October 12, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Frank Butson Reports:
Mark Nash of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation called and asked if Id be interested in hosting the release of a Peregrine Falcon. At Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch in Scarborough, which is on a migration route. We have seen 91 Peregrine Falcons this season so far. This sub-adult female had been trapped in downtown Toronto behind a glass balcony. It was evaluated by the Toronto Wildlife Centre and deemed good to go, so the bird was transferred to CPF and Mark brought her to Rosetta to be released.
When the carrier was opened, the unbanded sub-adult female Peregrine sat in the box for a long period of time looking around, gathering herself, before finally flying out. She circled over Lake Ontario before heading off to the east. Awhile later a Peregrine went by flying west, very strong and somewhat out over the lake.
Much thanks to Mark for giving us the honour of seeing this magnificant Peregrine returned to where she belongs. Thanks to Toronto Wildlife Centre for treating the Peregrine and allowing CPF the honour of doing the release. Thanks to those gathered for not crowding the Peregrine. All of our keen photographers respected the process and allowed the bird to have a clear path to freedom.
Mark explained that when CPF does a release, unlike others we DO NOT throw (cast) the bird skyward, we allow the bird to decide when it wishes to fly. Casting the bird, after its been in a carrier/rehabbed possibly/upset by being caught in the first place is an accident waiting to happen. This bird, as the other release CPF did at Rosetta 2 years ago, went off without a hitch. The Peregrine flew freely when it decided to. It circled over the lake, finding its wings and then flew off strongly. Its a beautiful thing. May she have a safe journey.
Posted on October 14, 2012 3:51 pm
October 06, 2012 - CPF Events
Tracy Simpson Reports:
Today was the first of three days that the CPF educational birds will be meeting and greeting the public and what a day it was!! Today was a chilly but awesome day with Cheyenne, Oscar, Seamus and of course our Bubo all on hand visiting with the public. A huge thank you to Peter and Winston for joining us at the Fair. When I went out for a break, they were weighing in the pumpkins for the “biggest” contest and of the first several, at least three were over 1000Lbs!! Even wilder was the 4Lb tomato that someone brought in. Great fun and a great day!! See everyone tomorrow!!
Posted on October 6, 2012 11:40 pm
October 01, 2012 - Stoney Creek
Sue McCreadie Reports:
Over the past 3 weeks, Bill and I have visited Fruitland several times looking for Craig and Athena. We had been disappointed every time. We were convinced they had migrated. We took another trip on Monday and when we arrived Craig (17/Y) was sitting in the tower. He was very alert, surveying the sky (we thought he must have been looking for Athena) and had a full crop. We waited around for an hour or so in the hope that Athena would appear. No luck. We decided to pack up but did our usual check of the drum from down the road. To our surprise, Athena had been sitting on a beam, just above the drum, the whole time we were there. Once we spotted her we drove back to the Fire Hall and even after seeing her location, she was impossible to spot from the ground.
Posted on October 3, 2012 6:33 pm
September 27, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:
Lyn Reports:
Canada Square Peregrine report 20120927
I was out today after 4pm and found one of the peregrines sitting on the old nest ledge! I waited and a few minutes later saw another peregrine fly over 53 Division, along Eglinton W and then north.
Several minutes after that the peregrine came flying back and landed beside the one perched on the old nest ledge. They appeared to be the same size so I assumed adult and juvenile females. They both moved to the back of the ledge out of sight.
I waited for some minutes and was rewarded with Haven’s flight to the southwest balcony railing of Canada Square where she remained for a couple of minutes before flying to 2180 Yonge where she landed on the north east corner under the TVO sign. I left to fetch binoculars.
As I was somewhat delayed in returning there were no peregrines to be seen. Patience paid off and at 5:07pm I spotted a peregrine fly north to south across the west side of Canada Square as far as 2180 Yonge and back to make a perfect landing on top of the northernmost wall above the old nest site.
From the size of the bird I thought this was one of the females. I spent an hour and forty five minutes trying to get colour on her. At 5.28pm I believe Haven flew over my head outside 53 Division and was gone, behind me. A quick flight and I barely had time to get the binoculars up.I am sure I saw a buffy chest. The female above the old nest had the sun warming her back.
When she turned slightly a couple oif times I believe I saw a pinky-rusty coloured neck and darkish brown breast. I believe this was the juvenile female.
Maggie joined me for a bit and after we both left I glanced up to see that the bird had flown. A quick search showed her on the northwest corner of 2180 Yonge. From there she flew to the southwest corner of Canada Square which is where I left her.
Lyn
Posted on September 29, 2012 1:27 am
September 26, 2012 - Toronto - Don Mills
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Wednesday Sept. 26th-2012
A quickly update on the Duncan Mills grins as Donna got a some good views of Quest and Kendal today. Donna writes:
Quest is back in her nest box again today and Kendall is in his usual spot on the other building overlooking his territory. No sign of the kids today.
Posted on September 27, 2012 11:21 am
September 26, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
Miss O’Connor has had a good week so far, spending most of her time preening on her favorite perch in the sun. I’ve also managed to catch Jack the past 3 days on his daily visits and on Monday they had a bit of a chup fest together before he took off to visit with his other mate. Other than that it’s been nice and uneventful at the site.
Posted on September 26, 2012 5:18 pm
September 13, 2012 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Frank Butson Reports:
Not new information but captured on the camera. The resident female at MEC has a purple US Fish and Wildlife band as per this photo from Donna Wiedman Cook. Thanks for sending this shot from our new Mississauga Executive Centre camera Donna!
We continue to try to discover the identity of this bird. We encourage camera watchers to send photos if even a hint of the band is visible. You may get the missing piece of the puzzle that helps CPF figure out who the resident female is.
Posted on September 13, 2012 8:55 pm
September 13, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Frank Butson Reports:
Mark Nash asked me to post this information:
Thanks to Samantha and Dominic for the great photos of Ben and Len. The photos were taken shortly after the brothers had fledged. CPF was alerted to this by Dominic, and as per previous reports a CPF volunteer was dispatched to do a rescue. Shortly after the rescue both young Peregrines were banded at CPF Raptor Centre, where Ministry of Natural Resources staff was able to attend.
Ben was banded black over black R over 45(white letters and numbers) with yellow tape.
Len was banded black over black R over 38 (white letters and numbers) with blue tape.
Thanks also to Dominic for the great shot of the resident adult female.
Somehow these photos and this information didnt get posted in all of the madness that was 2 surprise nests at ICICI and Waterloo.
Posted on September 13, 2012 7:58 pm
September 13, 2012 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
We had a great time at the BBQ last Sunday, the weather, the people and food was great. We even got to see other Raptors flying over while we were eating and chatting with other Volunteers. Mark and Marion Thank You both for the pleasure of meeting other good people that care for the Peregrine Falcons like we do. I’m sure a lot of you know that this weekend and next is the Holiday Beach Hawkfest and this year should be great because Mark and Marion are coming down with one male Peregrine Falcon and one female Peregrine Falcon, one Barn Owl, one Great Horned Owl and one American Kestrel. It goes from 9 A.M. until 3 P.M. all four days. There is a lot of other things to do while you are there, going up onto the Tower is amazing, just watching all the Fall Migration taking place. Hope to see you there.
Gwen & Dennis, Site Co-ordinator, CPF
Posted on September 13, 2012 2:09 pm
September 13, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
Skyreach arrived on-site yesterday to start window washing and O’Connor seems to be taking it well. Of course with no offspring home, she has not reason to get excited having humans on her building. This morning she was by the nestbox when I came in.
She’s been enjoying the cooler weather the past week and most mornings she is either basking in the sun perched on the old web cam or by the nest box on the ledge. I’ve been told that the old cam stand will stay in place so they can keep using it to perch as all the falcons love it and it allows them a great view of the territory!
Jack has been around and I’ve hear a few chup fests between them. Interestingly Jack spends alot of time perched on the center tower where he can keep any eye on his other territory easily. O’Connor will be on the nest ledge and he on the centre tower - but they cant’ see each other from their respective perches so they just chup to each other over the building..very interesting.
Of course because I have to over analyze everything, I do wonder about that. Perhaps because Angel was the originator of this site when he came in, I wonder if that’s why he usually went to where she was which was the nest ledge? Most days when these two are chupping to each other, O’Connor is the one that gives in and flies over to the center tower to perch near Jack and I’ve seen that a few times. It’s interesting because the female is usually the dominant one but I wonder if ‘who ever’ was there first gets some sort of precidence in establishing the rules?
Jack does come to the nest ledge too but more often than not it’s as I described above. Maybe something is going on at his other site that he needs to keep an eye on? It’s also time for migrating birds to come through so perhaps he’s just being extra vigilant in case some young tiercel might try for one of the sites. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but it’s certainly interesting to watch their behaviors.
Posted on September 13, 2012 10:29 am
