June 20, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 20th -2013
Both Luna and Carina have fledged and holding their altitude!!
While I would love to give everyone a detailed account and blow by blow explanation of todays happenings, I must admit, even I couldn’t get it all in without writing a small book, but with 16 hours a day in the streets on the fledge watch, there is simply not enough hours in the day, and no time to sit around indoors on the computer.
I can only describe the days events today as nothing short of spectacular! The two young fledglings have clearly demonstrated their new found ability to spread their wings and take flight! Both Luna and Carina are both now actually flying, and more importantly, holding their altitude and looking like real flighted birds!!!
While they are far from looking like their parents with regards to having any real skill in their flights, they are learning very quickly indeed. Quest and Kendal have both been keeping a very close eye on the two girls as they have flown around from building to building while investigating their new found world, which is now being viewed by the fledglings in 3D as opposed to the 2D world that they were stuck in while a captive audience on the nest ledge.
Clearly, the young fledgling have become real “birds”!
While their landings are another story, (Oh my goodness, some real bumps and grinds), the two young fledglings are at little risk of coming to the ground and needing to be rescued at this point. this is in no way to suggest that they still can’t get into trouble and need our assistance as we have long since learned over the past 17 years while on the fledge watches, they are at least now capable of some sustained flight and able to escape some perceived dangers by simply flying away.
There were several tender moments observed today between Quest and the two girls as she fed each of them several times throughout the day - “beak to beak” on various elevations on several of the office building roof tops and ledges. Kendal is doing a great job in keeping the food coming in and is keeping his distance from his two daughters while staying out of Quests way as she does most all of the real baby sitting.
Remembering that his time will come once the fledglings have become more stable in their flight, Kendal will be one that will do the larger percentage of the detailed flight training with the kids, and Quest will take a back seat during much of this process.
A huge thank you to all that have joined us on the watch, as even I must admit, the 16 hour days are starting to take their toll on my ability to keep both of the fledglings in my view, especially now that they are both so mobile. If I only had wings myself!!
Sadly, the third fledgling named Kimani has still not surfaced and has not been found. We can only hope she will reappear.
Stay tuned……….. more to come.
Picture supplied by Cathy Kerr of Quest and Luna taken during one of the feedings today.
Great shot!!
Posted on June 21, 2013 6:34 am
June 19, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 19th - 2013
Sadly upon my arrival just after 6am this morning, the young fledgling named Kimini that I had successfully rescued and later released back to the roof of 225 Duncan Mills road had apparently already taken flight and at some point prior to my arrival and was no where to be found.
By 10pm, as I closed down the fledge watch down for the evening.
By the early afternoon, and after a lot of intense flapping going on at the nest ledge by the two remaining siblings, the second hatchlings took to the air and attempted her first flight. It was Carina, 90 over Y. Quickly loosing altitude as she drifted down across the street and slammed into the lower retail windows at 225 Duncan Mills Road and bounced to the ground only several feet from my position. I quickly dove into the garden and a quick snatch and scoop-up and she was in my hands.
She was examined and after a short hold over to ensure that she was Ok, she was later released back to the 220 Duncan Mill rooftop. There she stayed running the rooftop ledge for the balance of the day until dark.
By 8:30pm, just when we had hoped that there would be no further excitement, Luna, the third hatchling (still on the nest ledge), started her ledge hopping. Unbelievably, we watched in horror as she squeezed her body flat to the front face of the columns on nothing more than an inch of ledge that runs between each ledge in front of each column and worked her way to the east of the building.
Just when we had had just about enough, she worked her Back almost reaching the nest box ledge, and them at 9:15pm she fell and was into the air! Quest immediately took flight to join her in the air as Luna flew eastbound across the face of the nest building. During her decent, Quest managed to get under her in flight and bumped and guided her from beneath slowing her decent and allowing her to gain a few critical feet upwards and they both landed on a window ledge on the west elevation of 240 Duncan Mill road, about half way up. While not a great landing, (kind of like using the back of the window ledge as a stopper), Luna clung to back wall upside down hooked on the face of the concrete wall with a single talon. Seconds later she finally freed herself and fell a few feet to the window ledge and righted herself. Quest was right beside her.
By 9:30pm, Quest departed the window ledge, leaving Luna on her own. Luna remained there until darkness when we finally closed the watch down for the day.
Stay tuned, more to come tomorrow………….
Posted on June 19, 2013 11:48 pm
June 18, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 18th - 2013
What started out to be a rainy, cold and really miserable morning, I can say that it is at least a really peaceful time at 6am on the streets at the fledge watch.
Shortly after it stopped raining, the sun came up and things quickly changed with lots of vocalizing going on at the nest ledge as the two remaining nest ledge bound hatchlings were full of energy, flapping and screaming at their parents most of the day.
By darkness, neither had taken their first flights and remained on the nest ledge.
Kimami, still on the upper roof area throughout the morning obviously having spent the night at this elevation where I had been released the day before, she was constantly being teased by her parents in an effort to get her to start flying.
Finally, in the early afternoon, Kimami got blown off the upper roof ledgeledge of the nest building by one of the many guests of wind, and once again was airborne,, losing altitude as she glided downward across the street past our position and finally ended up clinging to the side of the building wall at the rear of the 225 Duncan Mill road building,, - She was successfully rescued and retrieved and was later re-released, this time atop of the 225 Duncan Mill roof.
Quest was on hand almost immediately upon my entrance to the roof area and needless to say voiced her objections to my presence on the roof during Kimami’s release.
Kimimi remained on the upper roof as darkness fell and quickly settled in for the night.
Quest fed all of hatchlings on different times throughout the day, and although the food packages were small offerings, she did in fact beak-feed each of them all in several very heart warming mother - daughter family moments.
Again, a huge thanks you to all for their support throughout the day!
Throughout the day, I was also able to deliver the rescued fledgling from the Etobicoke Bloor and Islington nest site (that Bruce had transferred to me last night) -to meet up with mark Heaton from the OMNR at the MEC nest site in Mississauga, so he could band it with the missing Black Canadian recovery band, the then get her back to the Etobicoke nest site and do the release on the nest building roof top, back to her awaiting parents! Another successful release this evening!
Stay tuned, more to come tomorrow……
Posted on June 19, 2013 12:47 am
June 17, 2013 - Toronto - King Street
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Attention all fledge watchers and peregrine enthusiasts! The fledge watches have started and we need your help!
June 17th - 2013
As some of you may be aware, we are currently eyeball deep in 7 different fledge watches that are now running simultaneously, and needless to say, we are incredibly stressed for manpower to cover all of the fledge watches. Never in the 17 years that we have been running fledge watches have we ever had this many fledge watches occurring all at the same time.
This in addition to having so many nest sites to deal with where the hatches have all happened within such a short period of time, thus having all of the young fledge at the same time.
While the season has only just started, we have already rescued and saved 9 fledglings from the ground and returned them back to the rooftops and nest ledges back to their parents care.
That being said, we need your support to join us in the streets at one of many nest sites here in the GTA.
You will see members of the fledge watch team in the streets at the following nest sites:
Please bear in mind that we are limited in volunteers currently at some of these sites and you may have to do some searching for us as some of these sites have vast areas to cover.
Please join us and help us help your young peregrines make it through this challenging time.
Ongoing fledge watches:
Toronto Sheraton Centre hotel nest site - downtown Toronto - Bay & Queen
MEC nest site -1 Robert Spec Parkway - Huriontario and Hwy # 403 Mississauga
225 Duncan Mill road nest site - Don Mills
ICICI nest site - Don Valley Parkway and Eglinton Ave East, Toronto
Etobicoke Sun Life centre - Bloor & Islington - Etobicoke
18 King Street nest site - Victoria Street & King Street - Downtown Toronto
Canada Square nest site - Yonge & Eglinton - Toronto
Kitchener CTV - King Street - Kitchener Ont.
William Osler Hospital - Hwy # 27 & Humber Valley Blvd - Starting June 20th
Starting end of the week: June 22nd:
Scarborough Yellow Pages - 325 Milner Ave & Progress Ave
Posted on June 18, 2013 2:27 am
June 17, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Mark Nash Reports:
June 17th - 2013
The Fledge watch has started!!
In typical peregrine fashion, (and without any warning) days before the official scheduled fledge watch was scheduled to start,, the first young peregrine hatchling has become a fledgling, (well, sot of)! The young hatchling stumbled and fell off the ledge! Not a planned event at all!
In the middle of running around to all the east end nest sites with extra rescues carriers, towels, CPF ID badges and radio’s to accommodate the needs of volunteers that will be needed to cover 4 more fledge watches that are soon to begin, my i-phone lit up like a x-mass tree shortly after 1pm this afternoon with incoming e-mail, text messages and phone calls all at the same time!
In short, “panic attack”!! One of the young hatchlings at the Don Mill Road nest site had just slipped and accidentally fallen off the nest ledge and once airborne, attempted to hold its composure and made a feeble attempt to hold its altitude and tried to fly.
Well, for all those of you that been on fledge watch, you may already have some ideas as to the outcome of this type of event. The good news, no mortality, successful rescue and finally returned back to the roof elevation to its parent care! Another one safely rescued! That makes 9 successful rescues so far this season, and we’ve only just begun!!!
Ongoing fledge watches happening now at:
MEC nest site, Downtown Toronto Sheraton Centre hotel nest site, Toronto 18 king Street nest site, ICICI Don Mills & Eglinton Ave east nest site, Canada Square - Yonge & Eglinton nest site, Etobicoke Sun Life nest site - Bloor & Islington nest site and Kitchener CTV nest site.
Fledge watches already completed this season: Burlington Lift Bridge and Windsor Ambassador bridge nest. site.
Witnessed by Margaret at the Harlequin head office, the hatchling (named Kimami - Banded - Black Y over 71, Blue tape) jumped into action making the necessary calls to get help. Moments later, the “Harlequin rescue squad” were in the streets and on the search in her last know position. They eventually found her on the ground at the base of the building in the rear parking lot.
As Margaret reports:
Hi Mark… here is the details you’d requested…
Kimami actually fell off the ledge while practising her flapping. She was standing in one place flapping and went right over the edge. Looked like a loss of balance at the wrong time. Would have been 3 or 4 minutes after 1pm, as I emailed while phoning Chris. She only fell about a foot or 18 inches, then started to flap… a pretty strong flight staying at the 5th-6th floor level and swooping east to the end of the building, then north between addresses 220 & 240. She was headed toward the ravine when she went out of my sight.
While on route to Duncan Mills road, I was able to reach Cathy Kerr on her mobile phone who was down at the Don Mills nest site on the fledge watch. She scrambled into her car and rushed to Duncan Mills road.
Upon her arrival, (and several more calls to her relaying messages and other communications received from Harlequin), she finally hooked up with the gals from Harlequin who had already found the grounded hatchling. With towel in-hand, (and a text book retrieval and successful rescue), Kimami was safely scooped up without incident.
She was held until my arrival, examined for obvious injuries and other trauma. After a short hold over to further examine Kimami for any delayed unseen trauma or injuries, she was later released back to the upper roof top elevation of the nest building and back to her parents care. Both Quest and Kendal were on hand to vocalize their disapproval of my roof top presence, and Kimami was successfully released without further incident. Moments later, she was observed up on the upper ledge of the roof retaining wall screaming for her parents attention. Quest eventually gave in and finally joined her on the roof ledge, and in a very heart warming real family moment, the two touched beaks. Shortly after, Quest brought in food for Kimani.
Interestingly, Kimami’s two other sisters (thank goodness - still on the nest ledge) didn’t get any food this evening.
A huge thank you to Margaret, Christine, Sally, Donna, and all of the Harlequin team for jumping into action to quickly, and to Cathy Kerr for her quick actions and rescue!
A big thank you also goes out to the management group and security at 220 Duncan Mill Road for giving us access to their facilities that allowed us to get Kimami back to the roof and her parents!
What a GREAT TEAM!!!!
I know that I have forgotten the names of the other Harlequin gals who sprang into action and mobilized in the streets to locate Kimami, and must apologize. Its been a long day, (combined with my absence of memory), a little sleep depravation and old age 
Sadly, you can expect to see less colourful and less detailed reports from here on in, as 16 hour days, 7 days a week in the streets on the various fledge watches over the next few weeks will be taking their toll.
I will do my best to report (in short) the hi-lights of the days events on the various watches that I am involved in.
A big thank you to Sally for the photos supplied with this posting.
Stay tuned… the craziness has just begun……..
Posted on June 18, 2013 1:07 am
June 08, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Volunteer Reports:
A collaborative affair at 220 and 225 Duncan Mill Road
This a joint affair as Quest and Kendal are *tenants* of 220 Duncan Mill Road and Harlequin Enterprises hosts the banding at 225 Duncan Mill Road. The joint operation has worked well for the peregrine pair and their young over the past three years!
Grateful thanks to the employees of Harlequin who made a wonderful donation to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.
Grateful thanks to Harlequin for their sizable donation.
Our thanks also go to the following people for their roles in today’s proceedings. I apologise in advance if I have missed some of the names.
Donna Hayes of Harlequin for making space available to host today’s activities at 225 Duncan Mill Road
Shanaz, building manager, of 220 Duncan Mill Road for continuing to host the peregrines and who *renews their lease* every year.
Mark Heaton of Ministry of Natural Resources who has been banding the peregrines for many years
Craig Brown also from the Ministry of Natural Resources
Mark and Marion Nash of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, who orchestrate the bandings
David who assisted Marion with recording the vital statistics of the three young ones
The many people who showed up to share in, and support, the event
The *Rochester contingent* who take an active interest in *their bird* Quest
The many fledge watchers and volunteers from CPF in Toronto.
Last but certainly not least, the *villain* of the day, rock climber and trainer of some of the chaps who *serve and protect us*, John Miller. He is the man who often *lives life on the edge* in the city, extracting the young peregrines from their ledges on banding days. Without his invaluable help many bandings would not have been able to proceed. Not only does John *go over the top* when making an extraction but he also sits on the ledge, whilst the youngsters are being banded, and has to deal with an irate pair of peregrines intent on doing him damage for his part in the proceedings! Quest was not a happy mom while John was up there today! Our thanks to you John!
First to be banded was Luna, 28 days old. Her black band number is Y over 69 and she has yellow tape for easy spotting
Next was a very feisty Carina, 26 days old. Her black band number is Y over 70 and she has red tape for spotting.
Last was Kimani, also a feisty little female. Her black band number is Y over 71 and for easy identification she has blue tape.
All three females are hale and healthy!
Good luck to the fledge watchers this year. When being weighed these three presented their talons, grabbed gloves and hung on whilst shouting their disapproval.
Lyn
Posted on June 8, 2013 11:20 am
June 07, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:
Today is Banding Day. See you soon little ones!
Posted on June 7, 2013 7:56 am
May 11, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
May 11th - 2013
Hi,
I have attached a couple shots I got today. One at 2pm when Quest left you can see the babies and one egg. The other at 7pm is Quest feeding the babies. You can’t see the egg and I had a hard time counting heads.
Gidget
Posted on May 15, 2013 12:31 am
May 10, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
May 10th - 2013
2 for Breakfast for Quest & Kendal!
Eileen
Posted on May 14, 2013 11:24 pm
May 10, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Volunteer Reports:
Quest and Kendal now have three little mouths to feed with one more egg to go!! A very exciting capture by one of our international camera watchers and great news for 220 Duncan Mill Road!!
Posted on May 11, 2013 8:58 am
