July 21, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Tracy Simpson Reports:
After Friday’s storms rolled through, we went out to all of the nest sites in our areas to check on the adults and juveniles doing a quick headcount. On Saturday, a gentleman living in the Victoria Park and Ellesmere area found an injured Peregrine on the ground and called Toronto Wildlife Center. The injured Peregrine was an adult and was banded. After the bird had been delivered to care, the gentleman called our office to let us know of his rescue . We also received contact from TWC regarding the bird and his band number which was solid black recovery band 33 over Y. This bird was positively identified as Kendal, resident male from 240 Duncan Mill Rd., and he was now being examined for his injuries. It is believed that during the period of high winds as the front moved through that Kendal was in the air, lost control and struck a building. X-rays have indicated that he has a fractured clavicle and a fractured coracoid and is now being closely monitored. Bruce stopped by the Duncan Mill road nest site to check in on the rest of the family and found Quest over on the Westin building. The two girls were not in his view but will certainly be coming home for the supper hour looking for food. Our thoughts are certainly with Kendal in the hopes for his speedy recovery and we will keep you updated on his condition.
Posted on July 21, 2013 5:23 pm
July 20, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Saturday June 20th - 2013
A big thank you to Kathy Rogers-Hartley and son Kiernan for sending in their observation report during their stay at the Westin Hotel this past weekend, (after the Friday storm)!
Kathy reports:
This past weekend we were at the Westin Hotel at 900 Don Mills and there was raptors using the roof to leave the 2 juvenile birds while the parents went off for food. The juveniles were fledged and would fly around noisily demanding food when the parents came back.
When we arrived at 10am on Saturday all three birds were in the air and there was plenty of noise! As we left at 3pm on Saturday, the same thing was happening. I managed to only get this photo. Quest must have left to go hunting after that. The kids were running around the roof and I could see their heads with the camera (one at the right corner and the other under the ‘w’), but after waiting for about 15 min, she did not return and I gave up waiting for another photo.
So happy to be able to give you an update!!
Kathy and my son Kiernan
Posted on July 20, 2013 10:05 pm
July 19, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 19th - 2013
Just a little update for the end of a very hot week. Didn’t see much of them at all this week until this morning to what it looked like to be Carina and Luna flying around from the nest building to the Harlequin’s rooftop screaming at one another. No Mom and Dad. One of the juvies landed on the ledge of the nest building and when I went over to have a look she was playing with a tree branch until the other one was swooping down at her like kids trying to taking the toy away. I thought this was odd so I took a picture with my IPhone I have attached the pictures so you can see.
I hope the weather cools down soon for all of us, have a good weekend.
Karen
Posted on July 19, 2013 11:55 am
July 07, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 7th - 2013
I dropped in at Harlequin and the Duncan Mills nest site tonight on my way to the ICICI Don Mills nest site. Found Quest hiding out in the nest box lol. Kendal was at the back of the Harlequin building before he flew back to his usual spot at 240. No sign of the girls but Mom & Dad had eyes on I am sure, (hence the hiding in the nest box).
Cathy
Posted on July 8, 2013 12:44 pm
July 05, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
July 5th - 2013
A huge thank you to Sally and the Harlequin team who has been keeping a close eye on the two young fledglings over the past week.
With supporting observations from Murray and several other local watchers, we can confirm that Luna and Carina are doing just fine!!
While although spotty in their appearances in any one view now that the two fledglings are flying so well, they are tearing up the skies never the less.
As with most of the fledglings at this age and stage of their development, Luna and Carina are really tearing up the skies and both Quest and Kendal are having an extremely difficult time finding hiding places to avoid the constant (relentless pursuit) of their offspring!!
Terrorizing this parents is an understatement!! Both Luna and Carina have also been observed now chasing the local bird community and although they are not yet capable of actually catching their own food without assistance from their parents, they are both now aggressively trying! One of the fledglings was successful in catching a bird in a joint hunt with Kendal!!
The “catch-me-if-you-can”, “tag-your-it” and “hurry-up-and-catch-it” games are really paying off as both their flight skills and awareness has improved 100% since the time we spent in the streets on actual fledge watch. We are not seeing labour of our fruits and the result of the rescues that we performed during their early stages of the fledge!
Both parents are involved in mid-air food drops with the kids, mid-air food transfers, and intense games of chase-me and catch-me if you can while teasing them with food in the air! The fledglings are now building up some incredible speed and mid-air maneuvering like pro’s with mid-air side spins, roll-overs and roll-downs!
These are flight skills that the fledglings need to develop (and very necessary survival skills) that will allow them to be successful in both their hunts and defending themselves down the road when they are on their own without parental care and protection.
These essential life skills will hopefully provide the fledglings the ability to survive to adulthood and beyond.
Come-on folks,, time to get out there with your cameras, as this is the real FUN part of the process. There is some of the BEST photograph opportunities to be had at this stage of the fledglings development!!!
Your observations and photos are most welcomed. Don’t hesitate to send them in, as we would love to post them!!!
Share with others.
Stay tuned…………..
Posted on July 6, 2013 2:31 pm
July 04, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 4th - 2013
Hi everyone, after seeing a couple of speedy flights (with screeching) around the buildings I haven’t seen much of our falcons until today. Only Kendall on his favourite corner ledges.
Right now Carina and Luna are on the south west corner of the 220 roof. One of them was resting when the other arrived, who then tried to get her sister up on her feet (almost preening her as well) with some affection beak kisses between them. Cute. Now they’re hanging out together. My binocs aren’t good enough to get the tags. Earlier one flew vertically down from the roof of 240 in an almost dive, to Quest who was on a lower ledge, and they continued to spiral/fly down and then off chasing.
Sally
Posted on July 4, 2013 12:03 pm
July 01, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 1st - 2013
Hi All,
I stopped by the Duncan Mills nest site late this morning for an hour. I met to send this earlier.
Kendal & Quest were both hanging out on the Thales Building. I only saw them at first. Then a juvenile flew on to the very top of 240 and moved back out of sight.
A few minutes later I observed one juvenile on the Thales building.
I may have missed it on the first scope.
I do not believe this is the same bird that was on 240.
But I never did see all four at once.
It was very quiet while I was there. Neither parents flew. The only bird I saw fly was the juvenile fly onto 240.
Happy Canada Day!
Murray
Sent from my iPhone
Posted on July 4, 2013 9:54 am
June 27, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 27th- 2013
What a difference 48 hours can make with a young peregrine! Reports now streaming in from Donna, Karen, Sally and Murray that both of the “girls” have finally spread their wings as they say! Carina, no longer held back by her bruised confidence (and likely bruised keel) after hitting the window last week has taken to the skies. Now, it appears that there is no place for Quest and Kendal to hide for a little time out! The games of “catch me if you can” and “tag your it” has started with the both young fledglings tearing up the skies.
Gaining altitude is no longer a problem as the highest parts of the surrounding buildings have been easily mastered by both of the fledglings, and the local avian inhabitants is now starting to realize that maybe this neighbourhood is not the greatest place to hang around right now, at least not in the air space above the building’s!
So now, the best part of the fledge watch has begun, as over the next twelve weeks, some serious training will be on-going as Quest and Kendal will be teaching the fledglings all of the life skills that they will need to survive on their own.
Karen writes:
Just an update on Carina and Luna. Both have been busy girls flying high today finally have settled down across on the pink building next to Harlequin around 4:00 to shortly after 5:00pm both of them preening/cleaning their feathers… must have a hot date tonight.
At one point today I saw one of the juvies on Kendal’s corner above Dad, I don’t think he was happy to give up he’s corner for a screaming juvenile.
Sally writes:
There have been some nice flights today. Carina seems to copy Luna now in chasing Kendall off his favourite corner perch. At one point noisy chattering alerted me to Carina chasing Kendall out of the nest box (I thought it was Quest at first but then watched Carina fly to Kendall’s corner again – spotted her yellow band. After staying put for a while on the roof of 240, there was some chasing going on between the siblings, and (I think) Quest. They seem to have favoured the 240 building today but some back and forth to the pink glass building. I did lose sight of everyone but Kendall after 4:30, so nice to hear whey they are at the moment.
Murray writes:
I stopped by Harlequin for half an hour.
Both Carina & Luna were on top of 240.
Luna decided to chase a gull that flew by. The gull was not impressed! Lol
Both Kendal & Quest were on top of the Harlequin Building.
Stay tuned………………
Posted on June 28, 2013 6:40 am
June 26, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Carina has now learned to go and get her share of the food from mom and dad and that yelling is not going to work. She is also protecting her food from her sister.
Both girls are keeping high, flying very well and landing much better.
Carina almost got a mid air handoff from mom but missed then followed her to the roof top of Harlequin to take the food.
Both Luna and Carina did most of their flying in the morning and hid from the heat and sun from about 11:00 AM to early evening and I don’t blame them it was very humid today.
This evening about 5:30 PM Lunda followed mom to the Socan building Her first trip there and got a food package while Carina waited patiently on 240.
At 5:50 both parents flew past Harlequin to the back parking area followed soon after by Luna don’t know where they went but I think it was to the top of Harlequin.
Soon after I heard the usual screaming of Luna and Carina looking up at Harlequin roof joined in.
We left with all 4 accounted for and all well.
We are winding down the all day watch now but will still spot check them as often as we can and will post any observations we get as well as that of local watchers as they come in.
Thank you to all who came out to help with the watch and as always for the wonderful support from Donna and the Harlequin staff.
Keep watching the most exciting part is yet to come watching the offspring learn the fine art of the hunt. Any bets on who will do better 
Marion
Posted on June 26, 2013 7:58 pm
June 25, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Luna still flying like and ace today and likes to push mom and dad off their perch at every opportunity I think it’s a game for her now. She flew and took food both parents 4 times today including some that I think Kendal meant to eat himself.
Little Carina had made it up to the uppermost window ledge sometime after 8:00 AM and spent most of the day there yelling at Quest and Kendal for food but by early evening she was getting fed up with Luna getting all the food and started to fly.
The first couple flights were just back and forth from 240 to 220 and were OK flights but a little iffy on the landing. The next was a very long flight to the Kraft building beside the Thales building very nice flight a good landing. The next was back to 240 Duncan Mill first window ledge below the roof very good landing and the last was to the roof top of Harlequin right beside her mom pinpoint perfect landing way to go Carina!!! She has her Mojo back.
Marion
Posted on June 25, 2013 8:50 pm
