May 09, 2013 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Tracy Simpson Reports:
With nest sites throughout southern Ontario all hatching eggs this week the Fledge Watch program will be in full swing throughout June at multiple sites and all at the same time this year. This critical positive intervention program that was pioneered by the CPF in Ontario has been in operation since 1996 and each year has supported the offspring of nesting pairs with resounding success. Were it not for the stewardship efforts and the gift of time from all of our volunteers, many of the Ontario hatched resident adults that are currently producing young of their own would not be alive today. This message is a call to you to join us in June for one of the most incredible things we get to experience supporting this species at risk.
What do you need to be a Fledge Watch volunteer? Well, I’m glad you asked; two things. The first would be the generous gift of your time during the month of June for which we are all so grateful. Whether you can spare an hour, a day, a week or every waking moment, it all contributes to the success of the program, the survival of the inexperienced peregrine offspring and the ongoing monitoring efforts of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation. The second thing that you will need is the sincere desire to be a part of something so amazing that it will be one of those memorable experiences that you will never forget. I won’t tell you tales here, there are days that are slow. These are the days that are filled with learning more about the birds, stories, camaraderie, training and connecting with the local community; all rewarding in their own right. There are also days where its absolute pandemonium and we all wish the fledglings would just stop moving for all of one second so we can count heads and catch our breath. Regardless of the type of day it is, I can say this from my personal experience and it is a sentiment that all of our watchers both new and seasoned share. You will go home knowing that you helped make a difference in the life of a species at risk in Ontario and that you have given each and every juvenile at your chosen watch site a chance at survival that they otherwise wouldn’t have. It is incredibly rewarding knowing that your presence made all the difference in the world.
Last year the Fledge Watch teams collectively rescued 21 juvenile peregrine falcons from imminent mortality and gave them a second chance at life. If you would like to be a part of one of these critical support teams this June, we would love to hear from you. Please send us an email to raptor4@peregrine-foundation.ca with your name, a contact number, your site of interest and a general indication of the time you can share. We will be following up with you with further details about the site you are going to attend and the expected start date for that watch. Fasten your seatbelts and return your trays to the upright position for lift off in June!! As always it promises to be one amazing flight after another!!!
Posted on May 9, 2013 1:22 pm
May 09, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
With nest sites throughout southern Ontario all hatching eggs this week the Fledge Watch program will be in full swing throughout June at multiple sites and all at the same time this year. This critical positive intervention program that was pioneered by the CPF in Ontario has been in operation since 1996 and each year has supported the offspring of nesting pairs with resounding success. Were it not for the stewardship efforts and the gift of time from all of our volunteers, many of the Ontario produced resident adults that are currently producing young of their own would not be alive today. This message is a call to you to join us in June for one of the most incredible things we get to experience supporting this species at risk.
What do you need to be a Fledge Watch volunteer? Well, I’m glad you asked. Two things. The first would be the generous gift of your time during the month of June for which we are all so grateful. Whether you can spare an hour, a day, a week or every waking hour, it all contributes to the success of the program, the survival of the inexperienced peregrine offspring and the ongoing monitoring efforts of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation. The second thing that you will need is the sincere desire to be a part of something so amazing that it will be one of those memorable moments that you will never forget. I won’t tell you tales here, there are days that are slow. These are the days that are filled with stories, camaraderie, training and connecting with the local community all rewarding in their own right. There are also days where its absolute pandemonium and we all wish the fledglings would just stop moving for all of one second so we can count heads and catch our breath. Regardless of the type of day it is, I can say this from my personal experience and it is a sentiment that all of our watchers both new and seasoned share. You will go home knowing that you helped make a difference in the life of a species at risk in Ontario and that you have given each and every juvenile at your chosen watch site a chance at survival that the otherwise wouldn’t have. It is incredibly rewarding knowing that your presence made all the difference in the world.
Last year the Fledge Watch teams collectively rescued 21 juvenile peregrine falcons from imminent mortality and gave them a second chance at life. If you would like to be a part of one of these critical support teams this June, we would love to hear from you. Please send us an email to raptor4@peregrine-foundation.ca with your name, a contact number, your site of interest and a general indication of the time you can share. We will be following up with you with further details about the site you are going to attend and the expected start date for that watch. Fasten your seatbelts and return your trays to the upright position for lift off in June!! As always it promises to be one amazing flight after another!!!
Posted on May 9, 2013 1:14 pm
May 09, 2013 - Toronto - Don Mills
Kathy Reports:
Donna from RFalcon caught a peek at the first hatch for Quest & Kendal early this morning!! Congratulations!!
Posted on May 9, 2013 7:33 am
May 08, 2013 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
May 8th - 2013
earlier this evening, I was able to get a few snapshots of a food delivery and get a look at the nest ledge for a few minutes while both of the adults were off incubation duties. I was able to snap a few photos from the web cam and now I’m really confused!!!
Has there been a hatch? Are two eggs gone? Is there is one or two eggs left / visible? Given the date that the first egg was laid, we should have a hatch any day now!
As I watched the resident adult female return to the nest ledge, she sure looked perplexed as she looked her eggs! Maybe one of the eggs is just starting to pip!
Hopefully, we will get another opportunity later on this evening to get another look, or early tomorrow morning before the sun gets high in the sky and floods the nest ledge with way tooooo much light for the camera to dal with!
Stay tuned, and keep watching! Send us some web can photos if you get a better look at what’s happening.
You will have to decide what you see in the photos that I snapped earlier this evening.
What do you see?
Linda
Posted on May 8, 2013 8:00 pm
May 03, 2013 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
May 3rd - 2013
Despite the efforts of many on both sides of the border, the resident Niagara falls peregrines have both eluded and confused us all, (in addition to the frustration experienced from all as to just where they are actually nesting this season)!
A huge thank you to Jacquie who has been able to identify the actual nest site! While it still remains on the old OPG powerhouse wall on the Canadian side of the Niagara gorge, the peregrines have really been sneaky this year and given us all a run for the money in an effort to locate the nest site. For some unknown reason, the resident grins have decided not to nest in the same spot as in previous years. Although they have been successful in producing offspring over the past few years in this old nesting spot, they have obviously decided to change locations.
Jacquie writes:
Hi folks,
I just wanted to send you an update on the falcons at the Falls. They did not use the nest cavity this year, and for the past couple of weeks we have been trying to figure out where they are nesting. When I was there on April 30 I was pretty sure I saw the tail feathers and wingtips of an incubating falcon poking out from behind a pink board in one of the boarded up windows on the old power building, but I couldn’t be sure. I was there again on May 3 and saw the same thing, but again I wasn’t sure if it was a bird, or shadows, or some debris in the window. I had not seen any adults going into or out of that window, so I was doubting myself. However, today when I was there I saw the tail feathers again poking out from behind the pink board, and then I saw the female (I am assuming it was the female) get up and reposition herself before going back behind the board.
They were sneaky this year! But I finally confirmed my suspicions about that window. She did spend a lot of time there her first year before she chose that other window closer to where you guys installed the nest box. And they used it as a prey cache last year. I have attached photos of the window location so you can see where I am talking about. Now all we have to do is figure out when incubation began. I think the earliest report I have is Tracy Simpson’s observations from April 21, when she thought they were possibly incubating somewhere on the OPG building. But I also have reports of only one adult seen perched on the building a few times during the first week in April. So I am not sure how accurately we can estimate a hatch date. Probably the best we can do is get some watchers there to look for evidence of chick-feeding.
I’ll let you know if I have anything further to report. I hope all is well on your side! Happy falcon season!
- Jacquie Walters
Posted on May 8, 2013 7:42 pm
May 08, 2013 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
I saw Voltaire feed two babies at 12:05pm. Yay!!
Posted on May 8, 2013 12:58 pm
May 08, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I just checked the camera and found two sweet little faces looking for food. The two now visible chicks waited for an adult to return with food and ate their fair share and then some. An ”unhatched as of yet” egg was in front of them that they leaned on to get a good reach forward towards the food. Where the fourth egg is we are unsure but we can confirm 2 little ones for sure.
Posted on May 8, 2013 12:46 pm
May 07, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
6 Turkey Vultures just came into the territory and that was enough to get O’Connor out of the nest box and join Jack in defending the nest ledge. The TV’s were quite brazen and came right over to the building and then the chase was on. Tandem attacking by our falcons as they paired up to give them a thumping and move them out of range of the nest ledge. It was quite the sight to see!
No inuries but the TV’s got the message.
Posted on May 7, 2013 1:38 pm
May 07, 2013 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
11:05 am and Jack arrived with a package of food to the nest ledge. O’Connor took it and flew over to the condo tower. Jack sat by the nest box a minute and then went into to it and not even a minute later O’Connor was back with the package in her talons and Jack jumped out and she went in.
It’s been challenging to ascertain what is going on up there this year. O’Connor is a ‘master of discretion’ and isn’t giving up anything voluntarily.
Unless she’s suddenly decided to start dining al fresco - I’d say she’s feeding something up there!
Lots of excitement yesterday as several people witnessed and heard both Jack and O’Connor taking on a pair of Red Tail Hawks who have been hanging around the towers.
Posted on May 7, 2013 11:22 am
May 06, 2013 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Kathy Reports:
Our friend Dutch Eagle Fan just caught the second hatch for Cass and Sante!!
Posted on May 6, 2013 4:57 pm
