providing all of the critical information and logistics on the birds activities, and to John for all of his photographic work that both confirmed the nesting activities of the peregrines and pinpointed the original nest site.
A great collaboration and incredible support by all those involved that has made this day such an incredible success!!
An outstanding group of people!!!!
Posted on July 10, 2011 3:03 pm
June 29, 2011 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
We’re delighted to report as of a result of observations reported to us from the great folks in Buffalo NY who have been watching the Niagara falls peregrines that we have been able to pull together the resources nedded to band the young hatchlings that have been observed in the nest site.
Banding is scheduled for Friday July 8th and we are all very eager to see just what we have in the nest.
We are hopeful that our good friends from New York State will be attending the banding and able to participate in the banding.
Stay tuned…………
Posted on July 4, 2011 12:51 pm
June 23, 2011 - Niagara Falls
Mark Nash Reports:
A big thank you to Jacquie Walters for her report and John Shiposki for his great photos from New York State for getting this great news and fantastic photos to us!
Jacquie writes:
Hi Mark,
I am one of Connie Adams’ seasonal technicians out of the New York DEC office in Buffalo. I have been watching the Niagara Falls nest site from Terrapin Point all spring and am happy to report that you have peregrine hatchlings! This was a very late nest. I am pretty sure the female is still “Diamond” from Ohio. She is a banded sub-adult anyway, still has quite a bit of brown on her. She laid her first egg back in April. There was a fight with an interloping pair that I watched for three hours on 4/12. After that, on 4/14, I saw one egg in one of the windows she had been frequenting. This egg never received much attention from her. It sat in the scrape un-incubated until the week of 5/22 when one of our volunteers reported seeing two eggs in the nest. When I went there on 6/6 I counted three eggs, and on 6/10 I counted 4. One of these was the first egg that by now was old and white-colored. There must have been four there previously, but I just couldn’t see them all, because when I went there on Monday 6/20 there was a hatchling in the nest along with 2 eggs! It really was one of the best feelings seeing that little white ball of fluff in there. I didn’t see that old, white first egg, but maybe it was behind the others or underneath her. She was pretty tight on the nest the whole time I was there and I only got good looks under her when she got up to change positions.
The male is not banded, though John Shiposki, who has been photographing the NF PEFAs for many years, is certain that it is the same male since 2003. We have no way to be sure, obviously, but John recognizes him based on some feather patterning and behaviour. He does seem to be an experienced male PEFA. He kept trying to get the female into the old nest hole under that window during early spring, but she seemed to prefer the window “box” instead.
I emailed Anne Yagi last week, so she probably already told you about this nest, but I just wanted to send you an email to let you know what has been going on there. I will be heading up there tomorrow morning (the best time to get a clear view into the scrape) to see if all the eggs have hatched. This site has been my favourite to watch. They are so observable and it has been fun finding all their favourite perches and food caches. I have even seen the male taking baths in the old spillway on the bottom of the OPG builing! He wades into the water up to his abdomen and dunks his whole head in, shaking the water down his body. It is a funny thing to watch a Peregrine taking a bath like a robin or a crow.
Let me know if you need any other info. I attached pictures of the nest location and the hatchling. Hope to see you on banding day!
- Jacquie Walters
Posted on June 25, 2011 8:50 am
April 05, 2011 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
One adult peregrine just cruised past my window on the 18th floor of the Niagara Falls Hilton. (Canadian side, near the gorge). Too late to snap a photo but was within ten feet of the bird and got a very good look. Time: 11:40 am April 5th. 2011.
I have been sitting here for hours with camera in hand waiting for a second chance at that photo. Will send it along if I get lucky.
Cheryl Piraino
Kingston, Ontario
Posted on April 5, 2011 4:07 pm
December 11, 2010 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Sorry for this is a late report. On December 11, 2010, while having breakfast at the Grand Buffet a peregrine flew past the window from the river between the Fallsview and the Skylon Tower. Not 30 seconds later another flew by on the same flight path. I believe they were two different birds due to the direction of flight that there would not have been sufficient time it to be the same bird to come back around.
Barb Wright
Posted on January 4, 2011 5:24 pm
June 28, 2010 - Niagara Falls
Mark Nash Reports:
With a huge thank you to Connie and the great watchers in New York, it would appear that some of the mystery has been solved with regards to the peregrine activity in Niagara fall this season.
With many visits and lots of time logged in, we have a pretty good idea as to what’s going on.
Photos showing that there is a new resident female, banded with a Black 42 over a Red H, indicating that the new female is a 2009 bird, produced I Canton Ohio,,, named “Diamond“.
Her mate is un-banded. They have been pair bonding and observed in and out of the nest ledge over the past few weeks, but there has been no incubation or food transfers, clearly indicating that there is not real nesting activity. Some great photos are included with this report, with many thanks to our friends in New York state.
All of the peregrines attention ad interests is still with the “hole in the wall” as we say, at the old Ontario Power Generation facility I the gorge. The only viewing of the nest site is from US side of the gorge.
Stay tuned………….
Posted on June 30, 2010 11:02 am
May 21, 2010 - Niagara Falls
Bruce Massey Reports:
Spent the Victoria Day weekend in Niagra Falls. On Friday I arrived @ 0830 Hrs. and was down at Falls by Noon. That day Friday, I saw the Female briefly for about 30 Seconds near Clifton Hill area.
On Saturday, I was able to get down first thing in the Morning, but had to get back to the Campground by 0930 Hrs due to the Rain. I again got a brief 30 seconds of the Male flying up river towards the Horseshoe Falls, again in the Clifton Road area. I attempted to head down in the Afternoon, but the rest of the day turned out to be a Washout.
On Sunday, I got skunked in the Morning, but in the Afternoon when I decided to check the FallsView Area (In the area of the New Casino) I lucked out. I found both the Male & Female on the North West side of the New Hilton Tower.
On Monday, I again got Skunked, and left the Campground around 1030 Hrs. to go back to Toronto.
In conclusion, what I saw I think confirms the other Posts, suggesting that there isn’t any nesting activity at this time.
Posted on May 27, 2010 4:48 pm
May 09, 2010 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
A big thank you to Rebecca for sending in these great shots of the two peregrines at the Niagara falls gorge that were taken on May 9th of this year. While the search continues to try and identify a possible nest site, (and to identify the birds themselves), it appears that the elusive pair are still very much around and have been quite active. Observation reports of the birds activity have been streaming in from both sides of the border in recent weeks, but the mystery continues with regards to any nesting activity and the birds identity. While both of the birds still remain unidentified at this point, we do have a partial band number and band colour of the female given Rebecca’s photo that indicates that the she dawns a Black over Red colour marker band having a lower alpha digit of H. The USFW band number appears to a coloured band instead of the typical silver coloured band. The photo of the male in flight that shows one of its legs, appears to be unbanded.
The mystery contines………..
Posted on May 11, 2010 9:51 am
