Canadian Peregrine Foundation

5:30 AM Roll Call!!!

June 17, 2010 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge

Dennis Patrick Reports:

The kids looked a little tired this morning maybe it was all that great flying yesterday. They were a little slow out of the gate but that all ended when they took to the sky.
The two males really seem to enjoy picking on their sister!!
Sounds like a typical family!!
A little snack was brought in to get their motors running and then right back to flight school. This gives new meaning to after school snack!
One thing that I have seen twice now is Voltaire flying right down across the parking lot and chasing a squirrel away from the base of the Bridge abutment gotta keep those pesky rodents away!!
Dennis

Malik Flying well, Zera awaiting her turn

June 16, 2010 - Toronto - King Street

Linda Woods Reports:

Malik made several flights this evening.  Frequent flyer miles are adding up with his trips back and forth from the nest building to the roof of the King Edward Hotel.  He also added a couple of trips to # 7 King St Condo roof as well. 

Zera had a good meal this evening at 7:15p.m. and after a lot of screaming and flapping she settled down for the night.

Adult female came to the nest ledge just before dark, while the adult male was seen on the nest building roof top.

Malik will spend a second night at his favourite spot on the King Edward Hotel

Astounding!!!

- Windsor - Ambassador Bridge

Dennis Patrick Reports:

Fabulous incredible flight displays by Lancer and Windsor. Talon to talon flight displays Bridgette hot in the hunt when foods involved. The boys seem more apt to just fly for the jostling and sparring. This afternoon at about three the trio soared high into the sky way above the height of the Ambassador Bridge sign, WAY above!! Totaly new behaviour but the wind was right.

To have falcons flying 30 feet sometimes lower over my head thick as flies at a picnic. I am humbled by this oportunity to be part of the continued future of such incredibly stunning creatures. To have been given this oportunity right here in my own backyard. How great is that. They are starting to race each other in pursuit of the parent with the food package.

The males are more adept to tearing there own prey where as Bridgette is still prone to have mom rip it and feed her. Bridgette really likes to sleep on the nest ledge, the boys don’t.

Body language speaks rheems if we only open our eyes and listen. I am amazed they seem to be grasping the shear joy of flight. Just soaking in the energy and beginning to understanding how and why they were designed to perform as the fastest creature on the planet.
Big ear to ear falcon smiles all round!!!

Special thanks to all our loyal hard working volunteers without whom we’d never have gotten this far. Great job team. Your loyalty and support is irreplaceable.

Dennis

WOW, WHAT A WEEK

June 16, 2010 - Burlington - Lift Bridge

Sue McCreadie Reports:

We have been kept so busy this week.  Unfortunately, we have been getting home too late to do any reports.  So much has happened that I can’t begin to recap the week.  Both Brant and Diana have fledged.  Brant on June 10^th and Diana on June 13^th.  Diana unfortunately came to the ground on June 13^th and had to be rescued.  Luckily, Mark Nash was with us and was able to check her out and release her again that evening on the Hamilton Tower. 

Today, the winds were so strong and the rain torrential that all birds, including Mom and Dad were kept very low and were hanging on for dear life.  Winds are supposed to decrease by midnight.  When we left at 7 PM, Brant and Diana were not visible as they were laying low on the Hamilton Tower roof.  Both juveniles have been making some strong flights, but the landings are still a little shaky.  We saw a little talon touching yesterday and look forward to more of that in the days to come.

!!! Their ready to go

June 16, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre

Kathy Smith Reports:

I’ve been spot checking the four at MEC and they are eager to go.  Over the last few days they are aggressively flapping and are now starting to leave their box and explore the ledge.  Today there were 2 males out on the ledge.  One was checking out the neighboring ledge.  I thought for sure he was going to make the leap.

Many pictures available to view.

June 16, 2010 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge

Dennis Patrick Reports:

http://www.pbase.com/gerald_f_peltier

This web site contains many pictures of the Ambassador Peregrine family.

Please check it out Jerry has worked hard with us to keep posting wonderful new photos.

All three fledgelings were flying cautiously due to high winds today but all is well and progressing nicely.

Dennis.

Article in Detroit News Today

June 16, 2010 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge

Dennis Patrick Reports:

http://detnews.com/article/20100615/METRO/6150319/Falcons-nest-on-bridge–hatch-3

If you access this link you can see the article that is in the Detroit News today.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!
Dennis

A Box Full of Monkeys!

June 15, 2010 - Mississauga - Executive Centre

Tracy Simpson Reports:

I arrived at the site later this evening ( around 7:00pm ) to find the three little boys all bee-bopping around the nest ledge.  There was no hint of down left on their heads but a few plumes still poked out here and there.  Our oldest chick as of today is 39 days so a fledge should take place any minute now…   …and not a minute too soon for the juvenile female still hanging out in the box!  I can certainly empathise with this young female having 3 older brothers in her face all day!

Wing stretches, preening and head flipping filled up the evening activities at home for the juveniles until 8:01pm when the adult female arrived with a late night snack.  A small package, it was definately from one of the many stash sites that the adults use for caching food.  The adult female then took the meal to the dip in the window ledge just south of the nest box.  No more than two seconds later appears the “three little monkey boys”, sitting shoulder to shoulder and screaming in unison, looking to cash in on the delivery.

“Not so fast”, says Mom.  “You come to me or I’ll just have to eat it myself!  Spoon feeding time is over!!”  So each boy in turn mustered up the courage to make the two inch jump to the ledge and then down into the ledge itself.  A few minutes in the feed trough and the first male juvenile emerges looking triumphantly at his sister, still sitting on the landing platform of the box.  This little male was so excited he ran across the lip of the nest ledge straight to the box, only stopping briefly to wipe his dirty little face all over his sibling!  She was not amused!!  By 8:17pm another package arrived with the adult female but this time it was the full monty, fresh and unplucked.  The juvenile female snatched it and before I could blink, plowed through the boys with pigeon in hand to the back of the nest box to dine.  Fair treatment after using her as a napkin!!  As the sun finally faded away, 4 “chunky monkey” juvenile peregrines crept into bed and zonked out for the night.

All Quiet At Sunlife

June 15, 2010 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre

Frank Butson Reports:

We had no flyers again,it wasnt exactly quiet though. Every time the young saw an adult,they called like mad things. There was alot of flapping and the adults were doing “Touch and Goes”. Adults fly into the nestledge..the young run to them..the adult takes off right way,trying to entice the young Peregrines to take their first flights. There were 3 feedings today,the final one around 815pm. The boys settled right down after that for the night.  Thanks to all of the local folks who are stopping to see whats going on with the Peregrine chicks. Please if you notice a chick out of the nest,most especially on the ground or a low elevation,please let us know. Usually we are around Eagle Rd and Bloor,or call our CPF office at 416-481-1233.

!!! Malik’s First Sleep Over

June 15, 2010 - Toronto - King Street

Linda Woods Reports:

Malik, the first fledge, will have his first sleep over at the King Edward Hotel. He spent his first day on the roof of the hotel and early in the evening, he made his way over to the base of the chimney.  Zera, still unfledged had a healthy meal around 8:15p.m. and then settled down out of sight for the night. After the feed and as it turned dark, the adult female was seen on the nest ledge. 

Malik, was seen lying down at the base of the chimney on the east side of the hotel at dark.