Sky just went black and opened up, strong winds and tornadoe warnings in effect for the south.  Quest is right by Harlie keeping her safe I can see. 

Matrix - the new guy has potential!  Mick and SGB, over at BCAW have sourced out his history and turns out his dad was born at this site on 2000!!  Matrix and Scout would also be first cousins as Scout's mom and Matrix's dad are full brother and sister (from different years though)

So while it's been a tough year, they now have 2 strong falcons that come from good strong lines  on both sides.  Matrix's father Maverick is legendary in Ohio - he raised a nest full of kids on his own one year when his mate was killed.

Hopefully this little guy is a keeper and Durand has time to 'mold' him  while he's still young    He's only 1 year old so talons crossed he does well and makes it to next year.

Good to see Archer taking care of Beauty and as she's accepting his gift - all is right in their world. 
I guess he's just solidifying his bond with Unity - given she's the newer kid on the block and he has to put some work in on that and with no kids to worry about, this is as good time as any to do it. 

He's going to be exhausted by end of summer with two girls to please and all that territory to defend.  I wonder where he migrates to, got to give the guy an 'A' for stamina 

Great photos Carol.  It's good to see where Unity and Archer are located at the 'other' site for those of us who don't live in the area.

I feel the same way Bobbie.  It's been a gift to watch her, she's magnificent 

hi Joyce:  Chicks generally don't fall from a nest ledge unless something is wrong with them - usually neuroligcal.  They're born with a fear of heights to prevent just such a thing.  Alternatively they do sometimes take a tumble by accident when a sibling might be flapping or something.  The MNR will be picking the little one up today to do some testing so we'll see if anything shows up.  Jack was likely at our site as Mathew said only TR Mom was there and she watched him pick up the little body.  As no one witnessed what happened - they really don't know if it was an accident or not.  

For news on 'transmitter girl', Bev posts updates over at the Manitoba site.  They removed her transmitter last year and she is back and nesting this year!  More details here:

http://www.species-at-risk.mb.ca/projects/pfrp/forum/programs/index.php/topic,2610.0.html

Hard to say BC.  You look at Hunter and Ranger and they really give credence to the 'mate for life' theory.  They have moved sites so many times I think we've lost count, they've reclutched many times and yet they are still together so who knows - they obviously prefer being together regardless of lack of eyases though they never give up trying 

Then you have Roosevelt and Freedom in Indiana - both about 16 or 17 years old now, been together for years.  The last few years Freedom hasn't produced any eggs at all - no doubt due to her elder years and yet together they stay..like an old married couple.  He hasn't dumped her for some young thing so there has to more to it than we will likely ever understand.

As you say know one knows..all we can do is watch and wonder.

Tragic news from Jacks other site.  First we thought there was one, found out there was two and now one has been found dead 

Mathew sent me an email and also just posted the news to their site.

Jun 6, 2011 - Unfortunate news

Around 5PM while walking my dog, I found a juvenile on the ground directly under the ledge. It was not alive, and obviously feel straight down to where I found it.

I know from checking earlier this afternoon there were two on the ledge. So, sorry to say, there is now only one.

Love how almost every time I check in, little Harlie is either being stuffed silly by Quest or pancacked in the nest box...what a cutie 

I do understand where you are coming from kitty.  I should add though that my thoughts are based more on science than feelings.'

I've corresponded with two avian biologists on this topic - in relation to my own site and both suggested that this is not the type of behaviour they like to see in peregrine pairs( one of them went so far as to say that something is wrong with the male and he's not 'wired' properly but I'm not qualified to agree or disagree on that one).  Not because of any emotional ideal but because it effects the chances of survival.

First and I've seen this at our site: eyases are much smaller than normally produced in previous years under similar weather conditions and source of food supply.

Second, it leaves the female (main provider/trainer/guarder, etc...) exhausted at the end of season and slower to recover her resources which leaves her vulnerable to a takeover by another female and/or at higher risk of injury.

Third, in training after fledge for flight skills and hunting skills is where I really saw a difference.  Angel had a difficult time tracking/assisting all her fledglings on her own and we performed more rescues than in previous years - with the exception being when females weighed 300 grams more than this year but that's a whole other issue.  

Hunting - Jack used to train the males to hunt medium sized birds which tiercels with their agility and smaller size have a much easier time catching.  Angel is a pigeon hunter - the boys last year had a hard time hunting and I believe this is what contributed to Blackberry's death after he was basically sent packing.  he was the best flier but he never was able to successfully carry his prey.  Several times I observed him hitting the building and having to drop his prey.  After the other two dispersed, he hung around begging for food constantly.  he was found on the side of the road, likely hit by a car while trying either to carry food or had gone to ground to get roadkill.

Now you could argue their chances for survival aren't great to start with and you'd be right but with two dedicated parents that give them the skills they need - I'd argue it ups their chances.  Both males and females play an important role in the upbringing of a falcon and both contribute different skill sets to their offspring.

Sorry if I didn't articulate that properly.  That being said I do try to be sensitive to other people's feelings on the topic - even though I understand the science/biology of it, I'd be lying if I said I didn't get attached to them and sometimes forget they're not like us !

Wow..I didn't realize it had come to that.  I knew he was there the odd time and you are right..it's likely the eggs as they do live to procreate.

Well not much you can do but watch and learn now really.  Not all females accept bigamous males I've been told, otherwise I"m sure they'd be alot more of them so we'll see what Beauty does.  On the plus side, I'm glad neither of them were fatally hurt and at least the line in the sand is drawn now.

I remember going through the same thing here when Jack first hooked up with TR Mom and Angel was left on her own.  Thankfully it worked out in the end but I can't help but wonder if Beauty sees him over there with a female she fought with and it might remind her of her start here and raise her hackles a bit I'm sure.  I think it would be nice too if that cute Mr T showed up and then you'd have 2 couples.

Wait, did I miss something?  Has Beauty rejected Archer for good?  Or am I misreading?

[Linn is most certainly a Mariah offspring!! I have felt the wrath of Mariah during my visits to Rochester NY while I was atop of the Kodak tower with the DEC when we satellite tagging, and I can tell you that Linn is a full contact body hitting peregrine, just like her mother!!! Fierce and feisty! No pain, no gain type of gal!]

!!! 3 Hatchlings confirmed!
June 04, 2011 - Scarborough - Yellow Pages
Mark Nash Reports:

A quick visit today during a short break in the rain paid off. With a very quiet approach once we got to the roof, also paid off. Just as we arrived at the nest ledge, the clouds moved away and the sun appeared and lit up the entire building. We got really lucky indeed and the photos say it all!

Our approach was so quiet and with the sun at our backs, I managed to capture a few shots of Linn and her 3 new family members before she caught wind me. From that point onwards, our visit got progressively more interesting and intense!

It only took Linn but a second to take flight from the corner of the nest ledge where she was sunny herself with her three new hatchlings, and from that point onwards, both Paul and I spend the entire time scrambling and ducking to get to the access door and and to the safety of the concrete walls.

Linn is most certainly a Mariah offspring!! I have felt the wrath of Mariah during my visits to Rochester NY while I was atop of the Kodak tower with the DEC when we satellite tagging, and I can tell you that Linn is a full contact body hitting peregrine, just like her mother!!! Fierce and feisty! No pain, no gain type of gal!

We were asked to leave the roof area by Linn, and we obliged her,,, VERY QUICKLY!!

(Mark got some good photos of Linn doing her Mariah impression: http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/2011/06/sightings/3-hatchlings-for-linn/)

[!!! Canada Square Resident Adults Update]

And here is the 'official post' from CPF identifying Stormin as the new resident male and more great news about his new role   

!!! Canada Square Resident Adults UpdateJune 02, 2011 - Toronto - Canada Square Building - Yonge and Eglinton
Tracy Simpson Reports:

First off I would like to apologize for the lack of posts as I have been at a banding event every day and it seems in every corner of the province!!  It has been wonderful to be able to celebrate these banding events as another opportunity to participate in the monitoring of this species at risk and equally exhausting!!  Here is the update that we have all been anxiously awaiting.

There has certainly been much to watch at the Canada Square nest site and we have been documenting a great deal of behaviour observed between the new male and the resident female.  One of the best observations came from Neil Armstrong of Northern Realty Advisors Ltd when he checked on the three chicks from the observation room on Monday May 30th.  The new male was on the ledge with the chicks alone for a full five minutes and he exhibited nothing but curiosity for the young ones.  Thanks to Neil we were able to get a band number and confirm that the new male on-site is none other than Stormin’, a 2009 hatch from the Toronto Sheraton Hotel.  Stormin’ has been spotted several times over the past year in the Warden and Eglinton area as well as several other places throughout the east GTA.  His tenacity paid off with a territory to call his own that came furnished with a female and chicks already in place!! 

The next big step for this male would be to adopt the young as his own by participating in not just the defence of the site and young but food provision as well.  Bruce and Lyn have been attending regularly in the hopes of witnessing such an event and their efforts were rewarded today with an observation of Stormin’ flying up to the nest ledge with food!!  The resident female flew into the ledge and demanded he hand it over which he relinquished half heartedly.  The female then proceeded into the ledge to feed the chicks and Stormin’ took this as his cue to leave.  It is now clear that Stormin’ has accepted the role of resident male at the Canada Square nest site and is participating in the rearing of the young family.  From the vacancy of the territory left by the death of Irving to the adoption of the family by the new male Stormin’, the change over came full circle in a matter of 12 days.  A huge thank you goes out to Bruce, Lyn and Neil Armstrong at Northern Realty Advisors Ltd for all of their efforts in documenting this event so thoroughly.