Tuesday of this week, I was in the University Ave. and College St area and notice that the peregrines are sitting tight on the east side ledges of Mt.Sinai Hospital. One bird was there for most of the day.
Both adults have spent quite a lot of time on the Sheraton ledge and the neighbouring perches since the start of the year. I have also been seeing adults at Mount Sinai, but never all four adults at the same time. Today, at 1 p.m. as I checked the locations, two adults are on the Sheraton nest ledge and two adults are on the south louvres of Mount Sinai!
The past few weeks daily observations of the peregrine pair frequenting the University and Gerrard St area, has provided information that this pair is not nesting on the east side of Mt. Sinai Hospital.
The adult female, Wind and her mate, are seen on a daily basis sitting on any one of the neighbouring buildings. They tend to like condos on the west side of Bay St. and the power plant tower to name a few. The ledges of Mt. Sinai provide shade in the late afternoon and a perfect time for viewing.
Observations will continue, at this time it is evident that a hatch did not occur at this location. There are no reports that they have re-clutched anywhere else in the area.
Many Thanks to the CPF Volunteer who has taken the time to send in the observations of this site. It is much appreciated.
If you have photos of any of the CPF monitored nest sites, birds or fledglings in this exciting time, we would love to see them! If you have older photos or videos from CPF events, like the 2009 Sportsman show, we would love to see those too.
We’ve got a flickr group that you can upload photos and short videos to. If you have longer videos, upload them to youtube and tag them with cpf and peregrine and I will find them.
Example shot from the Sheraton Banding in the Flickr Pool -
We might include some of the videos or photos in our updates, or around the site. You could be famous!
Matt.
I decided that I might join a fellow volunteer in monitoring and observing the Mt.Sinai nesting site today. We were having a nice talk, discussing peregrine behaviour and the such. I noticed that the gulls were sounding off as they passed over head. I mentioned that the gulls do that around other peregrine nesting sites, so this might be of interest. We weren’t seeing much activity until a peregrine flew into view flying around the east side of Mt. Sinai, and then east towards the power plant stack . It set down on the very top rung of the north facing ladder. It began to preen and I found it curious that it sat with it’s back towards Mt.Sinai Hospital.
My friend and I continued to talk while periodically checking on the bird. We did not see it leave the stack. Next thing I saw was this bird about 4 feet away from me hovering at the side of the area on which we were observing. Too close for me and it quickly brought back memories of another encounter I had at the Sheraton nest site a view years ago. The only thing that came out of my mouth was “RUN !” As I ran toward the roof top exit, I momentarily forgot I was with someone else, but at this point and time and having previous experience with such an event, I could only think, “Out of my way, I’ll get the door for you” ( yup, that’s exactly what I was thinking ) and also forgetting all of our belongings out on the deck, including my camera. As we finally found a safe haven within the building, we could see the peregrine had set down on the corner of the deck area, probably 50 feet away. The gulls were not happy with this intruder and immediately began dive bombing the peregrine. A perfect opportunity to take a photo, leg bands in clear view. My thoughts now, were to send my friend out to get my camera , nevermind 
But I did get the band information.
Rewind to a few weeks ago, when spot checking this site. I found one of the adults on the west facing Bay St. condos. While looking at the bird, I got a chill down my back as it appeared the bird was looking directly down the barrels of my binoculars. Coincidence I convinced myself. There is no way that this bird is looking directly at me. So I told myself.
Today, I am now sure I was recognized, for this bird is none other than “Wind” from the Sheraton Hotel. The same bird that chased me at street level along Richmond Street and had me hiding behind decoy cows at the Steak House on Richmond Street.
A few passes by the gull and the peregrine moved off from her temporary perch and flew back to the smoke stack. At least now we knew where she was as my friend pulled out a tired old umbrella to cover her head as she retrieved our belongings from the deck area.
A most exciting morning. One my friend won’t forget soon forget.
I had been complaining for some time about not been able to get a very close
look at the falcons seen at Mt Sinai and wondered if I got higher powered
binoculars, it might make a difference. 10x 50’s I figured might allow me to see
more definition and maybe a leg band. etc..
Well, hold the Visa Grannie, today I got a very very close look and this time
“it was personal”!!!! Won’t need that bathroom break after all!!!
I had been at the viewing spot several times over the past 3-4 weeks since hearing that a pair of peregrines may have a nest on the East ledge of Mt Sinai. I agreed to have a gander whenever I had time and note behaviour.. Thus far I have seen only a single bird in one or 2 perches, mostly on ledges on the EAST side and presumably near the nest.. Last weekend I did see 2 birds but not in the nest they are presumed to occupy.
At 6;45 am today I began my watch. I saw nothing from 6-10 am. At time a friend joined me .. We chatted from a position inside a deck area and then a bird was seen flying over PMH and airborne. We followed it and kept an eye on the nest area as well
The bird flew eastward and overhead to the top of the physical plant tower on WALTON St. and sat there for some time. It seemed to be relaxed and preened itself , and perched with its back to the nest site. We approached the edge of the viewing area and after a lengthy chat and viewing as we chatted, I heard the word “RUN!!” Out of my left eye I caught sight of a blur in brown and a falcon cruised in front of our faces about 2-3 feet away. Made a swoop past us and returned. We ran for cover and the bird made a few more swoops where we had been and then perched on the SOUTH East corner and watched us intently. We could not go back to fetch our belongings. A leg band was seen from this vantage point and it appears to be the peregrine named, WIND. I fetched an old umbrella and managed to retrieve our belongings. While the falcon was perched on the eastern point of the building, a sea gull began to dodge and dart around it and eventually managed to get the falcon to move. A chase then took place when they were airborne. Falcon then went back to its perch on the physical plant tower,
It was an amazing sight at close range and I have nothing but respect for the business end of a Peregrine falcon.” Wind”, be assured I will not wear my orange jacket and hang out at far recesses for a protracted period of time, AGAIN-EVER.
So it seems we were being watched very carefully. I might have looked like
an orange bird about to leave my perch and go to my nest. Now I understand the peregrine having a large territory. Who would have thought that this bird would come this far to remind us.
My heart was still pounding an hour later. I never imagined anything exciting like this happening. Very close encounter one I will always remember.
With a huge thank-you to Linda from the CPF for her determination in gathering logistics at the Mt. Sinai Hospital nest site, and with the support of the hospital’s operations management team, we was both alerted to the new happenings going on with Mt. Sinai’s newest residents. We able to attend the roof area to gather more detailed logistics on the peregrines activity. During the site visit, I was able to lower our wireless camera down form the roof area to the lower ledges below in an effort to get a peek into the ledges where all of the peregrine activity has been going on.
While the images being displayed on the tiny hand held wireless monitor were far from the typical National Geographic network TV stuff, (actually much like being in a small plane that has just lost its lift, and in the middle of a “stall and spin while being attacked by a F-18 jet fighter”!!! We were able to confirm that there is at least two, if not three eggs on the ledge that is currently being incubated by the attending adults.
The visit was far from an uneventful routine type of visit, as I must say that this was one of the very few occasions over the last 14 years that I actually felt concerned for my safety while working with peregrines. The attending adult female was far from happy with our visit to “HER BUILDING”. Needless to say, I was very eager to leave the roof top to seek refuge and the safety offered to me from behind closed doors. Despite my soiled underwear, drenched with sweat, and the adrenaline eating experience - (that only briefly describes the experience), I was able to get a partial band number and have a pretty good ideal of who the adult female is. The adult female dawns a Black over Red coloured band number and we suspect that she is one of two females that is well know to us. Without being able to positively confirm her identity, (but we are working on it), we believe it is either Wind or Ranger.
Both of these birds have very interesting histories. Wind was the female that was the producing female at the Toronto Sheraton Hotel for many years, and Ranger was the nesting female that spend many years at our uptown nest site on the Canadian Tire building at Yonge & Eglinton with her mate Hunter. Ranger also attempted to hatch several clutches of eggs over a two year period at Bloor & Ave. Rd on the Four Season Hotel. All three of these nest locations are documented on the CPF web site.
The adult male currently with this female at Mt. Sinai dawns a Black over Green coloured leg band, but he never gave us an opportunity to get a detailed look at the band numbers. Stay tuned, there is more to come………….
In January 2002, volunteers with the Canadian Peregrine Foundationreported numerous sightings of a pair of Peregrine Falcons along University Ave, south of College St. to Dundas St. These two birds would be seen perched on various tall buildings along this stretch of city blocks including the Hydro building, St. Patrick Subway station and Mt. Sinai Hospital.
As the sightings increased and the peregrines developed a pattern of frequenting one particular building, we knew we had another pair of nesting peregrine falcons, looking for a home to choose a nesting area, lay eggs and raise a brood of “chicks”.
The building was Mt. Sinai Hospital.
March 2002, the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, along with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the enthusicastic blessings of Mt.Sinai Hospital, CPF installed a nesting tray on the east side of the hospital to encourage these rare birds to nest. Courtship behaviour continued after installation of the nest tray and everyone was hopeful.
Sightings of the peregrines in the direct area of the hospital continued throughout the month of March and well into April of that year, but slowly dropped off . By June of 2002, only chance sightings of peregrines were reported, perching on the hospital and in the direct area, Hopes of a nest at Mt. Sinai were dashed and no longer possible for 2002. We had soon discovered that this pair of peregrines had moved on and had taken over the active nest at King St.
Over the next 6 years, only occasional sightings of peregrines in the area have been reported, but these birds were actually the adult and offspring from the Sheraton Centre Hotel nest site, not any new birds to this area.
February 2009, while exiting the Queen’s Park Subway station, myself and another volunteer looked up and discovered two peregrines roosting on the far north-east facing ledge. We looked at each other and said “Peregrines!” Both surprised and elated by our find, that after such a long time, finally we have some activity.
Since February 2009, the adult peregrines have been seen on a daily basis in and on the east facing “ledges”. At one time it looked as if they were attempting to nest, but the next day, they were on different ledge areas again. The current behaviour, although encouraging, it is not promising that this pair will produce a clutch of eggs.
We do not have a positive identification of this adult pair, but reports from other observers lead us to believe it is the pair from the uptown area, known as Ranger and Hunter. This pair is has a history of nesting failures that we believe is biological. Observations to date lead us to believe that this pair has not put down any eggs to date, at the Mt. Sinai. Hospital nesting tray.
Monitoring will continue and observations will be posted as they are received. The Canadian Peregrine Foundation welcomes any observations regarding this pair in the area.
Monday March 11, 2002
Linda Woods reports: 06:45 Windwhistler on the east side of Mount Sinai, 2nd ledge and Mandy on the 7th ledge cleaning prey. 07:15 Both adults on the 2nd ledge, east side Mount Sinai.
Marcel Gahbauer reports: Last week, CPF director Mark Nash built a nest tray for installation on the east side of Mount Sinai Hospital. This morning, several of us gathered to put it in place. Representing the Canadian Peregrine Foundation were Mark, myself, Linda Woods, and Bruce Massey. Providing us access and assistance on behalf of Mount Sinai were Simon Stengs, Manager of Building Operations, and Alan Roy, Project Manager of Building Services. The most critical member of our team was Brett Harris from Solar, who climbed down from the roof to the nest ledge and installed the tray for us.
After assembling, we brought the tray and six 18-kg bags of gravel to the roof, while Brett assembled his gear. In the midst of this activity, Mark was whisked away to CBC radio to do an interview on Lightning, as well as our activities at Mount Sinai - it was a hectic morning to say the least! As we prepared our gear on the roof, both Windwhistler and Mandy came in to inspect us briefly - Mandy flew overhead several times then headed off to the east, while Windwhistler actually perched at the southeast corner of the roof for a few minutes to observe before flying away to the southeast.
By around 9:30 we were in action, lowering the nest tray to Brett for placement on the third ledge from the north end of Mount Sinai (on the east side). We had discovered earlier that there is a vent along this ledge which allows air from inside the building to exit - this source of warmth may account for the peregrines preferring these perches during the winter. The box was placed away from the vents, so that it will not be an issue when the weather turns warmer.
As we prepared to lower the gravel, we realized it was coarser than we had expected. As we stood at the edge of the roof contemplating what to do, we spied a large pile of gravel at the construction site across the road. Alan grabbed a pail and agreed to go down to investigate and bring back some of the gravel if it was of an appropriate type. As luck would have it, the gravel was small and smoothly rounded - an ideal substrate for the peregrines to nest in.
While at the ledge, and also on his descent past a lower ledge, Brett observed some of the prey remains left behind by the peregrines. Not surprisingly, pigeons were the most common, but other species were represented too. One long-beaked individual may have been a woodcock.
We are hoping that the peregrines will soon inspect and adopt their new nest tray, and that it will help contribute to a successful nesting season. Photos from the installation will be added to the website within the next week. Our thanks to Simon Stengs and Alan Roy for taking time out of their busy schedules to help us with the installation, and to Brett Harris for doing the job none of us envied - descending to the nest ledge to put the tray in place while the rest of us enjoyed the safety of the roof.
Firstly, I apologize for taking so long to make my posts.
Starting in mid-December I started to regularly see a pair of adult peregrines on the ledges of Mt Sinai, sometimes on the south side and sometimes on the east. During these observations I would often see a third adult on or around the Sheraton. My big breakthrough came on December 12 when I found the Mt Sinai pair in residence on the south ledges and spotted, at the same time, two adults on the Sheraton nest ledge. Finally proof that two pairs were in residence.
Since the beginning of the year I have regularly checked the Mt Sinai ledges and have seldom been disappointed. Yesterday, January 29, the Mt Sinai pair spent most of the day together on the south ledges. At 1 pm I had both the Mt Sinai pair in view on the south ledges and the Sheraton pair in view on the Sheraton nest ledge.
It is going to be a very interesting and busy Spring!