Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[carly]

!!! Banding day success at the downtown Toronto King Street nest site!
June 05, 2014 - Toronto - King Street
Mark Nash Reports:

June 5th - 2014
Banding Day!
A huge thank you to Dream Property Management - (previously Dundee Property management), and all of the security and engineering staff at 18 King street for all of their support and for hosting the banding event again this year. With standing room only and a record crowd of onlookers to witness the happening, the young peregrine hatchling, named was named “Theia�, (named after the Greek goddess of light), was successfully banded and returned to it parents (Windwhistler and Erin) this morning.

The young female hatchling, weighing in at 855 grams with green tape was in fine form and good health! Out on the swing stage, a huge thank you to Kathy Smith from the CPF who did the extraction again this year, along with the stage operators and continued support from the Solar Window Group. Thank you so much Solar and Kathy again this year!!

Kathy was able to do some routine maintenance and ledge,,, cleaning up on the ledge during the banding, including cleaning the camera lens itself, retrieving the two un-hatched eggs and scooping up the dark mystery object that suddenly appeared on the north end of the ledge several days ago. In addition, she was also able to get a visual of the resident adults, and although couldn’t 100% confirm that it is still Windwhistler and Arin, she was able to confirm that the resident adult female is banded with a Black over Red band (which is consistent to Erin’s band colour),, and that the resident adult male still dawns a solid black band with is also consistent to that of Windwhistlers band colour. We believe that it is still Windwhistler and Arin.

So, the mystery black object at the other end of the nest ledge, was a large female (hen) mallard duck!! See the attached photos. Aside of the all of the other species of birds that this pair have been eating, it appears the duck is still on the menu these days!! A large Mallard is a huge size pray for even a female peregrine to actually carry up to a 19 floor elevation!!

While the peregrine has come out of the medieval times with a nick-name of the “Duck Hawk�, given that is a very skilled duck hunter indeed, (and rightfully so), a large mallard duck is a very heavy prey to carry for any peregrine never the less!

Thank you again to Mark Heaton from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Aurora District) for supporting and doing the banding again this year. We were also reminded that this is the 19th year for the peregrines nesting at the 18 King Street nest site, and Toronto first!!

A big thank you for City TV who was out again this year to film the event.

[Donna]

Oh my, I went to look at the pics of the banding, saw the duck!  Was hardly eaten. Don't know HOW they get lift off with that heavy of a prey!! Totally quackers!!

[carly]

Here's Bloor & Islington kids this morning...!  Look how cute little Heaton is with his fierce face 

[Donna]

Here's Bloor & Islington kids this morning...!  Look how cute little Heaton is with his fierce face 

Soooo cute and he is soooo tiny!! 

[Carol P.]

Here's Bloor & Islington kids this morning...!  Look how cute little Heaton is with his fierce face 

Wow!  Such a tiny little guy that Heaton is.   

Thanks for posting Mark's update on the King St banding Carly!   

[MAK]

Wow, they've changed so much since Joyce and I were there for banding day! 
Check out the difference between then and now with my pic of cute little Heaton with his bigger siblings.

[Donna]

Heaton all alone at the ESL site as ALL THREE of his siblings fledged today! All 3 came to the ground and were rescued. Kathy and Renee rescued Pierre, and I hear Tracy did a double rescue of Sunni (he fledged first) and Skyla, and she will be putting them back on the ledge tonight, so we can do it all again tomorrow!!! I'm exhausted and I wasn't even at the site today! Good job everyone!!!

  from CPF

[Kris G.]

From Carly-posted on BCAW about Etobicoke site:

Sorry I haven't been updating but it's been the week from heck. 4 rescues since Monday. Just home for a quick change and then back out.

We had a horrible storm blow through last nite and it blew my little baby off the ledge. Tracy found him in the street. Our hearts are broken.

RIP little Heaton

FLy free, little Heaton. 

[Braveheart2665]

So sad 

[Dumpsterkitty]

Poor baby...

That was a horrible storm...very glad more weren't injured

[MAK]

From Carly-posted on BCAW about Etobicoke site:

Sorry I haven't been updating but it's been the week from heck. 4 rescues since Monday. Just home for a quick change and then back out.

We had a horrible storm blow through last nite and it blew my little baby off the ledge. Tracy found him in the street. Our hearts are broken.

RIP little Heaton

FLy free, little Heaton. 

Oh nooooooo-not Heaton!!!! 

[Carol P.]

That is so sad.  Fly free Heaton.    

[Donna]

Nooooo!!!! He was such a pip squeak, ah so so sad!! 

[jeanne]

 

[patsy6]

Oh, poor little Heaton!  Nature can be so very cruel sometimes.