June 23, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Wait a minute if they are all under the umbrellas where is Ken?
Dedicated bird watchers Caroline, Sharon and Gwenster and Ken standing in the rain taking the picture.
How do I know he is in the rain? His umbrella is right there in the picture.
This is a special thank you to ALL our dedicated spotters who all contributed in their own way.
Our family of falcons is in high gear.
From what I have seen the birds are on the go before the crack of dawn.
The falcons really put on a show at the North West corner of our viewing area especially when the wind is brisk out of the North West.
Our youngster flies every where even to the top of the tower of the bridge.
D&G
Posted on June 23, 2009 8:06 am
June 22, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Well we were at the bridge this morning and the training is moving along. Freddie came in with a kill and flew on to the abutment and feathures were a flyin. Youngster was on the white cable 1/5th the way up. Voltaire was 2/3rds the way up. youngster was clamouring. Voltaire came to the abutment (youngster in Tow) picked up the food package and flew East over the Church yard youngster in hot pursuit and Freddie Really obviously flying wing man. Circled around under the bridge and up to the nest and the food package was dropped on the nest sight. Freddie took up position on the ledge East of the nest. Youngster jumped on the food package like it was going to escape and the chunk of food got stuck on his talons. He looked like a cartoon character, jumping around with a bucket stuck on his foot!! Round and round in circles, flapping trying to kick the food off!! Too hilarious!!!!
If you love to see falcons fly this is a wonderful time. Don’t miss it. Just like the days of amazing growth from egg to flight in 39 days. You now get to see two very dedicated parents who are excellant hunters trying to teach the youngster their very best moves. Actually just taging along and watching the parents execute their hunting skills,will give the youngster a very good chance at being an excellant hunter. Please if you do watch them please report your sightings so we can post.
I read something very interesting that concurs with some of our findings. I’ll post it tomorrow. I’ve also gotten a better look at some of the archive photos of the female chick. I think if we study those archive photos we can fine tune how to read their body language (posture) and facial expressions.
It looks like we are super lucky and the “Falcon Finishing School” will stay at the bridge. A good falcon friend that has watched over many a nest had a family move to an unknown location for 6wks. to do the trainig. The falcons came back so she knew they were OK but missed the training.
Keep looking up.
Dennis and Gwenster.
Posted on June 22, 2009 9:36 pm
June 20, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Dear Peregrine Community,
I am sorry to inform all of you that late Friday the little female chick died peacefully at Wings Rehab from a type of fungus infection. We believe this to be the first reported case of such an infection at Wings Rehab.
Obviously this outcome is far from what any of us hoped for our peregrine family and our first Peregrine Watch.
However, it is important to put this sad news into perspective: the rate of mortality for young peregrines in their first year ranges from around 60% to over 80%.
The fact that one out of two chicks on our Watch not only survived, but seems to be doing very well is a success. This first Peregrine Watch has been a learning experience for everyone involved, and we all did a good job under very challenging circumstances. We have learned so much that can be applied to future Watches. Look how far we’ve come! As a community we went from no peregrines, to a pair of peregrines checking out the nest site but without a successful hatching, to having 3 eggs but only 2 hatch, to having 2 young make their way into the world, and one chick doing extremely well. Now Voltaire & Freddy can focus all their attention on the young male, and that is a good thing.
Once again, Dennis & I thank you for your commitment, passion, and concern regarding these young peregrines. We do plan to apply lessons learned from this year’s Watch, and we sincerely hope that you will consider being part of this important effort in the future. And of course, we hope our family of peregrines will grace us with their presence next year.
Dennis Patrick
Gwenster
CPF Site Coordinator
Caroline Biribauer
Friends of Watersheds Organizer
Essex Region Conservation Authority
P.S. We will be reviewing our picture archive history to see if we can I.D. when little missy started to exhibit.
We wil forward our findings on this disease to all our fellow net watchers.
The two shots of the female chick flapping were on June 10/09. Do you see anything?
Posted on June 20, 2009 11:41 pm
June 17, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Thank you Mark for these shot. Nice one with all four family members present.
Hats off to two of our spotters for a heads up play catching a couple of quick feedings of our little Princess on the nest.
Great job Sharon and Ken.
What a team!!!!
These little beggars have won our hearts so much that I think if we could fly for them we would.
I’ll be posting again later. Heading down now to the nest site.
D&G & “The Falcon Crazy team”
Posted on June 17, 2009 5:01 pm
June 16, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
It is with great relief that I post that our little male is “flying like a Champ” to use Smurf one of our spotters words. Up to the top of the Tower all around. So this is just a quick post to let everyone know he’s doin fine!!!!!!!!!!!! Come down and watch our flyer and help with the watch on his sister who hasn’t gotten up the nerve to venture out yet.
D&G
Posted on June 16, 2009 11:20 am
June 15, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Junior is flying high amongst the beams of the bridge!!!!!!!!!!!
Caroline and Bob report Junior flew off the abutment and tried to land on the pipe where Voltaire sits but missed. He flew down quite a ways and is now working his way back to mom.
BUT HE IS WAY UP IN ALTITUDE!!!!!!!!!
D&G & “The Falcon crazy Crew”
Posted on June 15, 2009 2:15 pm
June 15, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Special message to Linda one of our spotters who had to go out of town. Junior looked great!!! Safe and Sound!!
I was down at the bridge shortly after 5:00 this morning. Our little guy was sitting up on the beam we left him on last night squawking allot!!
Freddie came back with food did a couple of fly a rounds the beam junior was on and then landed on the beam, let junior get close to the food and then flew to the abutment. Our little guy got the drill and beautifully flew up to where Freddie was. Not to the nest ledge but 1/3rd the way up on the west side. It was the best controlled upward flight I have seen yet!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course Voltaire gave Freddie the boot and fed junior herself. Our female was also fed and it appears that by the time junior gets his flying skills up she will probably be good to try. Junior exhibited strong flying skills on Sunday just some control issues. I looked at some Sunday photos and the only way I can describe Juniors flying is he looks like driving a car with the emergency brake on “tentative and thus short on the inbound landing”.
Caroline and Bob HB are at the Bridge now if you want to join in just head down and enjoy helping out.
We’ll keep you posted.
D&G & “The Falcon Crazy Team”
Posted on June 15, 2009 12:40 pm
June 15, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
At 6:05 am we arrived at the nesting site and were only able to see and hear one young falcon on the nesting ledge of the Ambassador Bridge but were able to hear the calls of another coming from a different location to the west. After a few minutes of tracking the noise I finally spotted the fledgling on the roof of a 3 story apartment building at the corner of Indian and University . The first feeding we observed was by the female parent (Voltaire) at about 8:30 am.
Mary Lou Thompson (Lou)
and Ken Hawkins(Hawk)
This is the report I couldn’t get out to you from Saturday.
D&G
Posted on June 15, 2009 8:21 am
June 14, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
What a day!!!! Our little male earned both frequent flyer miles and frequent walker miles! Hats off to a great falcon crazy team effort. This little fellow had everyones heart in their throats and all of us running around in circles.
Steve a falconer friend of Jerry the photographer reviewed the pictures and he feels our little guy will be flying like the blazes within a couple of days.
I’m not sure who has worse blisters the falcon or us????
I would also like to welcome all our new friends that stopped in today and chatted. It was great to see so many of our experienced birding community stop in and help out today as well.
We left our little buddy hunkered down on one of the cross beams. Hopefully he’ll be right there when we return at first day light. To you other photographers send in those afternoon and evening shots. We love to seee them all and I will post them as well.
D&G & “The Falcon Crazy Team!!!!
Posted on June 14, 2009 11:01 pm
June 13, 2009 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
Our little male joined the first air born!!!
Sorry Lou, if you sent me an email I had you send it to my work email so I have to wing this. Thanks for the hot dogs too. Lou was first on the scene this morning and found our little male had made his first flight and ended up on an apartment roof two buildings south west of the nest ledge. When we arrived there was some wide eyed hystaria oh and the birds were pretty noisy too!!!
So we basically watched the little fella run around get fed numerous times and then this evening he took a shot at flight again. He headed for the Ledge but only made it half way up the abutment. He tried to bat out but lost his grip on the cement wall and dropped off the wall and flewBack across University and landed on the cross beam on the bridge. The parents seemed relieved that he was off the roof and so were we.
Our female youngster is still behind and pretty lethargic but not a point to worry.
I was amazed at the speed at which both parents were at the males side the instant the little guy was under way. Freddie and Voltaire are superb parents. I am waiting for some more shots to come in but these will get you started.
Dennis and Gwenster and the whole “Falcon Crazy Team”
Posted on June 13, 2009 11:44 pm
