June 28, 2012 - Niagara Falls
Frank Butson Reports:
From The Welland Tribune:
Dan Dakin, Niagara Falls Review
A harness might save Nik Wallenda from plunging into the Niagara river, but it won’t spare him from over-protective peregrine falcons.
Wallenda, the seventh-generation aerialist who will walk across Niagara Falls on a five-centimetre-wide wire on June 15, has been warned by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources that he’ll be in the danger zones for a family of peregrines nesting near the falls.
“It’s highly possible he’ll be perceived as a threat,” said Anne Yagi, a management biologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources. “They’ll defend their territory vigorously.”
A pair of peregrine falcons and between three and five babies are nesting in a window of the long-closed Ontario Power Generation station in the Niagara gorge, just north of the base of the Horseshoe Falls.
In Canada, peregrines aren’t considered endangered, but are classified as threatened on the ministry’s Species at Risk list. Like most of the peregrines around Ontario, the family nesting in the gorge is closely monitored by the ministry, as well as by the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.
Shortly after Wallenda was given the green light to complete the walk between Table Rock in Canada and Terrapin Point in the U.S., Yagi, contacted Wallenda to warn him about the dangers of crossing the gorge near the peregrine nest.
“We had asked him to change the date to September when the parents had completed their parental care, but he said no,” she said. “I’m hopeful nothing will happen to him.”
Though attacks on humans are rare, peregrines are incredibly protective of their nests and offspring. The birds typically grow to be more than 40 centimetres long with a wingspan of more than 100 centimetres. They can weigh nearly a kilogram.
What makes them fierce hunters is their speed. Peregrines are the fastest animal in the world reaching speeds of around 320 km/h as they dive toward their prey.
It isn’t just Wallenda Yagi is worried about. She said any crew members within 200 metres of the nest could be considered a threat by the peregrines.
“There should be a concern in terms of the personal safety of (Wallenda), any cameramen and lighting people. Anyone in the territory,” she said.
Yagi is also concerned for the well-being of the falcons. She said there will be repercussions if the peregrines are hurt during the event.
“We’ve issued (Wallenda) a letter of advice and said if the birds are injured through any part of this, he could be charged under the Endangered Species Act,” said Yagi, who has requested security clearance for her and three others to monitor the peregrines during the walk.
For his part, Wallenda said he’s not overly concerned about a potential peregrine attack.
While training at the Seneca Niagara Casino recently, Wallenda confirmed he was contacted by the ministry, but said he’s not worried about them.
Yagi said she talk to Wallenda personally last week and knows he doesn’t to hurt the birds.
“He’s interested in the birds and he doesn’t want to see anything happen to them,” she said.
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2012/05/28/wallenda-could-be-threat-to-peregrines
Posted on June 1, 2012 4:08 am
May 28, 2012 - Toronto - King Street
CPF Postmaster Reports:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/vNFmbWnLDI8
www.youtube.com/embed/vNFmbWnLDI8
You will have to copy the above link and paste it into your browser.
Posted on June 1, 2012 1:54 am
May 31, 2012 - Hamilton - Sheraton Hotel
CPF Postmaster Reports:
May 31st - 2012
A good day all around. Hosted by the Sheraton Hamilton hotel, three healthy males hatchlings were successfully banded this morning by Anne Yagi of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources surrounded by a full house of observers.
1. - Named - Beckett , male, - 682 grams, - 27 days old, - Banded Black 86 over Y - Green Tape
2. - Named - Felker, - 671 grams, - 26 days old, - Banded Black 87 over Y - Yellow Tape
3. - Named - Tiffany, - 641 grams., - 26 days old, - Banded Black 88 over Y - Red Tape
Posted on June 1, 2012 1:27 am
May 31, 2012 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Good morning everyone,
(Thursday, May 31, 2012 — 7:10-7:25 a.m.)
Timing is everything! I was walking up Lyon Street when I observed the reflection of an adult in the mirrored Constitution Square Building , Tower 1. It was stretching its legs on the SE corner of the Delta Ottawa City Centre hotel rooftop. After a few stretches it began to preen. The adult then took a short flight to the SW corner of the hotel rooftop. It began meticulously preening again and was inching towards the section in between the SE and SW corners. I thought that a morsel of food might be hidden within the open section but eating at the present time was not on the agenda. After a good 15 minutes of preening and stretching the falcon took to the skies and was observed hovering high above Lyon Street taking in the strong wind currents. The falcon suddenly took off towards LeBreton Flats. It might have spotted a potential prey in the distance. I kept observing the falcon until it was out of sight.
Take care,
N. McKenna
Posted on June 1, 2012 12:33 am
May 31, 2012 - Niagara Falls
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Visibility better today, and we could count to four! Parent in and out of the nest a few times. Can’t say for sure that there are five, but glad to see the four. This is the best shot.
Oh! I saw you on Toronto TV news last week! So glad to you spoke about the Peregrines vs Wallenda!
Vicki Kadow & Roger Johnson (pic)
Posted on June 1, 2012 12:19 am
May 31, 2012 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
We arrived there last evening just in time to see a feeding again. Voltaire was busy doing the feeding and Freddie came in and started to feed the chicks as well. Voltaire was at one end with two of them and Freddie was at the other end feeding the other two. What a beautiful family! We could clearly see General Broc’s tag. There were quite a few people there so we had lots to talk about. An hour and half later Voltaire came in with more food and the chicks were very vocal. We were driving out of the parking lot when we met a couple walking on the side walk so of course we stopped and chatted with them. So we drove back to the same spot where we had been, got our scope out again and they were very happy to be able to see the four chicks. Good timing because in came Voltaire on the Abutment with more food to prepare, feathers flying everywhere. Then back into the nest ledge again to do more feeding. It was great that we met that couple because we would have missed that feeding. We left when it was so dark we just couldn’t see any one of the Peregrines at all.
Posted on May 31, 2012 2:45 pm
May 30, 2012 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Frank Butson Reports:
Canada Square peregrine report 20120530
My timing is good ! As I arrived this evening one of the peregrines flew south. Two minutes later Haven landed on the window ledge on the top floor of Rio-Can. A few minutes after that Stormin flew over the Canada Square roof, circled the Yonge/Eglinton intersection and disappeared southwards. Haven remained put for a few more minutes and then she took flight, circling RC twice before disappearing northwards.
I thought she would be gone for a while so was not ready for her re-appearance three minutes later when she went straight to the ledge. Without the binoculars I could not see if she had a food parcel or not. A minute later Stormin flew in and also landed on the ledge and disappeared to the back. His stay was short-lived as I saw a flurry of wings as he was *chased* off the ledge by Haven who had a beak full of food. I could not tell whether he had brought it in and she took it or whether he was attempting to take it and she stopped him. He flew to RC and sat 5 floors from the top.
Five minutes later Haven flew to the fifth wall/upright south of the nest and sat for a couple of minutes before flying to the wall/upright at the nest.
Stormin had been sitting like a proud peregrine - upright – but it proved too much for him and after about twenty minutes he relaxed and lost his posture.
Ten minutes later Haven flew to RC and sat 2 floors from the top. She was restless and after a few minutes she flew back to the wall/upright at the nest. Half an hour later Haven flew east and disappeared from my view. Two minutes after that Stormin flew in more or less the same direction but not as far. A few minutes later Haven circled over Y/E intersection and headed east again. It was not long before she returned and circled RC again. Her circling takes her between the RC building and the apartment building and I am sure she tries flushing the pigeons off the balconies!! She did that twice before flying back to the wall at the nest. Stormin returned and perched on RC. After ten minutes they both flew off and I decided to call it a day as it was surprising chilly.
Lyn
Posted on May 31, 2012 5:27 am
May 30, 2012 - Mississauga - Executive Centre
Frank Butson Reports:
Tracy and I arrived onsite and did a quick search in her car, around the MEC buildings and abit of the nearby neighborhood for Janet. Again just as yesterday, no luck. As Tracy left for the morning she noticed Sante paying attention to the condo Janet had landed on the day before. She called me and let me know. I positioned so I could see the condo and several of the 4 MEC buildings. When we cant find a juvenile, we have learned to watch the adults. The new female, was perched and looking towards the condo. Twice she took off with purpose in that direction. I was unable to see why, but hoped she may be seeing Janet. I re-positioned to see the condo even better and saw Sante swoop at the condo roof level. I couldnt see person nor Peregrine on the roof, but knew it was one or the other. The female was sitting on the ledge under the JEVCO sign and Sante took up a position above her. It was so that if she took off to attack Janet he would be right on her. Interestingly at this point around 1015am an adult Bald Eagle flew through the area causing the female to alarm call. 2 close Red-tailed Hawks caused the same reaction.
At around noon 2 then YES! a 3rd Peregrine came flying towards MEC 1. Janet had returned! Just as she went to land the adult female bumped her, but Janet recovered and landed in the back of MEC 1. Time passed and Janet flew into the nestledge. She is an accomplished flyer! Soon the new female joined her. Both were in the box for at least 20min together, without altercation. Suddenly both blasted out of the box. Janet was again bumped by the female, which prompted Sante to get involved. They flew out of my view and I thought Janet had landed on the back of MEC 1 again. I waited and hadnt seen her in some time. Sante had positioned himself near the Desjardins sign and kept looking behind MEC1 into the distance towards some lowrise office building(5 stories). I walked closer and saw Janet being harrassed by American Robins. She was safe and away from the fray. As darkness fell, we left Janet until tomorrow. I made sure to call CPF staff and volunteers to give them the good news. I immediately got Kathy to post about Janet returning, as many MEC employees had asked about her earlier. We’ll never know about Janet’s great adventure, but we are glad we know how this chapter of the story ended.
Posted on May 31, 2012 2:41 am
May 30, 2012 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
Just a pile of peregrines. Look at that face in the centre of the pile. Sweet!
Posted on May 30, 2012 7:57 pm
May 30, 2012 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:
A feeding at 6:48p.m. Wednesday. I really like the colour images this camera produces at this time in the evening. Wonderful
Posted on May 30, 2012 6:55 pm
