Awww, poor little guy.  Not the news I'd hoped for but considering how Jem was tearing up the skies, it could have been way worse.  Carol, can you let us know what kind of break it was when you find out? 

Here's another Juvie's experience with Jem's injury for anyone interested in what may be in store for Jem. . . .  http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AnimalAid_PatientUpdates#peregrine  Click on "peregrine falcon". 

Get well quickly, Jem! 

Chrissy, this looks like the same injury as Jemison. Must be a common injury amongst fledglings. He made it and so can Jemison. Wow, 5 months is a long time. Hope J heals quicker. Thanks for this info. Sheesh, I want to cry.....again! (I'm not so tough.)

Osprey Diary 7th July
July 7th, 2010 by Osprey Team

Morning all,

This morning came with a surprise from one of our osprey chicks who took advantage of a strong gust of wind and raised itself about four metres from the nest, flapping vigorously. This leaves us thinking- could today be the day one or possibly two finally make the move? Despite their attempts to gain flight however, they quickly nestled down against each other in the nest against the buffeting winds waiting patiently for Dad’s return. Although seemingly quiet at the moment bursts of activity from the juveniles occur on a pretty regular basis, so keep watching!

Charlotte

[Thank you for the update.]

He is just the cutest. Prayers for fast healing to A & B's little boy. What a rough 1st year for them. Callidora is doing great. Hope he joins her soon. Daddy has his little girl, let's hope mommy gets her little boy, (if he actually is a boy) back. Thank you for the update.

MAK now in front of City Hall

Last report: Callidora is on platform North side Frontier Comm Tower..flattened out, wing and tail hanging over the edge.  9:25am No sightings of A or B.

[Falcon Watches]

@ 8:37: MAK reports, 2 pefa's on top of Frontier Tower.

Since you are "tweeting" for MAK, this should go in the Twitter topic on the Falcon Watches board.

Ohhhh OK, thanks.

@ 8:37: MAK reports, 2 pefa's on top of Frontier Tower.

 BRANT IS MISSING - PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
July 06, 2010 - Burlington - Lift Bridge
Sue McCreadie Reports:

A call was received yesterday that there was a downed peregrine on the Skyway Bridge.  Watchers have completed a full search of the area and the Skyway both Toronto Bound and Niagara Bound.  Animal Control reported that the only downed birds they located were a pigeon and a gull.  Saying that, the last account of all 4 birds was on Sunday.  As of last evening and early this morning, our head count was of 3 birds only.  Please be on the lookout for a juvenile peregrine (Yellow and Blue Band on the right leg) that may be grounded somewhere within the vicinity of the Burlington Skyway.

Oh poor baby, hope they find him.

Very cool!  I like these types of structural pictures.  Thanks for sharing MAK and Donna!

Wow, that pic is HUGE...I even re-sized it. Sorry! MAK, you take HUGE pics! 

["you just won a free T-shirt"..]

Well, now we know what 5K posts brings    You do need to get out more 

OMG!!  I  didn't even realize. I do leave the house, I swear. OK, I go babysit all day but I can bring my laptop. Gee, I did the same on KFC too...double  . I was hoping for a flashing banner saying "you just won a free T-shirt".., (click here to claim your prize). Thanks Janet

Oh "Shaky, Shaky, Shaky" 

A primary school in Dorset has switched off its wind turbine after seabirds kept getting killed by the blades.

Southwell Primary on Portland saw 14 birds killed in six months after it was installed 18 months ago.

Head teacher Stuart McLeod said he has been coming to school early to clear up the dead birds to minimise the distress to pupils.

The RSPB welcomed the move. Talks have started between the school and Dorset County Council about the turbine.

The turbine was installed with a grant from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

It was providing 6kW - about 40% of the school's electricity.

Mr McLeod said there had been a "rapid succession of birds".

He said: "It occurred at all times of the day so there was no regular pattern so we started recording when they were taking place and reporting it to the council.
Continue reading the main story


"But we were left with no option but to put the brake on the turbine."

Tony Whitehead, RSPB spokesman, said: "Obviously the RSPB is very concerned about climate change, it is one of the biggest threats that we have to the environment.

"So alternative energy is incredibly important.

"But of course we want to see wind turbines placed in situations where they are going to have no impact on the environment and on wildlife."

Negotiations between the school and county council are continuing to find a way forward.

An owl sanctuary in the western Lake District has said it has had a record-breaking breeding season.

In 2009, 46 chicks were hatched from 16 species at the World Owl Trust (WOT) at Muncaster Castle near Ravenglass.

This year so far, more than 50 chicks have been raised from the 21 species of owl in residence. That figure is expected to increase.

Experts working at the site said early preparation for breeding season had contributed to the increase in numbers.

Andy Chafe from the WOT said: "We're delighted 2010 has been such a successful year so far, which is testament to the effort we made in preparation for this breeding season.

"During the latter months of 2009, aviaries were renovated, disinfected and re-branched, new nest boxes were constructed and sited and owls were transferred to and from other centres to make up potential new breeding pairs."

Most of the owls only breed once a year but if they lay their first eggs early, some will raise chicks in the spring and then again in the summer.

Two pairs of white-faced owls and a pair of ferruginous pygmy owls are on their second clutches of eggs.

It is hoped they will hatch so visitors can expect to see more new arrivals in the coming weeks.

  CUTE!!

Some environmental experts are concerned the beautiful but noisy game, with its cheering crowds and vuvuzelas, might have an adverse affect on birds in the area.

Executive director of Birdlife South Africa, Mark Anderson, said the sounds emitted from the World Cup revelry might cause certain species of birds to abandon their nests and leave their eggs vulnerable to predators.

"There are many bird species which are quite sensitive to disturbance, especially when breeding, and I am sure that excessive noise (especially over a long duration) would negatively affect them," he said, adding that they may not breed at all.

Research conducted by De Wet Swanepoel and James Hall, of the University of Pretoria and the University of Florida, respectively, in a paper published last year, concluded that the volume of the sound produced by a single vuvuzela topped 130 decibels.

The sound produced at a rock concert measures 120dB or less, according to the information provided by the website HowStuffWorks.com, giving an indication of what level the noise at the stadiums can be expected to reach.

Their research was conducted at a premier league match in Pretoria with a sample group of 30 000 spectators, most of whom were blowing vuvuzelas. "Official match stadiums for the 2010 Fifa World Cup hold up to 90 000 spectators, three times more than the stadium used in this study. It is reasonable to suspect that sound intensity will be even higher in the larger official venues," they said.

Anderson said in addition to these sensitive species, there were birds that had adjusted well to noise. "Other bird species do not seem too perturbed by disturbance, such as crowned lapwings nesting on islands in the middle of major roads, lesser kestrels roosting in Australian bluegum trees in large townships and Cape sparrows nesting in telephone poles next to major roads."

Phillip Whittington, of the East London Museum and department of zoology at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, also said that the effects of the noise on birds would vary.

"During a match at Port Elizabeth on Wednesday last week, for example, I saw a Cape wagtail on the pitch, 30 pied crows over the stadium and a passing peregrine falcon that did not seem to be troubled by the cacophony coming from within," he said, illustrating Anderson's point.

The concern for the birds comes in the wake of the campaign for the preservation of the barn swallow sanctuary around the King Shaka Airport at La Mercy.

Ted Vickers of the Lake Victoria Conservancy, one of the organisations charged with monitoring the barn swallows, "wasn't concerned" by the effect of the noise on the birds in the area around the airport and stadiums.

Here's a pic of the Kodak Tower taken by MAK. Looks like it's pretty wrapped up.

Update: Dan & MAK  thinks it was Beauty who just stooped off the Playpen area of  the Kodak tower. 6:40am.

5:45 am: MAK & Dan on watch , Callidora on Frontier Communication Tower. No sign of A or B yet.

A peregrine falcon found injured in Guernsey and nursed back to health in Hampshire was probably left unable to fly after a seagull vomited over it.

The female bird was found hopping in the road in early June with its wings coated in an unknown substance.

Conservationists initially thought it had been caught in a glue trap but tests showed the oily substance was "partially digested fish matter".

The falcon was released into the wild again last week.

It was flown in a private plane from Guernsey for treatment at the Hawk Conservancy Trust's specialist bird of prey hospital in Andover, and back again.
Defence mechanism

Scientists analysed a sample of the bird's feathers and found that the substance coating them was a natural ester-based oil - which includes vegetable, seed and fish matter - with a high presence of sand and soil.

Ashley Smith, chief executive officer of the Hawk Conservancy Trust, said: "The results have presented a totally different scenario to the one first imagined when she was found.

"We now believe that the peregrine may have preyed upon seabirds, possibly a gull, which has used its primary defence mechanism of projectile vomiting to escape her.

"The partially-digested fish matter would have coated her feathers and she would then have tried to clean herself by dust bathing.

"This would explain the high presence of sand and soil in the sample, which had encrusted her feathers and prevented her from flying."

Paul Betchley, falconer with the trust who released the bird into the wild last week, said: "It was an amazing moment.

"We opened the door to the carrying-box and she hopped out, got her bearings and then took to the skies.

"Let's hope she's learned her lesson and will avoid gulls in future."