July 03, 2014 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
Marion Nash Reports:
When and I arrived this morning Tormey way low on the 2nd floor canopy over the front of the Yellow Pages building on the north side so I set up on the grass across the street to watch her. Dave came shortly after and set out to look for her brother and sister.
Dave found both a few minutes later and both were high and safe so we settled in to keep an eye on Tormey while she walked back and forth on the overhang flapping and looking like she was not too happy to be there.
In the afternoon Petra decided to take flight and she flew out and hooked back to the building but missed the landing and fluttered down the front of the windows and landed on the opposite 2nd floor overhand to the one her sister was on.
Tormey walked around to see her and the 2 looked across at each other while people came in and out of the front door oblivious to the drama the fledglings were feeling above Oh my how do we get back up there to Mom and Dad???
Dave moved to the North west to watch Petra and I stayed with Tormey and there we sat all afternoon.
At about 1:30 Mom and Dad took off and flew to the south parking area to escort 2 Turkey vultures out of their territory otherwise it was a quiet all afternoon.
Just after 5 PM a new volunteer watcher came to help and I gave Michael a crash corse falcon rescue 101 and set him up on the south west side just in case Petra flew off in that direction and that way Dave and he could watch her and Loran while I keep an eye on the ledge wandering Tormey who could not seem to decide if she preferred the north side of the overhang or the south.
While she was at the south end of the overhang a cuckoo landed just feet from her and scolded her and flew off only to return and do it again twice more, I see why being called cuckoo is not a compliment to ones intelligence.
I was just after 6:00 PM when I heard Michael say that one of the adults flew off to the west after something and asked Dave if he saw what it was. It had a long neck said Dave I think it was a swan.
I began to get quite cold and Dave decided to head home so Michael and I positioned ourselves in the best place we could to keep watch over the 2 girls and not more than 20 minutes after Dave left Tormey took flight from the south end of the lower ledge heading west to the Investors Group building and almost made it but was just a few feet short of the top. She grabbed hold to the top window frame and did the bat manoeuver holding on until mom flew over and batted her off and got her to fly. She hooked back to the Yellow Pages building and kept her altitude landing safely on the 12 floor ledge on the west side that a girl Tormey I thought now stay the heck up there whilst I deal with your sister.
I walked over to her sister Petra who looked down at me standing below her and I said ok kid fly and as if in response she flapped her wings and her feet left the ledge a fer inches and she settled bank sown so again I said good girl fly and she repeated the process. Michael who was watching this came on the radio and said I think she is teasing you so to which I replied I think your right so this time I shouted FLY and I am still laughing because she did. She took off and hooked around the building to the south with both me and Michael in hot pursuit around to the back parking.
Michael said I think I found her and I looked up to whare he pointed and there was a falcon with her back to up high at nest ledge level. Great we had her and «I was happy but after a better ;look that was mom so I backed up a little and had a closer look at the east side and found her walking along the ground on the east side of the building heading north towards the street.
I asked Michael to get circle around to the right of her and get in front of her while a sneak up behind her so he could approach from the front and me from the back so that she would not be flushed into the street. This worked out perfect and within minutes I had her wrapped in a towel and In the rescue carrier.
I called Mark and we decided to hold her over in security and will release her on the roof tomorrow when there is more light.
I will try to get some pictures of her and the release and post them for you tomorrow!
Marion
Posted on July 4, 2014 9:43 am
July 03, 2014 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Marion Nash Reports:
I was out yesterday evening for a bit and believe that I saw all three babies. I did see one baby on his own and then at some point later see the two together so I am assuming that meant I saw all three. There was a point when one of the babies was chasing a gull. The gull was unconcerned and, although it jinked and dived, there was no panic stricken scream from it. I also saw Haven and Malik at different times. Poor Haven looked as if she really was having a *fuzzy feather* day. Her feathers appeared to be all over the place but in the end she did get them under some control, especially when not sitting in the oncoming wind!
Today, Thursday, was a much quieter day from a peregrine stand point. I only saw Haven, Malik briefly and I believe just one juvie. I did not see the daredevil duo around, at least not together. They may have appeared alone at different intervals but I think not. Haven was sitting atop the tall condo across Yonge from Canada Square when Malik flew to Rio-Can and settled on the south east corner. Haven was there in a flash and attempted to take the food parcel from him. He grabbed it and flew to the south west corner with Haven hot on his tail. A juvie appeared out of nowhere and followed Haven who by this time had the food parcel. She and the juvie attempted a transfer and I thought I saw the food parcel fall free. I must have been mistaken because the next thing I saw was the juvie on the roof of Rio-Can and he was eating.
Haven flew over Canada Square and when I was not looking land on the third ledge south. The juvie flew to the south east corner of Rio-Can, Malik eventually flew in and sat on one of the window uprights and that is where I left them.
Lyn
Posted on July 4, 2014 12:25 am
July 03, 2014 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Marilyn Weller Reports:
Hi Folks,
Maureen reports:
not a whole lot going on at the bridge today. Shi Bi stayed on the same ledge on the east side of the bridge all day - she actually sat quite still for a long time and only became active once the rain started. Then she walked about a bit and flapped her wings. Why couldn’t she sit still in the bad weather???? Luckily she didn’t fall or get blown off the ledge!
All four chicks were on that side of the bridge for the afternoon - Shi Bi by herself and the other three up a ledge. Freddie and Voltaire were visible as well.
Hopefully Shi Bi will take some good flights so we can relax. Lancaster tried to show her how to do it, also both parents did fly-bys. She wasn’t moving off that ledge.
They were fed this morning. Actually Freddie left a food package dangling from a girder under the bridge; it eventually fell to the ground. Two days in a row, Freddie lost /dropped food. Tsk.
Marleisse, Ted and I have put “Falcon Watch” signs in our cars; Marliesse made them. The security guy seems unwilling/ unable to know which cars are ours.
Fingers crossed Shi Bi gets airborne and stays airborne!! Everyone else is flying nicely.
maureen
For this evening, some great flights by all 4! Shi Bi took some great high flights, was chased by her brother and is landing up very high. She got to the top of the abutment and sat under the hand rails for a while. She looks great in the air!
Lancaster spent some time chasing parents and sisters. He’s a quick learner!
The fun has begun! Keep watching the sky!
Marilyn
Posted on July 3, 2014 8:57 pm
June 28, 2014 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Rob started off the morning shift at the William Osler nest site with an absolute bang. He was able to locate blue and yellow right away as blue was flying like a rock star and yellow was in the tower screaming about it at the top of her lungs. He scanned the usual places for signs of the other two and no one was to be found. He was approached by a police officer that was curious to know what he was looking at and they struck up a great conversation. Half way through the officer asked if the bird on the emergency drive overhang was one of the peregrines and suddenly Rob was face to face with little Big Red. She was now found! All through his conversation with the officer and search for the missing two, Rob had been texting me and I could barely contain my excitement for him. I wanted to head home right away and help but we still had the event to complete. It goes without saying that my mind was back at William Osler. The texts between us were flying as so were the birds he was watching. Red flew and headed over to the residential area and blue had disappeared to the west. Yellow was screaming in the tower and white was still nowhere to be seen. At some point red flew again and ended up in a tree and then off to the low medical centre roof. It was then that Rob also found white on the same roof and realized that he had been up on the emergency roof as well. Now Rob had all 4 young ones bee bopping around with only one of them having real experience. I texted all the watchers and sent out the help call to which they all responded. Winston arrived first to give Rob a hand with a head count. Bruce arrived from downtown and Bonnie was there as well helping to keep an eye on the 3 chicks in sight. Lucie came down to join the watch crew and Rob went home for a well deserved rest. Winston also left as he was returning that night leaving Bonnie, Bruce and Lucie with the crazy kids all flying about.
For the most part, the flights were all fairly good and calculated. There was some window ledging, glass bumping and tree roosting but by the afternoon they were all landing on the rooftop, nest ledge and hydro tower. That evening the four fledglings were all fed in the tower and one by one they returned to the nest ledge to sleep. One brave little fledgling, blue most likely, decided to spend the night in the tower and the whole family settled in to bed triumphant that they all figured out the wing thing.
Thanks once again to the most amazing crew of watchers. Rob, Bonnie, Lucie, Bruce and Winston for all braving the heat and the madness that fledge watch always brings. Your help today made this such a success. You make it look so easy!! I look forward to spending the day with the family tomorrow and seeing hopefully some of the great flights that I have missed up to now! I can’t wait!!
Posted on July 3, 2014 3:36 pm
June 27, 2014 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Mark arrived to start the morning shift and found he was having trouble locating everyone for the morning head count. The adults were also out of view and so this painted a very frustrating picture. Blue was flying back and forth from the tower to the roof and back so Mark had blue in his sights for sure. As the morning really got going suddenly kids were starting to pop up. Yellow from behind a sign. White from the back of the ledge in the shade. Red from beside a pillar. They were all coming into view now and vocalizing for breakfast. Lots of energy and exercise for the morning but still no fledge other than blue.
Bonnie arrived at noon for the midday watch and all was beginning to quiet down. The chicks had all spent their energy up to this point and were content to flump down and seek the shade for a nap. Blue did some great flights for Bonnie but for the most part, it was a snooze fest.
Lucie arrived at around 5pm and the chicks were now all waking up and getting more active. It would seem that at William Osler, the highest activity level has always been in the evening and so Bonnie stayed with Lucie for a while and Winston arrived a little later on at around 6pm. It was just after Winston’s arrival that little Yellow decided that someone had to make the next leap and it might as well be her. She took off and flew over to the hydro tower and landed well enough. While this might look like an easy flight the fledglings actually have to turn and back flap to land and the beams are not terribly wide. Many a chick misses that landing the first time at it and therefore Lucie and Winston were glad to see that the down was as good as the up in this case. Rob joined them as well and they watched as red and white continued to scream their discontent from the ledge while yellow and blue were now aerialists. Yellow made another flight that evening that took her home to the nest ledge and she yacked about it all evening to her siblings. By nightfall, all four chicks were again reunited on the ledge where they slept for the night together.
A big thank you to Mark, Bonnie, Lucie, Rob and Winston for taking care of the William Osler family today while I was off and away at a CPF event in Renfrew. When I put out the call to everyone for help to cover the site the response was overwhelming and I can’t thank you all enough for your help. Two out and two to go, tomorrow should be a blast!!
Posted on July 3, 2014 3:30 pm
June 26, 2014 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This morning the weather was perfect in that much of the humidity was gone and there was a beautiful breeze at William Osler. An absolutely wonderful day for flights. The morning exercises were in full swing when I arrived and the two females were incredibly vocal and active. This lasted until around 11am when all of the chicks found shade to lay down in and nap for several hours. At just before 2pm, little blue was standing on the east ledge near the nest tray and began to flap. He was facing the northeast corner and with lots of vigour he suddenly was off of the ledge, skirted the face of the nest ledge heading north and then backflapped back down onto the corner of the ledge. Ok! That was a sorta kinda maybe flight but not what I would consider a real fledge. I sat back waiting to see if he had any other tricks up his sleeve. He ran down and around to the north side of the hospital and next thing I know it, he’s in the air and headed for the tower!! He maintained his altitude perfectly, didn’t panic and landed on the top of the tower like a pro. Great job little blue!! He howled and screamed as he attempted to run the girders towards Chessie who was sitting front and centre. I’m sure he was hoping for a reward for his great flight but that was not coming any time soon. Instead of food going up to the flyer, food went into the ledge!! Well!! He was furious and decided that he would then have to return home if he was to get in on any of the goods. He took off from the tower and was going way too fast to break properly. Instead of going straight into the ledge, he banked around to the south side of the hospital and threw himself onto the ledge. He ran all the way back to the east side to join in on the feeding and was amply rewarded for his efforts. Throughout the evening he made another half a dozen flights back and forth from the tower to the roof, from the roof to the tower and finally the tower to the ledge. By late evening he was starting to get a little attitude going and he buzzed his brother with white tape on the southeast corner hoping for a playmate. His plan didn’t work as white stayed put and so blue continued to make his own fun.
By the close of the watch, all four chicks were back on the ledge and sleeping together in one big pile on the southeast corner. Tomorrow the watchers will have their hands full as the remaining three unfledged chicks are more than ready to go.
Posted on July 3, 2014 3:27 pm
June 25, 2014 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Tracy Simpson Reports:
While yesterday did not end in a fledge at the William Osler nest site, it sure was very active with lots of exercising and running of the ledge. Today was no different in that the chicks were raucous the minute that I arrived and were calling to the adults for food. The first feeding arrived at around 8am to a chorus of song and Chessie opted to beak feed even though the young ones were now being quite rough with her and jostling about for position. They each ate their fill but continued to vocalize and one calling would easily start up any others that had become quiet. Even after Chessie left the ledge for some peace in the tower, the kids kept it up. Hurricane was perched on the top of the antenna on the roof where he couldn’t be seen and it was there that he rested comfortably for the morning. Playing and exercising were on the to do list for the morning and at one point, Big Red decided that she was going to take all of her energy and run flap the entire south ledge to the next “H” sign. Her siblings followed suit and they were all off in a mad flap-dash down the ledge. It was little blue though that decided he would cross that magical boundary beyond the southern sign towards the west corner and that finally moved Hurricane off of his perch. He could hear the excited calls of his kids and I’m sure knew exactly where they were based on where the calls were coming from. He flew the length of the south ledge and when he got to little blue he swooped and vocally chastised him which sent him back to the proper side of the sign. Within 20 minutes they had all bounded back down to the southeast corner and flumped down for a good nap. The significance of this activity is important to note as the young ones are exploring the ledge further, gaining confidence and building muscle. This level of exploration is usually a precursor to a fledge and one of the signs that we look for.
The four chicks spent the afternoon as feather pancakes, flat out on the ledge sound asleep. Every once in a while Hurricane and Chessie would drop in to the ledge for a head count and leave seconds later after waking them all up and getting them to their feet. The day was very hot and humid and as mid afternoon approached more rain was on the way. This was certainly much tamer than the day before but as it began to roll in the adults were pretty keen to get the kids rounded up and settled. Chessie flew in to the southeast corner with a large pigeon and began the beak feeding frenzy. It wasn’t two minutes into the feeding when Hurricane showed up with a Blackbird and the young ones didn’t know what to do. Mom or Dad? Who’s got the best goods? Hurricane left the prey with Big Red who had now commandeered the entire piece that was not prepped as of yet. She pulled on it a little but had never dealt with a meal not cleaned first. She fussed and played with it and then gave it up for some beak feeding with the rest of her siblings. After the pigeon was all gone Chessie retrieved the Blackbird and continued the food fest. The rains were now coming down quite heavily and the food was doing its job of keeping the young ones on the ledge today. With very full crops the four chicks played and slept the evening through. We are getting very close to our first fledge and it may be tomorrow is the day!
Posted on July 3, 2014 3:24 pm
July 02, 2014 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
Marion Nash Reports:
There was not much action today until the afternoon feeding when mom and dad booth brought in food, each had a pigeon and dropped them off for the fledglings who were all lined up on the same ledge.
Shortly after Lorne took a short flight around the building landing on the upper level ledge and his sister Tormey flew up to try to land on the point of one of the pyramid shaped skylights on the west elevations as she has seen her mom do over the last couple days. Although she did get there she slipped off and caught the ledge just below.
A rain storm came in later in the afternoon and that along with a full tummy kept the chicks quiet and there was no more flights until the evening. At 8:00 PM Lorne flew off to the north almost to SHEPARD then hooked back to the Yellow Pages building roof top. His sister Petra then took flight and circled the building landing on the west side keeping her elevation. Lorne then took off again and headed for the Investors Group building where we watched him land on the top elevation where he spent a few minutes and flew back to the west side of Yellow Pages for a few minutes and them back again to the Investors group very well done.
Lyn flew in at about 8:30 and the other 2 chicks seemed to take that as a signal to settle down for the evening and they ducked out of site and went to bed, Lorne seemed to want to stay with dad at Investors Group so we left them high and finally dry and called it a night.
Posted on July 3, 2014 8:49 am
July 02, 2014 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
July 2rd - 2014
Saw our 3 at Don Mills/Duncan Mill site today. Pretty active up until the heavy rain around 3:45pm (lots of screeching, fancy flying and eating). Didn’t see much of Quest, only Sky dropping in food and watching the kids. At one point it looked like all 3 were nibbling away at something on separate ledges
Sally
Posted on July 2, 2014 10:05 pm
July 02, 2014 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Marilyn Weller Reports:
From Marliese:
Noon report: all are accounted for and up off the ground (whew) . Cathy, Maureen and Marliese have been led on a merry chase all morning.
Cathy and Vicky found all 3 somewhere in the girders or roofs and Shibi on the girder where we left her last night. By 9 the other 3 were all on Assumption College Roof with Voltaire presiding on the cross. Shibi decided to join them and actually made a decent long high flight but unfortunately has a lousy sense of direction and poor landing skills. In the next two hours she made a number of decent flights and sloppy landings including one on a lamppost until she finally decided it was safer on her original girder, but didn’t make that and landed on the big cherry picker. That was too boring so she hopped to the parking lot fence where she sat for the next hour. Her three siblings made repeated fly bys and sat guard duty above until Lancaster could not stand it any more and flew down to sit beside her on the fence….what a brother. He tried to give flying lessons and finally gave up. Eventually she took off toward Huron Church and the river, mad chase, but she had actually turned and landed safely on the large concrete slab right under the bridge and tucked herself into a corner exhausted. She had not been feed this morning.
Maureen reports:
Well Shi Bi spent some time on the concrete under the bridge, looked totally exhausted. She did stay put for a while, then went for a walk around the perimeter of the ledge. Thankfully no drama. After a couple of hours she (without warning!) took off and got quite high, flew over the bridge and landed finally on a girder under the bridge, the second one from the top, still pretty high. Lancaster flew up to see her, looked like he gave her a little kiss, they touched beaks. So sweet He has been such a good brother, sitting with her on the fence today. And they didn’t communicate while on the fence - I thought they might.
When I left Ted and Marliesse, Shi Bi and Lancaster were on that same girder, Maya was just above the pipe, didn’t see Sojourner, but she had been flying in and out. No feedings while I was there today.
Given that Shi Bi is indeed able to fly, she should be okay provided she is rested. Today she was unable to even get as high as the chain link fence - she actually flew into the fence about 2 feet up, clung on with her feet, then climbed to the top. When she flew off the fence, she had trouble even getting onto the tire of the cherry picker, she was on the ground again, took her a few tries to get any altitude.Given that, it was nice to see her fly high finally.
Also, when she was on the fence she sat on one leg for a good while; her banded leg was tucked up close to her body. Something to watch perhaps.
For this evening, Shi Bi has had a few more flights and some landing issues. She found herself in the grass on the south side of University and quickly walked back to the bridge’s big lift and walked up to the highest point. From there, she took off and managed to get some decent altitude and eventually managed a rough landing on a ledge on the east side of the bridge. Lancaster immediately flew in and greeted her. They are both laying down next to each other since.
Sojourner flew in at the same time with Shi Bi and Lancaster and landed one ledge higher. The 3 have been content on their ledges.
Maya has been sitting under the bridge for a long time.
Freddie just arrived with dinner and landed next to Sojourner. Lancaster and Shi Bi quickly hopped back up and are reminding Daddy that they are hungry too! Lancaster didn’t wait around, but took off and circled up to join Sojourner for dinner. The 2 of them dined well and Shi Bi and Maya were not fed while I stayed.
Hoping for more good flight lessons tomorrow!
Thank you to all of our dedicated and passionate watch team!!
Posted on July 2, 2014 9:56 pm
