June 28, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Many Thanks to Bruce on Friday, as he held down the King St watch by himself . Thea was discovered on a low roof top this morning. She made a few more flights before disappearing giving Bruce a chance to walk the entire St. Lawrence Market area, three times over. Bruce finally found her again, and I suspect that she probably never left the direct area after all. Bruce was triumphant finding her on a roof top just east of the nest building. Just as she was spotted she was off again and setting down on the roof of King Edward Hotel. She didn’t stay there very long and another flight had her back to nest ledge level on the nest building. This is where we left her for the night. Erin and Windwhistler had in view at nightfall
Posted on June 28, 2014 12:21 am
June 27, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Update. Thea has made two more short flights, flying from roof top to roof top. She lost a lot of height from this morning but hopefully tomorrow she’ll have some nicer breezes and regain some altitude. Watch continues.
Many thanks to Bruce, Paul and Nancy for helping out today.
Posted on June 27, 2014 12:06 am
June 26, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Our single juvenile peregrine took her first flight this morning. Staying at nest level. She made a second flight over to a neighbouring roof top maintaining her height. As of 4:30 p.m, she remains on the same rooftop as she was this morning. So far so good
Posted on June 26, 2014 4:47 pm
June 24, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
It was a quiet evening for Thea. She enjoyed a dinner served at home around 6p.m. Erin first dropped the food on a roof top just across from the nest ledge and Thea did not react to Erin standing over top of the prey. I think she was sleeping. The meal finally was brought into the ledge. A male intruder peregrine came back into the territory again today. We saw this activity yesterday morning and Bruce said it was back again this morning and yet again this evening. Windwhistler was on it and pushed it out of his territory. Certainly would like to know where this bird is coming in from, might tell us who it might be. Let’s hope this bird gets the message and moves out of the downtown area.
Posted on June 24, 2014 10:05 pm
June 23, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Lots of flapping and vocalizing from Thea today, as Erin and Windwhistler whisked by the nest ledge. Feeding was seen around 8p.m. Erin and Windwhistler have been taking up positions around the nest ledge in preparation for Thea’s first flight.
Perhaps tomorrow she’ll be ready to go. Many thanks today to Bruce, Tracy, Jullian, Nancy and Paul for attending Day one.
Posted on June 23, 2014 10:47 pm
June 22, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Thea was seen this afternoon, vocalizing and flapping as the adults flew past the nest ledge. She is to fly very soon. King St watch begins Monday.
Posted on June 22, 2014 10:45 pm
June 20, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
A camera check of Thea, juvenile at King St, and she is growing up very quickly. Very little white left on her and she should soon be of age to take her first flight. She will be 40 days of age this weekend. Time to start the watch at this site.
Posted on June 20, 2014 11:03 pm
June 16, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
Thea continues to loose her fluffy white down. I imagine she’ll loose more the next two days with the heat expected. I checked the webcam around 5p.m. and saw Erin feeding her.
Posted on June 16, 2014 10:26 pm
June 09, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
This image captured this morning. Thea, camping out behind the pillar out of the sun. She is really getting big and very fluffy.
Posted on June 9, 2014 9:39 am
June 05, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Mark Nash Reports:
June 5th - 2014
Banding Day!
A huge thank you to Dream Property Management - (previously Dundee Property management), and all of the security and engineering staff at 18 King street for all of their support and for hosting the banding event again this year. With standing room only and a record crowd of onlookers to witness the happening, the young peregrine hatchling, named was named “Theia”, (named after the Greek goddess of light), was successfully banded and returned to it parents (Windwhistler and Erin) this morning.
The young female hatchling, weighing in at 855 grams with green tape was in fine form and good health! Out on the swing stage, a huge thank you to Kathy Smith from the CPF who did the extraction again this year, along with the stage operators and continued support from the Solar Window Group. Thank you so much Solar and Kathy again this year!!
Kathy was able to do some routine maintenance and ledge,,, cleaning up on the ledge during the banding, including cleaning the camera lens itself, retrieving the two un-hatched eggs and scooping up the dark mystery object that suddenly appeared on the north end of the ledge several days ago. In addition, she was also able to get a visual of the resident adults, and although couldn’t 100% confirm that it is still Windwhistler and Arin, she was able to confirm that the resident adult female is banded with a Black over Red band (which is consistent to Erin’s band colour),, and that the resident adult male still dawns a solid black band with is also consistent to that of Windwhistlers band colour. We believe that it is still Windwhistler and Arin.
So, the mystery black object at the other end of the nest ledge, was a large female (hen) mallard duck!! See the attached photos. Aside of the all of the other species of birds that this pair have been eating, it appears the duck is still on the menu these days!! A large Mallard is a huge size pray for even a female peregrine to actually carry up to a 19 floor elevation!!
While the peregrine has come out of the medieval times with a nick-name of the “Duck Hawk”, given that is a very skilled duck hunter indeed, (and rightfully so), a large mallard duck is a very heavy prey to carry for any peregrine never the less!
Thank you again to Mark Heaton from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Aurora District) for supporting and doing the banding again this year. We were also reminded that this is the 19th year for the peregrines nesting at the 18 King Street nest site, and Toronto first!!
A big thank you for City TV who was out again this year to film the event.
Posted on June 6, 2014 12:01 am
