June 15, 2024 - Toronto - Don Mills
Cathy Kerr Reports:
I am very lucky to have two great friends and photographers who are keeping me up to date on our family at Don Mills. Ted and Rob have sent me so many fantastic photos.
The kids are doing absolutely amazing (I’m not biased at all, lol ). So wonderful to see them learning and getting stronger.
Thank you again Ted and Rob!
There are lots of pictures from both of them and they are amazing! And more to com
Posted on June 25, 2024 7:46 pm
June 18, 2024 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH UPDATE - MISSISSAUGA EXECUTIVE CENTRE (MEC) - Saturday, June 15 - Tuesday, June 18, 2024
It is with great sadness that I am reporting the loss of our beloved COOPER (green tape). Winston found her body on Saturday on an overhang low down on MEC1 which appears to be the result of an impact with the building. Man, this is so hard
Because of this very hot week, Bruce and Winston came by in the evening, and I share Bruce’s report “From what Winston and I saw tonight, I think that the MEC watch can be scaled back to spot checks. It looks like the pair are flying together, and they weren’t getting into too much danger. They were respectful of each other and if one wanted to break off and land the other one was allowing it
I wish so much for ALDA and OLYMPIA to be successful in learning all that it takes to move on to their next phase in life
Cheers, Lucie
Posted on June 25, 2024 7:27 pm
June 17, 2024 - Toronto - Don Mills and Eglinton - Amexon
Cathy Kerr Reports:
DON MILLS /AMEXON BANDING :
Our last banding for 2024 and Holden and Nagata had the best surprise for us—THREE CHICKS!!! Now as we were only expecting 1 chick(due to previous documentation) , there are a couple of possibilities here. After the first 3 eggs weren’t viable, she ate them for their calcium and reclutched 4 more. Or something or someone, interrupted the process and after laying the 3, she kept them viable until she could safely lay the 4th egg. Absolutely no way of knowing exactly what happened here as there was no way to watch this nest. And at the end of the day… We have 3 healthy, very fiesty, loud chicks! That is all that matters. Way to go Nagata! I am absolutely thrilled to announce 2 boys and a girl for them. If anyone is wondering why we did not go up to check again, it is because we do not want to disturb them any more than we already had. And the purpose of checking is so that we can confirm a hatch date, to help with determining the banding date and when we need to start the fledge watch. Glad it’s not this week as it’s going to be a scorcher lol.
What a wonderful way to end the bandings this year!
I want to thank Mark Heaton and Eva Bobak, of the Ministry of Natural resources for volunteering their time to band all of our chicks. I also want to thank my team (the best) of Sally, Lucie and Rob for helping out (also volunteers) at the bandings. And of course John Beals, our climber who is so great at this.
And a big thanks to all of the buildings the peregrines have chosen to nest on, from property management to security, and maintence staff, for their continued support.
And to Mark Nash
Introducing :
GIDEON , 894g, female, 44/AB, red tape
LERXST (sounds like Lurks, named after guitarist with the band Rush, his nickname, you are welcome Don ), 672g, male, X/73, white tape
And, PETER, (named after long time security and friend, who loved the peregrines, at Amexon, who passed away earlier this year,
X/74, Blue tape
Can’t wait for fledge watch…
Posted on June 25, 2024 7:22 pm
June 15, 2024 - Oshawa - Lakeridge Hospital
Cathy Kerr Reports:
LAKERIDGE FLEDGE WATCH :
Linda let me know that little Echo has fledged!! He did the deed yesterday morning… Way to go Echo. Did a nice flight (right in front of Linda, who got great shots) and landed up on the hospital roof!! Wonderful. Let’s hope for many more great flights.
Thanks again to Linda for watching and sharing her great photos.
Posted on June 25, 2024 7:12 pm
June 13, 2024 - Etobicoke - William Osler
Cathy Kerr Reports:
WILLIAM OSLER/ ETOBICOKE GENERAL UPDATE :
It’s that time! On Thursday afternoon, I got an email while at work. They had a fledgling down! It was in a corner, no real way out. Thanks to Mala for letting me know and staying with her. I said I was on my way. But I remembered that Lucie was going to MEC, which was out that way. And got a hold of her as she was on her way. Of course she could rescue Rio(red-girl). Into a carrier she went, then into a nice cool, quiet room for a rest.
Lucie was off to MEC. I went over after work. Now, I waited until rush hour was mainly over, but it still took me over an hour to get there. Lucie was busy at MEC so she couldn’t join me. I checked her out, she looked good and Romeo (maintenance) took me up to release her on the roof.
I was at my car when I saw Dad fly in with food, landing on a H sign. Up popped Rio, who walked over to above dad and started screaming. Dad ignored her and ate! She was not happy, back and forth she went. Now I don’t know if she did this on purpose, but she flew /floated down and onto that sign!! Amazing. And she grabbed that food from dad and had a good feed. And there she stayed for the night. It was dark by now, so I left. I saw both parents by the nest but as it was dark, saw noone else. Lucie had seen 2 earlier.
Hope they are all doing well, no news is good news I say. We’ll try to get by to check on them.
I’ve included a few pictures but it was getting dark, so not the best but it gives you an idea.
Posted on June 25, 2024 7:04 pm
June 14, 2024 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH - MISSISSAUGA EXECUTIVE CENTRE (MEC) - Tuesday, June 11 - Friday, June 14
Bruce reported seeing all 3 juvies when he arrived late morning on Tuesday, June 11. However, late afternoon, he saw one flying in from across the street at CIBC and make a light impact on the glass of MEC2, then he lost sight. He found her on a light standard further down Hurontario and identified OLYMPIA (white tape).
For the next couple of days Bruce and Winston kept an eye on white who was hanging out on a couple of buildings across the street, while red and green remained on the MEC roofs making short and successful flights. At times we wondered if white had actually returned to the MEC roofs as we thought we were seeing a third juvie .. but we don’t know for sure.
Thursday, June 13. The winds made it very challenging as any where I watched I was in some kind of wind tunnel. I can only imagine how strong the winds were for the juvies. I hoped that for today at least they would remain put as maybe they were not strong enough yet to handle it. When I arrived early afternoon, both green and red were on MEC2. Bruce was watching white who was perched on the roof of a steakhouse south of Square One. While I had my eye on both juvies on the roof, Bruce got a call from security that one came to ground just in front of MEC 1 and then took off. I thought it was white, but it couldn’t be because Bruce was watching her. Turns out that in the blink of eye, one juvie was gone from MEC 2 roof and landed in front of MEC1 where security saw her. I don’t know what happened .. the wind, an intruder (I heard alarm calls from a parent)? I got a photo of COOPER and ALDA at 5:37 pm and Bruce’s call to me was at 5:39. I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but then I watched as a parent brought food to the roof and only one juvie was there to receive it. She was well fed, since I’m sure mom and dad didn’t want her going anywhere. I started searching the area and found COOPER (green) in the parking lot of MEC4 just off the ground, but not in a contained area where I could easily catch her. Bruce came to help and between the two us, we still couldn’t get her. She took off, circled around and immediately a parent showed up to guide her. The winds were very strong and with all her efforts she couldn’t get height and gently hit the glass about the 1/3 of the way up and dropped on the low glass roof of MEC 4. It was getting late and we figured she wasn’t going anywhere so Bruce and I left. Winston was heading out too but checked in on her and it looked like she was there for the night.
With OLYMPIA (white), however, it was a different story. Winston was across the street near the Walmart and saw her fly from the building she was on towards MEC1 where she hit the glass and went down and out of sight. Sigh! He was sure she was alive and just coasted somewhere and the parents were with her.
End of day - red on roof, green on low glass roof of MEC4 and white hopefully alive somewhere. I was not looking forward to Friday.
Friday, June 14. Coming in solo today, I was a bit nervous on what might await. The first place I checked was MEC4 where COOPER (green) was last seen. Scanning the area, I saw a juvie on a condo just east chilling on a rooftop. The first thought was that this was green, but I couldn’t see a tape colour. So I figured I would try to find the other two. Sure enough, I found red on the top of MEC3 swing stage arm. And .. thank goodness, alive and well - white was on the roof of MEC4 screaming for food. Hours went by with nothing happening, so I ran a quick errand, and when I came back I parked myself where I could see MEC 1, 3 and 4. Before long, I looked up and saw 3 juvies!!!! Where and when green came from, I don’t know, but all was great at that moment. So much excitement - mine seeing them, and them seeing mom bringing food. It would be nice to say that fledge watch can be tapered down, but perhaps not yet. It was all good at the end of the evening. Let’s hope it stays that way. Cheers, Lucie
Posted on June 25, 2024 6:58 pm
June 14, 2024 - Greater Toronto - Private Residential 1
Cathy Kerr Reports:
MASTERS FLEDGE WATCH UPDATE :
Martin reports that all of the chicks have flown successfully and now are fledglings!!! Congrats on another great year for Aria and Groucho.
Thanks for the reports and pictures Martin and Maggie .
Stay high, stay safe Aurora, Orion, Solar and Luna!
Posted on June 25, 2024 6:48 pm
June 12, 2024 - Oshawa - Lakeridge Hospital
Cathy Kerr Reports:
LAKERIDGE FLEDGE WATCH :
Linda reports :
As everyone awaits the fledge day for Echo, no one is more anxious than the parents Althena and Velcro. What great parents, watching them throughout this process has been so rewarding. I hope to be able to continue to watch this process as each day brings something new!
Thank you Linda for your report and watching our Velcro and his family
And the wonderful pictures!
Posted on June 25, 2024 6:43 pm
June 10, 2024 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Cathy Kerr Reports:
FLEDGE WATCH - MISSISSAUGA EXECUTIVE CENTRE (MEC) - Friday, June 7 - Monday, June 10. To summarize, it’s been an up and down and then up again kind of weekend.
Friday, June 7 was a very rainy day. Both Bruce and Winston report that all 3 remained on MEC 3 roof all day.
Saturday, June 8 was a different scenario. Winston saw white come to ground, but couldn’t get to her fast enough. She took off and the strong winds took her over the trees to somewhere .. He had to leave before I got there, but Cathy and Sally, from Duncan Mill site, came over for awhile and did a search of the area where she headed with no luck. I saw no sign of white for the rest of the day. Winston came back to check around 8 and saw both red and green on the roof of MEC 3. With the strong winds, it’s good that they stayed put. End of day - red and green on roof, white down somewhere
Sunday, June 9, got more interesting. And quite the day for me!
Winston came by in the late morning and saw red make 2 flights! Second landing was not the greatest. She missed the roof and ended up on the window level under the letters. He saw Midnight kiting over the creek and thought she was looking at the roof of MEC 1 or some place beyond north of the buildings. Lot of vocalizing from the crows too. I got there mid-afternoon and with the thought of white possibly being on MEC 1 in an area that might not be the greatest, I asked security to take me up where I can open the door and check in the area we call the ‘pit’. Not the best place for a young peregrine to get stuck so good to check just in case. The pit was all clear except for 2 pigeons that I interrupted.
I watched green on MEC 3 roof and red just underneath the letters and above the windows. I parked myself out of the rain across the street where I got a good view of these 2. I heard them screaming and one scream didn’t sound like it was coming from the roof. It came from the trees beside me and sure enough, there was white. I don’t know how long she’s been there, but it’s clear she’s been down for over a day and must be very hungry. It didn’t help that when she vocalized, the crows were right there in her face vocalizing as well. As I turned to look at the other 2 on the roof, I encountered mayhem in the sky! Trying to figure out who’s who .. 2 parents, 1 juvie and the rest were crows. Turns out red is now right beside me on a low roof (10 feet off the ground) on MEC 2 while her parents are swooping at the crows that were harassing her. The crows had young ones in a tree right beside the roof and they were not pleased. Security took me to a floor where I could see the roof, but nothing in sight. I figured she was tucked in a corner. So they took me across the street to the 10th floor of MEC 3 where I saw a tiny head (and as suspected) tucked in the corner. Winston came by and I told him where she was but by the time I got back to MEC 2, she had popped up on the ledge where anyone could get great photos of her. End of day - green on roof of MEC 3 (still hasn’t flown), red on low roof, white around the corner in a tree.
Monday, June 10, things were looking up (literally). When Bruce arrived, red was still on the low roof, but white was now up on the roof with green! We hope white got a good feeding after that successful flight back up. It was mostly a waiting game now with red trying to figure out what to do. At around 7:00 pm, while sitting in her corner on the ledge, she lost her footing and went straight to the ground right in front me. Bruce and I had her cornered and got her! We put her back on the roof with her sisters, where at the end of the evening mom came by and gave her a good feeding. End of day - all 3 back up on roof.
Cheers, Lucie
Posted on June 25, 2024 6:33 pm
June 10, 2024 - Greater Toronto - Private Residential 1
Cathy Kerr Reports:
MASTERS FLEDGE WATCH UPDATE:
Martin reports that all 4 chicks have now fledged–all on the same day!! Way to go! His report is in one of the pictures.
Thanks Martin for the great news!
Posted on June 25, 2024 6:22 pm
