Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Balloons, again

June 18, 2011 - Toronto - King Street

Linda Woods Reports:

Received a report that an adult at another nest site, took out a weather balloon. This morning, view from south of the King St nest site, I could hear an adult sounding off. I looked skyward and saw an adult peregrine in climbing, flapping to gain height. Off towards the east was a small blue balloon that was floating upward.  I did a nest ledge check around noon and both Sukura and Kendal were still there.

William has not been seen

June 18, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

Linda Woods Reports:

Lots of activity from Sunshine, she is rocking the skies. She returns numerous times to the nest ledge looking for scraps or new handouts. This evening she spent some time on the letter “T” of  the Sheraton signage, with food. Just before dark we heard lots of screaming , when Sunshine flew into view with Rhea Mae behind her. Sunshine was not going to bed! They flew in front of the Sheraton, Sunshine turned south Rhea Mae behind her. I guess it was a game. Rhea Mae kept on her until Sunshine returned to the nest ledge and Rhea Mae went to 130 Adelaide.

Food drops to the ledge throughout the day. I did numerous nest check and every time, I only saw Cinnamon and Kate, confirmed by band colours. At one time both of them were on the other camera housing lined up as if they were waiting for take off. At that time, Sunshine was in the far end nest ledge around the corner picking at crumbs, left over from a food drop. I have scoured the area looking at every roof top, window ledges. I have even checked the “Keg” both the menu and roof. No sign of William. When the adults have been flying food over the area, there has been no screaming from beyond the nest. Sunshine spends a lot of time on 120 Adelaide, both upper and lower roofs and usually on the north east side.

Marion and I have kept a close eye on the activiy of the adults and they don’t seem to be indicating the whereabouts of William. Perhaps he’ll show up tomorrow.

William Osler Adults Trying Everything to Get a Fledge!!

June 18, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler

Tracy Simpson Reports:

After the return of Storm to the nest ledge today, the resident adults allowed the chicks a bit of sleep time before launching a “fledge now” campaign that was relentless.  Hurricane and O’Connor tried every trick in the “Book of Fledge” that they know to no avail.  There was a feeding at 4:o0pm by the female.  She flew up to the eastern “H” and fed herself first before landing on the southeast corner with the remains of the meal.  She was immediately mugged by Storm who then began to self feed.  O’Connor allowed this to go on for a minute until Rain grabbed the food and made a mad dash for the tray.  O’Connor flew off the ledge, came around and landed right in front of the sprinting Rain which stopped her dead in her tracks.  The resident female then plopped one massive foot on the food and mantled up which backed Rain up a good 2 feet immediately.  Seeing this behaviour from his young, Hurricane stooped the ledge and screamed at the chicks for treating O’Connor that way which had the effect of flattening them on their tummies to the ledge.  They got in trouble all right!!  The female then took the food over to them and proceed to feed as long as they remained polite.  By 5:00pm, the chicks were sound asleep and O’Connor flew in to wake them up.  She tried to tease them out with touch and go’s but that didn’t work either.  Hurricane then tried a food fly by which only made them scream louder.  Both parents then retired to the southern “H” sign for a tactical meeting and the three juveniles attempted to eavesdrop from the southeast corner.  At 7:30pm, O’Connor flew in and wound the chicks up while Hurricane pulled out all the stops; food fly bys, come soar with me flights, through the ledge “fuzz buzzes”, touch and go’s and every tease out that he could think of.  He finally gave up and headed over to the tower and just screamed back at them!!  Now at 9:33pm, Hurricane has taken up his position on the northeast corner which has only served to wind them up again and at a time where I can barely see them.  I believe food just arrived in the form of a small package that will hopefully keep them down for the night.  I look forward to seeing what tactics the adults employ tomorrow.  I think its going to be a busy day!!!

The First Food Transfer

June 18, 2011 - Burlington - Lift Bridge

Sue McCreadie Reports:

When Bill and I returned after dinner this evening, things were still quiet.  All of a sudden Lady Nelson spotted Dad under the Skyway Bridge dining.  The screaming was not getting her anywhere and the desire was too strong for her to control.  She took off, made a great landing on the Skyway beam and immediately grabbed the food away from Dad.  He took off and left her there to finish it.

At around 6:40pm, Mom flew by Lady Lamont who was sitting on a picnic table. She was carrying a great big juicy pigeon.  Just like Lady Nelson, the screaming was not doing her any good.  Mom continued to entice her with flybys.  Finally Lady Lamont took to the air and the first food transfer took place.  Lady Lamont made the catch but unfortunately, was not able to hang on to it. 

When we left at 7:30pm both juveniles and Mom and Dad were hanging out on the wires.  The kids were still screaming for dinner.

Flights are strong and landings are definitely improving.  What will tomorrow bring?

Storm Returns to the Nest Ledge at William Osler

June 18, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler

Tracy Simpson Reports:

Last night after a time out in the rescue carrier, Storm was given a health check and released to the roof to give this flight thing another try. I can tell you that this little guy has his mother’s charm as he attempted to foot and bite me continuously throughout the release process. This morning, Bruce Massey was on site by 5:00am and could clearly see young Storm donning his yellow tape on the retaining wall of the roof. He had a slight crop visible so the adults had been in to feed him at first light and his sisters, Rain and Wind, were still on the nest ledge and working up the confidence to try flight for themselves. Throughout the morning, Storm remained on the retaining wall and often jumped down to the roof and back up again. It would appear that his confidence had been a little shaken by his ineffective landings and he was happy to remain right where he was. I should tell you that Hurricane, the resident male, has absolutely run out of patience for the lack of flight time by his young. Just after 12:00, he took to the air and circled around to the west. As Storm sat on the edge of the wall on the east side facing out, Hurricane came bombing in behind him and buzzed right over top of his back by no more than an inch. It was a clear attempt to spook him off the ledge. The chick was caught by surprise and ducked at the last minute; the plan had failed ( drat!! ). Within a half an hour, Hurricane tried a different tactic; a series of stoop bombs that were close enough to the juvenile to instigate flight but Storm had the fine art of ducking down to a science. Both parents then tried the “come fly with me” soar about and still no movement by Storm. That was it, O’Connor had just about had it!! Off she went and returned with a huge package of fresh food that she took to the “H” on the north side. Storm ran the perimeter of the wall until he was positioned just above her and she took off leaving the food displayed in front of him on the sign below. Irresistible!! Within minutes he was airborne, circled around the east side and successfully landed back on the roof on the south face. He ran the ledge until he was right above the eastern nest ledge and made an attempt to fly out and into the ledge; not happening, must adjust trajectory. A second try and some “put the breaks on” back flapping and he was in to the nest ledge!!! The running, screaming and jubilant Storm raced over to his sisters, tapped beaks and then passed out cold on the ledge. Good job Storm for making it home!!

William fledged yesterday

June 18, 2011 - Toronto - Sheraton Centre

Harry Crawford Reports:

According to Linda and Zoe, William fledged late yesterday
afternoon.  I arrived on site at 7:20am to find an adult and
juvenile on the north west corner of 120 Adelaide.  Earlier in the
morning, three juveniles were visible on the nest ledge via the
webcam.  When I viewed the building from the 43rd floor of the
hotel, nothing was visible.  The adult had disappeared.  I waited
around for some time and the juvenile appeared from under the north
east corner.  It was hidden from view.  I couldn’t see if it was
William because the white tape was not visible with the double
window panes.  I eventually relocated to the south east corner of
the City Hall square.  From time to time, I could see the juvenile
on 120 Adelaide.  It made a few attempts to run along the ledge,
flapping all the time.  It could well have been William.  Normal
adult activity was seen as well.

Zoe arrived and took up the courtyard at 120 Adelaide.  The juvenile
did not appear again.  Hopefully the afternoon crew can establish
the identity of the juvenile on 120 Adelaide.

Flying Well!! All Kids Out of the House at Sun Life

June 18, 2011 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Frank Butson Reports:

I apologize for the delay in posting but the past few days have been so packed with adventure that time has passed me by.  What follows is my notes from yesterday, June 16th and today, June 17th.

Thursday June 16th

Jupiter took her first flight today and it was a pleasure to watch her as she flew several times in tandem with Angel.  Her flights were strong and coordinated for a first timer.  Hera was also flying well as he made forays between the towers around his nest ledge.  Skye also took his first flight but was not as well organized as his sister Jupiter and landed on a window ledge on the 22nd floor of Kingsway on the Park.  He then flew again and landed on the mezzanine level of the Sun Life Building and spent a great deal of time running the ledge from Bloor St. to Aberfoyle.  Skye then took off as Kathy had just exited the building and watched as the young bird flew low across Bloor Street and actually brushed his wing along a passing car before coming to rest on the low roof of a store on the south side.  Skye stayed there for the next 5 hours until he was motived to move once more and ended up on a wire next to the Pizza Pizza where the juvenile then spent the night.

Friday June 17th

This morning Skye left the wire after spending the entire night at that elevation and made an attempt to reach the roof of the Bell building at Eagle Rd and Bloor St.  The attempt was aborted and the juvenile finally settled on top of The Longest Yard.  After several hours of napping and considering his options, Skye left his perch and made a good flight to the top of the Bell building on Eagle Rd.  I took a brief break only to find on my return that Hera had descended to the roof of the Bell building where Skye was now perched and took a good long nap there.  Skye finally took one good flight off of the Bell building, flew out around the residential area to the south and back around the Sun Life tower at an elevation above the roof!!  Skye then headed towards the Kingsway on the Park and with Angel’s encouragement he made it to the roof.  Jupiter was on the same rooftop and Angel flew by trying to tease them into the air again.  Hera then surprised us all by flying directly from the roof of the Bell building to the ledge to the left of the nest ledge!!  This was an elevation gain, in one flight, of about 200 feet!!  By 8:23pm, the entire family was gathered on the Sun Life Building at rooftop level where they settled in for the night.

FINALLY!! A Fledge at William Osler!!

June 17, 2011 - Etobicoke - William Osler

Tracy Simpson Reports:

I dropped Frank off at William Osler today to man the watch while I travelled downtown.  For the better part of the morning, all was quiet and the three juveniles opted to stay out of the sun by hiding behind the eastern “H”.  At 12:30pm, I returned to retrieve Frank and take him down to Etobicoke Sun Life to relieve Kathy and Baylie, two incredible ladies that have been instrumental in making the Sun Life fledge watch such a success, and promptly turned around to get back here.  As I was turning onto the road leading to the Health Centre, I received a call from Bruce Massey who had just arrived to find the male chick, Storm, running around on the rooftop ledge!!  He had obviously made it out of the nest and back to the rooftop in the 45 minutes I was gone!!  ( I swear he waited for just that moment! )  The two female young, Rain and Wind, remained on the ledge and looked very disinterested in the whole flight thing.  Moments later things got busy.

Storm left the rooftop and attempted to land on the south side of the building on the ledge.  He aborted his landing and instead went for the roof.  After falling short of the top by a few feet, he hung on and did his best bat impression on the wall for a minute, then let go and tried for the nest ledge again.  Another abort, this time taking him around to the east side where O’Connor, the resident female, joined him and guided him over towards the hydro tower.  He flew through the first section of gridwork to the second leg of the tower where he attempted a landing and failed.  He slipped off of the girder and dropped a foot or two to the next rung below.  The slip and fall continued all the way down to the grass berm where he ended up a confused and defeated looking little boy.  We rush over to rescue him and all the while O’Connor is above me alarm calling.  I looked up to see her making her way down through the girders, rung by rung, on her way to deal with the person that just rescued her chick, me!!  I can’t remember ever moving so fast towards Bruce and the rescue carrier and I never looked back!  With Storm now in the carrier and in the security office of the hospital, I ventured outside to check on the other chicks and the adults.  It would appear that O’Connor, the resident female, now knows the make, model and licence plate of the vehicle I drive, my home address and social insurance number and she plans to look me up!!  She patrolled the air space around the hospital and when she found me, came down low to let me know that she wants her baby back!!  She will be pleased to know that when darkness falls, after a quick health check, he will be released to the rooftop to give it another try.  A big thank you to security and hospital staff for helping us to make a successful rescue today!

Things Are Improving

June 17, 2011 - Burlington - Lift Bridge

Sue McCreadie Reports:

Paul Reynolds reported this morning:

!!! We have a Fledge!!!

June 17, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill

Doug Garbutt Reports:

This morning when I arrived at work at 6:50 am there was only 1 young one in the box. Olivia at 43 days of age decided to take the big jump. She may have left late yesterday or early this morning. During my lunch break I took the opportunity to try and locate her. I was able to do so. Camera in hand, I managed to get a few photos of the new “free of the nest box” falcon. She appears to be able to get around pretty good as she 1st landed on the roof then flew up to a higher dust filter then around to the other side of our facility landing on a beam high up at the 10th floor level of our grain elevator. These are baby steps but she did very well on her maiden flight. We always worry about them ending up in the Welland Canal. I should mention that when she was on the roof that (like at the Burlington site), Rocky racoon was spotted. Perhaps that is what inspired Olivia to move to the other side of the building. Her brother Max is still stuck in the box. He looks ready to go and we think tomorrow will be his turn. Mom & Dad are not feeding him much.