Canadian Peregrine Foundation

FLEDGE WATCH - BLOOR/ISLINGTON, ETOBICOKE - June 1 & 2

A few photos of FREDDIE, MIA & LOLA from June 1.  At the end of the evening, FREDDIE was all tucked in, but the girls decided on a another flight or two.  All good though.  LOLA went to the nest ledge for the night, I hope, and I don’t know where MIA ended up, but the parents were chilled and I called it a night around 8:30.

Today, June 2, Rob did a check in the morning and in the evening.  It looks like they are in that playful and silly stage, that we call the “follies”.  As long as they don’t cocky, we hope to see some good flights, landings and food transfers.  It can be quite entertaining watching the air play.  All 3 were on the roof when Rob left so hopefully it stayed that way.

I also wanted to thank Marlene from the Masters Condos, home of ARIA and GROUCHO, who came by on Saturday when I was there and then this afternoon to check on the birds and to get familiar with our site in case more volunteer help is needed.

I look forward to hearing Rob’s and Bruce’s observations tomorrow and hope to get down there in the next couple of days.  Cheers, Lucie

DON MILLS FLEDGE WATCH DAY 4:

I arrived to find everyone as I left them. Litterly. Simba and Roshan asleep on nest. Tava still in same spot as last night.

One new addition, a pigeon. Poor guy hiding out under the trees just behind me. Boy did he fly through the wrong neighborhood!!

Simba and Roshan were hanging out… Roshan’s down is really disappearing fast.  And Simba did an amazing jump and hover over the length of the nest ledge. He’s so ready, just doesn’t know it yet!

I was joined by Mike and he came at the right time.  Tava had been down napping, but then popped up and he was off!  With parent by his side, he flew to the 3rd level on the building across from the nest box.  Good landing but it’s a tiny ledge.  Simba was so excited to see him. Tava was figuring things out when in came a parent with food, calling to him and they took it to the nest ledge where Simba and Roshan quickly grabbed it, think Simba won out.

Well, that was enough for Tava - off he flew across the street, banked(!), flew across and landed perfectly on the nest ledge!!! Way to go Tava! Very impressive.  His greetings from his siblings would have to wait, as they were eating lol.  Then cutess overload as the siblings beaked and caught up. The boys hung out on the nest box roof. They were adorable.

Rob and Ted joined us.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty quiet. But the parents helped to entertain us by bringing in multiple feedings.

Ted and Mike had to go so Bob, Rob and I settled in for the evening.

And boy, did we have fun!

We watched as both parents took out a turkey vulture and then Mom went after some Canadian geese again lol.

Then, Simba took off! He headed next door, Mom was with him like a shot! He banked and went in between the buildings, and Mom guided him to the top floor of the nest building, northwest corner!! Way to go Simba!! What a fantastic first flight! All that practicing off the nest box paid off big time.

Now as he left, Tava got so worked up… And he took off. Not as good a flight as his brother but landed next door, 3 levels down, again clinging to the window then dropped down. He could see Simba.

In the meantime, Simba finally did the ledge walk! Went right along until he was across from Tava. And then Tava tried to get to him. Twice and missed and went back to the same ledge. Then a third attempt. He was so close, I mean inches from making it, but no. Dropped, recovered and went back across.  Now, Mom said enough, and brought him food and beak fed him until he was stuffed.

She then took some more food to Roshan. So Simba ledge walked home! And got a lovely beak feeding from Mom. She stuffed both of them and took the rest off for a well deserved meal for herself.

Tava was down for the count. And so were Simba and Roshan, so we called it a day.  A very good day!

Looking forward to seeing the boys do some more good flights. Roshan is no where near ready… Going to be a long watch I think!

Unfortunately lots of rain for tomorrow during the day so might not see much but… They’ve been wrong before

Stay tuned…

Cathy

Lots of pictures!

The first of Tava’s flight home are from Mike. Some from me and some from Rob!

Enjoy

FLEDGE WATCH - BLOOR/ISLINGTON, ETOBICOKE - May 31/June 1

Just a quick update as I’m exhausted from a long day but I wanted to follow up from May 30.  Good news that LOLA (white band) is safe and sound!  Rob found her low down on Friday morning and he took these awesome photos.  She’s so beautiful!  She made it back up on her own and, fast forward to tonight, is flying well with her siblings MIA (red) and FREDDIE (blue).  I took a few photos and will post them tomorrow.  Cheers, Lucie

DON MILLS FLEDGE WATCH DAY 3:

I arrived to find Tava had flown again and was now down on the 2nd level. We watched him ledge hop all morning.

Simba and Roshan hung out together all day. Simba did some very great practice flights from the top of the nest box right across the ledge… Very smart of him.

Bob, Rob and Ted joined me in the morning. Ted had to leave around noon, Bob left to let his dog out and Rob and Ivy went to get us some lunch.

So I was by myself when Bellatrix came into the nest box.  Tava was directly below, 3 floors down. He hadn’t been fed, so he got very excited. I watched him with wings out looking up, then he was down, a gust of wind took him! Saw him directly below on the walkway. I headed over, towel in hand. I went straight to him, he saw me and took off… Now the walkway is surrounded by glass. So he turned and flew very low down the walkway. A woman came out of the building and was walking away from us. Tava was headed straight for her. I called out.. Miss! Can you please move over… She turned, screamed. And Tava stopped dead in his tracks lol. Of course I say, great! Can you please just stay there while I grab him? She screams noooo and turns and runs away!! I had to laugh.

Now Tava has a clear path and is off low again to the end and stops at the glass. A lovely woman was coming up the stairs so I asked her if she could please wave at him. She did. And I had him! I thanked her for helping me rescue a peregrine falcon.

I checked him over and he looked good. So he had a time out. Meanwhile Rob and Ivy had returned and saw the tail end of the rescue.  Bob returned and we got Tava up to the roof. Mom and Dad immediately alarm called and swooped around but we were quick. And Tava was even quicker… The second we were up the stairs, he was out, called out to his parents and all was good.  Dad brought him a pigeon and we didn’t see him again for close to an hour lol.

Shortly after that, Simba and Roshan were delivered a nice package.

So, it’s 830…all good right? No, Tava decided to make another flight, Mom was with him in a flash and steered him onto the building next door where he first clung to the window before dropping down on the ledge. She stopped him from heading off to the ravine. Great job Bellatrix! She then went and checked on the other two before settling down to watch both ledges.  And there we left them for the night. All high and safe.

Long day, but a good one.

Hoping for some good flights tomorrow… Maybe one from Simba too???

DON MILLS FLEDGE WATCH DAY 2:

And we have a fledge!

I arrived to see parent fly off with the remains of breakfast. All 3 were quiet on the ledge.

Ted, Bob and Rob joined me over the morning. We were watching Mom come in on the nest ledge when Tava jumped on Mom and then both slid off the ledge! Off  Tava went( he had no choice). We lost him behind the trees for a few minutes but up he popped on the Purolator roof!

We watched him there for abit before he took off across the street and landed behind the building across from the nest, first level. Super low.

Ted and Rob had to go so Bob and I settled in to watch. But one photographer stayed a bit longer and got a bit too close. Bellatrix was over like a shot, checked quickly on the ledge with Tava (!) and then swooped… I ran out(we were under cover of a tree) and got him out of harms way and she left. Don’t mess with her kids! Later a poor gentleman was just taking a picture with his phone but got too close and she was there before I could tell him but I got him out of the way and she left. Way to go Bellatrix!

For the next 3 hours Bob and I watched him test out the windows (over and over), pace back and forth, listen to his family and check it all out.

Finally, he was off! Low, past us, behind the bushes and trees. We lost him but were right behind. Quickly checked the roads… And I saw Bellatrix fly over me then back to the corner of the nest building and there he was, one level down from the nest ledge! Way to go Tava!! Fantastic flight. Gained great height and landed well. His siblings were happy to see him, even if it was a level down.

Those two we were so quiet all afternoon, thank goodness. Not easy watching 2 different spots and they cooperated beautifully.

Ted, Rob, Ivy and Mike joined us for the evening.

At one point, Canuck started alarm calling and then flying back and forth, down and around the nest and Tava… I ran to check what the heck was going on… And saw a nice couple walking their dogs in front of the building! Canuck wasn’t having it. I called them across the road. They said that they walked there every day but I explained that there were now  kids in the air so they are now hyper vigilant. Quest was the same way… And she got very close to hitting the dogs. Like mother, like son

Tava rested, then decided to ledge hop back and forth for a while. Unfortunately, at one ledge the occupants noticed him and spooked him. He froze between ledges.  And was still there at dark.

At bedtime, the parents brought food to the kids on the nest ledge but Tava got none. He was in an unsafe spot so perhaps that is why he did not get fed.  Hopefully he will move in the morning and get a nice big breakfast.

Simba and Roshan were stuffed and went to bed happy.

Simba… You’re up tomorrow!?!

Cathy

I’ve started the pictures with Ted’s sequence of Tava’s accidental fledge and then added a few of my own.

DON MILLS FLEDGE WATCH DAY ONE:

We have one boy really ready to go, one boy almost and one girl not ready yet lol.

I started out by myself this morning but was joined shortly by Bob, Rob and Ted. Even Carolyn dropped by to say hi.

It was a very windy, cool day. Roshan, the girl, was very shy as we didn’t see too much of her really. The boys took centre stage. Both made it up onto the nest box - spent most of the day there actually.  They did lots of wingersizing, beaking(so cute), calling for food.  Ted managed to get a couple of great pictures of Tava jumping up the wall lol.

Mom brought in one small package which Tava grabbed and ate himself!

Then finally, at the end of the day, both parents brought in food, mayhem ensued but the kids were stuffed first by Mom and then by Dad.

Even though no fledge, it was a good day.

Don Mills /Amexon update :  on March 26 we saw 3 eggs. We started hatch watch on April 29th. We went up and found 4 eggs, no hatch. Kept checking, no hatch. Now I knew the 3 eggs were definitely not viable any more, but since we did not know exactly when the fourth egg was laid, there was a possibility of a second clutch. Of her knowing that the others were not viable, she laid her final egg later. So I had to know. I decided that I would keep checking until May 31st, then call it. Sally and Rob went on this journey with me. Keeping on checking. On Friday 24th, I pulled into the parking lot and saw one parent land on a letter. So I drove down to check if the other parent was on a letter by the nest. Got my camera out and saw dad land on the nest ledge. With prey! And up popped Nagata, who grabbed it from him, then he also popped down! Hatch! Holding our breath, up we went and saw that lovely sight of a white fluff ball.  I did my happy dance… I’ve been fledge watching here for (now) 13 years… I’m so glad this year is a go!! Nagata sat on those eggs for at least 58 days…

Thanks to Sally and Rob for checking with me and for their great pics!

Lakeridge Health  banding :  It’s a boy for Velcro and Alfrieda! Grandson of Quest and Mystery, and extra special, Marion named Velcro

He is a healthy beautiful chick named Echo. The hospital named him.  Everyone enjoyed seeing him get his bling up in the mechanical room.

Mark Heaton got him out of the nest box and removed the 3 unhatched eggs, which will be sent out for testing.  Echo was nice and fiesty, just how we like them.

Thanks to Mark Heaton once again. And thank you to Andy and everyone at Lakeridge Health Hospital for their continued support.

Echo, male, 595g, X/70, red tape

Enjoy!

Lovely day for MEC banding (Mississauga Executive Centre)… It’s 3 girls and a boy for Midnight and Renegade!!

We headed up to the roof where the swing stage, provided by Skyreach (many thanks!) was waiting and Jay the operator, who has been helping out for many years.   And so was Midnight! She hung around us the whole time, quite chill, watching us. The kids were on the balcony and she kept checking on them. Once the stage started down, she hustled them in the box and in she went too. And never left until the kids were back!  John got them out and safely in the bag, Lucie and I hauled them up and into the building to get their bling.  Thanks to Lucie for overcoming her fear of heights to help me out(and we got to see Midnight up close… A thrill)

Eva did a great job of banding these 4 very vocal, fiesty (VERY fiesty) chicks.  Thank you again Eva!

We were joined by the daycare kids at the end and they were thrilled see Cooper get banded. So cute, one child said that they were chickens lol and another owls (a Raptor at least).. Adorable.

Then it was time to get them home to their mom.  John quickly put them back and done! Another great job John.

Dad finally showed up and we can confirm no bands… Looks like Renegade still reigns!

Alda, female, 905g, 41/AB, red tape

Olympia, female, 850g, 42/AB, white tape

Connor, male, 640g, C/54, blue tape

Cooper, female, 880g, 43/AB, green on yellow tape

We wish these fiesty 4 a good fledge!