June 14, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 14th - 2011I watched the peregrines this evening for about two hours.
The mother flew off at one point and a few minutes later flew back to the Rio-Can south face, landed on one of the window ledges and then flew to the level directly below the nest level but on the north face. She ate there and although she was joined by the male she did not share with him. Once she had satisfied her hunger she picked up the remains and flew onto the nest ledge where she fed all three youngsters. She took about 25 minutes to do so and then left. The youngest of the three was right there demanding his share of the pigeon. He is an aggressive little youngster but being the youngest I guess he has to be.
After the mother left the ledge there was some flying back and about by both adults until the male flew south of the condos and disappeared from view.
Some long minutes later he returned with what looked like a European starling. He landed on the south face of the Rio-Can building and then flew to roof on the west face where he plucked and ate his fill. Then came the surprise. He flew to the nest ledge with remnants of the carcase in his talons and hobbled to the widow side of the ledge (out of my view). I have no idea whether he fed the youngsters, himself, or just left what he had brought to ledge. After some minutes the female flew to the Rio-Can south face. A few minutes after that the male left the ledge and flew to the southwest corner where he spent time cleaning his feet and his beak. Then he flew to the Rio-Can building south face. One of the youngsters was up again near edge of the ledge and that is how I left them.
I don’t know if anyone has seen the male take food onto the nest ledge before but this is a first time for me.
Cheers
Lyn
Posted on June 24, 2011 11:07 am
June 24, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
GREAT BIG THANKS, and much appreciation to the Staff of The Keg, on York St. Toronto, and Thomas Chesterfield, Corporate Concierge of Oxford Properties at 120 Adelaide St, Toronto, for their unending persistence to find help for our young male Peregrine Falcon, Cinnamon.
Cinnamon in attempt to take yet another flight brushed a building and came to the sidewalk outside the Keg Restaurant on York St at Lunch time. Keg Staff pulled into action and had the fledgling placed in a box and secured the area, so it would not come to harm, from foot traffic or vehicles. Thomas Chesterfield made numerous calls to different Toronto agencies, before he reached us. I was immediately dispatched to the site and found Cinnamon, safe , secure with no injuries.
He was later returned to the nest ledge, to give him a second chance of making a successful flight.
Can’t say how thankful we are for their assistance to help this member of a Species At Risk. It is most rewarding that in a large city such as Toronto, there are people that do care about the wildlife that resides along side the huge glass towers that dot Toronto’s skyline.
Please if you are visiting Toronto, please drop by the Keg on York st, have meal and say thank-you to the following Keg Staff;
Cassandra, Sabrina, Sheena, Jordan, Heather, Agnes, Aja, Elizabeth and to Kelly McGoey, Lunch Manager for allowing her staff to go beyond their regular duties.
With Much Appreciation;
Linda Woods, Zoe, Annie, Harry, Paul, Vanessa, Mark Nash, Marion Nash, and the Rochester New York Falcon Crew
Posted on June 24, 2011 10:46 am
June 22, 2011 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
CPF Postmaster Reports:
I got to the Ambassador Bridge at 1:50pm to start my watch… Boy was I surprised.. Lady Gaga 20 minutes before I got there took flight… She was on the ground and very active jumping and running all over the place. She was very sneaky trying to out smart us.. Spitfire was vocal and flapping around while Voltaire and Freddie did there best to try and get him to fly.. Dennis rescued Lady Gaga just before the storms hit.. I wonder what tomorrow will bring..
Collette Denkers
Posted on June 24, 2011 10:19 am
June 22, 2011 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 — 12:10 p.m. ~ 12:35 p.m. ~ 1:00 p.m.
There are light sprinkles of rain this afternoon in Ottawa. Connor is perched on the ledge just to the left of the 3rd pillar from the SW corner of the Delta Ottawa City Centre rooftop. He is facing inward and scanning his surroundings. By 12:20 p.m. he is getting restless and hops inside the ledge area after stretching his wings. He returns after a few minutes and resumes his watch on the ledge. He is looking towards the SW of the city. A window washing crew is preparing its rigging on the Constitution Square Building Tower 1 facing Lyon Street. After one final look around Connor takes to the skies in one graceful swoop and contours the last section of the Constitution Square Tower 1 Building before disappearing from sight over the Minto Place Suite Hotel.
I drop by again at 1:00 p.m. but there was no activity coming from the nest area. The window washer began to clean the windows of the Constitution Square Building without any interference from Connor. They must have an amazing bird’s eye view of our famous duo.
I checked the ground where they usually perch to see if there were any bird carcasses but none were to be found.
Take care and keep smiling!
Ciao,
N. McKenna
Posted on June 24, 2011 9:42 am
June 22, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Report for June 21st & June 22nd - Canada Square.
I did not make any notes yesterday but spent about three hours watching the Peregrines. They eyases spent time on the edge exercising their wings and hoping for food. The adult pair only fed the young later in the watch. We saw the male take a small bird over Eglinton Ave right at Duplex. I think it may have been a sparrow but I am not sure. The little bird was minding it’s own business as I spotted it when the male peregrine came swooping in and caught it.
Today there was not a lot of activity from the eyases. They spent some of the time just sitting on the edge with the occasional bit of wing exercise. The mother swooped down the Yonge street side of the Canada Square Building and two minutes later came back with a large bird which I think was a pigeon. She tried unsuccessfully to climb long the western side of Canada Square but eventually did make it to the rooftop of the black building over the bus station. There she proceeded to pluck the bird and for many minutes feathers rained down the side of the building. The male had followed her and perched on the roof not too far from her but he eventually flew off over the Police Station.
Bruce saw him make an attempt on a pigeon just up Duplex Ave. He apparently did tag the pigeon but did not make the catch. He flew back to Canada Square and sat on the top of one of the *walls* south of the nest. He remained there the whole time the female plucked the bird she had caught and then ate. When she had finished she *buzzed* the nest and flew across Eglinton to the Rio-can building where she perched. Two minutes later the male flew to where the remains of the pigeon were and he ate well.
He then picked up what was left flew a circle before flying to the north end of Canada Square building and out of sight. The female followed him. Shortly thereafter one of the Peregrines flew into the nest ledge and dropped the leftovers for the young and flew out again to settle on one of the walls south of the nest ledge.
The weather began closing in and we left the two adults on the edge of the black building where the female had plucked the pigeon. The eyases were bedded down but as we moved off one popped up.
The oldest eyas is now 41 days and has proved me wrong about being ready to fledge!! We still have three youngsters on the ledge at Canada Square. Bruce assures me that one and maybe two will fledge by Sunday. I just hope the two oldest do not fly at the same time!!
We can still see some of the baby down on the youngest, although his adult feathers and colours are beginning to show. At the moment he is noticeably smaller than his older brothers.
Cheers
Lyn
Posted on June 24, 2011 9:39 am
June 21, 2011 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:
June 21st - 2011
Tuesday brought little action. Truss was seen removing food from the nest site while Milton looked on. Most of the time I spent on site today had Milton watching/guarding the nest from his usual ledge. When Truss was present, she also seemed content to perch near the nest as well. Perhaps the most interesting moment was when a Great Blue Heron was flying low on a direct path over the nest when it noticed Milton and instantaneously made a 90 degree turn Southwest. Unlike the pair at Etobicoke General Hospital, Milton and Truss have not shown the same level of aggression towards other intruders. Gulls, Pigeons and Starlings all seem to fly very close to the nest without many regrets.
Posted on June 24, 2011 2:00 am
June 08, 2011 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:
Hello CPF,
I was able to get a couple of shots of one of the falcons that is a regular at our building. These photos were taken yesterday around 6pm. One or both birds are usually on the building everyday at this time. I am looking to borrow a zoom lens in order to get a better quality shot.
Thanks
Donna
Posted on June 24, 2011 1:34 am
June 23, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Linda Woods Reports:
Sunshine is showing some spectacular flying skills again today. Another mid-air food exchange was witnessed directly in front of the Sheraton. Late afternoon, just before the heavy rain hit downtown Toronto, Sunshine was sitting on the”C” of the Sheraton signage. When the heavy rain hit, Sunshine was stranded and toughed it out in the pouring rain. After the rain, she recomposed herself and flew off the the centre roof of 130 Adelaide St. That was pretty much the highlight of activity for the afternoon and evening. Food is being dropped to Kate and Cinnamon and both are diving in when it arrives. A food drop was made around 8p.m. and the adult flew off and headed south, spent a little time on 130 Adelaide and then disappeared. I did another ledge check and a food package was delivered. Cinnamon and Kate paid little attention to it.They were more interested in looking outward towards the south. A last ledge check before closing the watch for the night, both Kate and Cinnamon were tucked under the camera. One bird was seen on the north signage of KPMG building, not sure if it was an adult or Sunshine, low light I couldn’t really tell.
Posted on June 23, 2011 10:57 pm
June 23, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
A big thank you to Zoe who is one of the CPF fledge watch team members at the Toronto Sheraton for snapping a quick shot of the nest ledge this afternoon.
Beyond popular belief, even after the young fledgelings have taken their first flights and been able to hold their altitude, we all must remember that they are still solely dependant on their parents for both food and protection for the next 30 to 60 days while they are learning how to fly and being trained by their parents.
The nest ledge remains the only safe place that they know, and it offers protection to the fledglings from all of the dangers that they have yet to experience and learn about. The young fledglings will be returning to the nest ledge (as soon as they can get there on their own steam) most nights. Remember,, its still the only home that they know is safe.
This photo clearly demonstrates this fact, as we see all three of the surviving fledglings back “at home” waiting for their parents to serve diner.
Posted on June 23, 2011 1:51 pm
June 23, 2011 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:
As Dennis was getting ready to be interviewed by CBC Radio we got a call that Lady Gaga had fledged and was in a fenced in area just walking around. When we got there she was looking tired. Thanks to Bess who witnessed it, Collette and Smurf who kept walking around the fence outside to make sure she was safe. Around 4 P.M. Dennis went inside the fence with a pet carrier and she just walked in it. Then we put her in the shade with a towel over it and spritxed her a few times which she seemed to really enjoy. Around 9 P.M. Kim from the Bridge company came by with a lift to put Dennis and Lady Gaga on the roof of the building across the street. He checked the roof first to make sure there were no animals of any kind up there. We left the site around 10:30 P.M. At 12:30 P.M. we were anxious whether or not she was still on the roof so we drove back there again and sure enough she was on the corner looking very good. Spitfire was standing on the nest box looking around. This morning when we got there she was still on the roof, the Blue Jays were very noisy around the area. Voltaire came in with food for Lady Gaga at 7:20 A.M. Both Lady Gaga and Spitfire were fed will we were there. Last evening we had lots of rain. This morning showers at times. We will keep you updated on these beautiful Peregrines. Also, Dennis has lots of pictures he will be posting soon.
Gwen & Dennis
Site Co-ordinators for CPF
Posted on June 23, 2011 12:59 pm
