June 24, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
June 24th 2016
Spending my Birthday with my feathered friends 
We arrived to find no fledglings at the nest this morning so I went on a walkabout to try to find Quasar and Louise who must have taken off early. Malik was sitting on the farthest north ledge so I expected they were not too far away but where, cant find then on the block. I know from all the years on the watch at this site that it is best to just sit and watch the adults sooner or later they will come in with food and the chicks will pop up someplace and start yelling to be fed. I sat down to wait for Mom or Dad to show me where they were.
When Bruce arrived I took a trip to the store on Eglinton and Duplex for some water and sure enough mom flew into view and the chicks sounded off. Bruce spotted Louise on Rio Can and I found Quasar on TVO. Quasar’s spot on TVO had a ledge that dropped down a couple feet. He was up and down several times so that is why I could not find him when I got there he must have been down out of site and Louise was so tight to the corner of Rio Can she was very easy to miss until she moved.
Bruce was very worried about Symphony and decided to head off north in search of her once again and I stayed to keep an eye on the other 2.
Bruce came back about and hour and a half later hot and tired having pounded the Pavement for several blocks with no luck. I told him don’t worry there is a very good chance she will make her way home, yesterdays flight was high and strong she is likely up on a balcony somewhere.
Mark joined us at 6:00 PM and was just setting up the scope when Bruce shouted who’s that pointing up at the roof top of Rio Can, We all looked up and could confirm that it was Symphony back from her adventure. She spent a little time there then flew to the nest building landing on the top of the roof.
The evening ended at dark with all 3 chicks in the same place and all safe and high.
Posted on June 25, 2016 9:29 am
June 23, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:
June 23rd - 2016
While it was a good day overall today on the Uptown Toronto fledge watch here at the Canada Square, the day’s fledge closed on a downer note.
We arrived early this morning and much to our delight, all three juveniles were still high on the nest building,, exactly where we had left them at darkness last night when we closed the fledge watch for the evening. Louise was on the upper west porch ledge to the right of the nest ledge, Quasar was on the upper nest ledge porch and Symphony was still on the upper west balcony level, and both parents were in view.
The day was much cooler with no humidity and overcast, and I must say absolutely delightful in comparison to the 30 plus degrees and debilitating humidity that we had to deal with two days ago!!
So first the good news,, Louise finally took her first flight this afternoon and was successful in returning back to the exact ledge that she started from,, (this after bumping off a few windows on the RioCan building while trying to land on the small concrete pillars on the south wall of the building that her parents are often found roosting on),, and then trying to land on the top of one of the black columns above the nest ledge level on the Canada Square nest building.
Throughout her entire flight, her father - “Malik” flew by her side like her wing man,, and accompanied her in an effort to steer her clear and guid her to a safe landing, but alas, you know kids,, rarely do they listen to their parents! Thus was the case,, with several bumps with the windows, (some window washing as we say), and some concrete busting, they eventually learn by their mistakes, through trial and error,, Louise flew back around to the nest building , collided with the concrete and flopped back down to the ledge where she began her.
For the next hour, she hunkered down out of our sight on the ledge with an obvious bruised ego and shaken confidence. While we knew that the concrete busting was not life threatening or hard enough to cause her injury we waited patiently for her to pop back up into our view,,, and she eventually did, obviously no worse for ware. She remained on this ledge for the balance of the day and eventually settled down by darkness when we departed for the evening.
Quasar on the other hand, stayed tight to her ledge all day, with lost of screaming both to and at her parents during many of their fly-bys, with lost of flapping and several down and outright tantrums!!
Now the not so good news,,, with Symphony taking her second flight. Late this afternoon, Symphony took to the air for the second time and flew north up Duplex finally landing on a west facing balcony of the apartment building just north of Eglinton. The good news is that she didn’t lose any altitude. The bad news, is that she was now out of sight of both the nest building and her parents. Bruce repositioned himself further north on Duplex to keep a direct line of sight on her while Cathy Marion and myself stayed firm to keep an eye on the other two siblings fearing that all of the adults fly-bys would have them bolting into flight.
After more than an hour of roosting quietly on the apartment balcony, she bolted into the air flying north on Duplex and was quickly out of Bruce’s view. Bruce, Cathy and myself searched the area further to the north, west and east but we were unable to locate her. The good news is that she had a great deal of altitude and a rather strong flight.
Unfortunately, by the time darkness fell and the end of the days fledge watch, Symphony’s location had eluded us and her location remained a mystery.
We are hopeful that we will be able to locate her tomorrow.
Posted on June 24, 2016 1:37 am
June 23, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I was on the watch this past Tuesday and had a great time with the Canada Square family. Haven and Malik stayed hidden for most of the morning and made a huge impression on us all in the pursuit of lunch for the girls. Symphony was the most active and I am not surprised that she was the first to fledge. Just before I left on Tuesday we also were treated to a Turkey vulture determent session from the resident adults. My picture was too far away to be detailed but it sure shows the size difference between the two!!
Posted on June 23, 2016 11:22 pm
June 22, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
Before I got to the watch today Toronto Police 53 Division called to let me know that one of the falcons was down. I asked them to try a rescue and that I was on my way. By the time Mark and I had arrived the fledgling had evaded their attempt to capture her and was now in their back parking lot. Mark was able to easily net her and found that she was just fine so we put her in the rescue carrier for a trip back to the balcony just below the nest ledge where her parents can continue her care and give another chance and the altitude she needs to fly. Thanks to our great friends at 53 division Symphony lives another day and has a second chance.
Message from 53 Division
Attached are some photos from today’s rescue. We were all very happy that we had a small helping hand in making sure that Symphony was safe and returned to her nest. I also have a short video (about 1 min, 11 seconds long), of the rescue however I’m not able to email it as it is too long. I will try to send it to your Foundation’s FB page.
Kim Hollett #86812
53 Division
Toronto Police Service
After Symphony’s rescue we had a chance to scope the nest ledge and only saw Louise no Quasar. Mark went in search of Quasar while I kept an eye on Louise but not long after he left I saw Dad swoop down and land just above the mall entrance across Eglinton very low, too low for an adult so I suspected our Quasar might be there somewhere. Less than 2 minutes later she pooped up out of a depression on the ledge right beside her dad and took flight west on Eglinton very low and dad chased after her, I radioed Mark and took off after the pair up Eglinton where I saw them hook back to the east heading back to Canada Square and home and with a little help from the wind and her dad who flew under her and bumped her up from below 3 times she made it right back to the porch beside Louise and a safe landing what a great dad!
Posted on June 22, 2016 11:45 pm
June 21, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
Tracy started the watch this morning and as soon as Haven brought in food to the chicks on the porch Louise decided to join her sisters determined not to miss breakfast. Symphony has been flapping a lot and spending time very close to the ledge so I expect she may be the first to go.
The chicks were fed at least 3 times today so they sure have the energy to be ready for that first flight.
Although the girls are getting more active on the ledge they are still quite happy to have a nice nap in the afternoons so it makes for a rather boring couple hours for the watchers but this time we had a little excitement and Mark, Tracy, Bruce and I got to watch Haven and Malik go after a Turkey Vulture who made the mistake of cruising into their air space and got it proverbial but kicked and then escorted out of their territory. Mom and Dad 1 Turkey Vulture 0 
At 9:00 PM Haven dropped onto the porch and fed the chicks and perched on the column above to put them to bed for the night so Mark and I packed it up to resume tomorrow.
Posted on June 21, 2016 11:58 pm
June 20, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
Symphony and Quasar have taken that first step and have jumped down from the nest to the front porch but Louise has yet to join them perhaps tomorrow. No flights but Symphony looks quite ready. Haven and Malik have been flying by often showing the little ones how its done. We saw only 2 feedings today so I think the weaning has started.
Posted on June 20, 2016 10:59 pm
June 17, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
Spent a few hours watching today but nothing yet likely wont take first flights until Sunday or even Monday. Haven was the only one flying.
Posted on June 17, 2016 8:14 pm
June 15, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
Spent a couple hours with Haven, Malik and their chicks today just to get an idea of how they are progressing so I and plan on when to start the watch. Although my lens is a 150 to 500 it is still a very distant shot but looking at the photos I got of the chicks it will be another few days until they are ready. 2 of the chicks still have lots of down on them 1 a little less but they have not yet ventured out of the nest to the “veranda” the concrete ledge just off the nest ledge same level which is the usual next move for the chicks at this nest site. Not much flapping and exorcising of the wings either so perhaps this weekend we will see more progress and will start the watch if it looks like they are ready.
Took a few shots of Haven flying but again very far so they are not the best pics.
Posted on June 15, 2016 6:56 pm
June 06, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
June 6th 2016
3 Girls for Canada Square. Thanks to the folks at Canada Square Oxford Property Management for getting us access to the nest and to the staff at the Canadian Tire offices on the 14th floor for hosting this years banding of the peregrine chicks everything went very well.
Mark Heaton of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests with help form staff members from communications Andrea and Kristine as well as 2 from the Ministers office Peter and Kory banded 3 healthy female falcon chicks. It was so nice to see the folks from Queens Park taking an interest and participating in the hands on field work of their area biologists.
This year one of CPF’s long standing volunteers of 18 years, John Miller a certified climber went out to the ledge to extract the chicks and although John has done this many times at many sites he had never met a more feisty mother falcon than Canada Squares Haven said John “she was far more aggressive than Madam X from Hamilton”.
The chicks were weighed before banding and all were of good and healthy weights based on their age. The chicks were named by members of Oxford Properties Security, Canadian Tire and a contest winner from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests.
chick 1 920 grams Band S over 55 named Symphony
chick 2 850 grams Band S over 56 named Louise
Chick 3 800 grams Band S over 57 named Quasar
Posted on June 6, 2016 11:31 pm
May 20, 2016 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Mark Nash Reports:
May 19th - 2016
Banding date for the Canada Square is set and booked (rain or shine) for June 6th at 11am!
Things are happening fast and furious this season with more than a dozen nest sites having hatches all within the same ten day period, we are, as usual scrambling to arrange bandings with everyone involved, two window washers companies, all of the building management groups, rock climber, press and media, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forrest, Canadian Wildlife Service and Environment Canada, and a host of other support team members and CPF volunteers needed to make it all happen!
With a very short window of opportunity to actually safely extract and band the hatchlings (between 18 days and 28 days old),, the very short ten day window of opportunity to band all of these nest sites when their hatch days are so close, is a daunting task to say the least!!!
That being said, the various banding dates are being booked, changed, rescheduled and then re-booked and confirmed again as all of the pieces eventually come together to meet everyone’s schedules, which of course all surrounds the hatch days and ages of the hatchlings!
Banding date for the Canada Square is set and booked (rain or shine) for June 6th at 11am!
With so many banding dates to meet, we will be banding several nest sites on the same day in some cases and the dates are being booked as usual, with very short notice. Welcome to working with wildlife that have their own schedule!!
We will be out in Mississauga in the afternoon on June 6th doing yet another banding at 3pm!!
Posted on May 20, 2016 11:52 pm
