March 27, 2015 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Marilyn Weller Reports:
A report from Fremont, Ohio was sent in by Larry Ludwicki, letting us know that Gwenis (2013 hatchling) has settled in with her mate, Magic, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fremont. It would appear her early flight lessons around the Ambassador Church in Windsor may have given her a love of Catholic Church buildings!
A link to the article follows: http://www.thenews-messenger.com/story/news/local/2015/03/25/falcons-gwenis-magic-settle-st-joseph/70447696/
Posted on March 27, 2015 6:31 pm
March 27, 2015 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I stopped in at William Osler for a site check today and found the two adults roosting on the hospital. I was unable to confirm identities today but as of the last check Chessie was confirmed the female and Casper (her winter beau while Hurricane is on migration) was still the male. I went upstairs and checked the camera and there are no eggs as of yet. I will return soon to confirm ID’s and check for the first egg.
Posted on March 27, 2015 3:54 pm
March 27, 2015 - Mississauga - Holcim
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This morning at Holcim the resident adults are very busy working towards laying eggs this season. The female emerged from the nest ledge and flew into the plant area where she sat for quite some time looking as though she was deep in thought. Egg lethargy is very apparent. If she hasn’t laid her first yet it will be laid in the next few days. She has yet to come close enough for a reading of her bands but her lack of a USFW combined with her black over green recovery band is consistent with Caspian. In the past hour the pair have copulated twice and I could clearly see that the male has a solid black recovery band and a silver USFW. This is consistent with Storm. As I write this he has just delivered her breakfast!
I will try and confirm identities before I move on today but will certainly be back for more observations.
Posted on March 27, 2015 9:47 am
March 26, 2015 - Oshawa - Oshawa Activity
Mark Nash Reports:
March 26th - 2015
A quickly update on the Oshawa Lake Ridge Hospital peregrines. I was able to spend several hours today out in Oshawa after having delivered the new nest box that the CPF has built for them to provide a more hospitable nesting habitat for their resident peregrines. I was delighted to catch both peregrines in view, and I was lucky enough to have arrived on site with camera in hand when the “love-birds” were involved in courtship and mating activities with one another.
It would appear that the peregrines have decided to focus their attention on a lower roof top elevation as a possible location to lay their eggs this season, in comparison to the higher roof top elevation that they used last season. All of their attention during the three plus hours that I was on site, was focused entirely on this lower elevation.
Actually, after taking a close detailed look at this lower elevation, it appears to be a much better choice to nest, given that it has protection from both sides as well as a back wall that will protect them from any driving winds and rain. This particular spot emulates the typical “ledge” type nesting environment that peregrines look for when selecting a nest site. As we know only too well, peregrines typically don’t nest on the “top” of cliffs and prefer the safety and protection of a ledge on the side of the cliff. In this case, (and with most of the urban nesting peregrines), this particular elevation surrounded by walls on three sides is just that, a “big ledge” on the side of a man made cliff.
The other good news, is that I don’t see that this elevation is any more challenging to install the nest box on, although, it does remain to be seen when the time comes, as our initial plans was to install the new nest box on the other higher elevation roof top where they had nested and laid their egg last season.
While we have no visual confirmation of any eggs having been laid this season here at the Oshawa Health nest site, (and given the both birds were visible at the same time for over an hour, and copulation was observed during my visit), it is not likely that any eggs have been laid as yet given these events. (Also, in consideration of the cold unseasonal temps that we are still experiencing), if there were egg(s), the female would not have been off her incubation duties for this length of time if there was in fact any eggs,,,,,,
The colder temps usually have the females down in full time incubation regardless almost from the get-go regardless of the amount of eggs that they have produced.
It was obvious that neither of the resident peregrines were involved in any sort of incubation during the three hours of my observation period.
That being said, copulation has obviously begun, and egg(s) are very soon to follow!!!
I have attached some photos, (although not very good ones) as it was still spitting rain, somewhat misty and still quite breezy and cold! So there lies my excuse for such crappy photos! Hmmm, maybe I Just can’t admit to being a crappy photographer.
Stay tuned,,,, as there are more updates to follow………….
Posted on March 27, 2015 6:38 am
March 24, 2015 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
CPF Postmaster Reports:
March 24th - 2015
We must apologize for the lack of updates and recent news as we have had a very busy time in the field working at several nest sites that have demanded our immediate attention, as they are time sensitive time frames due to the up and coming breeding season. Peregrines as you know, wait for no-one!
As always, we are dealing with having never enough hours in the day,, or days in the week, weeks in the month or enough manpower and resources to deal everything on our plate, so all that we can ask of you, is that you to please bear with us as, as we are always stretched thin with limited resources even at the best of times.
There are MANY updates and lots of photos and recent events and happenings in Kitchener that will be posted this weekend when I can finally get back to the office and a computer with a reliable internet connection to focus on the postings and updates.
For a sneak-peak - click on this link to see a very surprized Castor and his mate as they see the new nest box for the very first time
- http://review.bellmedia.ca/view/1375081157
Peregrine mating - (Castor and his female mate on the CTV tower) photographed by Karen von Knobloch. Great shots Karen,, thank you MUCH for being there just a the right time and sharing these photos with us!!!! As a result of Karen’s photos, we were able to confirm via the close-ups of his leg band colours and band digits, that the banded adult male is still in fact Castor, and that his female mate is still an un-banded female. Her origin is still unknown.
Stay tuned…………….
Posted on March 27, 2015 12:54 am
March 25, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Quest has been all over her first egg, laid yesterday, allowing us very limited views of it. She has just recently left it for a moment giving us a full view of her first of 2015. Thank you Quest for letting us have the opportunity for a peek at the egg. The second should be along soon.
Posted on March 25, 2015 10:28 am
March 24, 2015 - Toronto - Don Mills
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Quest has been in the scrape “meditating” for a few days now and the arrival of her first egg was expected by sharp eyed cam watchers. While difficult to see, the first egg is definitely in the scrape and Quest is staying tight to the nest bowl for now. Congratulations Duncan Mill Road on your first egg of 2015.
Posted on March 24, 2015 4:22 pm
March 24, 2015 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:
As of Sunday Or Monday full time incubation is underway. Cirrus is down in her usual spot at the back of the box.
Posted on March 24, 2015 1:22 pm
March 24, 2015 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I checked the camera this morning and caught the adults in the midst of a change. Just before the male came in I was able to capture a cam image of the four eggs now in the nest bowl. Congratulations to MEC. We look forward to the potential hatches to come.
Posted on March 24, 2015 9:12 am
March 23, 2015 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
March 23rd - 2015
Thank you to Olga for snapping this shot via the Toronto Sheraton web cam of the two love birds on the nest ledge talking up a storm!
Hmmm,, I think that its serious!
Stay tuned………
Posted on March 23, 2015 10:59 pm
