July 09, 2012 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
Tracy Simpson Reports:
This afternoon, Marion and I joined Mark at just after 2:00pm and found that the female had been pretty stationary all day on top of the northern retaining walls that surround the roof. It wasn’t long after we arrived that the adults started to become more active with the male arriving shortly after 2:15pm to his favorite perch on the east side of the nest building. He didn’t stay more than 10 minutes before launching off to the east on a serious hunt. Just before 3:30pm, Tony Bergauer from Bentall Kennedy called Mark to let us know that the female had swung into the west side of the building and looked to be prepping lunch. I grabbed the scope and camera and headed around the building to the west side on John St and found Statler, the resident female, on top of one of the parapets and indeed she was handling a rather robust pigeon. After a good half an hour of prepping with some bites for herself in between, she came around the building, circled twice and then took food into the ledge but this time entering from the King St. side of the concrete column. Five minutes later, she exited the roof from the east side and hadn’t any food with her. She took to the air and headed due west out of the territory flying high. By this time the resident male had returned and was perched once again in his favorite spot on the east wall.
All of a sudden, at 4:40pm, the adult male wakes up from napping and bolts down the ledge several feet before dropping in onto the roof out of sight. Two minutes later, the female flew in and took up position in the spot the resident male had just left. Approximately 10 minutes later, the adult male came up off of the roof and was now roosting on the northern side of the building facing King St. It looked as though they had the juvenile corralled with one adult to the right of him and one adult to the left. Both adults were looking down at the roof into the corner of the concrete column that runs up the height of the building with a look that said, “Whatever you are doing, just cut it out!!” The adults remained in their positions for the next hour with one eye closed and one eye always on the roof!!
Just after 6pm, both adults took to the air. The female left the east face and the male quickly filled in that position. The female took her flight around the building and landed right on the east side near to the concrete column before dropping down onto the roof. After a good half an hour on the rooftop, the female left and flew up to the north facing Sun Life Financial sign and found a good roosting spot on one of the girders that holds the sign. After another hour of roosting and preening, the adult male took off on another serious hunt to the east and the female flew around to the top of the concrete column. The resident male returned shortly but without any food and landed on the top of the east facing section of louvers; a ledge that is just too perfect! There the adults remained as I headed out of Waterloo. Given the interest by the adults today in the rooftop area and their actions around it, I believe it won’t be long now before the juvenile male makes his first appearance!!
Posted on July 10, 2012 1:09 am
July 09, 2012 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Monday, July 9, 2012 — 4:35 p.m.
Good afternoon everyone,
We have a full house this afternoon at the Delta. I can see two falcons on the Delta Ottawa City Centre hotel rooftop. A large falcon (Diana) is perched on the SW corner (facing inward) and the smaller falcon is perched in between the 1st and 2nd NE pillars (facing outward).
Take care,
N. McKenna
Posted on July 9, 2012 11:47 pm
July 09, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
Arrived on site early this morning to the sound of a juvenile screaming and chasing mom around. Both landed on the ledge and then mom quickly took off and went around the building. At the same time Jack flew around from the opposite side and he was followed by another juvenile.
I believe they all went to the rooftop as all was quiet after that. Typically at this time of year we’d be seeing food transfers and hunting attempts in full view of the building however they seem to all be going south for training from what I have observed.
That may be partly due to the fact the some of the buildings in the area have been actively discouraging the Starlings and Pigeons from nesting in and around their buildings. As a result our falcons may be venturing further afield to engage in training the young this year where availability of prey is more abundant.
Posted on July 9, 2012 6:11 pm
July 09, 2012 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Harry Crawford Reports:
Looks like all three chicks are visiting home today.
Posted on July 9, 2012 4:41 pm
July 09, 2012 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
Tracy Simpson Reports:
I arrived on site just after noon and met up with Bruce Massey, Sue McCreadie and Bill McCreadie who were manning the Watch at the Waterloo Sun Life Financial nest site. They informed me that it had been rather uneventful for most of the morning with the exception of a food delivery into the nest ledge area at around 6:30am. It was not to remain that way for long!! First off I was able to look at the resident adult male for the first time from outside of the Sun Life building. All of my looks had been through smoked glass at bad angles due to where he roosts and so I was keen to confirm his band information today. What I learned, thanks to Bill and Sue lending me their scope, is that the adult resident male is in fact wearing a black over red recovery band on his left leg!! I was fooled earlier last week by the distortion and tint on the glass but I am in no doubt today!! This was reconfirmed later by Bruce, Sue and Mark and so we have identified the resident male without a doubt to this point. Now for the tough part, the numbers / letters that pinpoint his identity and origins!!
At 12:30pm. the resident adults had both taken to the air and Statler, the resident female, had come up to one of the concrete walls we call parapets and had a pigeon with her. The resident male flew up to the retaining wall above her and watched as she devoured most of the meal over the next 45 minutes. By 1:40pm she’d had her fill and took off with the remains of her lunch. She flew for over a minute with long and swooping flights over top of the nest ledge area as if to incite some activity from the juvenile. After a good long swoop around, she flew directly onto the roof on the east side which has been identified as the nest ledge area. She entered with food, dropped out of our sights and finally exited after 5 minutes without any food with her. She flew up to the top of the north facing Sun Life Financial sign and perched on the westernmost girder that supports the sign; one of her favourite perches. The resident male was perched on the east side on the retaining wall right where it meets one of the parapets. If your not looking carefully, he can easily camoflage and disappear in that spot!! At just after 2pm, the adult male left on a hunt and by 2:30 had returned with food. He flew past Statler with it and she took to the air. This next little flight was amazing to watch!!
The adult male flew in circles with the food in his talons while the female circled just below him. He swooped up and almost inverted himself while at the same time letting go of the food. The momentum carried the food up into the air for a brief second before it started to fall. It didn’t have to fall far before the female was in and snatched it right out of the air. Awesome food transfer by the resident parents!! She carried the food around and out of our view on the southwest side of the building.
Staying true to the timelines that I witnessed last week, the male took off at 4pm on a hunt. This time he didn’t immediately return with food but rather stayed off site until 5:40pm when he returned to roost on his favourite eastern perch. The female was expecting a little more from him than just a visit and so she positioned herself on the northeastern retaining wall to await her mates next food delivery. By 6:30pm it was apparent that it was not coming and so Statler took to the air and headed west in lazy, climbing circles. Marion and I visually followed her through our binoculars and watched as she spotted a target and then made a spectacular stoop out of our sights. Within 10 minutes, she returned with prey and was on the east side louvers section stashing it away. As I left, both adults had taken up positions on the building near to the nest ledge area and looked to be settled in for the night.
Thanks to Tony Bergauer at Bentall Kennedy and Waterloo Sun Life Financial for all of their support in getting the Fledge Watch underway!! We look forward to an exciting week of meeting the community, sharing our stories and watching this wonderful peregrine family!!
Posted on July 9, 2012 1:05 am
July 09, 2012 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
Bruce Massey Reports:
I was on site today just after 6:30am and met up with Tony Bergauer of Bentall Kennedy LP at the site. He had just witnessed food being taken into the nest ledge area on the east side of the building and was very excited to see the adults so active. Now that the weather has shifted to cooler temperatures, the way is paved for a greater level of activity. The bulk of the morning leading up to lunchtime was rather quiet as the resident adults spent much of their time around the nest building preening, relaxing and taking in the morning sun. By noon, the adults were becoming active but still no visit to the retaining wall by the juvenile. We expect to see him make his first appearance any day now.
Posted on July 9, 2012 12:31 am
July 08, 2012 - Kitchener - CTV-Bell Media Tower
Bruce Massey Reports:
I visited the Waterloo Sun Life Financial nest site today in preparation for the official start of the Fledge Watch tomorrow to get a measure of the site and see whether the juvenile male had made his first appearance yet. I arrived at 7:00am and found both resident adults relaxing on the south side of the building. There wasn’t a great deal of activity today and the juvenile did not come up to the retaining wall ledge as the heat was still quite strong. Throughout the observation period, both adults stayed close to the building and it wasn’t until 3:3opm that the first food package went into the nest ledge area. The official dawn to dusk Watch begins tomorrow as the juvenile male will be between 34 and 36 days.
Posted on July 9, 2012 12:26 am
July 08, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:
Thanks as always to Lyn for her observations and todays great shots of the many faces of Solar.
Canada Square Peregrine report 20120707
As I exited the Yonge/Eglinton shopping mall I spotted a peregrine on the north side of Canada Square. I waited patiently for her to show her band, which she did, silver no tape, and then I knew it was Solar. She was very diligently preening.
I moved to my usual seat outside 53 Division and spotted Stormin in hiding on the old nest ledge right up against the concrete wall. Shortly thereafter I saw a peregrine fly towards Rio-Can and I assumed this to be Haven but on reflection I think it was Simcoe. There were no missing feathers!!! He landed on RC. During this period Stormin took off and I missed it so have no idea which direction he took.
Haven flew in a few minutes later carrying a food parcel. She flew to the north-west side of Canada Square and landed just above Solar, who had moved over. Simcoe flew in squawking madly and landed near Haven and almost bumped her over. He really is a little hooligan J Haven deposited the food of the day and flew off. Much to my surprise Simcoe did NOT eat. He moved off into the shade near the wall. Solar did not fly up to the nest ledge level but she was quite vocal. I think both of them must have been full!
Simcoe flew off and back and landed next to Solar. Shortly after that he took off again and circled seven times in the Y/E intersection and once in the Duplex/Eglinton intersection before flying south to 2180 Yonge and then back to the northern antenna on Canada Square.
He could not settle and was off again just as Haven flew in to the old nest ledge, followed by Simcoe. Haven moved out of sight on the ledge and then Simcoe did the same at which point Haven flew off. Throughout all this Solar continued to squawk.
Simcoe flew again, high over RC. Then Solar launched herself and she too flew high-ish. She flew a number of circles over Eglinton and Duplex and when she was in front of RC Simcoe came onto the scene and dived at her. They attempted a talon touch and it was Solar who flipped and presented the talons. They did not connect though. Eventually they both disappeared and I came inside. A few pictures of Solar attached.
Lyn
Posted on July 8, 2012 8:12 am
July 06, 2012 - Toronto - Hearn Power Station
Frank Butson Reports:
We got an update on the resident adult female today from the Toronto Wildlife Centre where she is in rehabilitation. She has a very serious elbow injury and we’re waiting on results from some lab tests. Test results are due back early next week. The prognosis is guarded and the vets are “worried.” We will of course pass on any information as soon as we get it. Thanks to Toronto Wildlife Centre staff and volunteers for all of their efforts.
Posted on July 6, 2012 10:34 pm
July 06, 2012 - Mississauga - Holcim
Frank Butson Reports:
Today I got an update from TWC about Emmalina who fell into cement powder. She had complications from the toxicity and was seizuring for days. Emmalina now seems to be stabilized but is being treated for really horrible eye ulcers. The workers that found her and rescued Emmalina had done an eye wash on this little one (an eye wash you would normally do in an emergency situation for humans). We think this very much saved the little ones eye balls.
We will post updates as we recieve them. Thanks to the folks at the Toronto Wildlife Centre for all of their efforts.
Posted on July 6, 2012 10:28 pm
