June 17, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Arrived at 2pm to see the boys (Berkley and Kline) sunning on the ledge with Skye in normal spot and quest across the parking lot watching.
I did not see Harper but Sally saw all three this morning.
The best part was one of the juv laying on the ledge with wing over the side and eyes closed lol.
Quest and Skye went flying together and soared around the building doing circles.
Lovely
Ann
Posted on June 19, 2015 10:34 am
June 15, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Periodic spot checks from a few of us (updating via texts) over the last few days, and all seems to be going great at Duncan Mill/Don Mills!
On Saturday I watched some crazy chasing going on and a pigeon hunt was interrupted by an excited juvie coming into chase whoever was hunting the pigeon. Lucky pigeon that day 
A few of us could only see two of the three juvies Sunday during the day and into late evening, so this morning it was good to see all three on the roof of the 240 building.
Some fabulous flying from all three including lovely leisurely circling around and around 240 (must be some nice warm humid winds). One flight between the buildings showed a guided bump from a parent, redirecting one of the juvies. They are fabulous flyers I’m in awe that they are flying so well in such short time.
At one point I managed to text a lovely photo of the entire family facing south on the roof of 240.
Heading home soon but as of early evening Monday, the juvies are off somewhere, being monitored by Quest and Skye on the roof of 240 (seems to be a favorite family hangout spot this year). As always I’ll check the “danger zone” - the east side windows of 225 - whenever I’m checking. They are flying confidently now, so hopefully more redirecting/guidance from Skye and Quest as they speed up.
Sally
Posted on June 15, 2015 11:33 pm
June 13, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Arrived at Harlequin at 6:45pm. For the first 15 I could only find one on the top of Harlequin. Then the screaming started and a 2nd falcon juv came in. I waited for another 30 min then packed it in. No sooner did I shut the door when the falcon witching hour started. Quest was on top of 220 on top of the white box. I then spotted harper in front of her. The two on the harlequin building were kline and berkley.
Then the flying began. Kline was the first to fly and he did a circle around the pink building come to rest on the white box where Quest was. Quest flew to the Harlequin building. Kline followed her there landing on Donna office. Quest took off agian. Now Berkley wanted in so he circled the pink building and then circled the harlequin building and landed on the 220 building. BTW they never stopped screaming. Harper was happy to just lay in the sun occasionally getting up to flap his wing. He also had a full crop.
Quest Kline and Berkley continued to fly back and forth. Only once did Kline scare me as he looked like he was heading for the window at Harlequin. Quest also noticed he did not have the height and chased him around to avoid the building.
Amazing
Ann
Posted on June 14, 2015 11:01 am
June 12, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
We are so lucky to have 2 great photographers on the watch team. Thanks so much Ann and Rob. Here are Ann’s photos enjoy everyone!
If anyone want’s to use any of the photos posted please contact me at head office and I will put you in touch with the photographers.
Posted on June 12, 2015 11:08 pm
June 12, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Here are a few more shots from Rob.
Posted on June 12, 2015 10:59 pm
June 12, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Murray stopped by early this morning to check the boys and sent us a text to let us know that all are ok, Harper is still on the parking garage and Kline and Berkley are on 240.
Ann and I arrived at 9:00 and found that Harper had flown back to 220 and the other 2 I have decided to call the twins as they are so close and spend their time together as much as possible were on 240. Donna the joined us and we Sally stopped in before work and the days watch started.
The rest of the morning was cold and rainy and the kids were not very interested in going any where no flights at all. Bob and Murray came out to give a hand but by 3:00 PM cold and wet we all decided to call it a day no movement from the kids.
Sally stopped by to check the boys at 7:00 to 8:00 and saw a short flight from Berkley and Kline to 225 but Harper only moved ledges to the south east corner of 220.
With all the fledglings keeping high we have decided to stop the all day watch and will continue to spot check as often as we can. Volunteers are now moving to start the next fledge watch at Don Mills and Eglinton Amexon nest site.
Posted on June 12, 2015 10:52 pm
June 11, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Sorry forgot to post the tape colors for each birds band so here it is.
Berkley is Yellow
Harper is White
Kline is Red
Posted on June 11, 2015 10:27 pm
June 11, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
All 3 chicks were on the top of the nest building this morning so Harper must have flown back very early in the morning. it was not long after I arrived that Quest flew in and gave Kline and Berkley a small snack. shortly after his small tidbit Kline took his second flight and this time he flew great out and around the Harlequin Building to land high up on roof of the building just east of Harlequin safe and sound. Parker on the other hand stayed in the same spot all day long. Harper the show off flew back and forth from the nest building to Harlequin then over to 240 and back to the nest building.
At 6:45 Quest went on a hunt just above our heads so Bob, Sally and I watched her drive a pigeon into the window then chase it to the west side of Harlequin. A second later she flew to the roof top with it in her mitts and fed Berkley.
I assumed that since it was now 7:00 PM and had some food he would likely stay put but no he copied Kline’s flight and landed right beside his brother on the same level of the building east of Harlequin.
Ok I said I guess we can head home now everyone is up high been fed and are safe so we could make a early night of it. I say Nay Nay Berkley landed on a pyramid shaped window on the same building slipped of and fluttered down to the ground.
We went over to scoop him up but this time he knew exactly what we were up to and had no intention of being kidnaped by aliens again. He flew low over Duncan Mill Rd yikes and east of 240 hooking east then back the way he came back across Duncan Mill Rd. when we lost sight of him. In the mean time Kline had flown to the roof top at 240. Bob walked in the direction he was headed and found him on the top of the parking garage behind Harlequin on a high retaining wall that runs along the east side safe and sound. So he now know how to get altitude from ground good for him.
When we left Harper was on the window ledge on the east side of the nest building, Kline on the roof top of 240 and Berkley on the parking garage watched over by mom on the building east of Harlequin.
Posted on June 11, 2015 10:16 pm
June 11, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
some beautiful pictures taken at the fledge watch by Rob over the last 2 days. Thanks for sharing Rob!
Posted on June 11, 2015 8:57 am
June 10, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
It’s been quite an eventful day at the Don Mills location! It involved a variety of architecture and a rescue.
I arrived as early as I could this morning before 7:00 a.m., anxious that Harper may have taken flight when daylight arrived. Thankfully he was still on the roof ledge of Bayview Glen school’s Moatfield Road building and I was able to monitor him running along until he couldn’t go any further and remained at the South East corner for some time being royally harassed by very agitated robins, swallows, grackles and a tiny warbler who may have not been too sure at one point who to harass! I now know there are a variety of nests across in the Kraft grounds! Bob arrived and took a walk behind the Kraft building (whose grounds we were standing in) and assessed the landscape, should Harper fly out into the open school fields below us or toward trees and not manage to reach another building (how do we get down there? etc.). The time spent watching Harper here also allowed us to watch how staff came up through the back of the school on a path linking the Westin Hotel to Kraft and Bayview Glen grounds (good to know!).
Harper eventually took off, south (wrong way your nest is north!) tried to circle south behind Bayview Glen, disappeared behind all the trees, then came into view again flying west towards Valleybrook Drive but turned south and all we could do was stay put and watch through binoculars and cross all fingers and toes that he wouldn’t make it past the Westin Hotel and over York Mills Road. He hit a concrete wall on the Westin Hotel, regained flight, attempted to continue south around the east side of the hotel but probably (thankfully?) due to the bump, came to rest somewhere…but where? Oh dear. We were convinced he must be on a corner balcony of one of the suites or on the roof of a small maintenance building. We called the hotel who had their maintenance staff take a look (nothing) and then allowed us to enter the hotel and explore an open garden/sitting area above the function rooms at the back of the hotel. We scanned the foliage around the garden, glanced up and there he was, perched on the ledge of a balcony. Hotel staff were fairly sure he had checked in to the balcony of Suite 705. Phew! But the room was occupied. Yikes. Now what? Poor Marion’s phone must have been buzzing like black fly season because of all the advice we were seeking. We did realize that If he took off we were trapped in a lovely guest retreat with Adirondack chairs and foliage, but no quick exit to the street to monitor his direction. Bob was sure we would be able to see this balcony from the north east corner of the Kraft parking lot, and as Harper kept hopping from the railing down to the balcony, we were confident we had time to get back to where we were before to observe. The Kraft lot did give us the perfect view. Worrying that nobody was monitoring the other two birds, Bob went back to check on Berkley and Kline, just before Harper took off flying again! This time due north, turning slightly west towards Valleybrook Drive again and then I lost sight of him. I was sure he’d either hit a window or landed on a roof somewhere near the corner of Lesmill Rd and Valleybrook, so we hot footed it to that area and, sure enough, found him on the roof of the blue glassy SOCAN building (we thought it was the Zeiss glass building but, checking Google maps, I see it’s deceiving signage and it’s actually the Socan building that Harper was on up to when I left at 6:00 p.m.).
All the anxious texting these flights prompted had Cathy Kerr joining us as soon as she could, as well as another volunteer to watch with Bob and me (until Marion could get to us after a banding). We were able to divide then, watching Harper from the Harlequin parking lot as the thunder and rain came through (which he seemed to enjoy immensely, flapping about and prancing on the roof).
Feeling pretty good about Harper, Cathy thought she should go and see if Bob needed help, because while Harper had us all in a tizzy earlier, Berkeley had fledged and ended up on the ledge right above the 220 Duncan Mill Rd sign. Low, and vulnerable. While he ledge hopped and entertained passers by, we had heard that Kline wasn’t in view (from people outside, and from texts I was receiving from co-workers after having watched Kline being fed earlier that morning). Cathy started walking around the buildings, while I stayed in the parking lot by Moatfield Dr to keep an eye on Harper. Got a call that Kline was on top of a car by the loading dock in the Harlequin parking lot! A small crowd was beginning to gather, and the number of cars passing by increased. Cathy phoned for advice, Kline got jumpy, came off the car, I attempted to cover him with my towel but he saw an escape route between Cathy and me and took off, very low (to our horror) across the parking lot to Duncan Mill Rd and thankfully gained enough elevation to land on a low ledge at the 240 building. Now we had both Berkley and Kline lower than we would like, but easy to watch. Well, didn’t Beckley attempt to fly off the 220 sign ledge. I should really hand this part of the day’s recap over to Ann, Murray, Marion and the others , as they went after him! I stayed put to keep an eye on Kline because, heaven forbid, we had two on the go at once. It sounded like Beckley sped off as Ann approached, flew low through cars (which is when we heard the hollering and alert that something was happening), circled around the back of the Harlequin building and landed ON TOP OF THE SAME CAR AS HIS BROTHER HAD EARLIER! Marion and Murray managed to capture Beckley from the top of the car. Another collective sigh of relief.
With Harper still in view high up on his roof top, and Beckley in a carrier (safe until release later this evening) we could all relax a bit. Ann did a beverage run, and we could all watch Kline, which is where I said g’night to the crew, who can update further if anything happened later on!
Sally
Evening Watch!
About an hour after Sally left Kline took flight heading towards the Bayview Glenn school and Murray, Mark, Bob and I were right on his tail. He flew quite a long way and it took us a while to find him at the Kraft building low on a retaining wall Mark and Bob managed to catch him up and he was placed in a rescue box and taken to rest with his brother Berkley in the Harlequin building until dark for release.
While we were out rescuing his brother we had a clear view of Harper still on the roof top on Valleyboork Dr.
The release went very well the two boys were put up on the nest building roof together.
was this finally the end of the day? I say nay nay on our way to Harlequin from the Canada Square banding in the morning we had we had to stop off at the Don Mills Amexon nest site to rescue Horton who had gotten blown off the ledge and fluttered to ground 4 or 5 days before he should have even tried to take his first flight. We now had to head off the that site to get him back up on the roof to his family.
by 12:30 AM everyone was finally safe for the evening, it had cooled off and the humidity was gone and my bed was calling me so I went home knowing I would sleep tonight!
What a great crew good job everyone!!!
Marion
Posted on June 11, 2015 1:05 am
